Surveys the types of computer usage in science education, both current and planned. The computer facilities are classified as interactive, semi-interactive or non-interactive. Interactive facilities make possible educational use of the computer administrator or producer of materials. The computer generally, and each mode in particular, is…

A brief introduction to computer programing explains the basic grammar of computer language as well as fundamental computer techniques. What constitutes a computer program is made clear, then three simple kinds of statements basic to the computational computer are defined: assignment statements, input-output statements, and branching statements. A…

A manual describes the use of graphic commands in student-computer dialogues. How to construct axes, windows, boxes and various other computer displays is explained, in particular reference to the ARDS 100 and TEKTRONIX 4002 and 4010 computer terminals. Concrete examples of displays are included. The appendix contains an explanation of the use of…

Basic advice for writing computer dialogs for use in science instruction is given. At the outset one should decide where within the subject area the computer dialog could offer a unique advantage over conventional teaching tools. Examples of such effective uses are remedial programs, in which a computer dialog may rapidly determine a student's…

A catalog of student-computer dialogues for physics teaching at the University of California at Irvine lists twenty different programs. Signing on and off are explained, then sixteen nongraphic and four graphic dialogues are listed with author, student level and information content described. (RB)

A description of the first two quarters of the beginning physics course at the University of California at Irvine is given. Lectures, films, student-computer dialogues and weekly assignment sheets dealing with special problems are used with much student choice allowed. Computer dialogues are used for proof learning, remedial mathematics, and…

This paper describes the design, development and use of computer-based teaching materials in the Physics Computer Development Project at the University of California at Irvine. The decision was made to develop dialogs and simulations related to existing material using the computational mode. The principal thrust has been in wave motion and…

This manual is intended as a reference handbook for use in writing instructional dialogs on the Sigma-7 computer. The concern is to give concise information which one would need to write and debug dialogs on this system. Metasymbol, the macro-assembly program for the Sigma-7, is described. Definitions of terminology, legal forms descriptions of…

This report discusses the development and implementation of computer-related teaching materials for undergraduate physics courses. A list of the computer dialogs developed, with a short description of each, is included. The types of dialog are: (1) development of an interactive proof, (2) assistance in problem solving, (3) diagnosing and filling…

A computer program, designed for use in the second quarter of the beginning course for science and engineering majors at the University of California, Irvine, simulates an experimental investigation of a pulse in a rope. A full trial run is given, in which the student's problem is to discover enough about the disturbance of the rope to answer…

Very little material exists for utilizing the computer in the physics classroom, and even that little is not widely known. It is hoped that this monograph will provide some stimulus both to innovation and to discussion of the role of the computer in physics education. The paper describes how this might be achieved with a detailed account of one…

Some computers permit conventional programing languages to be extended by the use of macro-instructions, a sophisticated programing tool which is especially useful in writing instructional dialogs. Macro-instructions (or "macro's") are complex commands defined in terms of the machine language or other macro-instructions. Like terms in…

A student-computer dialog for teaching a mathematical proof proved effective when tested in two university physics courses. The objective was to make the beginning or intermediate physics student an active participant in the development of the proof, which concerned the conservation of mechanical energy for a mass moving in one dimension and…

Reports a student-computer dialog for beginning or intermediate physics classes. This dialog enables the student to take some initiative in showing that energy conservation in one dimension is a consequence of the laws of motion. (DS)