This $300,000 project grant from the National Science Foundation's Division of Undergraduate Education, under the STEM Education (47.076) program, supports the development of simulation-based labs and associated education research for topics in electromagnetism, waves, and optics. Trustees of Boston University will create several HTML5 computer simulations for use in introductory physics labs, along with worksheets and guided inquiry materials. They will test the effectiveness of hybrid labs combining simulations and hands-on experiments versus hands-on only labs. Comparisons will also be made for recitations using simulations versus alternative approaches. The research aims to assess impacts on content knowledge gains, attitudinal shifts, and skills in visual modeling and representation. Results may demonstrate multiple lab designs can produce acceptable learning outcomes, giving instructors flexibility to adapt to local conditions or remote learning needs. This work builds on the recipients' prior NSF-funded research comparing simulation and hands-on labs for mechanics topics.
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