Preludium to Modern Physics :
 Concepts of the e-Learning Project

L. Drška

drska@antu.fjfi.cvut.cz

CTU, Fac. Nucl. Sci. & Phys. Eng., Dept. of Physical Electronics, Brehova 7, 115 19 Prague 1

„You can’t engineer tomorrow’s solutions on yesterday’s technology.“        M. L. Morgan


This paper presents preliminary results of the development of the first part of the courseware for an e-course devoted to fundamentals of modern physics. In the course Preludium to Modern Physics should be   utmost employed  specific qualities of e-learning process in teaching exact disciplines [1] [2].Formulation of general concepts of the course and  their factual implementation points out TAB. 1.

TAB. 1. Preludium : Concepts & Solutions

General Concepts

Concrete Solutions

Individual approach, customisable contents

Choise of several textbooks, extensive  offer of electronic education materials, student search for additional resources

Internationalization, applicability for foreign
students

Application of worldwide used textbooks, first class websites, generally used software packages

Interactivity, creativity support, retaining knowledge via interactive problem-solving

Lot of web-based interactive documents, interactive materials in companion websites, just-in-time approach

Access to relevant technical software & computing resources

Several web-based calculators, special Java library for physics, additional sources of Java applets, Matlab / webMathematica

Specific features of knowledge verification

Adequate versions of test programs, graded tests at companion websites, individual  microprojects

Global structure of the relevant courseware being developed is outlined in TAB. 2.  At present, tentative Web version of the Part 1 is available and tested in the courses of modern physics being offered at the FNSPE CTU.

TAB. 2. Preludium : Structure of the Document

Part 1 (2001)

Part 2 (2002)

Structure of the Microworld

Molecules & Solids

Waves, Particles & Quanta

Nuclear Physics

Quantum Picture of the Microworld

Nuclear Energy & Radiation

Quantum Theory of Atoms

Plasma & Nuclear Fusion

Lasers & Quantum Computing

Particles & Astrophysics

Pocket PC Supplement


The teaching materials involve several groups of supplementary modules ensuring utilisation of specific distinctions of e-learning ;  they are listed in TAB. 3.
...

TAB. 3. Preludium : Supplementary Modules

Study materials

Textbooks

Suppl. e-texts

Remarques

Working documents

Surveys

Resources

Interactive modules

Tools

Calculators

Constants

Vocabularies

Assignements

Pretests

Exercises

Tests

As fundamental printed material for the course the Czech translation of the excellent,  worldwide used  Halliday’s textbook of physics (Part 5. Modern Physics) is recommended. The courseware is available on the website of the Virtual Department of Physical Sciences and Information Pedagogy, Department of Physical Electronics, FNSPE CTU. Concrete information and relevant URLs displays TAB. 4. Direct address of the document Preludium to Modern Physics  (Part 1) is given in reference [3].

TAB. 4.  Preludium : Textbook and Companion Websites

Primary textbook
(in Czech)

HALLIDAY D.- RESNICK R.- WALKER  J.: Fyzika / Physics. Pt. 5. VUTIUM / Prometheus,  Brno / Praha 2001.

http://bear.ro.vutbr.cz/nakl/fyzika/

Course server
(in Czech & English)

SERVER VEGA : Virtual Department of  Physical Sciences and Information Pedagogy. FNSPE CTU Praha.

http://vega.fjfi.cvut.cz/

Additional free website
(in English)

GIANCOLI D.C. Physics for Scientists and Engineers. Companion Website. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ, 2000.

http://cwx.prenhall.com/bookbind/pubbooks/giancoli3/

Full version of the document Preludium to Modern Physics is supposed to be  a part of  complex e-learning package Fundamentals of Nonclassical Physics ( subject of a grant proposal  for the year 2002). Selected parts of the package, most eligible for such approach, are planned to be presented in the framework of the integrated management system for education  WebCT.

More elaborated and updated electronic version of this presentation will be available  on the Web adress given in [4].
...
References :
 
[1]   DRŠKA L.: Komplexní aplikace ICT ve výuce exaktních oborùů .Information and Communication Technology in Education. Proceedings (Ed.: E. Mechlová).University  of Ostrava, Ostrava 2001,pp. 121-124.
 
[2]   DRŠKA L.: Komplexní aplikace ICT ve výuce exaktních oborů / Complex Application of ICT in Teaching Exact Disciplines.
http://vega.fjfi.cvut.cz/docs/icte2001/      
 
[3]   DRŠKA L.: Preludium k moderní fyzice /Preludium to Modern Physics.              http://vega.fjfi.cvut.cz/docs/preludium0/.
 
[4]   DRŠKA L.: Preludium to Modern Physics : Concepts of the e-Learning Project.   
 http://vega.fjfi.cvut.cz/docs/w2002/