Virtual laboratory in optics

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Virtual laboratory in optics

• N. Balmush, R. Dumbraveanu
• Chisinau, Moldova
• The State Pedagogical University
• balmouche_at_netcourrier.com
• roza_at_iic.md

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Objectives of the work

• To elaborate the electronic version of the
  curriculum materials in optics.
• To create the interactive simulations of the
  physical phenomena related to wave optics.
• To elaborate the computer version of the
  laboratory works with simulations of the
  physical processes.
• To elaborate the knowledge evaluation unit.

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Guidelines used in the elaboration of the
computer simulations

• Learning paradigm to simulate the physical
  phenomena as in real life
• Constructive approach to learning
• Interactivity as motivation for learning
• Record of the students reports

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The course Wave Optics

• The course is designed for undergraduate students
• The course comprises
• theory, problems, exercises for auto evaluation
• simulations of the physical phenomena
• laboratory works

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Wave Optics Topics

• The interference. The study of Newton rings.
• The interference. Young slits, Fresnel mirrors,
  Fresnel biprisms.
• The interference. Michelson interferometer.
• The interference. Fabry-Perot interferometer.
• The interference. Rayleigh interferometer.
• The diffraction. Fresnel and Fraunhofer
  diffraction from a single/double slit.
• The diffraction. Fraunhofer diffraction
  grating.

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Designation of the programs

• Illustration of the concepts of wave optics
• Demo materials for the lectures
• Pre-lab works
• Virtual lab assignments
• Evaluation of the students knowledge

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Modes of execution

• Phenomena investigation
• In this mode students have the opportunity to
  model real physics experiments, to change all the
  parameters of the physics installation, to
  participate fully in learning new facts about the
  natural world. This kind of participation
  provides not only a strong motivation but, more
  important, is the one of the way to give students
  an understanding of science.   

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Modes of execution

• Laboratory assignment
• Laboratory assignment gives students the
  possibility to determine some variables of the
  experiment according to the task assigned to them
  by teacher.
• The ease of data measurement and visualisation
  encourage students to become active participants
  in a process. The real-time screen display of
  actual physical measurements directly gives the
  students the correlation with the corresponding
  physical phenomena.

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Lab assignment evaluation

• The assignment is generated by the program in a
  random way, but fixed for every student. The
  teacher has access to the text file in which the
  student login data and the assignment data are
  stored.
• The comparison of obtained data with those from
  the text file is a useful pedagogical tool for
  evaluation the correctitude of the fulfilled
  measurements.

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General view for simulations
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Lab assignment for the student

• The assignment is generated by the program in a
  random way, but fixed for every student.
• The teacher has access to the text file in which
  the student login data and the assignment data
  are stored.

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The study of the Newton rings(the installation
scheme)
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The study of Newton rings interference picture
generated by computer simulation
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The study of Newton rings demo

• The presented wave optics simulations are
  accessible through CD-ROMs or university
  Intranet.
• They can be available via Internet as executable
  modules.
• The demo version of the simulation Study of
  Newton rings as executable module.

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Study of interference Rayleigh interferometer
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Study of interference Fabry-Perot interferometer
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Study of interference Michelson interferometer
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Study of interference Young slits
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Use of the elaborated modules

• The simulations have been used by students from
  the physics department of the State University of
  Moldova.
• Circa 200 undergraduate students have used these
  simulations as the pre-lab works performed
  before the real experiments in the laboratory.
• About 50 students have studied these computer
  programs as part of the special course
  Computational Physics.

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Conclusions

• The computer simulations have a positive impact
  on the students achievements.
• The students got the possibility to investigate
  more deeply the physical phenomena.
• The students got the possibility to simulate the
  physics phenomena, to repeat all the stages of
  the experiment.
• Some students have enhanced their programming
  skills and understanding of physical phenomena.
• The elaborated modules can be used also as demo
  materials during lecturesas illustration of
  science concepts.

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Proposal of collaboration

• The authors would like to collaborate with other
  groups within the framework of some projects in
  order to exchange ideas, to share experience and
  to develop new computer units for student
  education.
• Contact balmouche_at_netcourrier.com
• rdumbraveanu_at_yahoo.com

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Thank you!