Material Detail

Project LITE is a two-year proof-of-concept project involving materials development, course instruction, and student learning assessment at Boston University. The project's goal is to develop a prototype set of integrated educational materials--unique take-home laboratory experiments, written guides, Web-based software, and lecture demonstrations--which aim to clarify the nature of light, optics, color, and perception. The project's major innovation is the development (and introduction into a range of university courses) of a set of "home labs"--experiments employing inexpensive original devices and existing commercial and industrial optical materials. These inquiry-based, quantitative laboratory experiences are being designed for use by students in their homes or dormitory rooms. The project is also developing easily implementable and inexpensive demonstrations about light for both individual and classroom use. Written materials, as well as Web-based software, are being developed in conjunction with the home labs and demonstrations. Materials are being pilot-tested in two introductory physics and astronomy courses for non-majors at Boston University.

Disciplines:

• Science and Technology  / Physics