Abstract of paper presented at ESERA99 in Kiel 1999.

Link to a paper on this topic. (pdf-format)

Using Microcomputer based Laboratories to promote conceptual change in Mechanics among Preservice Teachers and Engineering Students*

Jonte Bernhard
Linköpings University, ITN Campus Norrköping, S-60174 Norrköping, Sweden

Abstract
Microcomputer based laboratories (MBL) have successfully been used to promote conceptual change in mechanics among preservice teachers and engineering students. In MBL-labs students do real experiments and conceptual change is facilitated by taking advantage of the real-time display of the experimental results by the computer. Thus students can immediately compare their predictions with the outcome of an experiment, and students' alternative conceptions can successfully be addressed. The gains achieved in our implementation of MBL-labs in courses in Sweden are above gains reported from innovative active engagement courses in USA. We also report from a case there only MBL-technology was implemented, but the students was not asked to do predictions. As a result "misconceptions" were not confronted and conceptual change was not achieved among "weak" students.