Effects of Pre-Instruction for Physics Experiments

Abstract

Students are required to learn fundamentals concerning physics before conducting experiments, which, so far, have been taught by the traditional method of lecturing. The present study aimed at an effective pre-instruction by using a microcomputer. The students' understanding as to the theory of error was investigated and the training was undertaken for them to understand it correctly. A printed problem sheet with multiple-choice type problems was used together with the newly constructed program. Not only did the method help us carry on the investigation smoothly, but made it possible to apply the program to investigations in other fields as well as pre-instructions for other physics experiments, without any remarkable modification. The description of the method and some findings in the instruction of error are given in the paper.