Teaching in the Age of Technology: Tensions and Possibilites

Improving student understanding of lock-in amplifiers

“…[6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17] For such tools to be maximally effective, it is important that they be developed using a research-based approach to ensure that they suit both the level and the prior experience of the students who will use them. 18,19 We have developed a lock-in amplifier tutorial to ease the transition of students who are just beginning their research in a laboratory setting, and to also provide a firmer foundation for those who have already used lockins in their research. The lock-in tutorial focuses on helping students build a robust understanding of the fundamental operation of a lock-in, and aids students in developing an intuitive feel for many of the possible situations that they may encounter in their experiments.…”

Development and evaluation of a tutorial to improve students’ understanding of a lock-in amplifier

“…Computer-based and web-based learning tools are becoming increasingly common to aid in learning across many science and engineering fields [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18]. These tools must be developed using a research-based approach to ensure that they are effective and suit both the level and the prior experience of the students they are intended for [19,20]. Here, we discuss the development and evaluation of the lock-in tutorial which makes use of a simulation of the lock-in device to ease the transition of those who are just beginning to use this instrument in their research in the lab setting, as well as to provide a firmer foundation for those who already use lock-ins in their research.…”