Optical Analogies for Teaching Physics of X-rays and CAT Scans*

Details Optical Analogies for Teaching Physics of X-rays and CAT Scans* Optical Analogies for Teaching Physics of X-rays and CAT Scans*

Dec 2006

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2006aas...20924506k&link_type=abstract

2007 AAS/AAPT Joint Meeting, American Astronomical Society Meeting 209, #245.06; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society,

Computer Science

Performance

Scientific paper

Our Modern Miracle Medical Machines project is devoted to improving motivation and performance of pre-med students in their undergraduate Physics classes. Under its framework we designed some non-traditional hands-on lab activities involving optical analogies to teach the application of contemporary physics to medical imaging. On the basis of our previous research (primarily clinical interviews with the target student population) we created activities using semi-transparent Lego blocks as analogs for understanding the image reconstruction process in computerized axial tomography (CAT or CT). Teaching interviews have been conducted with pre-med and other health-related majors using these materials. Students had to determine the shape of an object constructed of Lego blocks and hidden within a closed box. This arrangement imitated an unknown entity within a part of the human body. Using LEDs (light-emitting diodes) and a photo detector the students attempted to learn the contents of the box. They also had access to another similar Lego arrangement which they were free to open. Interviewees successfully transferred knowledge from their science and math classes (as well as from other sources) while completing activities and expressed great interest in this endeavor. Improvements to the activities have been based on the students’ feedback.
*Supported by the National Science Foundation under grant 04-2675

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