Our research shows that student learning of Newton's Laws in introductory physics courses is enhanced by the use of special guided discovery laboratory curricula which embody the results of educational research and which are supported bu the use of the Tools for Scientific Thinking microcomputer-based laboratory (MBL) tools (motion detector and force probe) for Macintosh and MS-DOS computers. This paper is divided into two related parts. We first describe the research-based Tools for Scientific Thinking and RealTime Physics dynamics curricula developed for use in introductory physics classes in colleges, universities and high schools. In the second part we examine student learning of dynamics in traditional physics courses and in courses using the new active learning curricula, primarily by the use of correlated questions on the Force and Motion Conceptual Evaluation, which is presented in its entirety. We discuss this instructional assessment and give evidence that it is a good statistical measure of student understanding of Newton's Laws. We present considerable evidence that students who use the new laboratory curricula demonstrate significantly improved learning and retention of dynamics concepts compared to students taught by traditional methods. We also give evidence for the hierarchical learning of mechanics concepts and for the improvement of student learning of dynamics from traditional lectures as a result of improved learning of kinematics from the new laboratory curricula.
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