TALENT CULTIVATION-GUIDED REFORM TO THE TEACHING OF COMPUTATIONAL PHYSICS: A CASE STUDT IN THE “STRENGTHENING BASIC DISCIPLINES PLAN” AT UESTC

Computational physics is a core course for undergraduate students majoring in applied physics. To consolidate students’ interest in physics, to inspire their innovative thinking, and to assist them in developing the ability to solve practical problems using computational physics methods, thereby achieving the goal of cultivating innovative talents with comprehensive development of “knowledge, ability, and quality” in the fundamental discipline of physics, the authors recently have conducted teaching reform practices in the following three areas. First, based on the topological structure of physics courses, the teaching contents have been extensively expanded by inheriting classics and exploring frontiers in parallel, adopting a teaching philosophy of “integration of science and education”, and the teaching software has been promptly updated, and ideological and political elements have been organically designed in the curriculum, which help to light students’ interest in fundamental physics. A teaching design that combines “problem-oriented inquiry-based teaching” and “project-driven discussion-based teaching” has been explored, guiding students to independently raise up questions and thereby cultivating their critical spirit and innovative consciousness. The course assessment and evaluation system has been restructured to conduct multi-dimensional and whole-process assessment of students’ learning, with a focus on evaluating students’ mastery of computational physics theoretical knowledge and their ability to use computational physics methods to solve specific problems.