BROADEN HORIZONS, CONSOLIDATE FOUNDATIONS, MASTER PRACTICE, EMBRACE INNOVATION : ORIENTATION AND TEACHING PRACTICE OF MODERN PHYSICS EXPERIMENT COURSE AT TSINGHUA UNIVERSITY

This paper presents a refined teaching framework for Tsinghua University's Modern Physics Laboratory course, addressing several common problems in university physics laboratory teaching, including an emphasis on experimental operation over design, results over process, and details over broader scientific perspectives. Guided by national talent-development strategies, Tsinghua University's educational philosophy, and students' future academic and professional needs, the course establishes four core objectives: broadening horizons, building solid foundations, learning to practice, and understanding innovation. To implement these objectives effectively, the teaching team developed a refined and differentiated instructional framework consisting of three major components. First, frontier-oriented experimental chains in condensed matter physics, quantum physics, and optics were established to form a longitudinal framework that reflects academic and technological development. Second, three flexible learning modes were introduced to accommodate students with different backgrounds: a basic mode with six conventional experiments, a guided N+X extended-research mode, and an advanced mode centered on one independent experiment; a process-based assessment system emphasizing students' growth gains was also implemented. Third, a supportive hardware-and-software system was established, including a powerful digital platform, multidimensional communication channels, and a flexible equipment pool for exploratory learning. Two representative teaching cases involving quantum-computing exploration and saturated-absorption spectroscopy design illustrate how students are guided from passive operation toward active inquiry and how an experimental "designer's perspective" is cultivated. Teaching practice indicates that the establishment of these objectives and the implementation of the framework promote students' transition from "operators" to "designers" and help enhance their scientific literacy and innovative capability.