Upgrade of a radiation measurement laboratory course at the University of Florida

The open-quotes Nuclear Radiation Detection and Instrumentation Laboratoryclose quotes course at the University of Florida provides health physics students with virtually their only hands-on exposure to the radiation measurement equipment used in professional practice. To better prepare students for employment, the course is currently under revision, with implementation of the revised course scheduled for fall semester 1996. The primary goal is to improve student understanding of the inherent strengths and limitations of various gas-filled, scintillation, and semiconductor detectors. A secondary goal is to improve student writing skills. To devise lab exercises that meet these goals, a six-step method for systematic laboratory course improvement was developed and used to guide the revision process. First, course objectives were delineated. Second, obstacles to achieving these course objectives were candidly assessed. Third, the course objectives were prioritized to ensure that the most important ones were met within the given time and equipment constraints. Fourth, performance-based learning objectives were written for each exercise. Fifth, exercises were developed that enable students to achieve the learning objectives specified. Sixth, when the revised course is implemented, its teaching effectiveness will be measured and steps will be taken to improve further. Course revision is nearly complete, and the new exercises promise to significantly improve both student technical knowledge and communication skill