Developing Optical Devices and Project-based Learning to Improve Undergraduate Students' Scientific Research and Engineering Design Skills

开发光学器件和项目式学习提高本科生科学研究和工程设计技能

• 批准号: 2021402
• 负责人: Heather Lewandowski
• 金额: $ 2.66万
• 依托单位: University of Colorado at Boulder
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2021-01-01 至 2024-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2021402&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Developing; Optical; Devices; Project; based

This project aims to serve the national interest by improving undergraduate education in engineering and in physics. The Physics Department at Bethel University has a substantial history of teaching physics using open-ended labs and inquiry-based student research. The department has recently expanded to become a Physics and Engineering Department that also offers four-year engineering degrees. One of the challenges of supporting both the physics and engineering degree programs is teaching scientific research and engineering design using shared equipment, lab spaces, and faculty. As a unifying interdisciplinary theme that builds on the department’s strengths, the project will focus on optical measurements. New measurement devices will be designed and built that primarily use light as a precise tool to observe mechanical, thermal, and electronic processes. These devices will be used in project-based learning activities, so that students can learn physics topics and engineering design in the same laboratory facilities. Student learning outcomes will be assessed to determine the impact of the project-based learning experiences on students’ understanding of physics and their engineering design skills. The study will also examine how interdisciplinary teams of students interact and engage with research and design projects. The project will help prepare the next generation of engineers and scientists to address technical and teamwork challenges they will encounter in the STEM workforce. The goal of this project is to help students learn physics principles and the engineering design process through project-based learning. Techniques from advanced optical physics labs will be adapted for use in the undergraduate engineering curriculum. A suite of low-cost, compact, infrastructure-free optical techniques will be developed for project-based learning activities. These include a schlieren device compatible with a cell phone camera for imaging fluid flows and heat transfer; compact digital holography for measurements of thermal expansion and Young's modulus; and a laser power servo controller for stabilizing and modulating a laser's output. These devices will be used in undergraduate engineering courses for guided lab activities and student-led projects. Learning assessments accompanying each device will quantify students' progress in learning course content and developing skills in experimental techniques. Additionally, optical techniques will be expanded to include more sophisticated apparatus, providing opportunities for students to engage in open-ended projects and learn aspects of engineering design. Three labs will be designed to accompany three interdisciplinary, upper-level courses, namely, fluid mechanics, a materials and devices course, and an optical science and engineering course. While teaching interdisciplinary upper-level courses with these open-ended projects, the project team will study the effectiveness of this teaching approach, including whether the projects are effective for teaching engineering design and experimental techniques as well as the ways in which students develop ownership and enthusiasm for their projects. Results of the project will be disseminated through professional conferences and journals that focus on physics and engineering education. The documentation for the devices will be disseminated through online repositories so that other institutions can adopt the technologies in their curricula. The NSF IUSE: EHR Program supports research and development projects to improve the effectiveness of STEM education for all students. Through the Engaged Student Learning track, the program supports the creation, exploration, and implementation of promising practices and tools.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

该项目旨在通过改善工程和物理学的本科教育来为国家利益服务。伯特利大学的物理系使用开放式实验室和基于询问的学生研究拥有庞大的教学物理学历史。该部门最近扩展到了一个物理和工程系，该部门还提供了四年的工程学位。支持物理学和工程学位课程的挑战之一是使用共享设备，实验室空间和教职员工教授科学研究和工程设计。作为基于部门的优势的统一跨学科主题，该项目将重点介绍光学测量。将设计和构建新的测量设备，主要使用光作为观察机械，热和电子过程的精确工具。这些设备将用于基于项目的学习活动，以便学生可以在同一实验室设施中学习物理主题和工程设计。将评估学生的学习成果，以确定基于项目的学习经验对学生对物理学及其工程设计技能的理解的影响。该研究还将研究学生的跨学科团队如何互动并与研究和设计项目互动。该项目将有助于准备下一代工程师和科学家，以应对他们在STEM劳动力中将遇到的技术和团队合作挑战。该项目的目的是通过基于项目的学习来帮助学生学习物理原理和工程设计过程。高级光学物理实验室的技术将适用于本科工程课程。将为基于项目的学习活动开发一套低成本，紧凑，无基础设施的光学技术。其中包括与用于成像流体流动和传热的手机摄像头兼容的Schlieren设备；紧凑的数字全息图，用于测量热膨胀和杨氏模量；以及激光伺服控制器，用于稳定和调节激光的输出。这些设备将用于指导实验室活动和学生主导的项目的本科工​​程课程。参与每种设备的学习评估将量化学生在学习课程内容和发展实验技术技能方面的进度。此外，光学技术将扩展到包括更复杂的设备，为学生提供开放式项目和学习工程设计方面的机会。将设计三个实验室，以容纳三个跨学科的高级课程，即流体力学，材料和设备课程以及光学科学和工程课程。在通过这些开放式项目的跨学科上级课程教授跨学科的课程时，项目团队将研究这种教学方法的有效性，包括项目是否有效地教学工程设计和实验技术以及学生对项目的所有权和热情的方式。该项目的结果将通过专业的会议和专注于物理和工程教育的期刊来传播。设备的文档将通过在线存储库进行传播，以便其他机构可以在其课程中采用技术。 NSF IUSE：EHR计划支持研发项目，以提高所有学生STEM教育的有效性。通过参与的学生学习轨道，该计划支持了承诺实践和工具的创建，探索和实施。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并被认为是值得通过基金会的知识分子优点和更广泛的影响评估的评估来支持的。