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服务国家利益。伯特利大学物理系在利用开放式实验室和基于探究的学生研究进行物理教学方面有着丰富的历史。物理与工程系也提供四年制工程学位，支持物理和工程学位课程的挑战之一是使用共享设备、实验室空间和师资进行科学研究和工程设计作为统一的跨学科主题。建立在部门的优势之上，该项目将重点将设计和建造新的测量设备，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，以便学生能够学习物理主题和知识。该研究还将评估学生在同一实验室设施中的学习成果，以确定基于项目的学习经历对学生对物理的理解及其工程设计技能的影响。该项目将帮助培养下一代工程师和该项目的目标是帮助学生通过基于项目的学习来学习物理原理和工程设计过程，并将其应用于实际应用中。本科工程课程将开发一套低成本、紧凑、无基础设施的光学技术，用于基于项目的学习活动，其中包括与手机摄像头兼容的纹影设备，用于对流体流动和热传递进行成像；全息术用于测量热膨胀和杨氏模量；以及用于稳定和调制激光器输出的激光功率伺服控制器，这些设备将用于指导实验室活动和学生主导的评估，从而量化学生在学习课程内容和方面的进展。此外，光学技术将扩展到包括更复杂的仪器，为学生提供参与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配合三个跨学科的高级实验室。课程，即流体力学、材料与器件课程、光学科学与工程课程在利用这些开放式项目进行跨学科的高级课程教学时，项目组将研究这种教学方法的有效性，包括项目是否有效。教授工程设计和实验技术以及培养学生对项目的所有权和热情的方法将通过专注于物理和工程教育的专业会议和期刊传播。通过在线存储库，以便其他NSF IUSE：EHR 计划支持研究和开发项目，以提高所有学生 STEM 教育的有效性。该奖项反映了 NSF 的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。