Interdisciplinary (99) This project (SEMI-STEM) is creating instructional materials in the "science and engineering of musical instruments" (SEMI) in order to connect student learning in each of: science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). The project is developing and implementing a freshman math-science block course that uses science, math, engineering, and technology as a means to understand music, particularly the design of musical instruments. Although there have been courses for decades that connect science, technology, math, and music theoretically, this project is adding design and development components that culminate in the building of musical instruments. With these additions, this course is being created as a large "block" course sized at 7-credit hours. The learning context is inquiry-based. Students are learning to use engineering techniques as well as the underlying science to design, construct, and demonstrate musical instruments. The course development and instruction is being guided by an interdisciplinary team consisting of a physicist, mathematician, engineer, educator, musician, and science teacher.
Intellectual Merit: The merit of this project rests is derived from improvements that are expected to occur in the technical literacy, problem solving ability, creative thinking, and STEM self-efficacy of first-year undergraduates who complete this SEMI-STEM course. Criteria are being developed for a general approach to developing coordinated math-science-engineering courses, especially for diverse populations, by monitoring student outcomes. This entails modifying, developing, and testing assessment tools to measure changes in students' affective attributes and cognitive skills. Ways are also being created to measure each student's prior knowledge and misconceptions, and subsequent conceptual changes as the course proceeds.
Broader Impact: This project is developing a prototype methodology for integrating STEM with the fine arts and developing assessment tools to judge the effectiveness of prototype courses.
