This project is developing a novel three-week manufacturing course module focused on introducing cutting-edge research results in the area of micro-nanoscale manufacturing as part of existing undergraduate courses in the area of manufacturing and design. The explicit objective of the modules is to challenge the current perceptions of undergraduate students regarding the area of manufacturing by exposing them to the exciting education and research opportunities offered by advanced manufacturing technologies.
The courseware is centered on three distinct advanced manufacturing processes. The processes are chosen because they characterize the unique interplay of manufacturing science, material science and control systems and therefore can be introduced into a number of courses related to any of these areas.
The work is a collaborative effort between a research intensive university, a two-year community college, and a predominately Native American serving four year institution.
This project is producing an affective change in the mindset of undergraduate students towards the area of manufacturing; encouraging them in further study of the subject. The work is also producing curricular materials that can be used in a number of universities nationwide. To demonstrate this, project evaluators are measuring student cognitive and affective changes that are expected using a pre-post assessment. Evaluators are also collecting data to determine the project's transportability and utility for remote learning.
The project is contributing to the community's understanding of how to increase student interest for a subject by using technical research results combined with sound pedagogical methods. It is also contributing to the understanding of distance learning and transporting curriculum materials to a variety of venues.
