Engineering - Materials Science (57) This project is modifying a sophomore level introductory materials science course to enable every student in the class to benefit from a one-semester undergraduate research experience. The key premise of the project is that by using modern pedagogies and team-based research projects a scalable and sustainable model can be developed for universal undergraduate research experiences that does not require one-on-one mentoring. By implementing this approach during the sophomore year, the project also seeks to improve engineering student retention. The specific objectives of the course reform are to (1) to improve the learning process in an introductory materials science course by emphasizing active learning pedagogies, (2) to allow the development of scientific reasoning skills and to provide students with direct experience in the scientific process, and (3) to increase the interest of sophomore undergraduate students in science/engineering and materials science. The project includes rigorous formative and summative evaluation plans with both qualitative and quantitative components coordinated by an independent evaluator. The evaluation plan includes an advisory board consisting of representatives from seven institutions that are interested in adopting the revised course materials and pedagogical approach. The project's results are being disseminated through conferences and journal publications and through professional societies.
Of the fourteen grand challenges for engineering identified by the National Academy of Engineering at least half require design and development of new materials. Due to the importance of materials as technology enablers, introductory materials science courses are fundamental for engineering students, regardless of their major. Unfortunately, materials science courses are perceived as difficult by many students, in part due to the fact that they are mostly taught as a very large collection of facts and concepts about the behavior of matter. In this project, we examined the impact of active learning pedagogical aproaches on the students' understanding of the subject as well as their attitudes towards the Engineering field. We aproached the problem by using both quantitative (e.g. the Materials Concept Inventory and the Pitssburgh Engineering Attitudes Test) as well as qualitative (observations, interviews) methods. Our study is unprecedented in scope since more than 1,000 students and nine instructors were observed, evaluated. The major outcomes are as follows: 1. The study conclusively suggests that active learning pedagogies have a dramatic effect on the understanding of a concept heaving course such as materials science. The improvement (pre and post) in MCI scores in the sections in which active learning activities were included was on average twice as large the comparable gains in traditional materials science courses. 2. The extensive qualitative studies of the class dynamics as well as perception by students and instructors have provided valuable information about what students and instructors consider to be the most effective strategies to not only ensure adequate understanding of the material seen in class but also for engaging students. One of the most salient observations is the fact that both students and instructors consider effective, fast communication one of the major contributors to the learning experience. This result may be relevant to initiatives to move some of these concept heavy courses into massive online learning settings. 3. We developed a very large baseline dataset for learning gains in materials science courses by collecting more than 2,000 MCI tests over three years. These results are currently being used to establish the statistical reliability of the MCI test. The aggregated data resulting from the MCI study will be a highly valuable resource for further investigation of pedagogical approaches to the teaching of materials science. 4. The study involved the observation of nine different instructors with very different teaching philosophies and pedagogical approaches. In this sense, the study also provides with a significant dataset for pedagogical strategies. Impact on Field and Society at Large 1. First, our study contributes significantly to the understanding of what are the major contributors to the learning experience of undergraduate students enrolled in a general materials science course. 2. Second, we demonstrate in a very conclusive manner the impact of active approaches on student's learning experience.
