Undergraduate Materials Education Initiative: A New Paradigm for Teaching Undergraduate Materials Synthesis and Processing

现有的材料加工课程普遍过时， 缺乏跨学科方法，范围有限 和本科生的可用性。 爱荷华州州立大学 将通过开发11种灵活的 课程模块，每个为期4至6周，强调 陶瓷粉末加工，金属粉末加工， 玻璃和电子材料的加工。 工业 在设计模型实验之前，将介绍实践 讨论基本概念。 每个模块还将 与适当的结构和机械特性相关联 活动 这些模块可用于更新现有的 课程插入他们在过时的材料或形式的地方 一个全新的过程。每个模块将以小册子的形式， 录像带和计算机磁盘。 模块将提供给 其他机构在制定和评估时使用和评估， 在爱荷华州进行测试。 评估将在以下基础上进行： 这些单元在解决关键问题方面的有效性 当前本科材料课程的弱点， 就吸引更多学生的有效性而言， 特别是少数民族和妇女，进入材料领域。

Existing curricula in materials processing are generally outdated, lack an interdisciplinary approach, and are limited in their scope and availability to undergraduate students. Iowa State University will address these shortcomings by developing eleven flexible course modules, each of 4 to 6 weeks duration, which emphasize ceramic powder processing, metal powder processing, and the processing of glass and of electronic materials. Industrial practice will be introduced prior to designing model experiments and discussing fundamental concepts. Each module will also be linked to appropriate structural and mechanical characterization activities. The modules can be used either to update existing courses by inserting them in place of outdated materials or to form an entire new course. Each module will be in the form of a booklet, video tape, and computer disk. Modules will be made available for use and evaluation by other institutions as they are developed and tested at Iowa State. Evaluation will be carried out on the basis of the effectiveness of the modules in addressing the key weaknesses in current undergraduate materials curricula and in terms of their effectiveness in attracting more students, particularly minorities and women, into the materials field.