Developing Optical Devices and Project-based Learning to Improve Undergraduate Students' Scientific Research and Engineering Design Skills

该项目旨在通过改善工程和物理本科教育服务于国家利益。伯特利大学物理系在使用开放式实验室和探究式学生研究教学物理方面有着悠久的历史。该系最近扩大为物理与工程系，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、实验室空间和教师来教授科学研究和工程设计。作为一个统一的跨学科主题，建立在部门的优势，该项目将重点放在光学测量。新的测量设备将被设计和制造，主要使用光作为精确的工具来观察机械、热和电子过程。这些设备将用于基于项目的学习活动，使学生可以在相同的实验室设施中学习物理主题和工程设计。学生的学习成果将被评估，以确定基于项目的学习经验对学生对物理的理解和他们的工程设计技能的影响。该研究还将考察跨学科学生团队如何互动并参与研究和设计项目。该项目将帮助下一代工程师和科学家做好准备，以解决他们在STEM劳动力中遇到的技术和团队合作挑战。这个项目的目标是通过基于项目的学习来帮助学生学习物理原理和工程设计过程。高级光学物理实验室的技术将适用于本科工程课程。将为基于项目的学习活动开发一套低成本、紧凑、无基础设施的光学技术。这些包括与用于成像流体流动和传热的手机相机兼容的纹影装置；用于测量热膨胀和杨氏模量的紧凑数字全息术；以及用于稳定和调制激光输出的激光功率伺服控制器。这些设备将在本科工程课程中用于指导实验活动和学生主导的项目。每个设备附带的学习评估将量化学生在学习课程内容和发展实验技术技能方面的进展。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。将设计三个实验室来配合三门跨学科的高级课程，即流体力学、材料与器件课程以及光学科学与工程课程。在用这些开放式项目教授跨学科高级课程的同时，项目团队将研究这种教学方法的有效性，包括这些项目是否有效地教授工程设计和实验技术，以及学生如何培养对项目的所有权和热情。该项目的结果将通过专注于物理和工程教育的专业会议和期刊传播。这些设备的文档将通过在线存储库传播，以便其他机构可以在其课程中采用这些技术。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。通过参与学生学习轨道，该计划支持有前途的实践和工具的创建，探索和实施。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

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.