Enhancing Undergraduate Materials Science Labs for Experiential Learning

Mackinley Love; Philip Egberts; Joanna Wong; Miriam Nightingale

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Conference: 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Baltimore , Maryland
Publication Date: June 25, 2023
Start Date: June 25, 2023
End Date: June 28, 2023
Conference Session: Disciplinary Engineering Education Research – Session 1
Tagged Division: Educational Research and Methods Division (ERM)
Page Count: 21
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--43492
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/43492
Download Count: 221

Paper Authors

biography

Mackinley Love University of Calgary

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Mackinley Love is a Master of Science candidate at the University of Calgary in the Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering. He completed his Bachelor of Applied Science in the same department in 2021. His thesis topic and interests lie in the investigation of educational scholarship and its links with undergraduate engineering laboratories. He is also the president of the Engineering Education Scholarship Society (E2S2) for 2022-2023, the graduate student club that promotes the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning and Engineering Education to the faculty and greater university community.

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Philip Egberts University of Calgary orcid.org/0000-0002-3353-4493

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Philip Egberts obtained his Ph.D. from the McGill University in 2011. Following his PhD studies, he joined the Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics department at the University of Pennsylvania. Currently, he is the Acting Head of the Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering at the University of Calgary. He was also a visiting professor and Humboldt Fellow at the University of Hamburg in the Department of Physics from 2019-2020. His current research interests range atomic and nanoscale investigation of adhesion, friction, and wear, as well as nanoenhanced lubricant development and tribocorrosion.

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Joanna Wong University of Calgary

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Miriam Nightingale University of Calgary

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Abstract

Enhancing Undergraduate Materials Science Labs for Experiential Learning

Laboratories in undergraduate mechanical engineering courses are designed to provide experiential learning opportunities, ground theoretical knowledge from lectures in practical experiments, and to develop familiarity with the testing techniques utilized in industry. However, many engineering students at the University of Calgary feel that these laboratories are disconnected with their in-class learning and have no application outside of the course environment. As well, there is pressure from industry, the provincial government, and the University of Calgary to include industry-relevant learning opportunities in undergraduate curriculums to improve the transition of students from university to the workforce.

The goal of this research endeavour is to determine how educational scholarship can be applied to undergraduate engineering laboratories to enhance learning outcomes. Findings will be used to develop a methodological framework for applying educational scholarship to engineering laboratories in higher education.

A literature review was conducted to develop an understanding of the current best practices and knowledge in engineering education, as well as clarify expectations from the University of Calgary and the Government of Alberta. Critically reflective surveys were developed using Ash and Clayton’s DEAL model and Bloom’s taxonomy and released to current engineering students in a third-year materials science course at the University of Calgary’s Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering program. The purpose of these surveys is to evaluate where students feel their laboratories do not connect to their classes or careers, and what steps can be taken to improve learning outcomes. Engineering graduates and managers were also surveyed on how well-prepared graduates are for the engineering industry working environment.

Following completion, these survey responses will be evaluated using qualitative content analysis. Responses will first be read through multiple times to identify major response themes, which will be used to develop a semi-structured coding matrix. Responses will be broken down into units of information and coded according to the developed matrix. The frequency of each theme will be used to support research conclusions.

Preliminary results indicate that students find value in how their laboratories support and reinforce in-class learning but want stronger links to industrial practices. Students also experience a discontinuity between their present and previous laboratories, indicating a need for a broader laboratory framework that reinforces skills across different courses.

Citation
Format

Love, M., & Egberts, P., & Wong, J., & Nightingale, M. (2023, June), Enhancing Undergraduate Materials Science Labs for Experiential Learning Paper presented at 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Baltimore , Maryland. 10.18260/1-2--43492

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - Enhancing Undergraduate Materials Science Labs for Experiential Learning

Laboratories in undergraduate mechanical engineering courses are designed to provide experiential learning opportunities, ground theoretical knowledge from lectures in practical experiments, and to develop familiarity with the testing techniques utilized in industry. However, many engineering students at the University of Calgary feel that these laboratories are disconnected with their in-class learning and have no application outside of the course environment. As well, there is pressure from industry, the provincial government, and the University of Calgary to include industry-relevant learning opportunities in undergraduate curriculums to improve the transition of students from university to the workforce. 

The goal of this research endeavour is to determine how educational scholarship can be applied to undergraduate engineering laboratories to enhance learning outcomes. Findings will be used to develop a methodological framework for applying educational scholarship to engineering laboratories in higher education.  

A literature review was conducted to develop an understanding of the current best practices and knowledge in engineering education, as well as clarify expectations from the University of Calgary and the Government of Alberta. Critically reflective surveys were developed using Ash and Clayton’s DEAL model and Bloom’s taxonomy and released to current engineering students in a third-year materials science course at the University of Calgary’s Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering program. The purpose of these surveys is to evaluate where students feel their laboratories do not connect to their classes or careers, and what steps can be taken to improve learning outcomes. Engineering graduates and managers were also surveyed on how well-prepared graduates are for the engineering industry working environment. 

Following completion, these survey responses will be evaluated using qualitative content analysis. Responses will first be read through multiple times to identify major response themes, which will be used to develop a semi-structured coding matrix.  Responses will be broken down into units of information and coded according to the developed matrix. The frequency of each theme will be used to support research conclusions.   

Preliminary results indicate that students find value in how their laboratories support and reinforce in-class learning but want stronger links to industrial practices. Students also experience a discontinuity between their present and previous laboratories, indicating a need for a broader laboratory framework that reinforces skills across different courses. 

AU  - Mackinley Love
AU  - Philip Egberts
AU  - Joanna Wong
AU  - Miriam Nightingale
CY  - Baltimore , Maryland
DA  - 2023/06/25
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Enhancing Undergraduate Materials Science Labs for Experiential Learning
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/43492
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--43492
ER  -