Conference Session

Innovations in Biological/Agricultural Education-I

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kurt Rosentrater, USDA-ARS; Jerry Visser, South Dakota State University

Tagged Divisions

Biological & Agricultural

growing, especially interms of laboratory experiences for undergraduates. For example, biology has been infused intomaterials engineering coursework,11 and has also been used in chemical engineering laboratorycourses.12, 13 Using biomass as an energy source has been incorporated into laboratory modulesto examine thermodynamics.14 Biology concepts have also been integrated into laboratoryexercises focusing on biodegradable polymers.15, 16 Another study has reported the developmentof a module that examines the production of beer in a laboratory setting.17 Page 13.1206.2These discussions, while useful, still do not cover the broad range of

Conference Session

Innovations in Biological/Agricultural Education-II

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

George Meyer, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Tagged Divisions

Biological & Agricultural

fundamental instrumentation electronics. Instructional modules andexamples are also available at various web-sites for demonstrating and simulating electroniccircuits and responses. Many instrumentation textbooks cover analog and digital principles forinstrumentation but in different orders and formats (e.g. Johnson, 2006, Northrop, 1997).Reinforcement of principles and introduction to practical instrumentation and control examplesare offered through hands-on laboratory exercises, demonstrations, and preparation of a final teamproject. Laboratory exercises include experiments with temperature sensing, fluid flow,stress-strain, displacement, load-cell, ultra sound, and optical sensors. Computer interfacing withinstrumentation is presented and includes

Conference Session

Biological & Agricultural Technical Session

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kumar Mallikarjunan, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; Anand Lakshmikanth, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; John Cundiff, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; Andrew Fulton, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Tagged Divisions

Biological & Agricultural

them continuously revisit keyconcepts, which increased in levels of complexity, through a four-year spiral themed curriculum.The focus of the curriculum was on active learning of concepts of design, systems, and ethicsthrough hands-on activities or learning modules as is indicated in figure 1.Figure 1. Schematic representation of the spiral curriculum indicating re-visitation and deepening of concepts pertaining to systems approach, engineering design, and ethicsSome of the activities planned under the DLR project included use of electronic portfolios inengineering instruction, development of student team building software, incorporating researchand cutting edge laboratory experiences into the undergraduate curriculum14. Studies

Conference Session

Innovations in Biological/Agricultural Education-II

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Abhijit Nagchaudhuri, University of Maryland Eastern Shore; Madhumi Mitra, University of Maryland Eastern Shore; Lurline Marsh, University of Maryland Eastern Shore; Craig Daughtry, United States Department of Agriculture; Tracy Earle, University of Maryland Eastern Shore; Jurgen Schwarz, University of Maryland Eastern Shore

Tagged Divisions

Biological & Agricultural

program at UMES. Dr. Mitra obtained her Ph.D. degree in 2002 from the Department of Botany at North Carolina State University. She is actively involved in research in the fields of marine biology, environmental science and paleopalynology.Lurline Marsh, University of Maryland Eastern Shore Dr. Lurline Marsh is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Agriculture and Resource Sciences at University of Maryland Eastern Shore.Craig Daughtry, United States Department of Agriculture Dr. Craig S.T. Daughtry is a Research Agronomist at USDA-ARS Hydrology and Remote Sensing Laboratory at Beltsville,Maryland. He actively collaborates with faculty at UMES on remote sensing and precision agriculture related

Conference Session

Innovations in Biological/Agricultural Education-II

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kumar Mallikarjunan, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; Christan Whysong, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; Jenny Lo, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Tagged Divisions

Biological & Agricultural

ethics by participating in agroup exercise, which has included group skits and presentations in past semesters. Students areput in groups and asked to present or act out a given ethical situation. The class then participatesin a discussion about what they have just observed. This introduction to professional ethics Page 13.716.3becomes the foundation for ethical training received in the upperclassman years.BSE sophomore year: ethics instructionBSE sophomores are required to take an Introduction to BSE course which includes an oilextraction laboratory. The lab exercise focuses on reintroducing the systems concept to studentsthrough process flow