Improved Materials Science Understanding With Blacksmithing
- Conference
- Location
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Austin, Texas
- Publication Date
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June 14, 2009
- Start Date
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June 14, 2009
- End Date
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June 17, 2009
- ISSN
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2153-5965
- Conference Session
- Tagged Division
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Materials
- Page Count
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11
- Page Numbers
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14.699.1 - 14.699.11
- DOI
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10.18260/1-2--5751
- Permanent URL
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https://peer.asee.org/5751
- Download Count
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1944
Paper Authors
Dana Medlin South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
Michael West South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
Michael K. West, Ph.D., Dr. West is an assistant professor in the Materials and Metallurgical Engineering Department at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. His research and teaching interests include physical metallurgy and materials joining. He is also the SDSM&T site director for the NSF funded Center for Friction Stir Processing.
Deborah Mitchell South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
Deborah Mitchell, MFA, is Associate Professor of Art in the Humanities Department of the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. She is also Director of the Apex Gallery which is located on campus. She received a South Dakota Arts Council Fellowship in 2007. In addition to being an active professional artist she also has been conference chair for the Third Annual Conference on Art Culture Nature, an Arts Consultant for the state of Washington under the Western Sates Arts Federation, and a project director for Lila Wallace Reades Digest Arts International. In addition she has written exhibition catalogs for artists such as Heidi Oberheide and Jane Catlin.
She is a member of the College Art Association and FATE: Foundations in Art: Theory and Education.
Jon Kellar South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
Jon J. Kellar Ph.D., Dr. Kellar is the Douglas Fuerstenau Professor of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering at the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology where he currently serves as Department Chairman. In addition to pedagogical issues related to engineering education, his research interests include applied interfacial phenomena and composite materials.
Stuart Kellogg South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
Stuart D. Kellogg, Ph.D., Dr. Kellogg is a Professor of Industrial Engineering at the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology where he currently serves as coordinator of the Industrial Engineering and Technology Management programs. In addition to pedagogical issues related to engineering education, his research interests include applied and numerical probability models in the industrial environment. He has published works Mathematics and Computers in Simulation, Proceedings of IIE Research Conference, Quality Engineering, and Proceedings of the Joint Statistical Meetings. Dr. Kellogg is a member of the Institute of Industrial Engineers and the American Society for Engineering Education.
Abstract
NOTE: The first page of text has been automatically extracted and included below in lieu of an abstract
Improved Materials Science Understanding with Blacksmithing
Abstract
The methodologies used to teach engineering and science principles to students must adapt to effectively communicate these concepts based on the ethnicity, gender and previous educational experience. The current generation of students has matured in the modern computer world by learning and recreating with computer-based programs and games. The creativity abilities and learning methods associated with “hands-on” (kinesthesis) teaching methods have substantially decreased in recent years due to the availability and allure associated with computer based games and teaching programs. The Back in Black Blacksmithing project implemented at our campus is aimed at improving student understanding of the materials science concepts relating to composition, properties, processing and performance by applying kinesthetic learning techniques and the teaching some of the historic techniques of blacksmithing to engineering students in a materials engineering course. Gains in student conceptual understanding are measured through use of the Materials Concepts Inventory. Formative assessment of academic and cultural diversity include outreach demographics, focus groups, and learning styles of students involved in the program.
Background
The methodologies used to teach engineering and science principles to students must adapt to effectively communicate these concepts based on the ethnicity, gender and previous educational experience. The current generation of students has matured in the modern computer world by learning and recreating with computer-based programs and games. The creativity abilities and learning methods associated with “hands-on” (kinesthesis) teaching methods have substantially decreased in recent years due to the availability and allure associated with computer based games and teaching programs. The application of kinesthetic learning methods are not as utilized as they were in the past. Students no longer spend substantial amounts of time creating components with their hands, like previous generations, and this may be limiting their ability to comprehend many metallurgical engineering concepts such as the fundamental concept that relates material processing, microstructure, properties and performance. Figure 1 depicts the interconnected relationship between these metallurgical engineering concepts. One component of this proposal is to improve the student’s understanding of these material science/metallurgy concepts by applying kinesthetic learning techniques and the teaching some of the historic techniques of blacksmithing to a limited number of students has shown early success with the student’s final comprehension and application of these concepts to current industrial technologies.
Medlin, D., & West, M., & Mitchell, D., & Kellar, J., & Kellogg, S. (2009, June), Improved Materials Science Understanding With Blacksmithing Paper presented at 2009 Annual Conference & Exposition, Austin, Texas. 10.18260/1-2--5751
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