2017 Provost’s Learning Innovations Grants

3

2017 PROVOST’S LEARNING INNOVATIONS GRANTS

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

1. Complete this Application Form, in its entirety, and save as “Lastname_Firstname_APP” (using your name).

2. Complete the Budget Worksheet and save as “Lastname_Firstname_BUDGET” (using your name).

3. Ask your Department Head to complete the Department Head Certification, scan and save as, “Lastname_Firstname_SIG” (using your name).

4. Email all documents to plig@rit.edu, no later than 11:59pm EST, January 25, 2017.

If you have any questions about completing this application, please email plig@rit.edu, or contact Michael Starenko at 585-475-5035 or mssetc@rit.edu.

APPLICANT INFORMATION This application is for a:

Exploration Grant

Focus Grant

Principal Applicant name: Spencer Kim, Ph.D

Faculty title: Associate Professor Email: shkmet@rit.edu Phone: 5-5345 (Full-time only)

College: CAST Department: MMET

Department Head name: Robert D. Garrick Email: rdgmet@rit.edu Others involved in the project (if any): N/A Project name: Continuous Improvement of Materials Laboratory Course by Guided-Inquiry-Learning Approach Total funds requested (as calculated on the budget worksheet): $5,000.00 (requests of $1,000 to $5,000 will be considered)

2017 Provost’s Learning Innovations Grants

4

BUDGET There is a fillable PDF worksheet to calculate your budget. You can download the worksheet at rit.edu/ili/plig.

• The total shown on this worksheet must match the “Total funds requested” in the Applicant Information section of this application form

• If awarded, additional funds will be provided to cover any benefits and ITS expenses associated with the salary budget requested

• Note that any equipment or other materials purchased with grant funds are the property of your department and revert to the department after your project is completed

TIMELINE Please indicate any variances to the planned PLIG 2017 schedule and your reasons. If you do not intend to deviate from the schedule, you may leave this section blank.

Task Date Proposed Variance and Reason

Full project plan submitted August 23, 2017 N/A

Preliminary findings submitted January 10, 2018 N/A

Summary of final findings submitted August 22, 2018 N/A

Final budget accounting submitted August 22, 2018 N/A

Teaching and Learning Commons submission due (posting a summary of findings, examples of teaching designs or materials, etc.)

October 3, 2018 N/A

Participation in Teaching and Learning Services PLIG dissemination event (e.g., PLIG Showcase)

November 2018 N/A

2017 Provost’s Learning Innovations Grants

5

STATEMENT OF UTILITY (two pages maximum) Using the evaluation criteria outlined in the Proposal Evaluation section of the PLIG website, please provide an overview of the project you are proposing, including: • Project objectives

• An explanation of the teaching/learning problem(s) it is designed to address

• An explanation of the significance of the project to student outcomes and/or the student experience.

• A brief description of how the project integrates with activity already underway at RIT in a priority area and/or how this approach has been successfully used at RIT already.

1. STATEMENT OF NEED

The primary goal of the project is to continue to improve the current materials lab course utilizing the guided inquiry learning (GIL) approach, based on the findings and results of the evidence-based pedagogy and to develop a laboratory module by adding a new practice in plastics manufacturing technology-particularly in additive manufacturing (AM).

One of the most important subjects in the fields of engineering and engineering technology is manufacturing. Manufacturing involves a complex system of materials, machines, and people. Most subjects in the materials curriculum focus on teaching the fundamentals of current materials (i.e., metals, ceramics, composites, and petroleum based plastics) and processes; however, few prepare undergraduate students to work with a broad range of new materials and advanced manufacturing technology. Furthermore, the current approach to teaching materials science does not appeal to students studying new manufacturing processes and systems in various fields in advanced manufacturing.

Innovation refers to a new or to a change made to an existing product, idea, or field. In higher education, innovation provides students with alternative approaches and ways of studying fundamental subjects, completing tasks, and solving a variety of problems in ways not possible in a constrained environment. Recently, the guided-inquiry-learning (GIL) methods have been driving significant changes in higher education. GIL is a pedagogical approach to active learning that is driven by learner-centered and problem-based strategies emphasizing team learning environment. As the evidence-based research in education has grown on the effectiveness and potential of guided inquiry-based learning in the past few decades, an increasing number of colleges and institutions have adopted the GIL approach as a means to enhance and transform the teaching and learning experiences for instructors and students. Many studies found that the guided-inquiry-based instructional curricula resulted in significant learning gains in comparison to traditional instruction, and that most disadvantaged students benefited from inquiry-based instructional approaches.

We designed and improved the materials curriculum by the GIL approach supported with a NSF grant; this NSF project (NSF AWRARD No.: DUE- 1044794) was completed in spring, 2015. Also, for the NSF project we established an intensive undergraduate research activity for undergraduate students in the manufacturing and mechanical engineering technology programs. From the assessment and evaluation in the NSF project, we were able to identify strengths and weaknesses to reform the traditional-transmission format for students’ learning effectiveness in formative and summative purposes. The enhanced materials curriculum based on the GIL approach indicated positive responses of the environment in teaching and learning, although there were differences of opinions. In the final report of the NSF project we conclude that the guided-inquiry-based learning approach was a potentially useful and meaningful way to improve learning outcomes in engineering technology education and thus we can transform a traditional practice-style in the materials curriculum to more student-centered, interactive, team-learning based method for the engineering technology discipline. However, the current materials laboratory course is to be updated to deal with more complex materials systems and new manufacturing technologies: such as additive manufacturing (AM) and sustainability in manufacturing technology by proposed instructional strategies.

2017 Provost’s Learning Innovations Grants

6

STATEMENT OF UTILITY (continued)

2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT POGIL (Process-Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning) is the pedagogic strategy for this project to develop a laboratory module and to improve the instructional structure; all contents and practices are to be utilized by cognitive development and a team learning environment. In addition, the desirable criteria of the laboratory practice are to be implemented to develop new laboratory modules. The three desirable criteria for the POGIL materials lab are:

1) Promotion of active decision making. 2) Encouraging student to develop questions for further study. 3) Allowing student’s input for the design of experiment.

A materials laboratory course of “Characterization of Non-metals” (MCET211) covers fundamentals in materials testing and characterization by the American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) and the Internal Organization for Standardization (ISO) testing methods for the 2nd year students in manufacturing and mechanical engineering technology programs. In a series of the POGIL based laboratory practices, students working within the teams are asked to test various types of polymers and composites including green polymers, as well as to practice laboratory techniques; the laboratory practices focus on the selection of proper engineering materials for mechanical design. Also, this laboratory course requires to analyze the experimental results and to produce professional quality reports and to present technical findings though a team-based project during the course.

3. DEVELOPMENT OF NEW LAB MODULE IN ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING BY POGIL The 3-D printing technology has witnessed significant improvements since its inception. The terms “3D printing” and “additive manufacturing (AM)” are sometimes used interchangeably, as this process enables economical prototyping of product designs within a very short time period. Recently, we have managed to scale down the size and complexity of the process to the point where it is an affordable technology for hobbyist, educators, and others. Though this technology has come a long way, it is still far from where it could commercially provide new opportunities for more flexible applications. Due to the nature of the current techniques, materials are one of the most limiting factors in the 3D printing technology. The objective of the new experimental practice is for students to understand the effects of process parameters on the 3D printed parts using one of the current 3D printing techniques: that is, fused deposition technique. A small-scale-low-cost 3D printer will be purchased and used as a default-test-bed to test the existing materials and to develop a testing method through optimization in FDM printing. After the optimization of the 3D printing parameters with default materials, a set of the processing parameters will be compared to each other by the basis of dimensional tolerance and process ability in process optimization. Therefore, the results of this project will help students to study key advantages and constraints of the fused deposition modelling (FDM) in additive manufacturing.

2017 Provost’s Learning Innovations Grants

7

STATEMENT OF CREATIVITY (three paragraphs maximum) Provide a brief description of how this is a novel approach, or a new application of an existing mode or model of teaching and learning, and/or research about how teaching and learning represents a new paradigm. (Please note that special consideration will be given to proposals that demonstrate a new use/application of a model, system, or technology already in use at RIT.)

By POGIL, students can acquire key processing skills as they learned the discipline contents throughout the guided inquiry activities. Some of the research outcomes indicated that the design and development of the learning modules were critical to induce students' willingness to apply new instructional strategies for the classroom or lab activities. Also, the evidences showed that team-based projects in the laboratory course could effectively exposure students to develop knowledge and skills in the characterization of engineering materials for design. The development and improvement of the materials curriculum have been presented in the ASEE conferences and other conferences. Table 1 summarizes the key strategies for the design, and development of POGIL-based instruction and laboratories according to the instructional model, curriculum design and strategies.

Table 1: Design of the POGIL-based Lab

Description Old lab course structure

Students characterize polymers, ceramics, and composites by performing tests of mechanical and processing properties according to ASTM and ISO standards. Emphasis is placed on analyzing experimental results and preparing professional-quality laboratory reports.

Innovation and improvement for the new POGIL-based lab course

The main objective of this lab course is to guide students to select a plastic material for a given design application through POGIL lab activities. An emphasis will be placed on materials selection for engineering design. The followings are the key components to develop POGIL lab activities:

• New POGIL activities are to be effective for students in learning and meeting the learning objectives. • Students learn how to measure principal characteristics of polymers and polymer-based composites in engineering design according to the testing standards. • Materials selection with an emphasis on sustainability and carbon footprint is to be emphasized. • Student teams develop and present a marketing campaign on an assigned “materials for design.” A team project where students are given a specific design requirement and asked to minimize the environmental impact for the application.

Measurable Outcomes

• Students are able to be familiar with laboratory techniques in the testing and characterization of polymer materials for green plastics manufacturing technology. • Students are able to characterize the properties of polymers and polymeric composites. • Students are able to identify and select green materials for design. • Students are able to analyze the lab experimental results and write laboratory reports following ASTM testing and ISO methods. • Students are able to organize ideas in a logical way for team presentation and work within team environment.

2017 Provost’s Learning Innovations Grants

8

STATEMENT OF EFFICACY (two pages maximum) Provide a brief description of the experiment/research design, methodology, and methods of data collection you will use to gauge efficacy.

The traditional-transmission learning format, in which the degree of a student’s success depends only on the performance of quizzes, tests and projects in class, does not truly reflect the effectiveness on learning and skills application. This new project will use evidence-based approach to draw on the analysis and evaluation of student’s learning outcomes and thus, the results and finding of the project will continue to improve an instructional structure and to reformulate the instructional strategies for the effectiveness in learning for engineering technology students. The evidence based approaches are to break away from traditional norms in education, while assessing students’ abilities in various formative and summative cases; many aspects in learning effectiveness are interconnected by the three key components (instruction improvement, learning effectiveness and student performance). Therefore, the formative and summative evaluations will help optimize the results to develop and improve the course contents in the course work. To assess the individual expected outcomes there will be student surveys and feedback, and self-assessment analysis. Upon receiving the various streams of data, mathematical analyses will be performed to determine strengths and weaknesses. The analyses will not exclude activities such as gathering best practices from student self-assessments. For the expected course outcomes, the surveys will be utilized to assess which instructional materials and activities the participants found to the most useful to use at later date. Based upon the weighted responses and suggested improvements, revisions will be made in the form of incorporating the improvements. Therefore, the conclusions of the project will be drawn based upon the analysis of the assessment and evaluation.

2017 Provost’s Learning Innovations Grants

9

STATEMENT OF EFFICACY (continued)

2017 Provost’s Learning Innovations Grants

10

DISSEMINATION PLAN (optional) Provide details about the journal, conference, show, or other external vehicle with strong potential for dissemination of your results. Include supporting documentation, such as preliminary interest or acceptance, with your application, if available. (Please note that special consideration will be given to proposals that have a defined opportunity for external dissemination, such as an academic journal or professional conference.)

ILI/TLS will assist with arranging channels for disseminating results within RIT (e.g., annual PLIG Showcase).

2017 Provost’s Learning Innovations Grants

11

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS Please address these questions, if needed.

Will your project require assistance for extensive or unusual media, multimedia, simulation, and/or software development? If so, please explain?

All courses offered by RIT must be accessible to students with disabilities, according to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (rit.edu/studentaffairs/disabilityservices/info). Is your proposed teaching approach accessible to all students, with reasonable accommodation? If not, please explain.

RIT abides by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), which prohibits instructors from making students' identities, course work, and educational records public without their consent (rit.edu/xVzNE). Will any data gathering or sharing for your project raise any FERPA issues? If so, please explain.

2017 Provost’s Learning Innovations Grants

12

DISSEMINATION AGREEMENT By completing this grant application, I agree to provide the materials described here, in support of disseminating what is learned from this project to other faculty at RIT.

I also agree to return all/a portion of the funds that I receive for this project to RIT if I fail to complete or provide the materials described here. • Full project plan (including roles and responsibilities, milestone dates, and pertinent project details) • Overview of preliminary findings (may include experiment/study design, lessons learned, initial data

collection, and/or literature review summary) • Final summary of findings (including data collection, lessons learned, implications for further study, and which

may be in the form of an article abstract, conference presentation outline, or short report) • Final budget accounting (reconciliation of budget provided with your application and the actual project

expenses) • Teaching and Learning Commons posting (a summary of findings and examples of teaching designs or

materials) • Participation in an ILI/TLS dissemination event (e.g., PLIG Showcase)

By submitting this application, I accept this agreement. ___shk__ (applicant, please initial here)