Generating Students Interest in STEM Learning

Transcription

1 Introduction Generating Students Interest in STEM Learning Rose Z. Gong (Ph.D.) Secondary Education and Foundations Peter P. Liu (Ph.D.) School of Technology We believe a competitive workforce requires educators to create a generation of well informed and scientifically literate citizenry who are passionate about STEM learning and capable of solving world problems. This presentation displays our interdisciplinary approach and efforts to generate interest and mass engagement of various levels of students, multidisciplinary faculty, and various administrators in STEM education at Eastern Illinois University (EIU). Through a Renewable Energy Research Mentorship program enabled by a National Science Foundation grant, we have engaged a wide range of students as well as faculty in STEM research and learning. Project Purpose The farming environment of central Illinois provides an ideal opportunity for renewable energy research due to an abundance of farming biomass. How to utilize natural and local human resources to instigate and promote STEM education is a major focus of our project. Our Method To generate student interest in STEM learning, efforts are channeled into the following areas: 1. MAKE STEM LEARNING RELEVANT TO LOCAL NEEDS Central Illinois is rich in biomass such as animal waste, pine cones, soy bean and corn stalks, grass, woodchips and nutshells due to vast areas of farmland. This provides a variety of opportunities for students to find biomass resources and test the materials (moisture level, heat value and combustibility) for possible energy conversion. Many farmers (and their students) have interests in governmental energy conservation incentive

2 projects that reward grants, rebates and/or incentive payments for converting biomass or biogas into energy. To engage students in STEM learning, we find it important that the STEM research project be connected to the inherent interests and resources of locality. 2. MAKE STUDENTS TAKE ON LEADERSHIP ROLES A. Provide opportunities for students to engage in self directed research projects (students decide their own research project, biomass resources and research procedure.) Exemplary projects students have selected and completed are: Go kart driven by syngas generated from wood chips Solar panel driven Quad copter solar panel feeds the battery on quad copter allowing for longer flight time Solar Dome dome of double sided solar panels that collects light from the Sun from outside; and from bioluminescent plants from inside Swine Manure Anaerobic Digester producing energy sources along with a fertilizer; offering air and water quality benefits Small Gasifier Testing how clean the biomass would burn. B. Put students in charge of many research areas such as research facilities and lab tours, pelletizing of the biomass feedstock; computer data analysis and recording. Organize weekly seminars for students (as well as faculty, see 4 below) to showcase their research work, give presentations and lead the discussion. 3. INCORPORATE STEM SUBJECTS AND METHODS IN UNDERGRADUATE COURSES Capture students interests in STEM by integrating renewable energy research content such as biomass gasification process and information in undergraduate and graduate courses. For example, topics of Gasification system; Moisture and Morphology; Computer Interface Model and Gas Chromatography (Gas Conversion) are taught in the following undergraduate and graduate courses and lab activities: Alternative and Renewable Energy Systems

3 Materials Technology ; Current Trends in Energy Technology Energy Technology 4. BUILD A COALITION OF MULTI DISCIPLINARY FACULTY FOR STEM LEARNING AND RESEARCH Build a team of faculty and experts from different disciplines to encourage mass STEM engagement of students. A multitude perspective in understanding the sciences and technologies related to energy production, conversion, utilization and conservation as well as the economic, environmental and policy impact of a sustainable energy practice can spark interests in different areas of STEM education. Our multi disciplinary program is science based and technology management focused; and encompasses faculties and administrators from many areas as illustrated below: Biological science Chemistry Communications studies Economics English Geology/geography Physics Political science School of business School of technology Faculties are regularly invited to make presentations, do project demonstrates and participate in the weekly seminars that are open for students. 5. START THE COLLEGE PIPELINE PREPARATION FOR STEM EDUCATION Build partnership collaboration with the local school district; and help to construct a renewable energy course at a local high school. The course enabled high school students to visit and experience with EIU renewable

4 energy research facilities under the guidance of EIU undergraduate and graduate students; the high school students are provided access to EIU students thesis on renewable energy, and attended, presented and participated in EIU renewable seminars. The high school students involvement not only increases their interests in renewable energy, but also provides valuable opportunities for EIU students to be role models, guides and mentors in these STEM learning situations; this in turn anchors our college students pursuit in STEM learning and research. The high school renewable energy curriculum covers the following study content: Gasification History Combustion of biomass Fire vs. Gasification Four Chemical Processes of Gasification Drying of Biomass Pyrolysis Reduction Gasifier Type GEK Gasifier Unit Gasifer Reactor Filtration Gasifier Control Unit Biomass selection The high school students also participate in the weekly seminar at EIU and make presentations. The seminar topics range from wind mills, ethanol process to biomass pretreatment/pellatization and interface of computer with gasification unit and data acquisition. 6. SUMMER TECHNOLOGY DAY FOR LOCAL TEACHERS AND STUDENTS Organize a Summer Camp Day and a Teachers Institute on biomass renewable energy for high school students and teachers respectively. Camp Day Content and activities: Climate change and renewable energy needs Testing properties of biomass as fuel

5 Biomass gasification Computer instrumentation Chemical analysis of syngas Biomass renewable energy competition (Waived for Teachers Institute Day) Tour of the renewable energy center Results Our efforts led to the following outcome: Promotion of the energy program at EIU EIU students learned the energy program, biomass renewable energy possibilities and methods via course work Engagement of students in first hand experiment in renewable energy studies students gained hands on experiences with biomass energy conversion Increased awareness of the importance and possibilities of biomass renewable energy Multi disciplinary engagement in STEM education Promotion of STEM learning at high school level Offer scholarship support for attending students and provide graduate college credit for attending teachers Conclusions Our efforts to generate students interests in STEM learning at EIU have resulted in initial fruition as indicated in the Results section of this presentation. It is our hope that we continue these efforts and engage more students and faculty in our search for renewable energy alternatives, and provide more opportunities for students to learn and experience STEM education.

6 Acknowledgments We are indebted to the National Science Foundations that made this project financially possible, and all the students, faculty and administrators who provided support and made commitment to the STEM learning project.