Assessing the Need for Nanotechnology Education Reform in the United States
Submitted on 17-JAN-07
Contributed by Edward Foley, Mark Hersam
Historically, the U.S. has been the global leader in the development of nanotechnologies that are widely believed to be the foundation of the next industrial revolution. However, unless fundamental changes are made in the educational infrastructure in the U.S. to reverse the general erosion of science, technology, engineering, and math (?STEM?) education, and to address the specific growing need for a robust nanotechnology workforce, current trends in the global demographic of the high-technolog...
Engineering Design Course, Introduction to Materials Science
Submitted on 21-AUG-08
Contributed by Su Swarat, Eun Jung Park, Denise Drane, Tom Mason
"Size and scale" is one of the key concepts in nanoscience. This paper presents the findings of a small-scale qualitative study with students studying nanoscale science aimed at exploring the ways they understand the idea of "size and scale". Results suggest wide variation in the way students understand this concept. A preliminary typology of student conceptions of "size and scale" as it relates to macro and sub-macro phenomena was identified....
Fostering Students' Understanding of Interdisciplinary Science in a summer science camp
Submitted on 19-JUL-07
Contributed by Namsoo Shin, Shawn Stevens, Cesar Delgado, Clara Cahill, Molly Yunker, Joseph Krajcik
In this study, we present the effects of a two-week interdisciplinary science camp for middle school students. The curriculum was developed based upon results from our previous research with a population of students from the same school district, which suggested some specific deficiencies in students? understanding in the areas of size and scale, structure and properties of matter and forces and interactions. We used three different assessment formats to gauge student learning and attitude chan...
Implementation of Interdisciplinary Group Learning and Peer Assessment in a Nanotechnology Engineering Course
Submitted on 13-DEC-06
Contributed by Mark Hersam
Nanotechnology is an inherently interdisciplinary field that has generated significant scientific and engineering interest in recent years. In an effort to convey the excitement and opportunities surrounding this discipline to senior undergraduate students and junior graduate students, a nanotechnology engineering course has been developed in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Northwestern University over the past two years. This paper examines......
Introduction of Emerging Science into the Classroom-the Case of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology
Submitted on 21-DEC-06
Contributed by Randal Batchelor, Lynn Bryan, George Bodner, Shanna Daly, Cesar Delgado, Bill Fornes, Nick Giordano, Eric Hagedorn, Kelly Hutchinson, Joseph Krajcik, Jim Pellegrino, David Sederberg, Namsoo Shin, Shawn Stevens, Molly Yunker
Nanoscience and nanotechnology incorporate aspects of chemistry, physics, biology and engineering to create highly interdisciplinary fields. Research is rapidly developing strategies for creating new products and technologies by controlling matter at the nanoscale. The new information and technologies resulting from this research will have broad societal implications, and will be realized in the fields of healthcare, and the sustainability of agriculture, food, water, energy, environment, and be...
NCLT NSEE Symposium at the 2007 NARST Conference
Submitted on 19-JUL-07
Contributed by Namsoo Shin, Shawn Stevens, Cesar Delgado, Joseph Krajcik, Jim Pellegrino, Lynn Bryan, Shanna Daly, Kelly Hutchinson, David Sederberg, Randal Batchelor, Eric Hagedorn, Bill Fornes, Nick Giordano
NCLT presented a session at the 2007 meeting of the National Association of Research in Science Teaching entitled `Introduction of Emerging Science into the Classroom- the Case of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology'. The session consisted of four papers that discuss the Center's efforts in students' interests and motivation regarding nanoscience, their understanding of size and scale, identification of support and gaps in instruction and assessment related to nanoscience concepts and professional de...
Nanotechnology Education and Training
Submitted on 13-DEC-06
Contributed by Meyya Meyyappan
Nanotechnology is regarded worldwide now as the technology of the 21st century and hence there is an imperative need to educate the future generation scientists and engineers about this emerging field. This article summarizes a two-unit course on the introduction to nanotechnology taught by the author at Santa Clara University and the nanotechnology internship programs at NASA Ames Research Center for high school, undergraduate and graduate students....
Nanotechnology, Biology, Ethics and Society: Overcoming the Multidisciplinary Teaching Challenges
Submitted on 13-DEC-06
Contributed by Katherine Chen, Linda Vanasupa
One of the inherent challenges of teaching any emerging technology like nanotechnology, is the fact that its core competencies flux in the new disciplines? early stages. Nanotechnology presents an additional challenge in that its underpinnings cross multiple traditional disciplinary boundaries. We have designed a course that aims......
Secondary Students' Interests in Nanoscale Science and Engineering Concepts and Phenomena
Submitted on 08-NOV-07
Contributed by Kelly Hutchinson
Research has shown that increasing students' interests in science has had a positive effect on their science achievement (Schwartz-Bloom & Haplin, 2003; Neathery, 1997) however, there is little research as to what topics increase students' interests in science (Schwartz-Bloom & Haplin, 2003). Nanoscale science and engineering is one topic currently being investigated as a way to increase students? interest in science due to its integrated nature and increasing popularity in society. This thesi...
