NUE: Building Models and Manipulating Molecules-Active Learning for Nanoscience Education

University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill NC

Investigators

Abstract

This Nanotechnology in Undergraduate Education (NUE) award, funded by the Division of Materials Research and the Division of Physics, supports Profs. Michael R. Falvo, Richard Superfine and Gail Jones to develop nanoscience curricular materials at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Part of this project is the development of a new freshman level nanoscale science and technology course called "Handcrafting in the Nanoworld: Building Models and Manipulating Molecules". The participants also develop nanoscience modules for an existing physics course called "How Things Work" which is attended by over 150 students a semester. The modules cover the subject of biological and human made nanomachines. Active Learning activities are central to the course design and materials development, which include model building, journal composition, and actual nanomanipulation experiments. The course activities are designed with several pedagogical goals that fall into two basic categories: (a) learning the science of the nanoscale, and (b) developing positive attitudes toward science. The second component of this project is evaluation. The project includes an evaluation component that will assess the effectiveness of the learning activities and inform the course development process.