ServiceLearning Integrated throughout a College of Engineering SLICE

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Service-Learning Integrated throughout a College
of Engineering (SLICE)

• The vision of the project is to integrate service
  learning1 into a broad array of courses so that
  students will be exposed to service-learning
  every semester in the core curriculum in every
  program in the entire college of engineering at U
  Mass Lowell.
• 1 Service-learning is the integration of
  academic subject matter with service to the
  community in credit-bearing courses, with key
  elements including reciprocity, reflection,
  coaching, community voice in projects. (Jacoby
  and Associates, 1996, p. 5)

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Examples of Community Partners

• Tsongas History Center of National Park Service
• Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association
• St. Francis, Lowell General, and Spaulding Rehab
  Hospitals
• Clinics, schools, town governments in 24 villages
  in remote Andes
• City of Lowell
• Coalition for a Better Acre, Lowell
• Many local schools

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Example projects Voice-controlled apartment
individual. Talking telephone training aid
Perkins School for the Blind. Sip-Puff pinball
arcade game New England Sinai Hospital Rehab.
Center. Environmental control device for child
Franciscan Childrens Hospital.
Voice-controlled electric wheelchair
individual. Suction control switch interface
individual. Single switch talking scanning
device Franciscan Childrens Hospital. Time
switch control radio training device Kennedy Day
School, Boston. Telephone switchboard interface
device Perkins School for the Blind
Assistive Technology Program, Profs. Donn Clark
and Alan Rux
Program is 15 years old with hundreds of
partners, many sponsors
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Example Playground Safety

• Sophomore required course in kinematics in ME
• Forty-two students Spring 2004
• Analyze kinematics of children on different rides
  and impact from falls, test surface.
• Write report to responsible party on safety of
  playground

From textbook to reality
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Village Empowerment Project 60 student-designed
systems installed in 26 villages in Peru 15
trips 70 students
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Dilemma Should we provide TV for Andean
Villages?
Engineering Ethics Course, 180 engineering
students Prof. Gene Millican Miniproject (pros
and cons essay for takehome exam)
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Senior-Graduate Design Project26.518 Plastics
Product Design (Carol Barry)

• Client
• Objective
• Replace cement grave vaults with plastic or
  composite systems
• Challenges
• Learning about soil loading
• Prof. Pradeep Kurup
• Designing for 100 years
• Meeting cost requirements
• Final design presentations
• Dec. 17 at 1130 am

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Service Learning in a College Wide Introduction
to Engineering Course

• 270 students open ended problem
• Museum exhibit
• with 60,000 grade school visitors
• (Prof. Dave Kasmer)

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14.460 Water Resources Eng.

• Homework Project Design an open channel
  structure for irrigation villagers in Peru.

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Expected Outcomes Students

• Attraction of underrepresented groups into
  engineering,
• Sufficient knowledge to solve real world
  problems,
• Enhanced motivation, active learning, experience
  with serving others, while covering the same
  course material,
• More practical applications in the courses,
• Treatment of the sociological and environmental
  consequences of engineering decisions,
• Application of good engineering practice for
  community customers for quality improvement,
• All the positive cognitive and affective benefits
  found in previous studies.

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Expected Outcomes Community

• technical design and testing services available
  that otherwise would not be,
• infusion of new ideas,
• exposure to innovative, efficient,
  environmentally appropriate engineering systems,
• assistance in attaining the goals of the
  particular community group,
• transfer of knowledge and skills to community
  groups and vice-versa,
• transfer of perhaps donated equipment to those in
  need.

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Expected Outcomes Faculty

• Revitalization in teaching and service
• Coincidental generation of ideas for research and
  service through course projects
• Enhanced cooperation and unity among departments
• Engaged students, departments, and college
• Promotion and tenure

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Expected Outcomes Institution

• Reform of many courses,
• Increased economic and social benefit to the
  region, which is in the charter of the
  university,
• Improved community relations and support,
• Increased recruitment and retention of students,
• Graduates with more civic responsibility