ServiceLearning Integrated throughout a College of Engineering SLICE

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

• The vision of the project is to integrate
  service-learning into a broad array of existing
  courses so that students will be exposed to
  service-learning every semester in the core
  curriculum in every program in the entire college.

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What is Service-Learning?
We define service-learning as a hands-on learning
approach in which students achieve academic
objectives in a credit-bearing course by meeting
real community needs.  In engineering the
students become better professionals and better
citizens while the community benefits. 
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Example 1 Playground Safety

• Sophomore required course in kinematics in
  Mechanical Eng.
• Teams with 52 students Spring 2005 inspected
  local playgrounds.
• Analyzed kinematics of children on different
  rides and impact from falls, tested surfaces.
• Write report to responsible party on safety of
  playground

From textbook to reality
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Example 2 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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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
Example 3 Electrical Engineering Senior
Capstone Course 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 4 Mechanical Engineering Capstone and
Solar Engineering Courses Village Empowerment
Project 60 student-designed systems installed in
27 villages in Peru 15 trips 70 students
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Example 5 Engineering Ethics Course, 180
engineering students Prof. Gene
Millican Research paper Dilemma Should we
provide TV for Andean Villages?
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Example 6 Intro to Civil Engineering, 36
Students, Prof. Jackie Zhang

• Davidson Street Parking Lot Re-design Study.
  Students worked with the
• Division of Planning and
• Development, City
• of Lowell, to maximize the
• number of parking
• spaces in redesign of a
• municipal parking lot.

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• SLICE Progress after One Year
• Implementation in 25 courses with 25 faculty,
  with many community partners, for over 700
  students last year, ranging from the core
  first-year Introduction to Engineering I course
  to senior and graduate courses.
• Surveys show vast majority of students and
  faculty in favor of the approach
• Two major NSF grants obtained as well as
  donations of equipment from several companies.
• Adoption of various community partners
• Creation of interdepartmental 25.400 Capstone
  Design Course

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Expected Outcomes Students

• Knowledge to solve real world problems,
• Enhanced motivation, active learning, experience
  with serving others, while covering the same
  course material with no additional time added
  (unless you choose to spend more time),
• 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
• Concurrent generation of ideas for research and
  service through course projects
• Enhanced cooperation and unity among departments
• Meeting of accreditation requirements in a
  meaningful, efficient way
• Support available through minigrants, research
  assistants, services of college Service-Learning
  Coordinator, department faculty coordinators

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Expected Outcomes Institution

• 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,
  particularly underrepresented populations in
  engineering,
• Graduates with more civic responsibility