Introducing Talented High School Students To Engineering .

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Introducing Talented High School Students to Engineering viaa Fluid Mechanics Short CourseAbstractA three-week 'Introduction to Fluid Mechanics and Aerodynamics' course was taught to a diversegroup of 12 rising high school seniors during the summer. The class was scheduled for threehours per day, and consisted of a mixture of lecture, hands-on experiments, and activitiesfocused on the societal implications of fluid mechanics. All of the students had only basicphysics knowledge, and the majority of the course material was completely new to them.Therefore, each topic was covered from a concepts perspective, with only simple mathematicalanalyses. In addition to the technical material, the course utilized discussions, presentations, anda field trip to university research facilities to raise awareness of careers in science andengineering and the impact of these fields on quality of life. Course outcomes were assessedthrough course evaluations, interest surveys, and a concept inventory. The concept inventorywas designed to assess the students' fundamental understanding of fluid mechanics principles,and was administered both before and after the course. The interest evaluations inquired aboutthe students' interest in science and engineering, knowledge of careers and college majors, andfamiliarity with fluid mechanics and its role in society. Student responses generally indicatedthat the course was effective at increasing their awareness of science, engineering, and fluidmechanics, and their consideration of those subjects as career options. Anonymous post-coursestudent evaluations were consistently high. Because the students voluntarily enrolled in theclass, it is believed that a high level of interest in science and engineering already existed forthese particular students. The concept inventory and course and interest evaluations clearlyshowed that the students' knowledge of fluid mechanics and interest in science, technology,engineering, and mathematics (STEM) was strengthened even further by their participation.BackgroundPage 15.806.1The Mississippi Governor’s School (MGS) is a three-week residential summer program forrising high school juniors and seniors throughout the state of Mississippi. The school takes placeat the Mississippi University for Women, and is administered by faculty members from thatinstitution. Students apply for admission and are selected based on their academic record, aswell as demonstrated intellectual, leadership, and creative potential. During the 2008 session,105 students attended MGS. The program is immersive, and includes scheduled academic,athletic, and social activities each day of the three-week session with the goal of providing acollege-like experience for attendees. The academic portion of the program includes both majorcourses and interest courses. Course proposals are solicited from university, community college,and high school teachers from across the state, and accepted courses make up the MGScurriculum. Students select one major course and one interest area course to attend for theduration of the program. Major courses are held for three hours per day each morning of thesession, and are intended to address a focused topic in one of the four general areas of Science,Mathematics, Arts or Humanities. A total of 8 major courses were offered during the 2008session. Typical examples of major course titles offered included “Faces and Places: A CreativeWriting Workshop”, “Investigating the Impact of the Media”, and “Guitar Studies”. Interest areacourses are held for a total of 7.5 hours per week in the afternoons, and are intended to be less

rigorous than major courses, providing the students with an opportunity to broaden their horizonsand explore new areas.Traditionally, the courses offered at MGS have been skewed towards the Arts and Humanities.For example, during the 2008 session, only two major courses and no interest area courses had ascience focus, and no courses of either type had a mathematics focus. Aside from the courseoffering discussed in this paper, the other science-themed course title was: “Cloning,Transgenics, Bioethics: Leadership Decisions for the Future.” Because the MGS programincluded some of the brightest students in the state, and because there was a clear lack of science,technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) content, the authors identified MGS as a ripeopportunity for promoting engineering education in Mississippi. Such use of summer programshas been previously identified as a potential source of engineering outreach1. In fact, similarcourses have been proposed for use with summer Governor’s School programs in other states2.The authors proposed a major course for the 2008 MGS session entitled “Introduction to FluidMechanics and Aerodynamics, which was subsequently accepted and formed part of the MGScurriculum. The course was intended to provide an examination of relevant topics in fluidmechanics and aerodynamics, and their application to problems of interest in the global societyof the 21st century. Instruction included an introduction to the fundamental physical andmathematical principles that govern the behavior of flowing liquids and gases in natural andman-made systems, as well as discussion of applied analysis methods currently used byscientists, engineers and industrial designers. Lectures were supplemented by several hands-onexperiments that reinforced the role of fluid physics in the world around us. The course alsointroduced students to the modern techniques of computational fluid dynamics (CFD), whichuses computer-based simulation to investigate and analyze fluid flow systems in a variety ofapplications. Students solved complex problems using computational software tools that arecurrently employed by governmental, academic, and industrial research agencies. Several teamprojects were included, each focusing on a particular aspect of fluid mechanics andaerodynamics relevant to critical environmental, societal, ethical, and economic issues, such asdeveloping alternative energy sources or improving agriculture for developing nations.Page 15.806.2It was hoped that the course would excite students about a rigorous STEM discipline byexposing them to aspects that have real impacts on society, and by demonstrating the innovativeand creative ways in which fundamental science is used to solve problems on the cutting edge oftechnology. Fluid mechanics is important to a number of scientific disciplines (e.g. physics,meteorology) and engineering fields (e.g. civil, chemical, mechanical, aerodynamic). However,in contrast to many other scientific subjects such as neuroscience, nanotechnology, or quantumphysics, an understanding of its major principles and concepts is accessible to students at thehigh school level. It was hoped that through their participation students would gain a depth ofunderstanding for this highly interdisciplinary subject well beyond their exposure in high-schoolphysics courses. By stressing economic, environmental, ethical and societal issues in which fluidmechanics plays an important role, students would begin to see how the different aspects of theireducational curriculum—such as humanities and social sciences, as well as mathematics andother “hard” sciences—exist not as standalone compartments, but as parts of a larger whole. Inthe end, we hoped that the course would inspire students to pursue a career in science or

engineering, by showcasing the ways in which these careers do indeed put ideas into action tocreate a brighter future.The course was attended by 12 students, each of which was a rising junior or senior at aMississippi high school. The student makeup included three females and one African Americanmale. As discussed above, each of the students attending MGS were chosen based on merit, in acompetitive selection process. Surprisingly, the level of science and math preparation variedconsiderably. Several students were clearly comfortable with basic Calculus concepts, while afew displayed only a minimal mastery of Algebra fundamentals. Because of this variable levelof preparation, and because fluid mechanics is an unfamiliar topic to most high school students,the focus was placed on basic underlying physical concepts rather than detailed mathematicaltreatments.Course ObjectivesThe primary goal of the course was to broaden students’ understanding of and appreciation forthe role of science and engineering in solving some of the most important problems facinghumankind now and in the future. A secondary goal was to encourage students to pursue careersin science and engineering following high school graduation. To this end, the students wereintroduced to the specific discipline of fluid mechanics and aerodynamics. The third goal was toincrease the students’ knowledge and understanding in this area. The technical content of thecourse was intended to provide the students with sufficient depth to gain an appreciation of thetopic.Specific technical and non-technical objectives were for the students to:Understand the governing physical principles of single-phase, non-reacting fluid flow,including conservation of mass, the principle of linear momentum (Newton’s 2nd Law), andconservation of energy. Understand the principles of pressure and velocity and their relationship in flowing fluids(e.g. Bernoulli principle). Understand the principle of fluid friction and its application to internal flow (e.g. pipingsystems) and external flow (e.g. aerodynamic drag). Understand the relationship between flowing fluids and forces exerted on solid objects. Be able to analytically solve simple fluid mechanics problems including those of fluid staticsand fluid dynamics. Be able to set up and conduct simple fluid flow experiments that demonstrate fundamentalconcepts of fluid physics. Understand the basic aspects of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) as a means of solvingcomplex fluid flow problems using computer simulations. Be able to set up and solve a CFD simulation using the analysis software FLUENT FlowLab,and analyze the results to infer and describe physical concepts.Page 15.806.3

Understand the role of fluid mechanics in addressing critical issues in society, including:improving the economics and quality of life in underdeveloped nations; the development ofalternative energy sources; the ethical responsibilities of scientists and engineers; and theadvancement of health care science. Be able to identify and discuss important roles of science and engineering in general—andfluid mechanics in particular—within the context of broader issues, particularly thosediscussed in the popular media. Better understand the opportunities, responsibilities, and societal impacts of scientists andengineers.Course Organization and ActivitiesThe class format varied depending on the activities for any particular day. Conventional aspectsof course delivery, including lecture and slide presentations, were used mostly in the early daysto cover the fundamentals of fluid mechanics and to lay a foundation for the in-class and out-ofclass projects, experiments, and computer simulations. However, even during the “lecture days”,care was taken to present the material in a manner that invited participation from the students.Both of the instructors have had significant experience in creating positive, welcoming learningenvironments at the undergraduate level, even when the course material is rigorous. Lectureswere not one-way. Instead, material presented via notes or overheads was heavily supplementedwith active learning activities and open discussion. Other means of content delivery includedpresentations by the instructors, student presentations, group projects, and simple experiments.The three-week course schedule is shown in Table 1. Note that during the final week classes didnot meet on Friday, so the total number of class days was 14.Table 1. Course ScheduleLecture Topics/Activities1Fluid Mechanics Introduction and DefinitionsFluid and Flow PropertiesIntro to Statics and DynamicsInterest/Concept Inventory Pre-Assessment2Fluid Statics3Fluid Dynamics First Principles – Conservation of MassFluid Flow Experiment I – Buoyancy and Archimedes Principle4Conservation of Momentum5Bernoulli’s Equation6Viscosity and Fluid FrictionFluid Flow Experiment II – Linear Momentum Principle7Student Presentations – Fluids in the NewsScavenger Hunt – Fluids All Around Us8Internal FlowPage 15.806.4Day #

Engineering as a Career9Field Trip to Mississippi State University10External Flow – Intro to AerodynamicsFluid Flow Experiment III – Internal Flows11Boundary LayersStudent Presentations – Scavenger Hunt Results12Intro to Computational Fluid Dynamics13CFD Group Project14Interest/Concept Inventory Post-AssessmentCourse EvaluationsLecturesNew technical material was delivered primarily through a lecture format. An example of atypical hour-long lecture might involve twenty minutes of presentation by the instructor,followed by a five or ten minute “think-pair-share” exercise3 in which the students were given aconceptual problem, allowed to work through it in groups of two, and then asked to share theirresults and conclusions with the class, followed by five to ten minutes of supplemental materialsuch as a video presentation, followed by ten to fifteen minutes of concluding lecture materialintended to underscore the major points of the topic. It was our experience that breaking up thepresentation of course material into segments of no more than 20 minutes helped students tomore successfully process the information, as did presenting material in several differentformats.As mentioned above, an effort was made to ensure that the class atmosphere was exciting, open,and non-threatening. The instructors applied the same methods they have used in theirundergraduate courses to insure this. Many of these methods are simple and common sense(smiling, speaking expressively, moving about the classroom, engaging students in a friendlymanner) but surprisingly are often neglected by professors even at the university level. Whilethe students at MGS were younger and less mature than typical undergraduates, it was apparentfrom student feedback that the instructors were successful in creating a fun, low-stress, yetrigorous environment that enhanced the students’ experience.Instructor Slide PresentationsPage 15.806.5During the three-week term, three slide (i.e. PowerPoint) presentations were given by theinstructors. These were intended to supplement the lectures by providing broader content as wellas relevant context. The first of these was entitled “Introduction to Fluid Mechanics”, and wasgiven to the students on the first day as a means of introducing the course topic. Thepresentation was a modified version of a similar presentation by Stern et al.4. It includedinformation regarding the historical development of fluid mechanics knowledge, the role offluids in nature, examples of fluid mechanics applications, and a discussion of the methods usedto analyze fluid flow systems, including analytical, experimental, and computational techniques.Two example slides from this presentation are shown in Figure 1.

Figurre 1. Exampple slides froom instructorr presentatioon “Introducttion to Fluidd Mechanics””.The secoond presentattion was entiitled “What is an Engineeer?”, and wasw given to thet students onday 8 of the course. The presentation included explanatiions of the rooles engineeers play in soocietyand the careercopporttunities available in engiineering, an explanation of the differrent types offengineerss, and salaryy informationn. Based on verbal feedbback during and after the presentatioon,much of the informattion presenteed was entireely new to thhis student cohort,cdespite the fact thhatthey pressumably hadd a preexistinng inclinationn toward STTEM careers,, based on thhe fact that thheychose thiis course outt of all those offered by MGSMand byy their responnses to the pre-coursepinterest surveys.sTwwo example slidessfrom thhe second prresentation area shown inn Figure 2.Figure 2. ExampleEsliddes from instrructor presenntation “Whhat is an Enggineer?”.Page 15.806.6on was givenn on day 12, as a means ofo introducinng the speciffic topic ofThe thirdd presentatiocomputattional fluid dynamicsd(CCFD) to the class,cprior too assigning a CFD groupp project to bebcompleteed the followwing class daay. The pressentation gavve a qualitatiive and heurristic overvieew ofthe topic only, includding a discusssion of scienntific and inndustrial appllications in whichwCFD isi

commonlly used. Thee presentatioon was entitlled “What iss CFD?”. Exxample slidees are shownn inFigure 3.Figure 3.3 Example slides from instructoriprresentation “What“is CFDD?”.SPresenttationsStudent Slidew given duringdthe coourse. One majormobjecttive of theTwo studdent slide preesentations werepresentattions was to provide the students witth the opporttunity to impprove their presentationpskills, annd verbal feedback was givengto eachh student from both the instructorsiannd their felloowclassmatees.fi presentaation, entitledd “Fluids in the News”, studentsswerre asked to viewvInternettFor the firstnews sitees such as cnnn.com to finnd news storries in whichh fluid mechaanics plays ana importanttrole. Thee students werew asked too find at leastt two exampples, to explaain in their owno words thheprinciplees or impactss of fluid mechanics in thhe news storry, and to expplain its oveerall importancewithin a societal conttext. Three representativve slides froom the “Fluidds in the Newws”presentattions are shoown in Figure 4. It shoulld be stresseed that while feedback wasw given to thetstudents, no help wass given to thhe students inn preparing oro presentingg their slidess. It was hoppedthat this exerciseewouuld help the students to recognizerthhe importancce of fluid meechanics inparticularr, and sciencce and enginneering in general, in maany of the immportant issues discussedd inthe news media eachh day. It wass clear from discussionsdafter each prresentation thatt the studeentsrarely considered thee scientific annd technologgical aspectss of many off today’s currrent events.Page 15.806.7

Figure 4. Example sllides from “FFluids in the News” studdent presentaations.The secoond student presentationpshowed the results of a “Fluids“All AroundAUs” scavenger hunt.hThe scavvenger hunt itselfiwas unndertaken duuring the secoond half of the class periiod on day 7.7Students were groupeed into four teams of thrree people eaach, and eachh team was givenga digittalcamera. The studentts explored thhe campus ofo the Mississsippi Univerrsity for Woomen and toookpictures ofo fluid mechanics in acttion. The gooal of the scaavenger hunnt was twofolld. First, to helpthe studeents begin to see evidencce of scientiffic principless and engineering applications in theeirdaily livees, and seconnd, to providde them withh a fun and leeisurely activvity at what wasapproximmately the midpoint of thhe three weekk course. Thhe students useduthe digiital photos thheyhad takenn to create prresentations that were shhown to the class. Althoough not askked to do so,several ofo the groupss made an effffort to find thet most esotteric examplles possible. Also, as wiiththe “Fluids in the Neews” presentations, the sttudents weree entirely ressponsible forr preparing andapresentinng the slides. Example slidessfrom thhe “Fluids AllA Around Us”U presentattions are shoownin Figuree 5.Page 15.806.8

Figure 5. ExampleEsliddes from “Fluids All Aroound Us” stuudent presenntations.eclass gavega groupp presentatioon during “ClassIn additioon to the in-cclass presenttations, the entireNight”, ono the eveninng of day 144. At MGS, thet students in each major course coollaborate to givea short prresentation thatt highlighhts some aspeect of what theythave leaarned duringg the previouusthree weeeks. The Claass Night prresentations area attendedd by many off the studentss’ parents,fa

experiments that reinforced the role of fluid physics in the wo rld around us. The course also introduced students to the modern techniques of computational fluid dynamics (CFD), which uses computer-based simulation to investigate an d analyze

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