Examples of synergies between research and hands-on design-based learning

Abstract

Space and time are precious and limited resources in any university, and many faculty and administrators face a dilemma on how to adequately support both research and educational missions of the Institute. Research needs may conflict with the need to provide space and time to support and enhance undergraduate education. In order to meet the growing demands for hands-on education, it is essential to encourage shared utilization of resources to support both research and education. The goal of this paper is to inspire faculty and institutions by presenting six successful examples of integrating research and undergraduate education at a large, state university. Students are conducting real research, reconstructed to take place as a design lesson in Thermodynamics. Faculty are leveraging infrastructure to attract funding from Government agencies (e.g. the Department of Energy), which would mutually support both the course and the faculty's specific research interests. Research labs open their doors to the classroom for active learning, and student maker spaces double as data collection sites. The success of these efforts is dependent upon mutual appreciation for the roles of education and research while still respecting autonomy of these spaces and their primary missions. The lessons learned show that research can support and benefit from educational involvement, student learning, and autonomy.