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Implementation of Paul Revere: Tough as Nails, an Integrated Project-Based Course on Materials Science and History of Technology

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 March 2011

Jonathan Stolk ,
Robert Martello  and
Franklin W. Olin
Jonathan Stolk
Affiliation:
College of Engineering Needham, MA 02492
Robert Martello
Affiliation:
College of Engineering Needham, MA 02492
Franklin W. Olin
Affiliation:
College of Engineering Needham, MA 02492
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Abstract

Olin College sophomores participate in integrated course blocks that merge technical content with business, arts, humanities, and social science topics, allowing students to work on engineering projects that have broader implications than the purely technical. In this paper, we present Paul Revere: Tough as Nails, a multidisciplinary course block that combines an introductory materials science course with a history of technology course and a large scale project. In Paul Revere, students explore connections between historical and technological materials science developments through examinations of Paul Revere's metallurgical work and analyses of the relevant social, environmental, political, and economic aspects that contribute to ancient and modern technologies. The explicit linkages among technical, non-technical, and hands-on aspects of the course improve learning of traditional topics, help drive interdisciplinary thinking, and lead to a high level of student satisfaction and motivation throughout the semester.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 827: Symposium BB – Educating Tomorrow's materials Scientists & Engineers , 2004 , BB4.3
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2004

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