Engaged in Thermodynamics - Student Engagement in the Classroom

This paper will discuss an on-going NSF-CCLI grant that addresses improvements in student pedagogy and educational materials for the engineering thermodynamics curriculum by completing development of the concept of an "Engineering Scenario". Engineering Scenarios are textbook supplements based on actual engineering facilities and equipment. They expand on the case study concept by including skills-based problems that can be used in place of traditional homework problems but written in the context of the real-world environment, as well as additional design problems based on design methods and actual solutions at real facilities. Accompanying supplementary and background information promotes increased inquiry-based or student-centered learning, better addresses student real world expectations, and leads to an increase in overall student engagement. A Phase 1 grant allowed for the development and repeated formative assessment of a single scenario, leading to the current Phase 2 grant. At this stage of the grant, assessment is being conducted in thermodynamics classes at several institutions. Surveys related to student engagement are being given to track student reactions to the thermodynamic material across the semester.