Abstract
Bringing research into an undergraduate curriculum is a proven and powerful practice with many educational benefits to students and the professional rewards to faculty mentors. In recent years, undergraduate research has gained national prominence as an effective problem-based learning strategy. Developing and sustaining a vibrant undergraduate research program of high quality and productivity is an outstanding example of the problem-based learning. To foster student understanding of the content learned in the classroom and nurture enduring problem-solving and critical-thinking abilities, we have created a collaborative learning environment by building research into the Electro-Optics curriculum for the first- and second-year students. The teaching methodology is described and examples of the research projects are given. Such a research-integrated curriculum effectively enhances student learning and critical thinking skills, and strengthens the research culture for the first- and second-year students.
© 2013 OSA, SPIE, IEEE, ICO
PDF ArticleMore Like This
Michelle Hall-Wallace, Nancy L. Regens, and Stephen M. Pompea
PS514 Education and Training in Optics and Photonics (ETOP) 2001
Nicholas Massa, Richard Audet, Judith Donnelly, Fenna Hanes, and Marijke Kehrhahn
EMC1 Education and Training in Optics and Photonics (ETOP) 2007
Minella C. Alarcon, Benjamin B. Dingel, Annelle R. Chua, Aria Buenaventura, and Nathaniel J. C. Libatique
11143_131 Education and Training in Optics and Photonics (ETOP) 2019