Service-Learning Project Examples

Campus Recycling Improvements

Course:

25.108 - Introduction to Engineering II (Chemical Engineering),

10.308 - Intro to Materials Science and Engineering

10.508 - Material Science and Engineering

Semester: Spring 2006

Instructor: Krishna Vedula

Partner: UML's Office of Environmental Health & Safety (EHS)

 

Brief Description:
The students in the college of engineering had the opportunity to interact with the community through Service-Learning Integrated throughout a College of Engineering program (SLICE).  By taking engineering classes that have Service-Learning as part of their objective.  Students were provided the occasion to engage in solving life problems around their local area.  In spring 2006, thirty-one students from the Materials Engineering class at UML were assigned a challenge to design a recycling and disposal program for waste materials in the engineering department.

 

Full Description:
Rich Lemoine of the UML - Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) office met with the SLICE Coordinator and Krishna Vedula to assist in formulating the project and serve as a resource.  Rich presented information to the class and prepared and distributed an excellent handout for the students to use as reference.  He recruited other staff, informed them of the project and requested they be responsive to the students.  In addition to Rich, Peter Bergeron – EHS and Tom Miliano – UML Facilities served as helpful resources, informing students.  All three were invited to join the SLICE Coordinator for student presentations, but unfortunately none were able to attend.

The students in the college of engineering had the opportunity to interact with the community through Service-Learning Integrated throughout a College of Engineering program (SLICE).  By taking engineering classes that have Service-Learning as part of their objective.  Students were provided the occasion to engage in solving life problems around their local area.  In spring 2006, thirty-one students from the Materials Engineering class at UML were assigned a challenge to design a recycling and disposal program for waste materials in the engineering department.

• The class was divided into small teams and each one of them was given a specific material type to work on; such as, metals, ceramics, plastics, paper, biomaterials, etc. Already in groups, the students had to combine the topics covered in class with their own research to obtain a better understanding the “life to death” cycle of their assigned materials, so they could come up with a more realistic and sophisticated recycling/disposing design.
• Once the students assimilated the concepts of their specific materials, they had to interact with different UML departments relevant to this project, including the Environmental Health and Safety department, housekeeping services, and administration staff.
• Each team provided a brief report of the work each week throughout the semester; and in the last week of the class, they integrated their findings and came up with a plan for recycling/disposing of waste materials.  Students’ final grades were then based on the creativity, diligence, participation, presentation, and final outcome of the project.

 

Learning objectives met by the S-L project were for students to:

• Exploration of behind the scenes campus functions and people
• Practice research skills
• Practice writing skills

 

Community objectives met by the S-L project:

• Engaged students in the work of the EHS and raised awareness of ways to reuse and recycle different materials on campus.