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Molten Metal Magic: A Laboratory Experience for Middle School and High School Students

Jamie Workman-Germann Indiana University Purdue University - Indianapolis

Abstract

Studies have been done to relate the entry of high school students into colleges they have visited or are familiar with by more than simply name association. Encouraged by these studies and partly based on this principle, the Purdue School of Engineering and Technology at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, (IUPUI) has developed a recruitment program for high school and middle school students. The Friday Laboratory Experience program serves as an organized means of getting students to visit the university, learn about various engineering and technology programs available in the school, and participate in activities similar to what they would be doing as a college student.

The Molten Metal Magic session of the Friday Laboratory Experience program at IUPUI is one of 17 sessions designed to introduce various engineering and technology programs to middle school and high school students as well as serve as a recruitment tool for the Purdue School of Engineering and Technology at IUPUI. Students and educators visit IUPUI for the Friday Laboratory Experience, many completely unaware of metal casting processes, their significance in the manufacturing industry, and the vast quantity of products and applications used daily as a direct result of these processes.

After participating in the experience, students have visited an actual university campus, met and interacted with university faculty and students, gained a new perspective on the various engineering and technology fields, and developed an appreciation for the complexity of the products available to them for their daily use. Though many schools openly admit to utilizing the Friday Laboratory Experience program simply as a field trip, most participants come away with new knowledge and materials that they will use in their classrooms and the experience affects the way they look at the world around them.

Background

During the past three years, several middle school and high school groups have come to the Purdue School of Engineering and Technology at IUPUI for what is called a Friday Lab Experience. The Friday Lab Experience (FLE) program was developed as a tool to recruit high school students into the engineering and technology programs at IUPUI by giving them an opportunity to visit the campus, meet some students and faculty from the school, and take part in an actual laboratory class experience. It has also been used to generate interest and awareness in the various engineering and technology fields for younger children in grade school and middle school.

Proceedings of the 2005 American Society of Engineering Educators Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright  2005, American Society of Engineering Educators

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Workman, J. (2005, June), Molten Metal Magic: A Laboratory Experience For Middle School And High School Students Paper presented at 2005 Annual Conference, Portland, Oregon. 10.18260/1-2--15261