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Homework assignment for composition 1, written communication writing assignment....

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Final report Thu Nguyen

Abstract Service-learning is being widely incorporated in engineering education, as observed from within the United States and countries across the world. This paper is going to go over the application of service-learning in the classroom at the University of South Florida while analyzing the impact it has on the community. The focus of this project will be on the development and delivery of a fuel-cell-powered vehicle. This vehicle will be assembled by the targeted customers, who are middle-schoolers, within eight minutes, and will serve to educate them on the potential of alternative energy. Furthermore, the project will inspire the youth to enter STEM fields, especially the engineering field, as it will expose students at a young age to the design process and pique their interest in exploring the potential of science through a high level of engagement. Students in Foundations of Engineering Lab will be able to deliver their ideas in the form of CAD, which is an essential skill in the engineering field. Teamwork also plays a major part in ensuring the success of this project as everyone is assigned a specific role with similar importance. The project also pushes students to think about the impact that their products will have on the community and recognize the role that communication with customers plays when creating and delivering a product. The product is to be delivered with educational materials in the form of an instructional booklet, which explains the steps to aid with assembling the vehicle. The results indicate that service-learning should be applied in more curriculum of engineering courses as it is beneficial in educating aspiring engineers in basic skills, helping students develop competencies that will contribute to their success in the engineering field, and inspiring the younger generation to pursue STEM education. This paper will serve to help the growth of adaptation of service-learning in the classroom across many different levels of education.

Literature review Service-learning is defined as “ a form of experiential education in which students engage in activities that address human and community needs together with structured opportunities intentionally designed to promote student learning and development. Reciprocity and reflection are key concepts of service-learning.” [1] There is a reason why one can observe the growth in adaptations of service-learning in the classroom, especially in the higher education environment. Studies have shown that there are multiple benefits when incorporating servicelearning into the curriculum. “Service-learning was found to impact positively: tolerance, personal development, interpersonal development, community and college connections. Students reported working harder, being more curious, connecting learning to personal experience, and demonstrated a deeper understanding of subject matter.” [2] At the University of Colorado at Boulder, service-learning has been a part of the curriculum for a while now and has yielded positive results. Students who took first-year design courses were more likely to stay in the program and be more successful. “Our data shows that on average 6.38% more

students stay in engineering from year 1 to year 2 if they take GEEN1400.” [3] “6.83% more students graduated having participated in GEEN1400 when compared to the student base not taking GEEN1400.” [4] Switching majors and disciplines are not uncommon amongst freshmen, as they do not have enough experience with different majors to decide their pathway. Servicelearning is helpful in that sense as it gives them a taste of what it is going to be like if they were to pursue a degree in that field. “Service participation appears to have its strongest effect on the student’s decision to pursue a career in a service field.” [5]

Introduction EGN3000L is an introduction class required by the College of Engineering, catering to freshmen who aspire to pursue a degree in engineering. Students are exposed to the application of technologies in design and the fabrication of the product. Written and oral communication also plays an important role in the class, with a majority of in-class assignments requiring the explanation of the design process and a couple of presentations throughout the semester. Students learn how to create and deliver a product that caters to the needs of a community partner while participating in a part of a team while developing a list of educational materials that serves as a guide for easy assembly. At the University of South Florida, Foundations of Engineering Lab EGN3000L is a course built upon delivering engaging education through service-learning. Service-learning, as mentioned above, is essentially the corporation of community engagement, education and promotion of development through reflection. The objectives of the course are to expose engineering students to the engineering process and teach them essential competencies in the engineering profession. Students learn how to create and deliver a product that caters to the needs of a community partner while participating in a part of a team. The technology used in this project is a reversible fuel cell. The aim is to create a vehicle that can carry all of the components essential for the function of the motor powered by a reversible fuel cell. Water is split into hydrogen and oxygen with the help of the battery. The hydrogen, which carries chemical energy, runs through the fuel cell and generate electricity. The fuel cell, therefore, generates no emission and is environmental friendly.

Main body The majority of students are exposed to the engineering design process for the first time through this project. Prior to the design review 1, students brainstorm what they think their customers will look for in the product. Fuel cell group 1 prioritized the aesthetic elements, durability, and the size of the product. The ideal measurements for the product should not exceed 10 inches per side, and it should weight less than 3 pounds. Low cost is also important as the product is catering to a group of customers who do not have a stable income.

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Table 1: Customer Needs Pre-Design Review 1 Customer Need Description Durable Fun design Environmentally-friendly Low cost Lightweight Relatively small Move fast

Target Value...