General Card #3480
Building Character through Ambiguity in a Thermodynamics and HVAC Lab
Summary
Students embrace the unknown while designing and implementing their own lab protocol to analyze the performance of an air conditioner unit.
Description
Traditionally, students are provided with detailed protocols that walk them through a lab exercise step-by-step. This activity was designed to challenge students to develop their own protocols, thereby motivating them to think critically about both their previous experimental work and the theoretical concepts that have been learned during class. Flipping the script and requiring students to determine a viablesolution for the lab requires them to embrace the unknown.
This card provides plans for a laboratory exercise that investigates thermodynamic phenomena via analysis of a home air conditioner. Discussions during and after the lab emphasized several character virtues, including curiosity and critical thinking. These discussions were centered around the fact that students were tasked with the open-ended question of analyzing the performance of the air conditioner, without being given detailed protocols. By placing the responsibility of designing the lab on the students, they must reflect on their prior lab and classroom learnings and experiences and devise their own methods for gathering the desired information.
Relevant Virtues:
Curiosity
Critical thinking
Empathy
Practical wisdom
How module was implemented:
This activity was implemented in a class with 8 students that met twice per week for one hour and 15 minutes per class. The activity was implemented over 3 separate class periods, with the following material discussed during each class:
Class 1 – Introduction to the lab challenge, and generation of protocols
During this class, students were presented with the assignment description, and engaged in a brief discussion of the challenge that they faced (i.e., they must develop their own protocols). This discussion was followed by a think-pair-share activity. Students were split into pairs and asked to determine methods for calculating one of the desired values (values listed in the lab assignment document below). The instructor circulated amongst groups and discussed preliminary concepts with each of the teams. Once each team had developed a plan, the whole class came back together to discuss their ideas and finalize the protocol for implementation in the following class.
Class 2 – Lab exercise and data analysis
Students worked together to implement their developed protocols and collect necessary data. All eight students worked together to tackle the challenge and began analyzing the data they collected and synthesizing the desired results.
Class 3 – Reflection and discussion of learning outcomes
During this class, there was a whole class discussion on the challenges and rewards of the novel lab experience. Guiding questions (provided in attached document) were used to facilitate the discussion session. Notably, students highlighted virtues related to tackling an unknown challenge with emphasis on applying prior knowledge to a new task. The instructor ended the session with a discussion of design decisions related to thermodynamics and HVAC systems and how they can impact users, which created an avenue to discuss the virtues of empathy and practical wisdom. The discussion also involved consideration for the economic and environmental impacts of air conditioning systems.
Activities:
In-class discussion of lab protocols
Data collection and analysis
Reflection Discussion
Summary report
ABET outcomes associated with this module:
SO6 – Students practice and are assessed on their experimentation and data analysis skills
SO3 – Students practice and are assessed on their written communication skills
About the course:
This activity was designed as part of a course titled, “Thermal Fluid Systems,” which explores topics in thermodynamics, fluid mechanics and heat transfer (ABET - SO1). Topics presented follow up on the material from an earlier course on the same subjects. Additional focus was placed on experimentation (ABET - SO6) and communication (ABET - SO3) via lab exercises and follow-up reporting.
Student feedback on module:
I really liked how this lab was laid out! I think there was a lot of benefit in designing the procedure ourselves. I also like the letter format as it shows more of the practical "real world" information that you wouldn't necessarily discuss in a lab report.
I would have liked some more organization of the procedure as a group. Many people were asking questions of others since they did not write that part of the procedure. To solve this all of the groups could have been required to write and share a copy of the procedure with the class.
One thing I would change for the future would be to have the class come together to draft a final procedure before beginning the lab. Like one person mentioned in class, once it came time to write the lab and perform the calculations, I felt much more confident with the section I was tasked with than the other sections, and even found that I forgot some of the procedures the other groups came up with.
I really enjoyed the discussion of the character virtues. I will remember our discussion of the way that those virtues might be challenged in the future and the ways that we can work to maintain those traits as we move forward.
Curiosity
- Demonstrate constant curiosity about our changing world
Air conditioners are ubiquitous in the society we live in. However, most people do not take the time to be curious about how they work. This exercise gave students the opportunity to learn the more technical aspects of a technology that they interact with on a daily basis. Discussions surrounding AC technology and its impacts on society and the environment also helped spark curiosity around how common tools can have much greater impacts than are typically perceived.
Connections
- Integrate information from many sources to gain insight
Students were driven to recall previous lectures and labs in order to tackle an unknown challenge. Some tasks required students to research new terminology so that they could understand what they were looking for, and others required them to learn how to use new tools.
Creating Value
- Persist through and learn from failure
In this activity, students faced uncertainty in how to complete the task they were given. They spent time drafting lab protocols that they perceived would work but realized that they needed to rethink their strategies once they tried to apply them. In the end, the students were able to troubleshoot their initial plans and improve them so they could succeed.
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