Every twenty years, new generations of students find their way into the college classroom. According to the generation theory, people born in the same generation share similar characteristics and basic behavioral profiles. Currently, the students in the classroom are Generation Z (born between 1995 and 2012). Research has shown that some attributes of Generation Z include digital savviness, individualism, and a preference for engaging in hands-on learning opportunities with immediate and broader relevance to their career. However, they have a low attention span and have underdeveloped social skills. To help address some of these limitations, teaching recommendations include integrating current technology with experiential learning opportunities and intrapersonal learning within class and group work. Incorporating these teaching methodologies in chemical engineering courses will help to prepare students with the skills and knowledge to succeed in their careers.
In this study, we designed classroom activities into a junior-level materials science course to teach quantum dots and the material properties of glass. The class activities were in two steps. In the first class activity, students used specialized open-source software to build 3-dimensional (3D) crystal structures of various materials, including quantum dots and thermoelectric lattices and performed calculations that relate such structures to potential applications. In the second class activity, they probed the hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity of surface-modified glass capillary tubes by quantifying capillary filling times from smartphone videos of self-driven capillary flow in horizontal capillaries. All the class activities were conducted in pre-assigned groups and prompts requiring group engagement were included to encourage group participation and discussions. The impact of the class activities was evaluated using student feedback and pre/post-test assessments. The findings from our research enable tailoring methods for introducing new technologies into the chemical engineering classroom, which will enhance the engagement of the current generation of students and help us to prepare for the incoming generations of students (Generation Alpha).
