Monteith Research Center (MRC) – home of ASSIST at NC State University
Well, it is hard to believe but our time at the ASSIST Center has concluded. We wrapped up our summer internship by sharing our experiences and project posters at a Research Symposium at NC State University. Guests included students, researchers, other Kenan Fellows and staff, teachers, administrators, family, and friends – including a couple of the canine variety. Each presenter shared his or her respective research including three lesson plans that they created during the internship related to nanotechnology and wearable devices.
Each of the lesson plans had a different focus including – sensors, an energy harvesting demonstration, and the engineering design process – all with the goal of serving others under the One Health Initiative. My sensor plan was developed from my team’s creation of an air quality monitoring device for Search & Rescue Teams. My Business Law students will study intellectual property and liability issues with related to such products. For the energy harvesting demo I created a brief lesson for students to discover survival tools such as flashlights and cell phone chargers that are powered by hand cranking kinetic energy that do not require any batteries or electric power. The goal is for students in marketing class to dissect the features and benefits of such technology in a disaster situation and the importance of utilizing energy harvesting in new product development for additional applications. The engineering design process lesson plan is a cross-curricular activity that teachers may use to generate ideas and brainstorming to develop a “smarter” football helmet that incorporates nanotechnology into the helmet to help monitor player performance while preventing injuries specifically for neck and spinal injuries, concussions, heat stroke, and cardiac arrest. The current plan which was created for ASSIST (and attached below) is an introductory one or two-day activity.
Engineering Design Process
I am currently developing a much larger school wide unit plan for my overall Kenan project with the goal of students producing a working prototype of their new football helmet and hosting a community engagement event in which we will share our journey and knowledge with stakeholders such as players of all ages, coaches, parents, teachers, administrators, medical staff, researchers, and sporting goods manufacturers. I envision the lesson plan being incorporated just as I would approach managing a business and each participating school subject being a “department” in the project. Some of the questions I have already been asked is, how do I plan on following such an elaborate plan when the kids are taking classes all over campus and various subjects at different times – and obviously cannot be in the same classroom together all the time? Do I plan on completing the project after school as a club?
I actually believe that such a challenge forces me to set-up the lesson plan mirroring 21st Century business. Very rarely are any business operations of any size conducted under the same roof, much less the same room and with my coaching duties – after school is not an option. Thus, I will create ways for students to collaborate and share work in various departments throughout the school day with thorough planing, project management, and the use of technology such as online communities or what will be our company’s “intranet”. The simulation will be very similar to employees, suppliers, and customers that must communicate between departments, varying work shifts, locations across the street or scattered around the world. My three plans are included here and I will elaborate on each one in future articles.
Energy Harvesting Demo Lesson Plan
Engineering Design Lesson Plan
I was not sure as to what to expect going into the internship but as with most things Kenan related, it surpassed my highest expectations. My goal was to generate ideas on developing STEM related lesson plans for my business and marketing course, however I came away with so much more including newly acquired skills such as coding, numerous innovative tools to inspire student creativity in attacking real world problems, invaluable experiences, and a number of wonderful relationships. Our cohort will continue to work with ASSIST throughout the coming year and I am looking forward to the real fun of implementing what I learned this summer and inviting the ASSIST staff to my classroom.
Photos from the Research Symposium:
Search & Rescue Team – in the bottom left, the puppy is wearing our prototype wearable device
Our Air Quality Monitor to be worn by both humans and animals in Search & Rescue Operations.
My Display Table
Research Project Poster
Thankful that one of my Assistant Principals, Susan Taylor took time out of her busy summer to attend.
Discussing my research with attendees.
Discussing my football research with Craig Tucker, Kenan Fellows Program Manager