CASE utilizes a variety of instructional tools within its teacher training institutes. One of its primary tools is the Materials World Modules (MWM) Program developed by Dr. Robert Chang of Northwestern University.
MWM currently includes nine interdisciplinary modules based on topics in materials science, including: Biodegradable Materials, Biosensors, Ceramics, Composites, Concrete, Food Packaging, Polymers, Smart Sensors, and Sports Materials. Modules are designed for use in middle and high school science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) classrooms and have been used nationwide.
MWM is based on principles of inquiry and design (I & D) and emphasizes active, hands-on learning. Most importantly, MWM provides students of all ability levels with opportunities to apply what they learn in the classroom to real-world problems while helping teachers to meet National Science Education Standards and State Standards.
The Materials World Modules is a valuable introduction to the I & D learning process for both teacher and student. Although not a curriculum, MWM fits well within standard curricula and provides a good orientation for teacher and student to I & D instruction and learning.
For many teachers the I & D instructional methodology will feel unfamiliar. Most standard textbooks prescribe instructional recipes which guide classroom teachers through a curriculum broken down into a succession of units designed in aggregate to cover a body of material within a specified period of time.
Although this system of education accomplishes a primary instructional task in an orderly and credible way, it can leave both teacher and student uninspired. I & D by contrast is less predictable. It makes the teacher a facilitator and co-researcher in an investigative process requiring openness and receptivity to ideas. The objective is not always to find the right solution, but to engage in an exploration that leads one toward the truth even if inquiry and experiment lead students to false starts initially.
Balancing these two approaches, CASE advocates an instructional program that is adaptive and inclusive in tone and substance. Material needs to be covered in order to retain the integrity of the curriculum and to prepare students for advancement to higher grade levels. However, as a teaching method, I & D does not dictate what is to be taught, and it can be deployed selectively as local teachers and school systems deem most beneficial for their students. MWM is a content enrichment, which introduces students to various topics in materials science. Its adaptation to curriculum can likewise be selective.
The overall objective is to add spice to STEM studies and to provide a platform such as MWM for acquainting teachers with the I & D approach to instruction. How to best achieve these purposes is, we reiterate, a local decision.
Because I & D instruction differs from the standard teaching model, teachers might experience uncertainty about trying it at first. But once they experience their students’ enthusiasm and eagerness, they almost always become converts. The process that feels unfamiliar initially becomes second nature in the long run. Being part of a community and network of educators joined together in a common enterprise is a source of encouragement and support.
