Faculty and Student Perceptions on Shared Teaching Materials for Advanced Manufacturing (STAM): Building Momentum Through Workshops

In this paper, we summarize the outcomes of the two workshops aimed at speeding up the transition of research-based advanced manufacturing knowledge into course curriculum for technology and engineering programs. Advanced manufacturing technologies have opened up the realm for new products that only a decade ago were considered unproducible. For example metals 3D Printing has almost no geometric limitations, which allows engineers to develop mesh–based products. Unfortunately, the educational system that serves to educate the majority of manufacturing technicians and engineers still utilizes many of the same curriculum resources for these emerging areas (textbooks, traditional lectures, etc.), frequently creating an unsuitable or inappropriate learning environment for state-of-the-science technician and engineering training. This is especially true for the development of manufacturing materials and laboratories to maintain currency in advanced manufacturing. With funding from NSF, two workshops were conducted that generated great enthusiasm for the concept of a teaching repository for advanced manufacturing technology. More than 50 advanced manufacturing instructors have attended the workshops, and a community of instructors has been created. Results from faculty and student perceptions on shared teaching materials for advanced manufacturing are also shared