Teaching Materials Characterization Techniques: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Develop Interactive Web-Based Multimedi
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Teaching Materials Characterization Techniques: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Develop Interactive Web-Based Multimedia Teaching/Learning Software Karin Prüßner* Klaus Pingel$, Horst-Peter Dressel*, Jens Becker$, Christof Reiner#, Marc Schlosser#, and Hans-Jürgen Christ* *
Institut für Werkstofftechnik, University of Siegen, Germany Institut für Physik, University of Siegen, Germany # Institut für Anorganische Chemie, University of Siegen, Germany $
ABSTRACT In a first step of a larger project to develop software to teach materials characterization techniques, we have developed a module on scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to be used mainly in a Department of Mechanical Engineering. The goal is to use the unique capabilities of the computer to develop a platform-independent interactive web-based software package which can be used as a stand-alone application or as support in existing "traditional" classes and improve the quality of teaching. Commercial development tools like Macromedia Dreamweaver for HTML pages, Macromedia Flash and JBuilder to create animations and visualizations of basic concepts and simulations of microscope operations are used for improved teaching quality. INTRODUCTION Materials characterization techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) have become valuable, widely available tools for the analysis of structure and composition of natural and artificial materials in many different disciplines. While the individual problem to be solved may be different, the underlying principles of the technique are the same in materials science, mineralogy, geology, physics, chemistry and even biology and medicine. The interdisciplinary nature and almost universal applicability of these techniques suggests an interdisciplinary approach to teaching which takes advantage of the different strength and interests of teachers from different backgrounds. Therefore, the Institute for Materials Technology, the Institute of Physics and the Institute of Chemistry collaborate in this project. The goal is to develop a teaching tool tailored towards the needs of our students and giving special consideration to the equipment and applications available at our school. The fact that the same basic principles of physics, such as diffraction physics or optical principles are needed in several of the above mentioned analytical techniques suggests a modular structure of the software package. In a first step of a planned larger project that will include instructions on several of the above mentioned characterization techniques, we have developed a module to teach scanning electron microscopy (SEM). TARGET GROUP The approach to teach materials characterization techniques and the background in crystallography, electron/material interaction, diffraction etc., which is necessary to understand these techniques, is different in different departments and schools. While in
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