Research on Experiential Learning in Norway
MIE Associate Teaching Professor Yustianto Tjiptowidjojo and MIE/BioE Associate Professor Rouzbeh Amini published research from a Dialogue of Civilizations on “An Experiential Learning Opportunity in Norway: Computation for Bioengineering and Mechanical Engineering Students” in the Journal of Biomechanical Engineering.
This article originally appeared on Northeastern Global News. It was published by Erin Kayata. Main photo: Northeastern’s Dialogue of Civilizations course in Norway teaches students both the technical and ethical sides of engineering. Courtesy Photo
Northeastern students explore the engineering and ethics of wind farms during experiential learning opportunity in Norway
When people think of places leading the way on technology, many Americans’ minds go to Silicon Valley. But outside the United States, Norway is on the cutting edge, especially when it comes to work in renewable energy.
That’s why Rouzbeh Amini, an associate professor of mechanical and industrial engineering and bioengineering at Northeastern University, began taking students to the Nordic country in 2022 as part of a Dialogue of Civilizations course in which students learn from local experts about the country’s wind farms and the ethical questions surrounding them.
“I am a strong believer that you have to have tangible and hands-on knowledge that you give to a student and this is really important for increasing the confidence of the student,” Amini said. “I wanted to have a dialogue where we don’t just go and see the wind farm, but we hike around the wind farms.”
Last summer, Amini wanted to see how students were benefiting from this approach by collecting student feedback. His research, published in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers’ Journal of Biomechanical Engineering, showed that students became more confident in their abilities through this experiential learning that involved guest lectures and site visits.
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Students in the dialogue enjoyed experiential learning through guest lectures, site visits, and seeing Norway’s natural sites. Courtesy Photos
Female students in particular had higher confidence boosts from the dialogue.
“One is that I have always been interested in looking at the role of societal stereotypes in teaching computer programming to female students,” Amini said. “Sometimes this concept of ‘coding is not for girls’ is enforced and this is very unfortunate. I always wanted to make sure that the female students have the same sort of opportunities that the male students (do).”
The course combines technical coursework with social and cultural learning. In addition to teaching engineering students computational skills, students also learn about the history of the indigenous Sami people of Norway, how they’ve been discriminated against by the Norwegian government through forced assimilation, and how this influences the building of green technology today.
“A lot of wind farms are built in more remote areas (on) land that belongs to the Sami people,” Amini said. “Sometimes they put them on the lands that are sacred to the Sami people or (are used) for reindeer herding. … They sort of disturb the traditions that they had and then you have this question of ‘We want to use renewable energy, but at the same time we have to respect the rights and traditions of people who belong to a marginalized group.’”
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