Excellence in Engineering through a Jeopardy game

Genevieve Gagnon

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Conference: 2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Publication Date: June 10, 2012
Start Date: June 10, 2012
End Date: June 13, 2012
ISSN: 2153-5965
Conference Session: Mechanics Classroom Demonstrations
Tagged Division: Mechanics
Page Count: 7
Page Numbers: 25.601.1 - 25.601.7
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--21358
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/21358
Download Count: 538

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Paper Authors

biography

Genevieve Gagnon Ph.D. University of Saint Thomas

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Genevieve Gagnon, Ph.D., originally from Montreal, Quebec, Canada, teaches Mechanics of Materials at the University of St.Thomas in St. Paul, Minn. She is also an instructor for Energy and the Environment.
Gagnon obtained her B.Sc. and her M.Sc. from the Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal and her PhD. in material science from the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Siwtzerland. The main subject of her thesis was thermal fatigue of aluminum composites inside a transmission electron microscope.

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Abstract

Excellence in Engineering through a Jeopardy game Genevieve Gagnon PhD Department of Engineering, University of St.Thomas St-‐Paul, MN Interactive teaching has been proven to raise students’ interest in learning. Effective learning only happens when students are receptive and involved. In our quest to reach excellence in engineering, new games and technique get students more energized in participating actively in their education. An unexpected tool used in this study is a Jeopardy game where 25 questions from basic concepts of a subject matter are compiled in a Power Point format game allowing us to review every important material to be mastered. This study compiles a survey on how the Jeopardy game was perceived in the context of a “Mechanics of Materials” class at the University of St.Thomas. Students were exposed to the game for every chapter of their subject matter and had access to the game to prepare studying for their exam. An evaluation of their appreciation of the game and how they thought it affected their comprehension of the material taught and how it helped them succeed in understanding all the concepts and succeed in their exams and getting good grades. Interactive teaching is the way to teach to keep the students engaged and participating in their learning. By using tools such as a Jeopardy game, peer learning is also involved and will help in our goal to raise interest and understanding of the material taught. The way the game is played in ENGR221, the class is split in two team and questions are asked successively with each team needing to consult with all their members to come up with the best answer. Students need to convince each other of the right answer helping them in their learning process. If the answer given is wrong, the other team has a chance to steel the question and they can try to get the right answer. Peer teaching is the process happening when students need to give their opinion of what the right answer is to their peers and try to convince them they know the material. They can go back and forth between them till they figure out which answer is the right one. Competition is fun and they are reviewing all the material learned while playing a game. Once the answer is given the instructor gets an opportunity to explain in detail every important subject pertinent to the class. The student that would not have read the textbook will get all the class material through the game. An increase in comprehension has been noted from these almost weekly ritual games. Interactive teaching is one of the best way to get the students to actively participate in their education and learn significantly.

Citation
Format

Gagnon, G. (2012, June), Excellence in Engineering through a Jeopardy game Paper presented at 2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, San Antonio, Texas. 10.18260/1-2--21358

TY  - CPAPER
AB  -                          Excellence  in  Engineering  through  a  Jeopardy  game                                                                                                              Genevieve  Gagnon  PhD                            Department  of  Engineering,  University  of  St.Thomas                                                     St-‐Paul,  MN                                                                  Interactive  teaching  has  been  proven  to  raise  students’  interest  in  learning.  Effective  learning   only   happens   when   students   are   receptive   and   involved.   In   our   quest   to  reach   excellence   in   engineering,   new   games   and   technique   get   students   more  energized   in   participating   actively   in   their   education.      An   unexpected   tool   used   in  this  study  is  a  Jeopardy  game  where  25  questions  from  basic  concepts  of  a  subject  matter   are   compiled   in   a   Power   Point   format   game   allowing   us   to   review   every  important   material   to   be   mastered.   This   study   compiles   a   survey   on   how   the  Jeopardy   game   was   perceived   in   the   context   of   a   “Mechanics   of   Materials”   class   at  the  University  of  St.Thomas.  Students  were  exposed  to  the  game  for  every  chapter  of  their  subject  matter  and  had  access  to  the  game  to  prepare  studying  for  their  exam.  An   evaluation   of   their   appreciation   of   the   game   and   how   they   thought   it   affected  their   comprehension   of   the   material   taught   and   how   it   helped   them   succeed   in  understanding  all  the  concepts  and  succeed  in  their  exams  and  getting  good  grades.  Interactive   teaching   is   the   way   to   teach   to   keep   the   students   engaged   and  participating   in   their   learning.      By   using   tools   such   as   a   Jeopardy   game,   peer  learning   is   also   involved   and   will   help   in   our   goal   to   raise   interest   and  understanding  of  the  material  taught.  The  way  the  game  is  played    in  ENGR221,  the  class   is   split   in   two   team   and   questions   are   asked   successively   with   each   team  needing   to   consult   with   all   their   members   to   come   up   with   the   best   answer.  Students   need   to   convince   each   other   of   the   right   answer   helping   them   in   their  learning  process.  If  the  answer  given  is  wrong,  the  other  team  has  a  chance  to  steel  the  question  and  they  can  try  to  get  the  right  answer.  Peer  teaching  is  the  process  happening  when  students  need  to  give  their  opinion  of  what  the  right  answer  is  to  their  peers  and  try  to  convince  them  they  know  the  material.  They  can  go  back  and  forth  between  them  till  they  figure  out  which  answer  is  the  right  one.  Competition  is  fun  and  they  are  reviewing  all  the  material  learned  while  playing  a  game.    Once  the  answer   is   given   the   instructor   gets   an   opportunity   to   explain   in   detail   every  important  subject  pertinent  to  the  class.  The  student  that  would  not  have  read  the  textbook   will   get   all   the   class   material   through   the   game.   An   increase   in  comprehension  has  been  noted  from  these  almost  weekly  ritual  games.  Interactive  teaching   is   one   of   the   best   way   to   get   the   students   to   actively   participate   in   their  education  and  learn  significantly.  
AU  - Genevieve Gagnon Ph.D.
CY  - San Antonio, Texas
DA  - 2012/06/10
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Excellence in Engineering through a Jeopardy game
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/21358
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--21358
ER  -