Board 53: Program to Integrate Mobile, Hands-on Experiments into the ME, AE, and ECE Curriculum

Aldo A. Ferri; Bonnie H. Ferri; Robert S. Kadel

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Conference: 2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Tampa, Florida
Publication Date: June 15, 2019
Start Date: June 15, 2019
End Date: June 19, 2019
Conference Session: NSF Grantees Poster Session
Tagged Topics: Diversity and NSF Grantees Poster Session
Page Count: 9
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--32371
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/32371
Download Count: 372

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Paper Authors

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Aldo A. Ferri Georgia Institute of Technology

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Al Ferri received his BS degree in Mechanical Engineering from Lehigh University in 1981 and his PhD degree in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from Princeton University in 1985. Since 1985, he has been a faculty member in the School of Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Tech, where he now serves as Professor and Associate Chair for Undergraduate Studies. His research areas are in the fields of dynamics, controls, vibrations, and acoustics. He is also active in course and curriculum development. He is a Fellow of the ASME.

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Bonnie H. Ferri Georgia Institute of Technology

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Dr. Bonnie Ferri is a Professor in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering and a Vice Provost at Georgia Tech. She performs research in the areas of active learning, embedded controls and computing, and hands-on education. She received the IEEE Undergraduate Education Award and the Regents Award for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. She received her BS in EE from Notre Dame, her MS in ME/AE from Princeton, and her PhD in EE from Georgia Tech.

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Robert S. Kadel Georgia Institute of Technology

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Dr. Rob Kadel is Assistant Director for Research in Education Innovation with the Center for 21st Century Universities at Georgia Tech. His research spans nearly 20 years, including evaluating the effectiveness of learning technologies at both the K-12 and higher ed. levels. Rob brings to C21U research foci in online pedagogy and effective practices, alternative learning spaces, learning analytics, and tools/strategies to help close the digital divide for economically disadvantaged students. He has presented both nationally and internationally on cutting-edge learning technologies and managing grants, programs, and research in their use. Rob held faculty positions at Penn State University and Johns Hopkins University prior to running his own educational technology research consulting firm for seven years. He continues to teach online courses in the sociology of education, criminology, and juvenile delinquency for the University of Colorado Denver. Rob earned his Ph.D. in sociology from Emory University in 1998.

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Abstract

Laboratory experiments form one of the foundational experiences for all engineering students. Well-designed laboratory experiences can make engineering concepts come to life, giving students a real-world confirmation of the theory and concepts from lecture classes. Conversely, the effectiveness of hands-on learning can be reduced if there is inadequate levels of student engagement and reflection (Holmes and Wieman, 2018; Koretsky, et al., 2011; Hofestein and Lunetta, 2004). Due to advances in portable data acquisition devices, laptop computers, and an array of affordable sensors, there is an unprecedented opportunity to bring hands-on experiments out of the centralized labs, and into lecture classrooms, and even student dorm rooms. While such mobile hands-on experiments have had substantial inroads in the fields of electrical and computer engineering education (ECE), dissemination of these ideas to other fields has been slow to materialize. This research is focused on extending hands-on learning into the disciplines of mechanical engineering (ME) and aerospace engineering (AE).

Educational experiments in ME and AE labs are primarily conducted in centralized labs with student access limited to 3-hour time periods. Making experiments more portable and affordable would allow them to be used in different settings such as classrooms and dormitories, but there are significant challenges. Many ME and AE experiments require moving parts, fluid flow under pressure, structures, thermal effects all at a scale that students can see, touch, or hear the physical phenomena being investigated. Hands-on learning in ECE, by its nature, involves much smaller platforms that are very easy to instrument to obtain data. This research builds upon our previous work in hands-on pedagogy in the ECE education and seeks to apply it to new platforms designed for ME and AE subjects. Among the research questions that are being addressed several stand out: Which topics have the greatest potential for enhancing educational outcomes through hands-on learning? What is the impact of the experiments on student performance, on student interest and confidence in the subject matter, and on long-term retention of the knowledge? Do these experiments have a positive impact on students from underrepresented groups in terms of performance, student interest, and retention? Since hands-on education is often associated with collaboration and group work, what are the best practices for impromptu team work, especially in the context of diversity and underrepresentation in these student groups? To address these research questions, the project has several objectives. One goal is to develop experimental platforms and supplemental materials to support the learning of basic concepts and higher-level thinking processes in ME and AE courses. Part of this effort entails designing short learning experiences that are well thought out, and involve adequate levels of engagement and reflection. We also seek to develop online instructional materials for support of on-campus students, for outreach to K-12 and other nontraditional areas, and for online versions of courses doing hands-on learning. Additionally, we are developing appropriate evaluation and assessment methods for hands-on learning.

Citation
Format

Ferri, A. A., & Ferri, B. H., & Kadel, R. S. (2019, June), Board 53: Program to Integrate Mobile, Hands-on Experiments into the ME, AE, and ECE Curriculum Paper presented at 2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition , Tampa, Florida. 10.18260/1-2--32371

TY - CPAPER
AB - Laboratory experiments form one of the foundational experiences for all engineering students. Well-designed laboratory experiences can make engineering concepts come to life, giving students a real-world confirmation of the theory and concepts from lecture classes. Conversely, the effectiveness of hands-on learning can be reduced if there is inadequate levels of student engagement and reflection (Holmes and Wieman, 2018; Koretsky, et al., 2011; Hofestein and Lunetta, 2004). Due to advances in portable data acquisition devices, laptop computers, and an array of affordable sensors, there is an unprecedented opportunity to bring hands-on experiments out of the centralized labs, and into lecture classrooms, and even student dorm rooms. While such mobile hands-on experiments have had substantial inroads in the fields of electrical and computer engineering education (ECE), dissemination of these ideas to other fields has been slow to materialize. This research is focused on extending hands-on learning into the disciplines of mechanical engineering (ME) and aerospace engineering (AE).

Educational experiments in ME and AE labs are primarily conducted in centralized labs with student access limited to 3-hour time periods. Making experiments more portable and affordable would allow them to be used in different settings such as classrooms and dormitories, but there are significant challenges. Many ME and AE experiments require moving parts, fluid flow under pressure, structures, thermal effects all at a scale that students can see, touch, or hear the physical phenomena being investigated. Hands-on learning in ECE, by its nature, involves much smaller platforms that are very easy to instrument to obtain data. This research builds upon our previous work in hands-on pedagogy in the ECE education and seeks to apply it to new platforms designed for ME and AE subjects.
Among the research questions that are being addressed several stand out: Which topics have the greatest potential for enhancing educational outcomes through hands-on learning? What is the impact of the experiments on student performance, on student interest and confidence in the subject matter, and on long-term retention of the knowledge? Do these experiments have a positive impact on students from underrepresented groups in terms of performance, student interest, and retention? Since hands-on education is often associated with collaboration and group work, what are the best practices for impromptu team work, especially in the context of diversity and underrepresentation in these student groups?
To address these research questions, the project has several objectives. One goal is to develop experimental platforms and supplemental materials to support the learning of basic concepts and higher-level thinking processes in ME and AE courses. Part of this effort entails designing short learning experiences that are well thought out, and involve adequate levels of engagement and reflection. We also seek to develop online instructional materials for support of on-campus students, for outreach to K-12 and other nontraditional areas, and for online versions of courses doing hands-on learning. Additionally, we are developing appropriate evaluation and assessment methods for hands-on learning.

AU - Aldo A. Ferri
AU - Bonnie H. Ferri
AU - Robert S. Kadel
CY - Tampa, Florida
DA - 2019/06/15
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - Board 53: Program to Integrate Mobile, Hands-on Experiments into the ME, AE, and ECE Curriculum
UR - https://peer.asee.org/32371
DO - 10.18260/1-2--32371
ER -