Hands-On Activity for First-Year Engineering Students

Charles E. Baukal

Download Paper | Permalink

Conference: 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Portland, Oregon
Publication Date: June 23, 2024
Start Date: June 23, 2024
End Date: July 12, 2024
Conference Session: First-Year Programs Division Technical Session 3: Teamwork
Tagged Division: First-Year Programs Division (FYP)
Tagged Topic: Diversity
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/47520

Request a correction

Paper Authors

biography

Charles E. Baukal Jr. P.E. Oklahoma Baptist University

visit author page

Charles E. Baukal, Jr. has a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, an Ed.D., and a Professional Engineering License. He is the Director of Engineering. He has over 40 years of industrial experience and nearly 40 years of adjunct teaching experience.

visit author page

Download Paper | Permalink

Abstract

This Complete Evidence-based Practice paper describes a hands-on activity for first-year engineering students. It is designed to expose them to real equipment designed by engineers, to give them experience working with tools, and to enhance their teamwork skills.

It was not uncommon in years past for first-year engineering students to have significant hands-on experience related to engineering prior to starting college. For example, some worked on machinery used on a farm, while others worked on their cars or motorcycles. Today, far fewer first-year students have significant hands-on experience related to engineering. Many have never used common tools before and many do not know how common devices, such as a car engine, actually work. While they are generally very computer savvy, they have little experience with engineered equipment. Students do get experience in a variety of labs and in their capstone projects, but neither of these may be with actual equipment used in industry or in every-day life. A common complaint from industry regarding new engineering graduates is their lack of hands-on experience.

This paper will describe an activity designed for first-year engineering students to learn how to use some basic tools as well as to learn how some common devices work. In this activity, students work in small teams to take apart various devices and then to put them back together again. Some example potential devices include a compressor, a single-cylinder engine, a vacuum cleaner, and a pump. Most of these devices are fairly complicated, have many parts, and yet are reasonably inexpensive. The selected devices do not have to be new and do not actually have to work although it would be preferred if they did so students can demonstrate they successfully reassembled them.

Students select what teams they work on which usually changes for each device. Every student in a group is required to do something during disassembly and reassembly. It is preferred if each group has at least one student experienced using tools and taking things apart and reassembling them. Ideally, the activity is done in sessions that are more than an hour long to give students sufficient time to get a device and appropriate tools, disassemble the device, reassemble the device, and put the device and tools back where they came from. Depending on the length of each session, students may not complete the activity for a device in a single session and may have to continue the activity in another session. Depending on the specific devices chosen, it is very possible that none of the students will have experience taking them apart and putting them back together again. Therefore, it is very likely that even students with significant previous hands-on experience will still learn from the activity.

For best effectiveness, it is recommended there are enough appropriate tools available so students do not have to wait to use them. Each student does their own short report for each device. The report requires the student to give a brief description of the device which could include an internet search. Integrated into the report template are some general safety instructions and a generic procedure for the activity. Since taking a device apart is usually easier than putting it back together again, students are required to develop a set of instructions for how to reassemble the device. They are also required to sketch at least five different parts including dimensions in both English and metric. This gives them experience with making measurements in the two most common systems as well as making unit conversions. They are also required to make some area or volume calculations related to something in or on the device. An example would be the volume of a cylinder in an engine.

The last part of the report asks some follow-up questions that include: • Did you know how this device worked before this lab? • List any tools you used for the first time during this lab. • What did you learn from this lab? • What suggestions do you have to improve this lab?

As might be expected, there were some challenges putting some of the devices back together again. It was encouraging to see students with little if any experience with tools to actively and enthusiastically engage in the activity. Those students with significant experience acted as mentors for their groups and willingly helped their less-experienced colleagues.

There is an upfront investment in tools and equipment, but these can be used many times in future labs with very little additional expense. The only expenses in future labs are repairing or replacing any damaged devices and potentially adding new devices. It may also be possible to get some of the devices at little or no cost from junk yards, secondhand stores, and flea markets. Student feedback will also be included in the paper.

Citation
Format

Baukal, C. E. (2024, June), Hands-On Activity for First-Year Engineering Students Paper presented at 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon. https://peer.asee.org/47520

TY - CPAPER
AB - This Complete Evidence-based Practice paper describes a hands-on activity for first-year engineering students. It is designed to expose them to real equipment designed by engineers, to give them experience working with tools, and to enhance their teamwork skills.

It was not uncommon in years past for first-year engineering students to have significant hands-on experience related to engineering prior to starting college. For example, some worked on machinery used on a farm, while others worked on their cars or motorcycles. Today, far fewer first-year students have significant hands-on experience related to engineering. Many have never used common tools before and many do not know how common devices, such as a car engine, actually work. While they are generally very computer savvy, they have little experience with engineered equipment. Students do get experience in a variety of labs and in their capstone projects, but neither of these may be with actual equipment used in industry or in every-day life. A common complaint from industry regarding new engineering graduates is their lack of hands-on experience.

This paper will describe an activity designed for first-year engineering students to learn how to use some basic tools as well as to learn how some common devices work. In this activity, students work in small teams to take apart various devices and then to put them back together again. Some example potential devices include a compressor, a single-cylinder engine, a vacuum cleaner, and a pump. Most of these devices are fairly complicated, have many parts, and yet are reasonably inexpensive. The selected devices do not have to be new and do not actually have to work although it would be preferred if they did so students can demonstrate they successfully reassembled them.

Students select what teams they work on which usually changes for each device. Every student in a group is required to do something during disassembly and reassembly. It is preferred if each group has at least one student experienced using tools and taking things apart and reassembling them. Ideally, the activity is done in sessions that are more than an hour long to give students sufficient time to get a device and appropriate tools, disassemble the device, reassemble the device, and put the device and tools back where they came from. Depending on the length of each session, students may not complete the activity for a device in a single session and may have to continue the activity in another session. Depending on the specific devices chosen, it is very possible that none of the students will have experience taking them apart and putting them back together again. Therefore, it is very likely that even students with significant previous hands-on experience will still learn from the activity.

For best effectiveness, it is recommended there are enough appropriate tools available so students do not have to wait to use them. Each student does their own short report for each device. The report requires the student to give a brief description of the device which could include an internet search. Integrated into the report template are some general safety instructions and a generic procedure for the activity. Since taking a device apart is usually easier than putting it back together again, students are required to develop a set of instructions for how to reassemble the device. They are also required to sketch at least five different parts including dimensions in both English and metric. This gives them experience with making measurements in the two most common systems as well as making unit conversions. They are also required to make some area or volume calculations related to something in or on the device. An example would be the volume of a cylinder in an engine.

The last part of the report asks some follow-up questions that include:
• Did you know how this device worked before this lab?
• List any tools you used for the first time during this lab.
• What did you learn from this lab?
• What suggestions do you have to improve this lab?

As might be expected, there were some challenges putting some of the devices back together again. It was encouraging to see students with little if any experience with tools to actively and enthusiastically engage in the activity. Those students with significant experience acted as mentors for their groups and willingly helped their less-experienced colleagues.

There is an upfront investment in tools and equipment, but these can be used many times in future labs with very little additional expense. The only expenses in future labs are repairing or replacing any damaged devices and potentially adding new devices. It may also be possible to get some of the devices at little or no cost from junk yards, secondhand stores, and flea markets. Student feedback will also be included in the paper.
AU - Charles E. Baukal Jr. P.E.
CY - Portland, Oregon
DA - 2024/06/23
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - Hands-On Activity for First-Year Engineering Students
UR - https://peer.asee.org/47520
ER -