Conference Session

Active and Project-Based Learning

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

John S. Lamancusa, Pennsylvania State University, University Park; Laura L. Pauley, Pennsylvania State University, University Park

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

AC 2011-1485: DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF AN IN-TERMEDIATE DESIGN COURSE USING ACTIVE LEARNINGJohn S. Lamancusa, Pennsylvania State University, University Park John S. Lamancusa is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Founding Director of the Learning Factory at Penn State. Before coming to Penn State in 1984, he was employed at AT&T Bell Labora- tories where his technical experience included electronic packaging, product design and acoustic design of telecommunications equipment. At Penn State, he teaches courses in design, vibrations, noise control, product dissection and mechatronics, and supervises senior design projects. He is the faculty advisor for Penn State’s student chapter of Engineers

Conference Session

Trends in Mechanical Engineering I

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Amy C. Bradshaw, University of Oklahoma; Zahed Siddique, University of Oklahoma; Patricia Lea Hardre, University of Oklahoma; Farrokh Mistree, University of Oklahoma

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

characteristics of the learners and context. As constructivistperspectives and approaches have gained wider acceptance and support, several teachingstrategies and techniques developed from an interpretivist position are being adopted within andacross disciplines. One example is cooperative learning. This strategy, and how it isimplemented, is critically relevant to the future of engineering education given the increasinglycomplex social contexts and immediate communications globally. Educational institutions arefeeling pressure to serve greater numbers of students with fewer faculty members. Foroverburdened instructors, cooperative learning can be perceived as reducing a burden.Cooperative learning also was directly relevant to the workshop we were

Conference Session

Trends in Mechanical Engineering I

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Laila Guessous, Oakland University; Qian Zou, Oakland University; Brian P. Sangeorzan, Oakland University; Xia Wang, Oakland University; Gary Barber, Oakland University; Lorenzo M. Smith, Oakland University; LianXiang Yang, Oakland University; David Schall, Oakland University, Department of Mechanical Engineering; Michael A. Latcha, Oakland University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

recommend scheduling several coffee or lunchtime (pizza)meetings with professionals of varying backgrounds. These were always a great hit and don’trequire too much time on the part of all involved. Depending on the personalities of theindividual students and industrial visitors, faculty may need to take an active role in getting aconversation started. One may for example begin immediately with introductions all around andask each person to tell something personal about themselves (where they’re from, hobbies or sideinterests, etc.) Once the introductions are complete, the faculty member may encourage thestudents to ask questions or ask questions that s/he thinks would be of interest to them to get theconversation going. Depending upon the