c American Society for Engineering Education, 2011 Undergraduate Engineers Engaging and Reflecting in a Professional Practice Simulation Funded by a grant from the NSF Course, Curriculum, and Laboratory Improvement (CCLI)program (DUE-0919347), we have developed Nephrotex, a virtual simulation of authenticengineering practice designed to increase the persistence of engineering undergraduates inpursuit of degree attainment. In this simulation game, students take on the role of an intern in afictitious company and design new ultrafiltration membranes for kidney dialysis machines. Nephrotex supplies first-year engineering undergraduates with a more complete and accurateunderstanding of the
Education, 2011 The Effectiveness of Students’ Daily Reflections on Learning in Engineering ContextReflection is a significant cognitive process to enhance students’ learning outcomes and/orperformance. Studies have shown the value of learners reflecting on what they have done,processed or engaged in so far. 1-8 The use of questions, prompts, or use of reflection as a form offeedback have been used to advance reflective processes in domains such as nursing education,teacher education, and science education. 9-11 However, relatively few of the above mentionedstudies investigated the importance of reflecting on confusing points instead of reflecting onwhat is understood, and none of the studies were conducted in
from long-term research on student learning in materials courses. Tools for assessing prior knowledgeinclude the Materials Concept Inventory and Pre-post Topic Concept Quizzes. Eliciting suchinformation is critical in informing creation of innovative teaching materials. Constructivistmaterials and activities to support conceptual framework development included: Mini-LectureMisconception Informed Slide Sets, Concept-in-Context Class Activities, Concept-In-ContextHomework, Concept-Context Maps, Concept-Context Quizzes, and Visual Glossaries. A toolcreated to promote metacognition was the Daily Reflection sheet which prompted students todescribe their Most Interesting, Muddiest, and Learn-About-Learning Points. The tools werecreated to promote
assessment instruments to bet- ter understand and measure the educational benefits of using MEAs. Specifically, we are tri- angulating across three assessment instruments, two of which we developed: (1) pre- and post- concept inventories to assess gain, (2) an online reflection tool to assess process, and (3) a grading rubric to assess the resultant artifact (general model and specific solution). We have also developed an instrument to measure students‟ self-efficacy scale related to their Page 22.314.3 modeling skills. Assessing the MEA motivated problem solving process: Through the use of various data col- lection tools
model ofmanuscript submission and peer-review in the conduct of scientific inquiry.1 The pedagogicalframework draws from the “writing across the curriculum” (WAC) movement’s premise thatverbal and visual composition are an analog for thinking and that communication assignmentscan be used to mediate student learning in complex problem-solving situations.21.1 CPR Components that Enable Learning -- Four structured workspaces perform in tandemto create a rich series of activities that reflect modern pedagogical strategies for usingcommunication in the learning process. Table A summarizes these stages in a typical CPRsession. Table A: Four Structured Workspaces of CPR SEGMENT ACTIVITY
showed that this instructional technique significantlyimproved students' ability to answer a second, isomorphic ConcepTest on the same concept,immediately after the first ConcepTest, even though the instructor did not supply the correctanswer to the first ConcepTest. For difficult questions, where only about 20% of the studentsanswered the first question correctly on their own, approximately 55% answered the secondquestion correctly on their own. This improvement demonstrates the value of ConcepTests andpeer instruction for improved learning.Questions that reflect the core concepts of a discipline are believed to be most effective inpromoting conceptual change, especially when answer choices reflect common studentmisconceptions. Eliciting those
largest presence in the US),the demographics highlighted below will reflect the makeup of the U.S. Army. For FY 08: Female 16.3% White 61.1% Black 21.1% Hispanic 11.9% Asian 03.3% Other 02.6% High School Diploma 82.8%These demographics suggest that approximately one-third of the potential target populationcould be underrepresented students. It is our intention to use the cohort model, and supportcourses (supplemental instruction and peer mentoring) to attempt to address the needs of thesestudents. We believe that a veterans’ transition course
then linking concepts.Table 2. Comparison of the overall class averaged learning styles Active Reflective Sensing Intuitive Visual Verbal Sequential Global 68.4% 31.6% 84.2% 15.8% 89.5% 10.5% 72.2% 27.8% Figure 2 a – d compare the eight learning styles identified by in Richard Felder andBarbara Soloman3. The graphs show the preference level and the number of students with thatpreference. The engineering students in the course tended to prefer active, sensing, and visuallearning. Interestingly, the sequential and global learning preferences appeared to have a
the class and progress toward learning goals at mid-semester. At the end of the course,students completed an RA activity designed to measure their self-reported progress in personallearning. RA activities reduce bias through the use of reflective response regarding increases inpersonal knowledge and are considered valid measures of programmatic change4 similar to thecurriculum innovation developed by our collaborative partnership. Sample RA tools are below.Purpose of the AssessmentToday’s engineer faces a complex assortment of challenges in the modern global businessenvironment. Awareness of these issues should be an essential component of any engineeringmanagement program. Through a NSF-funded, ongoing curriculum development effort
actually occurs. It is key in this step that the students can observe that there is not a “trick” involved. Appropriate guidance from a faculty or teaching assistant during this experiment is beneficial. 3) Students must complete a post-‐lab homework in which they reflect on the discrepancies between the experiment/simulation and their prediction, describing how the two were different and revising their answer to reflect Page 22.885.3 what
exercises. Kolb[24] argues that learning is a four-stage process involving the four learning modes of concreteexperience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation. Wepropose that Kolb’s four stages of learning can be mapped to the four phases of archaeologicalexploration as shown in Figure 2.Specifically, during the preparation phase students will reflect on what they know about thefactors that impact the design of particular products and postulate responses to several questionsrelating to economic, societal, etc. aspects of the designs. The excavation activities serve asconcrete experiences where students can physically dissect products and perform appropriateresearch to develop well-reasoned answers to
Page 22.515.2compromised output from the cell. In some cases, film uniformity flaws in the anti-reflectioncoating of the solar cell, such that the surface has a general blue reflection with light blue/purplediscontinuities is not only a cosmetic defect, but reduces solar cell performance. Other issuesinvolve electrical defects such as breaks in the contact lines which affect the current output of thesolar panel. Due to the production processes currently used, solar cells often show local defectsthat may affect their life time and efficiency. For this reason, there is a growing interest in solarcell quality control processes. Effective tools and methods are needed designed to assess andmeasure solar cells8-13, especially in line during
learning materials and teaching strategies based on virtual laboratories: A. Enhance the Virtual CVD laboratory by including interactive reflection tools (e.g., interactive lab notebook, a virtual supervisor), improved treatment of variability and cost, non-radial symmetry, and a new module on statistical process control. B. Using an analogous instructional design, develop a virtual laboratory of a bioreactor, the Virtual Bioreactor laboratory, a process in a different industry. C. Develop level appropriate assignments to use at the high school and community college levels. 2. Develop faculty expertise and implement the virtual laboratories at the BS and graduate
students could gain concrete experience by seeing the processin action, reflect on how this related to the problems given to them in the form of worksheets, useor derive “abstract” equations that relate process variables to the desired answer and finallyperform active experimentation to examine if changes made to the system are adequatelypredicted by the abstract models.The bulky modules used originally were phased out in favor of compact modules that couldeasily sit on a desk in a standard class room. These modules were produced internal to WSUbecause no other module of this compact size existed, and commercial laboratory modules ofreduced size (still too large for a standard classroom) cost up to $30,00014. These were the firstdesktop learning
solve open-ended problems, and (iv) serveas a natural link to subsequent courses in the STEM disciplines. The CSI module has beendeveloped based on the theory of Experiential Learning proposed by Kolb [17]. According toKolb, learning is the process of creating knowledge and takes place in four stages in cognitivedomain (Figure 1). The learner must be willing and be actively involved in the experience(Concrete Experience); the learner must be able to reflect on the experience (ReflectiveObservation); the learner must possess and use analytical skills to conceptualize the experience(Abstract Conceptualization); and the learner must possess decision making and problem solvingskills in order to use the new ideas gained from the experience (Active
completed so that we can devise effective methods for learning design and preserving knowledge that arises in the process. She has been actively teaching and reflecting upon engineering design issues for over 15 years. Dr. Schmidt was the 2008 recipient of the American Society of Engineering Education’s prestigious Fred Merryfield Design Award and is the co-author with George Dieter of the text ”Engineering Design, 4th edition”, published by McGraw Hill in 2008. Linda Schmidt has published over sixty refereed publications in the areas of mechanical design theory and methodology, mechanism design generation, graph isomorphism issues in generative design and effective student learning on engineering project design
disciplines 4. Critical Awareness: students must be able to reflect on the appropriateness and utility of taking an interdisciplinary approach for a given problem.Students apply for the TLP at the University of the Blue Ridge at the end of their firstyear and, if accepted, are in the program from their sophomore through senior years.These students major in one of three majors: computer, electrical, or systems engineering.Because the electrical and computer engineering programs are intertwined, it is helpful tothink of the TLP consisting of two main groups of students: systems (SYS) majors andelectrical/computer (ECE) majors.In the sophomore year, the main focus is on disciplinary grounding. Students take theirnormal introductory courses of
visualized.Probes are typically made from SiN4 or Si, but other materials are used for specialized studies. Alaser beam reflecting from the back side of the tip provides a moving light source to aphototransistor array, providing detailed z-axis probe deflection and other data in the process thatis stored in the computer relative to spatial variation in the x-y plane. This data is used togenerate the topographic image of the sample surface. The amount of force between the probeand sample is dependent on the stiffness of the cantilever and the distance between probe and thesample surface which can be calculated using Hooke’s Law. If the spring constant of cantilever(typically ~0.1-1 N/m) is less than surface, the cantilever bends and deflection is monitored
], assessment of laboratory experiences in engineering education remains an area that warrants more research. In our project, the authors planned to use FE-style multiple-choice questions to assess ABET outcomes (a) apply math and engineering knowledge and (e) problem solving. Although many may agree that laboratories should help to improve student abilities in these two outcome areas and that comparing the experimental and control groups appears to be a sensible approach to evaluate the proposed tools, these two outcomes are a result of many other different factors (e.g., instructor, student background, assignments, etc.). In this project, assessment results from Figures 3 and 4 reflect the fact
sometimes from disparate sources, inthe service of creativity. This process, with subsequent feedback from public display andpersonal reflection about the creative process itself, broadens one’s experiences, providingfurther material to stockpile and archive.Creativity may be our most important human skill. In one sense of the word, to be creativemeans that one can make something, a fundamental human impulse. When we make a cake, drawa diagram, or a write a proposal, we create. We all create, making things that did not exist before.Creativity is also one of our most valued characteristics. In another sense of the word, to becreative means to be imaginative or original. We celebrate exemplary creativity at art galleries,concert halls, sports arenas
Length of time working with communities on service learning projects of engineered works for directly influences usage and diversity of sustainability concepts 39; sustainable performance evident in reflective essays from students in senior design who worked on LTS projects7 Leadership [ASCE BOK3] Students’ have stronger understanding of leadership and skills to motivate others to achieve a common vision 19,21,35 Creativity; Open ended nature of many LTS projects with vast array of non- Creative Design technical and technical constraints forces students to be creative to
for education, Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Page 22.1238.14 Appendix A Renewable Energy Internship Assessment (Year 1)1. List two renewable and two nonrenewable energy resources. Renewable: a) b) Nonrenewable: a) b)2. What are two factors that enable us to use water as a source of power? a) b)3. In one or more sentences describe what solar energy is?4. List two materials that absorb heat and two materials that reflect heat. Absorb: a) b) Reflect: a) b)5
electrical switch • Measurements using a dial caliper and micrometer • Basic stamp microprocessor (writing music by translating notes to frequencies) • Electrical circuitry using breadboards • US Coast Guard AROW program – water robotics • Hydrogen powered fuel cell cars Page 22.1233.5Program EvaluationThe Engineering Challenge for the 21st Century Program has a very comprehensive evaluationwhich is to be completed by each participamt on the following three (3) criteria: 1) Course Evaluation 2) Instructor Evaluation 3) Student’s/Teacher’s ResponseThe following illustrations reflect the evaluation compilation of the student
targetcourse, and John Leonard analyses student data for the College of Engineering; WendyNewstetter and Sneha Veerdagoudar Harrell do research in cognition and learning; andJanet Murray, the project manager, is a professor of digital media. Most of the studentswho have worked on the project, including Calvin Ashmore, the lead programmer andsystem designer, have been drawn from Georgia Tech’s graduate program in DigitalMedia.MaterialsInTEL Toolkit.The InTEL software was developed to support students’ capacity to learn the process ofstatics problem solving and develop more expert like habits of mind (Nasir, XXXX) overthe course of the semester. The problems developed within the toolkit reflect the GeorgiaInstitute of Technology Statics course syllabus
present future plans.† This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation underInnovations in Engineering Education, Curriculum, and Infrastructure (IEECI) Grant No.093510. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material Page 22.573.2are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National ScienceFoundation (NSF).VESLL: Virtual Engineering ExperienceVESLL is establishing an online interactive learning environment designed to introduce studentsto engineering concepts through visualization and collaborative problem solving. Our long-termvision is to create a
for assessment. Since demographic profiles of “control” and “experimental” groupsmay be different, a demographic factor analysis would be needed to identify those demographicfactors that may contribute, in addition to a virtual experiment, to student learning enhancement.Statistical Analysis of Assessed DataThe main objective of statistical analysis is to determine if an implemented virtual experiment Page 22.1296.8contributes favorably to learning outcomes (quiz score etc.) of the “experimental” group and iflearning enhancement as reflected by increased group’s quiz mean score is statisticallysignificant. Since both group sizes were typically
tutor.” During each semester of the mentoring implementation, mentors invariably took on the role oftutors to satisfy student needs. Most documentation of these sessions alludes to more technicaldiscussions and review of concepts through concept mapping and other instructional strategies. Verylittle is actually said about any psycho-social issues (e.g. the difficulty of working and being in school,future career plans, life lessons, etc.) discussed during the meetings. It is unclear whether this situationrepresents a true challenge to the program or merely reflects the reality of what students in the programneed. It is equally unclear from the mentor documents whether this tutoring mode was more congruentwith the mentors’ range of experience
provides precise feedback that reflects that understanding. Therefore,camp staff should conduct a debriefing with the programmer(s) after every robot challengeactivity. These meetings should start with camper evaluation of the robot’s performance and adetailed analysis of the program’s part in performance success or failures. The staff should avoiddictating programming actions to correct flaws but never leave the camper really uncertain as towhat to do next. In addition, this may be a great opportunity to reinforce the difference betweenhow the camper collects and acts on information vs. how the robot has to be programmed toaccomplish the same tasks. It has been our experience that this is the first time the campersexperience the impact their
. Overview of Course Our course will be developed to accommodate a number of different learning styles,following the recommendations of Felder and Silverman1. This research suggests that aneffective method for learning should involve both active components (i.e., letting students dosomething in the lab or participate in a discussion), along with a reflective component, whichallows the students to analyze or process their observations. They have found that active learnersdo not learn well in lecture-style or passive settings, and that reflective learners need to be givenan opportunity to think about information and develop their own understandings. Anotherdifference in learning styles relates to the order in which students process information
results to create a synergistic environment where bestpractices in teaching similar courses are shared. Each of these components is described in muchdetail below.Implementing New Instructional Strategies – Evolving the Classroom Paradigm Inside theClassroom This project will implement strategies to reflect evolving pedagogical techniques notcurrently applied to engineering.4 It will develop, adapt, and test classroom materials, in theform of lecture modules, for a freshman level construction methods (Fall 2011) and materialscourse series (Spring 2011 & 2012) within an engineering technology curriculum. Guided byrecent findings and developing pedagogical research, this project focuses on an active learning,team-based approach to