Conference Session

Interdisciplinary Education in Engineering Technology

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jin Zhu, University of Northern Iowa; MD salim, University of Northern Iowa; Ali Kashef, University of Northern Iowa; Recayi 'Reg' Pecen; Kenan Baltaci

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

civilapplications, such as GPS navigation systems providing automatic driving direction tousers.In order to investigate on the potential electricity generation capabilities and determinationof appropriate sites for wind mills, GIS and spatial analysis tools are used.Wind Turbine for Green PowerThe wind power is one of the strongest candidates to meet the energy demand to aconsiderable extent. Wind energy could supply about 20% of the nation's electric power,according to Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratory, a federal research lab. There are manybenefits of wind power7. Wind power produces no emissions and is not depleted. It mayalso help local economic development, energy price stability, and reduced reliance onimported fuels.In April 2005, Iowa Governor

Conference Session

ECE Poster Session

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Doug Sterk, Virginia Tech; Tim Thacker, Virginia Tech; Elizabeth Tranter, Virginia Tech; Richard Goff, Virginia Tech; Janis Terpenny, Virginia Tech

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

problems given to the students helped keep them up to speed andabsorb the knowledge presented to them.Toward the end of the program, the students were introduced to a few practical examples of how Page 12.1345.4these converters are used in the real world by going through full design examples, and observingan advance experiment in power electronics research at Virginia Tech.Laboratory Research Portion of the REU ProgramDuring the first days, the students were given a tour of the laboratories at CPES at VirginiaTech’s campus and met with three graduate mentors. The mentors explained the many areas ofPower Electronics research, and what topics they

Conference Session

Emerging Technologies in Manufacturing Education - I

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Zbigniew Czajkiewicz, Robert Morris University; Arif Sirinterlikci, Robert Morris University; Ozden Uslu, Robert Morris University

Tagged Divisions

Manufacturing

tounderstand the technology components such as software and hardware structure and theiroperation. In the process, they acquire the required skills to be modern, technology savvyengineers. Page 12.1218.9Students use RP and Reverse Engineering Laboratory that houses the 3D Systems Viperstereolithography (SLA) machine and its post-processing equipment, Minolta Vivid 910three-dimensional scanner, Mitutoyo Bright-A504 Coordinate Measuring Machine andseveral workstations with various software programs. Figure 1: Rapid Prototyping and Reverse Engineering Laboratory EquipmentAfter going through lectures and tutorials, each student is expected to complete a

Conference Session

Design Methodolgy

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Andrew Foley, U.S. Coast Guard Academy

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

projectundertaken at the Academy. By combining the CAD laboratory with a concurrent machine shop experience, partsdrawn are quickly manufactured and a symbiosis occurs. Previously CAD proficientstudents had produced impressive models and drawings for project parts. The subsequentmanufacture of these parts though had invariably taken considerably longer and provedmore difficult than expected, as without an appreciation of tolerances or machinecapabilities parts had been designed which were impractical for manufacture. To address this issue, the inclusion of an extensive machine shop experienceembedded within the design course, has proved tremendously beneficial. Typically,students will commence with the manufacture of two test pieces, one turned on a

Conference Session

Teaching Emerging Energy Technologies

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Gene Liao, Wayne State University; Chih-Ping Yeh, Wayne State University; James Sawyer, Macomb Community College

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

a hands-on- laboratory environment• Expose HEV technology to K-12 teachers, corporate partners, and automotive professionals• Initiate a pilot program for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certification in hybrid vehicles• Prepare community college students in Associate of Applied Science (AAS) programs to successfully transfer to the WSU’s Engineering Technology program to earn a Bachelor of Science and Engineering Technology degree. Page 12.841.33. ImplementationLeveraging the strengths of each institution – the WSU’s experience in engineering research andproducing talented Bachelor and Master level graduates and the MCC’s

Conference Session

Multimedia and Distance Learning

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Veeramuthu Rajaravivarma, Central Connecticut State University; Peter Baumann, Central Connecticut State University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

Objectives(Letters indicate the TAC of ABET TC2K a-k requirements addressed) 1. Graduates are prepared with an understanding of fundamental technical sciences that are integrated with the applied technical specialty, such as engineering materials, electrical circuits, and computer-aided engineering graphics, developing analytical techniques and problem solving skills necessary to adapt to technological changes, and for a career in computer engineering technology.(a,b,f) 2. Graduates acquire industry relevant experience within the academic environment through laboratory projects, experimentation, classroom lecture and demonstrations, and acquire in-depth technical knowledge in areas such as

Conference Session

Outstanding Contributions to ME

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Hakan Gurocak, Washington State University-Vancouver

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

AC 2007-150: MECHATRONICS COURSE WITH A TWO-TIERED PROJECTAPPROACHHakan Gurocak, Washington State University-Vancouver Hakan Gurocak is Director of School of Engineering and Computer Science and Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Washington State University Vancouver. His research interests are robotics, automation, fuzzy logic, technology assisted distance delivery of laboratory courses and haptic interfaces for virtual reality. Page 12.1052.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2007 Mechatronics Course with a Two-tiered Project ApproachAbstract - In this paper, we present a

Conference Session

Technical Capacity Building for Developing Countries

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Frank Duda, Grove City College; Nevin Greninger, Retired; Peter Idowu, Pennsylvania State University-Harrisburg; Douglas Lauffer, Community College of Beaver County-Beaver, PA

Tagged Divisions

International

field studies are needed for biology labs. Water analysisinstruments for use in the field and in the laboratory are essential for biology. For cell biologychromatographic apparati are essential to support fractionation. The following chromaticapparati are needed: (a) partition (paper), (b) thin-layer, and (c) column.Instruments are needed for use in chemistry to prepare materials and process samples. Topromote laboratory safety, eye wash stations, chemical storage cabinets and exhaust hoods withutilities are needed. Stills are essential to generate laboratory grade water for use in bothchemistry and biology.Models and PC software are needed for geometry courses so students can better grasp three-dimensional geometry for their pre-calculus

Conference Session

Innovations in Mechanical Engineering Experiments and Labs

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Glen Thorncroft, California Polytechnic State University; J. Scott Patton, California Polytechnic State University; Raymond Gordon, California Polytechnic State University

Tagged Divisions

Division Experimentation & Lab-Oriented Studies

AC 2007-2695: MODELING COMPRESSIBLE AIR FLOW IN A CHARGING ORDISCHARGING VESSEL AND ASSESSMENT OF POLYTROPIC EXPONENTGlen Thorncroft, California Polytechnic State University Glen Thorncroft is an Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Florida in 1997, with a research emphasis in Boiling Heat Transfer. His current activities focus on improvement of undergraduate laboratory education, including new experiments, instrumentation, and pedagogy in Fluid Mechanics and Thermal Sciences, as well as introducing Uncertainty Analysis into the undergraduate curriculum.J. Scott Patton, California

Conference Session

Best of the NEE

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

James Squire, Virginia Military Institute; Charles Bott, Virginia Military Institute; Matthew Hyre, Virginia Military Institute

Tagged Divisions

New Engineering Educators

AC 2007-627: NEW FACULTY, UNDERGRADUATES, AND INDUSTRYCONTRACTS: OBSERVATIONS AND LESSONS LEARNED FROMENGINEERING PROFESSORSJames Squire, Virginia Military Institute Dr. James Squire is an Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering at the Virginia Military Institute. He received a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the United States Military Academy in West Point, NY and served in the army as a Military Intelligence officer during Desert Storm. Although his PhD is in electrical engineering, he completed his doctoral work in a biomedical engineering laboratory at MIT and has interests in analog and digital instrumentation, signal processing, biomechanics, patent litigation, and cardiology. At

Conference Session

Design in Engineering Eduaction - Poster Session

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kevin Dahm, Rowan University; William Riddell, Rowan University; Roberta Harvey, Rowan University; Paris von Lockette, Rowan University; Eric Constans, Rowan University; Jennifer Courtney, Rowan University

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

Engineering Clinic is a sequence of two, four semester-hour courses, teamtaught by the College of Communication and the College of Engineering. Typically, the coursehas approximately 120 students divided into six sections. The faculty team consists of two orthree instructors from the College of Communication and five from the College of Engineering,with each of the four Rowan engineering disciplines (Chemical, Civil and Environmental,Mechanical, Electrical and Computer) represented. Students have two 75-minute lecture Page 12.1400.2sessions and one 160-minute laboratory session each week.During the lecture sections students receive instruction on

Conference Session

Technology Integration in the Classroom for Manufacturing I

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Yongjin Kwon, Drexel University; Shreepud Rauniar, Drexel University; Richard Chiou, Drexel University; Horacio Sosa, Drexel University

Tagged Divisions

Manufacturing

experiment results suggest that online laboratory learning can be substantiallyenhanced by the use of even the simplest form of artificial graphical information and moststudents prefer having an instructor present even the lab is taught online. The implications fromthis study can be used to benefit many schools that begun offering online lab courses.I. Introduction A current trend for manufacturing industry is shorter product life cycle, remotemonitoring/control/diagnosis, product miniaturization, high precision, zero-defect manufacturingand information-integrated distributed production systems for enhanced efficiency and productquality1-6. In tomorrow’s factory, design, manufacturing, quality, and business functions will befully integrated

Conference Session

Teams and Teamwork in Design II / Design for Special Services

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Susan Conry, Clarkson University

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

muscles work dynamically in the human body, physical therapystudents must be able to identify structures in the human skeleton and features of thosestructures. The course in which the student learns these things has a textbook with many picturesand also has a laboratory component in which the student spends time in the laboratory studyingbones (or models of bones) at great length. We were asked by our physical therapy departmentto consider design and implementation of a system that would serve as a virtual laboratory forphysical therapy students. The desired system would have a number of features found ininstructional software such as Blackboard or WebCT, but the application domain imposed somerequirements that appeared to go beyond what was

Conference Session

Innovations in ECE Education III

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Cordelia Brown, Purdue University; David Meyer, Purdue University

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

“inverted” course formats werecreated for two core computer engineering classes: a sophomore-level Introduction to DigitalSystems Design course, and a junior-level Microprocessor System Design and Interfacing course.Both of these are 4-credit hour courses that include an integrated laboratory. In the experimental formats, the basic lecture content was delivered asynchronously viastreaming video, while collaborative solving of homework problems accompanied by a detailedwalkthrough of their solutions was done synchronously (i.e., during scheduled class periods) –which we refer to as directed problem solving (DPS). Traditional assigned (outside-of-class)written homework was replaced by collaborative problem solving by students working in smallteams

Conference Session

ECE Pedagogy and Assessment

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

J. Shawn Addington, Virginia Military Institute

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

AC 2007-245: SIX YEARS AND THOUSANDS OF ASSIGNMENTS LATER: WHATHAVE THEY LEARNED, AND WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED?J. Shawn Addington, Virginia Military Institute J. Shawn Addington is the Jamison-Payne Institute Professor and Head of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at the Virginia Military Institute. He received his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. He teaches courses, laboratories, and undergraduate research projects in the microelectronics and semiconductor fabrication areas; and, he remains active in curriculum development and engineering assessment. He is a registered professional engineer in the

Conference Session

Innovative K-12 Engineering Programs

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Shanna Daly, Purdue University; Kelly Hutchinson, Purdue University; Lynn Bryan, Purdue University

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

ease of overcoming gravitational Gravity’s Pull forces versus electric forces takes place. Students investigate the various types Molecular of intermolecular forces and the Attractions: importance of these forces at the Why do 10-12/ Intermolecular nanoscale while participating in5 Chemicals Chemistry Forces “discovery” activities, group Behave the discussions, laboratory, and an Way They Do

Conference Session

Faculty Development: Creating successful NEEs

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Abul Azad, Northern Illinois University; Osman Tokhi, University of Sheffield, UK.

Tagged Divisions

New Engineering Educators

Division), June 24-27, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.31 . The IET evaluates a program through visitation and interview and issues an accreditedstatus. Students obtaining their first degree from such an accredited program can identifythemselves as a Chartered Engineer, which is same as Professional Engineer status in theUS.3.2.3 Laboratory management and maintenance In universities and further education colleges, laboratory equipment is managed andmaintained by full time technical staffs and is directed by the departmental administration.Unlike in the US, it is not the responsibility of an individual faculty to maintain alaboratory. However, in the UK, faculty is still involved with new laboratory developmentactivities

Conference Session

Technical Capacity Building for Developing Countries

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Fazil Najafi, University of Florida; Micheal Dreznes, International Road Federation; James Ekberg, University of Florida

Tagged Divisions

International

Network inthe Provincial Highway Department of Buenos Aires. He also coordinated economic studies forplanning and road construction using the lessons learned during his studies at Ohio StateUniversity. Approximately two years later, Leiderman took advantage of an opportunity to workas a researcher at the Transport Research Laboratory in England. He used his knowledge fromOhio State University to conduct traffic studies as well as operation costs of vehicles and frictioncoefficient studies on asphalt and concrete pavements.Upon his return to Argentina a year later, Leiderman continued to use his knowledge andexperience to improve the road network in Argentina. He conducted a study that proved thefriction levels on many asphalt pavements were

Conference Session

Educational Software

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jeff Joines, North Carolina State University; Stephen Roberts, North Carolina State University; Dianne Raubenheimer, North Carolina State University

Tagged Divisions

Computers in Education

informal surveys were given by the authors to get feedback during the semester.Credit Hours, Computers, and Classroom Time Observation 10: Two, two-hour class periods is sufficient to provide a useful computer- based modeling course.Our new course is 3 hours of credit on a semester basis. Because of the in-class lab requirements(see next section), there needs to be recognition of the “laboratory” nature of the course.Traditionally, the Java and C++ course would be 2 hours of “lecture” and 3 hours of a separate“lab” to review programs. However, our course integrates the lecture and lab together since wehave computers in the classroom. Consequently there is a combined four hours of lecture/lab

Conference Session

NAFP Panel Discussion

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Louis Everett, University of Texas-El Paso; Paul Racette, NASA; Scott Askew, NASA; Rafic Bachnak, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi; Belay Demoz; Paul Mogan, NASA

Tagged Divisions

Minorities in Engineering

AC 2007-504: NASA OPPORTUNITIES FOR FACULTY AT MINORITYINSTITUTIONS: REFLECTIONS OF NASA ADMINISTRATOR FELLOWSLouis Everett, University of Texas-El Paso Louis J. Everett is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Texas El Paso. Dr. Everett is a licensed professional engineer in the state of Texas and has research interests in the use of technology in the classroom. His technical research interests include robotics, machine design, dynamics and control systems. He began his NAFP tenure in 2006 and is presently with the Mobility and Manipulation group at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena California. leverett@utep.edu http://research.utep.edu/pacelabPaul Racette, NASA

Conference Session

Multimedia Tutorials and Web Development

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Maria M. Larrondo Petrie, Florida Atlantic University; Ivan Esparragoza, Pennsylvania State University

Tagged Divisions

Minorities in Engineering

of Plant Biologists http://www.aspb.org/ASPP American Society of Plant Physiologists http://www.aspp.org/ASQ American Society for Quality http://www.asq.org/ASTC Association of Science Technology Centers http://www.astc.orgAVMA American Veterinary Medical Association http://www.avma.org/AWAA American Water Works Association http://www.awwa.org/Biophysical Society http://www.biophysics.org/BFRL Building and Fire Research Laboratory http://www.bfrl.nist.orgESA Ecological Society of America

Conference Session

Technology Integration in the Classroom for Manufacturing II

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Devdas Shetty, University of Hartford; Jonathan Hill, University of Hartford; Tom Eppes, University of Hartford

Tagged Divisions

Manufacturing

. Page 12.1168.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2007 PRECISION POSITIONING AND VIBRATION MEASUREMENT USING INTELLIGENT INSTRUMENTATION AND SIMULATION TOOLSAbstract:The objective of this research is to detail the development of a simple and uniqueinstrumentation for precise micro-measurement as well as vibration measurement in anintegrated manufacturing set up that can be demonstrated in a student laboratory. Based on thiswe propose new research for a smaller embedded measurement unit. All machines have someamount of forced vibration. However, in some cases, this vibration may cause damage to themachinery. Understanding vibration in aerospace applications is critical for any system

Conference Session

Sustainability & Environmental Issues

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Roger Hadgraft, The University of Melbourne; Jenni Goricanec, RMIT University

Tagged Divisions

Multidisciplinary Engineering

. Autonomising3. Building Alliances Page 12.654.74. Creating Public Representation5. Linking and Knotting1. Mobilising (logistics)This stage defines how things happen. This requires a movement towards the world – in thephysical sciences, it implies physical instruments, in anthropology, expeditions, in sociology,surveys and questionnaires. It includes the fabulous resources available on the Internet.It also means articulating the argument. This process involves plans, project management, andfinances, including funding. It includes resources such as teaching spaces, laboratories, fieldtrips and technology organisations like Australian National Science and

Conference Session

Assessing Design Coursework I

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Keith Sheppard, Stevens Institute of Technology; Edward Blicharz, Stevens Institute of Technology; Bernard Gallois, Stevens Institute of Technology; Rashmi Jain, Stevens Institute of Technology; Ian Denholm, Stevens Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

programming within this environment. In the design course robot project,students use a PIC microprocessor (PIC 16F877A - Microchip Technology Inc.) on a custom -designed circuit board. The board has been designed for great flexibility to allow use for latercourses up to senior design and exploits the full capabilities of the PIC chip. The board has pre-wired interfaces for two motors, a number of sensors and micro switches and a set of additionalanalog and digital I/O connections as well as extension capabilities through daughter boards. ThePIC can be programmed in C++. In the design laboratory the student groups undertake a series of Page

Conference Session

New Engineering Educators: Tricks of the Trade II

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Claude Villiers, Florida Gulf Coast University

Tagged Divisions

New Engineering Educators

Page 12.182.4the Superpave mix design criteria. They also performed laboratory testing on commonly usedCivil Engineering materials including asphalt binder, hot mix asphalt, aggregates, and Portlandconcrete cement. They analyzed and evaluated the data to make useful conclusions. Each studentwrote a final report on the mixture they designed. The student’s final grade for this class ispresented in Fig. 1. Two students obtained an A, two ended with a B+, while the other twofinished the class with Fs. The low performance was mainly driven by the student’s lack ofparticipation and discipline to return and complete all the assignments and tests. Materials (n=6), Pavements (n=15), Geometric Design (n=17), Highway (n=10

Conference Session

Emerging Trends in Engineering Education Poster Session

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Brian Self, California Polytechnic State University; James Widmann, California Polytechnic State University

working in a team-based environment, developing a systems-based approach to solving the problem, plusdeveloping and refining conceptual models are all important skills that can be learned in an MEA(in addition to its technical content). Developing higher-order thinking and strong problemsolving strategies are as (or more) important to a working engineer as their technical knowledge.The MEA has several salient differences from other problem-based exercises4. Traditionalexercises typically involve selecting the correct equations, applying a “cookbook” approach, andcoming up with a correct answer. Laboratory exercises and creative hands-on exercises inengineering classrooms often have a similar approach. MEAs require students to develop amodel

Conference Session

Computer Education Management Tools

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Richard House, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology; Anneliese Watt, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology; Julia Williams, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Computers in Education

LearningEnvironments grants received from Hewlett Packard Company.Bibliography[1] Miller, R.L. and B.M. Olds, "Performance Assessment of EC-2000 Student Outcomes in the UnitOperations Laboratory," Proceedings of the American Society for Engineering Education AnnualConference (electronic), Charlotte, North Carolina, 1999. Page 12.278.10[2] Dannels, D., C. Anson, L. Bullard and S. Peretti, "Challenges in Learning Communication Skills inChemical Engineering", Communication Education, in press (2002).[3] Ludlow, D.K., “Using Critical Evaluation and Peer-Review Writing Assignments in a Chemical ProcessSafety Course,” Proceedings of the American Society for

Conference Session

Implementing the Civil Engineering Body of Knowledge into Courses and Curricula

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Matthew Roberts, University of Wisconsin-Platteville; Christina Curras, University of Wisconsin-Platteville; Philip Parker, University of Wisconsin-Platteville; Michael Penn, University of Wisconsin-Platteville; Max Anderson, University of Wisconsin-Platteville

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

enter professional practice. Students whopursue graduate school directly upon graduation are recruited by a number of schools andhave been very successful. The department faculty is a relatively young, dedicated, and col-legial group that is regarded as exemplary throughout the university in terms of teaching ef-fectiveness and in professional development.The existing curriculum at UWP is typical of conventional CEE curricula. Students completebasic mathematics, science, and general engineering courses in the first two years followed bycivil and environmental engineering courses in the remainder of their studies. The CEE pro-gram includes a significant laboratory component and practical design projects in the upperlevel classes. The program

Conference Session

Mechanics Division Poster Session

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Raghu Echempati, Kettering University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanics

-student interaction through assessment andreal-time feedback.Elahinia and Ciocanel5 presented a redevelopment method and process of the laboratoryexperiments for the Mechanics and Vibration Laboratory in which the objective was totransform the learning process from a subject-based learning to a problem-solvinglearning. Particular objective was to provide the students with more hands-on experienceand to challenge them by requesting the procedure for each laboratory experiment to bedesigned and carried out by each group of students. Their method was in line with theprogram objectives of their department.Integration of Concept Inventories is another method used by many researchers ingauging student knowledge. The commonly employed metrics (such as

Conference Session

Mobile Robotics in Education

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Eric Wang, University of Nevada-Reno; Jeffrey LaCombe, University of Nevada-Reno; Ann-Marie Vollstedt, University of Nevada-Reno

Tagged Divisions

Computers in Education

duringthe spring 2006 semester in order to assess student learning. The new hardware will beintroduced for the first time in the spring 2007 semester. The concept inventories included bothROBOLAB (graphical) and pseudo-code (text-based) questions. The pseudo-code componentwas deemed important in order to quantify the student’s ability to transfer knowledge betweendomains. The key concepts included in the inventory were: goto’s, conditionals, loops, nestedstructures, variables, functions/arguments, and subroutines/subprograms.1. BackgroundThere is a vast history of using LEGO® bricks in education. Projects that use the RCXprogrammable brick have included a wide variety of projects and courses ranging from robotcompetitions1-3 to laboratory