Conference Session

Innovations in Teaching: Statics

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Christine Valle, Georgia Institute of Technology; Sue Rosser, San Francisco State University; Janet H Murray, Georgia Tech; Wendy C. Newstetter, Georgia Institute of Technology; John D. Leonard II, Georgia Institute of Technology; Laurence J. Jacobs, Georgia Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Mechanics

, and learning how to maneuver in theprogram. As they get more proficient and used to the applet, they tend to enjoy the software andmost report preferring it to the textbook. In particular, women and URMs seem to prefer thesoftware at higher rates than white males, which was one of our goals for this project13.We also conducted a grade analysis and compared course GPAs between males, females, andURMs per section (differentiating between the sections that used the software, called “Applic,”versus those which didn’t, called “Control”). This analysis was conducted for spring and fallsemesters, in 2008, 2009 and 2010, for a total of 8 Control sections and 10 Applic sections, andthe tables 2 and 3 reflect averages based on the aggregate grade data

Conference Session

Teaching Statics

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jeffrey L. Newcomer, Western Washington University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanics

, Dollar, and Dantlzer showed that performance on conceptual andtraditional Statics problems does correlate well.8 Of course the correlation with performance inStatics and having taken calculus-based Physics I could also be a reflection of studentpreparation and self-confidence, but that is not discernable from these data.Finally, possibly the most interesting finding here is that only the drawing FBD self-assessmentcorrelates to performance, but it correlates to performance in all three of the areas examined:drawing FBDs, and writing and solving equilibrium equations. While most students gavethemselves the same ratings in all three areas, students in this study who did change their ratingscores in different areas were three times more likely to

Conference Session

Innovations in Teaching: Statics

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Anna Dollar, Miami University; Ronald R. Ulseth, Itasca Community College; Paul S. Steif, Carnegie Mellon University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanics

that informs just-in-time changes of instruction describedbelow.)3.2 Detailed Quiz ReportsWhile an overall quiz grade itself is useful for awarding a grade, for instruction to reflect quizresults in an “inverted-classroom”, the instructor needs to know how students answeredindividual quiz questions, at least in an aggregate way. OLI provides such feedback toinstructors. As an example, an excerpt from the Module 7 Quiz Report is shown in Figure 3. Page 22.291.4 3Fig. 2 Screenshot of Gradebook Page 22.291.5 4Page 22.291.6 5

Conference Session

Innovations in Teaching: Mechanics

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

David B. Lanning, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanics

, unfortunately, and this is reflected in the rather highrate of mistakes per student.It is ill-advised to draw firm conclusions on the effect of this prerequisite skills testing on finalexam outcomes; however, from this simple analysis there is unfortunately no apparent trend thatshows students achieving a higher level of competency. Page 22.88.8Qualitative evaluationWhile the meager analysis above does not show an obvious quantitative benefit to students, theauthor nevertheless believes there are certain qualitative benefits to administering the PSE,which compel him to continue administering the exam in solid mechanics. First, many studentscome to the

Conference Session

Teaching Statics

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Andrea Brose, Hamburg University of Technology; Christian H. Kautz, Hamburg University of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Mechanics

are identified as moments due to a set of several forces, such that the resultant forceis zero while there is a (non-vanishing) resultant moment. Most often one considers two forces ofequal magnitude and opposite direction having different lines of action. The resultant force iszero, but a non-vanishing moment is induced (which can be calculated by adding the momentsdue to each single force with respect to a given point). The non-vanishing moment that arises inthis example is called a couple, or force couple, likely reflecting the fact that it can be thought of Page 22.792.3as the result of two opposing forces whose net moment does not

Conference Session

Teaching Dynamics

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Brianno Coller, Northern Illinois University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanics

. Page 22.717.1 c American Society for Engineering Education, 2011 First Look at a Video Game for Teaching DynamicsIntroductionFor decades, education scholars have been studying video games1-5. What they have found is thatthe most successful games often “teach” their players how to solve complex problems. Theproblems within a game typically start off rather easy and then progressively get more difficultas players’ skills develop. Players are motivated to learn within video games because it is clearthat knowledge is powerful. The learning is situated, and occurs through a process ofhypothesizing, probing, and reflecting upon the simulated world within the game. The goals areclear. Games provide players

Conference Session

Teaching Dynamics

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kristi J. Shryock, Texas A&M University; Arun R. Srinivasa, Texas A&M University, Department of Mechanical Engineering; Jefferey E. Froyd, Texas A&M University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanics

understanding, how conceptual understanding can beassessed, what are common alternative explanations that learners offer for physical phenomena,and how learners can be influenced, so that their explanations reflect common scientificunderstanding4. Duit maintains an active bibliography for this field that contains over 8000references5.Evaluating how mathematics from the first year is used downstream in the engineeringcurriculum is not new. In 1974, the Committee on Curricular Emphasis in Basic Mechanics(CCEBM) was formed out of concern within the Mechanics Division of ASEE for the quality ofinstruction in basic mechanics. This led to the development of an extensive national survey andpreparation of a readiness skills test for students entering their

Conference Session

Innovations in Teaching: Statics

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Sheryl A. Sorby, Michigan Technological University; Carl R. Vilmann P.E., Michigan Technological University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanics

experiment are mixed. It appears that the OLI materials can beused to help students develop fundamental understanding of Statics concepts, asevidenced by the nearly identical outcome on the Statics CI between the two groups.However, the ability to apply this fundamental knowledge to the solution ofpractical problems is not as well established. In fact, the students in the online Page 22.752.11course performed as well as (or even better) on only three of six of the commonexam items (recall that two of the exam items—friction and 3-D Statics—were notcovered by the OLI materials, so the fact that students did not perform as well onthese items is no reflection on

Conference Session

Teaching Mechanics

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ing-Chang Jong, University of Arkansas; William T. Springer, University of Arkansas

Tagged Divisions

Mechanics

understanding the deflection ofbeams, and students favor this method in solving the problems. (a) Quiz result on using MoI (b) Quiz result on using MoMF (overall average = 69.1%) (overall average = 79.7%) Fig. 14. Students’ performance in using MoMFIV. Concluding RemarksIn the method of model formulas, no explicit integration or differentiation is involved in applying Page 22.1380.15any of the model formulas. The model formulas essentially serve to provide material equations(which involve and reflect the material property) besides the equations of static equilibrium ofthe