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Daily Fundamentals – Your Daily Dose Of Mechanics Exercises

Joseph P. Hanus, Mark D. Evans, Mark Orwat United States Military Academy

Abstract

The “Daily Dozen” is a traditional name given to a set of callisthenic exercises used in the United States Army. The exercises represent a daily dose of required physical training. A homework system recently introduced in a mechanics course at the United States Military Academy (USMA), West Point, New York, follows this military tradition in name and purpose. “Daily Fundamentals” were introduced to USMA’s Statics and Dynamics course in the spring semester of 2000 as a homework system that challenged the students without overloading them or the instructors. The Daily Fundamentals were essentially short, multi-problem homework sets assigned after the majority of the course lessons. The features of the Daily Fundamentals included the problem statement with answers, a simplistic scoring system, and the recording of student time required to complete the problem.

The effect of the Daily Fundamentals on the students’ academic performance was investigated to include an analysis of exam and final course grade averages, incoming versus outgoing grade point averages, and the results of the students’ survey of the course learning objectives. Additionally, the results of time surveys administered throughout the course, Fundamental of Engineering (FE) Exam passing rates, and anecdotal comments from written critiques by students and instructors were all considered in the investigation of the effectiveness of the Daily Fundamentals. Overall, there was little evidence of a positive effect on the academic performance, but this was not the original goal of the Daily Fundamentals. Positive evidence was observed in the time survey, FE passing rates and written critiques that support the Daily Fundamentals as a tool that enhanced student learning and the improved efficiency of instructor assessments of their students.

I. Introduction

The “Daily Dozen” is a traditional name given to a set of calisthenics exercises used in the United States Army. The exercises represent a daily dose of required physical training to maintain a minimum standard of physical fitness. Homework modifications recently made in an engineering mechanics course at the United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point, New York, follows this military tradition with its name and purpose. “Daily Fundamentals” were introduced in USMA’s Statics and Dynamics course in the spring semester of 2000 as a modification to regular homework to challenge the students daily without overloading them or the instructors.

Proceedings of the 2002 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright Ó 2002, American Society for Engineering Education

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Orwat, M., & Evans, M., & Hanus, J. (2002, June), Daily Fundamentals Your Daily Dose Of Mechanics Exercises Paper presented at 2002 Annual Conference, Montreal, Canada. 10.18260/1-2--10984