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Enhanced Statics Lectures via In-Class Worksheets

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Conference

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Location

Vancouver, BC

Publication Date

June 26, 2011

Start Date

June 26, 2011

End Date

June 29, 2011

ISSN

2153-5965

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Technology Curriculum

Tagged Division

Engineering Technology

Page Count

11

Page Numbers

22.615.1 - 22.615.11

DOI

10.18260/1-2--17896

Permanent URL

https://peer.asee.org/17896

Download Count

359

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Paper Authors

biography

Eunice Yang University of Pittsburgh, Johnstown

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Dr. Eunice Yang received her doctorate in mechanical engineering from the Pennsylvania State University in 2006. During her last year of studies, she was appointed as a Graduate Teaching Fellow teaching an undergraduate Fluid Dynamics course. She is currently an assistant professor and a junior faculty at the University of Pittsburgh Johnstown campus. She has taught courses in Mechanical Measurements, Mechanical Measurements Lab, Statics, Dynamics, Matlab, Fluid Dynamics, Strength of Materials Lab, Engineering Design, and Autodesk Inventor. Her current research interest lies in the area of university pedagogy.

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Beverly W. Withiam P.E. University of Pittsburgh, Johnstown

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Abstract

Title: Enhanced Lectures via Worksheets and 3D Computer ModelsAuthors: Eunice Yang and Beverly WithiamAbstractThe effectiveness of lecture worksheets and 3D computers models on student learning in theundergraduate Statics course is investigated. Statics is a course that requires many students toreproduce time consuming schematics during lecture. These schematics begin with simple 2Dsystems at the start of the semester and progress towards more complicated 3D systems taxinglecture time even further. Also, the introduction of 3D structures and force systems in Staticscontinues to be a challenge to students with poor spatial visualization skills. To address theseproblems, lecture worksheets containing pre-drawn schematics were developed for the entireStatics curriculum. In addition, 3D computer models of example problems solved in class weremanipulated to clearly show views that would otherwise be difficult to visualize by thesestudents. The use of these teaching aids allowed the instructor additional time to facilitate higherlevel learning activities such as peer-to-peer instruction and team problem solving activities. Theeffectiveness of these teaching tools was evaluated using a Concept Inventory and the PurdueVisualization of Rotations Test. Scores from these tests were correlated with student GPAs andStatics pre-requisite course grades. The results of this research show improved understanding ofStatics by students with low GPAs and pre-requisite course grades in comparison to the controlgroup who did not receive these teaching aids.

Yang, E., & Withiam, B. W. (2011, June), Enhanced Statics Lectures via In-Class Worksheets Paper presented at 2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Vancouver, BC. 10.18260/1-2--17896

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