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Session 1359

Greenfield Coalition Course Modules in Measurements and Instrumentation

Gregory L. Tonkay, Emory W. Zimmers, Lawrence R. Butler, and Jenny Wang-Chavez

Lehigh University/Lehigh University/Butler Engineering and Contracting, Inc., Emmaus, PA/ Greenfield Coalition

Abstract

This paper describes the overall structures and approaches used to develop course materials prepared for the National Science Foundation’s Greenfield Coalition. These course modules were developed in the areas of Measurements and Instrumentation. They are intended to fit into the degrees offered at Focus: HOPE and the Greenfield Coalition. They are also intended for dissemination and use by other universities around the world. Joint development with Greenfield Coalition personnel is described using the Enterprise Systems Center Collaboratory at Lehigh University. Two of the interactive activities are described in detail in the paper. The examples chosen include a user interactive flash animation and an Excel file used to illustrate the concepts of digital to analog and analog to digital conversion, respectively.

Introduction

Greenfield Coalition is a National Science Foundation supported coalition made up of university partners, industry partners, and Focus: HOPE, a non-profit organization that offers many types of programs to benefit society, including a teaching factory. While most partners are located close to Detroit, Lehigh University is located in Bethlehem, PA. Lehigh has been a partner for 10 years and has tested many educational philosophies related to distance education during that time.

The Greenfield Coalition learning system is predicated on the belief that students will learn faster and will become more effective problem solvers if engineering education and practice are integrated, and students actively participate in their learning1. Furthermore, students will benefit in their study of core subjects such as math, physics, and chemistry if they better understand how the material relates to their experience in the factory.

With this in mind, the topics of measurements and instrumentation were pushed to the beginning of the curriculum, before or concurrent with physics and chemistry. Traditionally, the topics of measurements and instrumentation occur later in the curriculum. This means that the material

Proceedings of the 2004 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright © 2004, American Society for Engineering Education

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Tonkay, G. (2004, June), Greenfield Coalition Course Modules In Measurements And Instrumentation Paper presented at 2004 Annual Conference, Salt Lake City, Utah. 10.18260/1-2--13480