Impact of Mastering Engineering on Student Learning and Perceptions in a Strength of Materials Course

Harry G Cooke; MD Abdullah Al Faruque

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Conference: 2017 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Publication Date: June 24, 2017
Start Date: June 24, 2017
End Date: June 28, 2017
Conference Session: Approaches to Virtual Learning
Tagged Division: Civil Engineering
Page Count: 22
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--28469
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/28469
Download Count: 1052

Paper Authors

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Harry G Cooke P.E. Rochester Institute of Technology (CAST)

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Harry Cooke is an associate professor in the Civil Engineering Technology program at Rochester Institute of Technology where he teaches courses in geotechnical engineering, construction materials, pavements, and mechanics of materials. His research interests include geotechnical engineering, civil engineering materials, and engineering education.

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MD Abdullah Al Faruque Rochester Institute of Technology (CAST)

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Abdullah Faruque is an assistant professor in the Civil Engineering Technology program at Rochester Institute of Technology where he teaches courses in geotechnical engineering, statics, structural analysis & dynamics, structural design – reinforced concrete, prestressed concrete, civil engineering graphics, hydraulics and mechanics of materials. His research interests include the study of local scour caused by water jets (both two-dimensional and three-dimensional) and to explore various turbulence characteristics in an open channel flow to understand the sediment transport, bed stability, resuspension of pollutant from bed.

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Abstract

Impact of Mastering Engineering on Student Learning and Perceptions in a Strength of Materials Course

Abstract

In recent years, web-based learning systems have become more available for inclusion in engineering and technology courses. The purposes of these learning systems can vary, but they are often promoted as enabling and enhancing student learning inside and outside of the classroom, as well as helping reduce faculty time devoted to labor-intensive tasks such as grading homework. Although research has been performed to investigate the effectiveness of some of these systems, there is a continuing need to evaluate their effects on student learning and perceptions. The study discussed in this paper explores the impact of one of these learning systems, Mastering Engineering by Pearson Education Inc., on student performance in a strength of materials course at XXXX.

In this study, the web-based Mastering Engineering learning system component for the textbook Mechanics of Materials, 10th Edition, by R. C. Hibbeler, was used together with that textbook in the strength of materials course for civil engineering technology students at XXXX. Mastering Engineering was implemented in a limited fashion in this course by assigning one or two tutorial problems a week from Mastering, along with four to six standard textbook problems. The tutorial problems in Mastering are similar to textbook problems with the exception that the tutorial problems are web-based and provide hints to help students move forward, if they are uncertain how to proceed. Students in this study were required to complete the tutorials prior to gaining access to the required textbook problems and they submitted hard copy paper solutions for both to the course instructor. In addition, they submitted tutorial answers into the Mastering Engineering system for immediate feedback. Besides having students complete the required tutorial and textbook problems, one or two optional videos available in Mastering were recommended each week. These videos provided step-by-step instructions for solving the problem types covered that week. Other than the use of some tutorials and videos in Mastering Engineering as part of weekly homework assignments, all other aspects of the strength of materials course remained unchanged.

The impact of Mastering Engineering on student learning of key concepts in strength of materials has been assessed in this study by comparing homework and examination grades received by students who used Mastering to those from prior years when it was not used. Student perceptions of the effectiveness of Mastering for helping promote learning were obtained through weekly surveys that students completed about their use of the tutorials and videos. In addition, student ratings of teaching effectiveness and the accomplishment of course learning outcomes were evaluated to see if Mastering had any impacts on student perceptions of the course. From all of these evaluations, an assessment is made concerning the educational benefits of using Mastering Engineering in a strength of materials course from both the perspectives of the students and course instructors.

Citation
Format

Cooke, H. G., & Al Faruque, M. A. (2017, June), Impact of Mastering Engineering on Student Learning and Perceptions in a Strength of Materials Course Paper presented at 2017 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Columbus, Ohio. 10.18260/1-2--28469

TY - CPAPER
AB - Impact of Mastering Engineering on Student Learning and
Perceptions in a Strength of Materials Course

Abstract

In recent years, web-based learning systems have become more available for inclusion in engineering and technology courses. The purposes of these learning systems can vary, but they are often promoted as enabling and enhancing student learning inside and outside of the classroom, as well as helping reduce faculty time devoted to labor-intensive tasks such as grading homework. Although research has been performed to investigate the effectiveness of some of these systems, there is a continuing need to evaluate their effects on student learning and perceptions. The study discussed in this paper explores the impact of one of these learning systems, Mastering Engineering by Pearson Education Inc., on student performance in a strength of materials course at XXXX.

In this study, the web-based Mastering Engineering learning system component for the textbook Mechanics of Materials, 10th Edition, by R. C. Hibbeler, was used together with that textbook in the strength of materials course for civil engineering technology students at XXXX. Mastering Engineering was implemented in a limited fashion in this course by assigning one or two tutorial problems a week from Mastering, along with four to six standard textbook problems. The tutorial problems in Mastering are similar to textbook problems with the exception that the tutorial problems are web-based and provide hints to help students move forward, if they are uncertain how to proceed. Students in this study were required to complete the tutorials prior to gaining access to the required textbook problems and they submitted hard copy paper solutions for both to the course instructor. In addition, they submitted tutorial answers into the Mastering Engineering system for immediate feedback. Besides having students complete the required tutorial and textbook problems, one or two optional videos available in Mastering were recommended each week. These videos provided step-by-step instructions for solving the problem types covered that week. Other than the use of some tutorials and videos in Mastering Engineering as part of weekly homework assignments, all other aspects of the strength of materials course remained unchanged.

The impact of Mastering Engineering on student learning of key concepts in strength of materials has been assessed in this study by comparing homework and examination grades received by students who used Mastering to those from prior years when it was not used. Student perceptions of the effectiveness of Mastering for helping promote learning were obtained through weekly surveys that students completed about their use of the tutorials and videos. In addition, student ratings of teaching effectiveness and the accomplishment of course learning outcomes were evaluated to see if Mastering had any impacts on student perceptions of the course. From all of these evaluations, an assessment is made concerning the educational benefits of using Mastering Engineering in a strength of materials course from both the perspectives of the students and course instructors.

AU - Harry G Cooke P.E.
AU - MD Abdullah Al Faruque
CY - Columbus, Ohio
DA - 2017/06/24
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - Impact of Mastering Engineering on Student Learning and Perceptions in a Strength of Materials Course
UR - https://peer.asee.org/28469
DO - 10.18260/1-2--28469
ER -