Chicago, Illinois
June 18, 2006
June 18, 2006
June 21, 2006
2153-5965
Division Experimentation & Lab-Oriented Studies
16
11.725.1 - 11.725.16
10.18260/1-2--736
https://peer.asee.org/736
499
Dr. Shuvra Das is Professor of Mechanical Engineering at UDM. He teaches mechanics of materials, mechanical design, mechatronics, and computer modeling and simulation courses such as finite elements and mechatronic system modeling using bond graphs. His current research interests and publications are in two broad areas: mechanistic modeling of manufacturing processes, and mechatronic systems. He received the Engineering Teacher of the Year Award in 1996, UDM Faculty Achievement Award in 2001, and the ASEE North-Central Sectios Best Teacher Award in 2002. Das earned his B.Tech from Indian Institute of Technology, and M.S. and PhD. degrees from Iowa State University. He was a post-doctoral research associate at University of Notre Dame and worked as an analysis engineer for Concurrent Technologies Corporation prior to joining UDM.
Implementing a Multi-Media Case Study in a Traditional Laboratory Class
Abstract
A paradigm shift is taking place in engineering and technology education. The shift is driven by emerging knowledge related to cognitive theory and educational pedagogy, information technology, the National Science Foundation, the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology Education (ABET), the changing expectations of employers, and many other forces. Within the new paradigm, instructors are expected to harness students’ prior experiences, promote high expectations within a supportive climate and encourage inquiry and the excitement of discovery, in addition to embedding communication and teamwork, critical thinking, and life- long learning skills into the learning experience (National Science Foundation, 1996). Active, integrative project-based learning is needed to replace the passive lecture-based instruction that is so common in our classrooms.
Realizing the importance of addressing these requirements, Drs. Raju and Sankar at Auburn University, AL, formed the Laboratory for Innovative Technology and Engineering Education (LITEE) in 1997. Through their preliminary research they and other researchers have shown that case study methodology was a very good candidate for meeting the educational objectives under the new paradigm. Case studies have been used extensively in business, medicine and law curriculum across the country but have never been effectively used in teaching engineering in the past. In an effort to change this, LITEE developed several multi-media based case studies using actual industrial problems with all the nuances, conflicts, and issues built in. These case studies are not course specific but have elements of many fundamental engineering science courses, business and finance aspects, as well as communication, ethics and interpersonal issues. One of these case studies was adapted and used in a Mechanics of Materials laboratory class as a pilot study on the effectiveness of the use of such a technique. In this paper the pilot study and its results are being discussed .
Introduction
A paradigm shift is taking place in engineering and technology education. This shift is being caused by a number of forces. The National Science Foundation (NSF), the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology Education (ABET), the changing expectations of employers, emerging knowledge related to cognitive theory and educational pedagogy (such as the document “How People Learn”1) are some of the forces that are altering engineering education dramatically. The new approach assumes that every student can learn with the assistance of effective new strategies and practices that increase learning. Instructors are expected to build on the students’ prior experiences, promote high expectations within a supportive climate and encourage inquiry and the excitement of discovery. All these need to happen in addition to embedding communication and teamwork, critical thinking, and life-long learning skills into the learning experience. As a result, active, integrative project-based learning activities are replacing the passive lecture-based instruction that is so common in many of our classrooms2.
Das, S. (2006, June), Implementing A Multi Media Case Study In A Traditional Laboratory Class Paper presented at 2006 Annual Conference & Exposition, Chicago, Illinois. 10.18260/1-2--736
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