Paths To Learning: Understanding How Students Utilize Online Instructional Resources In An Introductory Engineering Graphics Course
- Conference
- Location
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Louisville, Kentucky
- Publication Date
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June 20, 2010
- Start Date
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June 20, 2010
- End Date
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June 23, 2010
- ISSN
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2153-5965
- Conference Session
- Tagged Division
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Engineering Design Graphics
- Page Count
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9
- Page Numbers
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15.944.1 - 15.944.9
- DOI
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10.18260/1-2--15815
- Permanent URL
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https://peer.asee.org/15815
- Download Count
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412
Paper Authors
Eric Wiebe
Mark Shreve is a master’s student in Technology Education within the Department of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education at North Carolina State University. His research interests include multimedia instruction and online learning through all levels of education. Along with completing his degree, Mark is also a graduate teaching assistant for the department’s introductory engineering graphics course.
Theodore Branoff
Dr. Branoff is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education at North Carolina State University. A member of ASEE since 1987, he has served as Chair of the Engineering Design Graphics Division of ASEE and as Associate Editor in charge of paper reviews for the Engineering Design Graphics Journal. He is currently President of the International Society for Geometry and Graphics. Dr. Branoff’s research interests include spatial visualization in undergraduate students and the effects of online instruction for preparing technology education teachers and engineers. Along with teaching courses in introductory engineering graphics, computer-aided design, descriptive geometry, and instructional design, he has conducted CAD and geometric dimensioning & tolerancing workshops for both high school teachers and local industry.
Mark Shreve
Dr. Wiebe is an Associate Professor in the Graphic Communications Program at North Carolina State University. He has authored or co-authored four texts on technical graphics and has been involved in Computer-Aided Design (CAD)/3-D modeling development and use since 1986. He has also worked on the integration of scientific visualization concepts and techniques into both secondary and post-secondary education. Dr. Wiebe is a former editor of the Engineering Design Graphics Journal and has been a member of the EDG Division of ASEE since 1989.
Abstract
NOTE: The first page of text has been automatically extracted and included below in lieu of an abstract
Paths to Learning: Understanding how students utilize online instructional resources in an introductory engineering graphics course
ABSTRACT This presentation focuses on an ongoing instructional innovation research and development project centered around an introductory engineering graphics course. Over the past few years, the researchers have looked at ways that pedagogical innovations could be used to both improve instruction and do so more efficiently with fewer resources. These goals has led to the creation of pilot sections of the course that are “hybrid”—meeting one day and week and then having students use an online learning management system (i.e., Moodle) for out-of-class instruction and guidance on homework. The work presented here is an in-depth analysis of how students make use of the online resources to supplement the instructional support they receive in class. The researchers were particularly interested in answering questions concerning not only what resources were accessed, but in what order, and whether there is any statistical correlation to learning outcomes. In this study, the focus was on resources related to the textbook materials and quizzes and tests associated with this material. The data being analyzed was collected from 180 students taught by two different instructors over one semester. Background on the project, analysis of Moodle log file data, along with recommendations for further refinement of instructional strategies will be presented. Keywords: hybrid instruction, blended instruction, online assessments.
INTRODUCTION
Evaluation of online learning in engineering education has pointed to the increased popularity of online course offerings in engineering fields, but has also noted the particular challenges of providing online instruction for curriculum that has a large laboratory component1. However, newer, web-based tools have provided flexible options for componentized delivery of engineering course resources in the media and format that best suits learning outcomes and student acceptance2,3, including the delivery of material that was historically provided in a lab setting. The Graphic Communications faculty at North Carolina State University has been offering a blended or hybrid version of their introductory engineering graphics course since the fall 2007 semester. This format includes a two-hour face-to-face meeting each week where faculty introduce the main concepts for the unit, answer questions about solid modeling and sketching activities, and check some homework. The other portion of the course consists of online units where students can watch streaming media of textbook lectures, solid modeling demonstrations, and sketching demonstrations. The online units also include weekly quizzes on the textbook material. Previous research has shown correlation between performance on these weekly assessments and the final course grade as well as providing motivation to study the textbook material4.
Wiebe, E., & Branoff, T., & Shreve, M. (2010, June), Paths To Learning: Understanding How Students Utilize Online Instructional Resources In An Introductory Engineering Graphics Course Paper presented at 2010 Annual Conference & Exposition, Louisville, Kentucky. 10.18260/1-2--15815
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