Starting from the End: Introducing a Final Exam Problem on the First-Class Meeting to Foster Curiosity and Engagement Throughout the Semester

Jeffrey Kinkaid

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Conference: 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Portland, Oregon
Publication Date: June 23, 2024
Start Date: June 23, 2024
End Date: July 12, 2024
Conference Session: Innovative Pedagogical Strategies I
Tagged Division: Engineering Technology Division (ETD)
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/47992

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Paper Authors

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Jeffrey Kinkaid Montana State University, Bozeman

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Jeff Kinkaid is an Assistant Professor in the Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Department of the Norm Asbjornson College of Engineering at Montana State University in Bozeman. Mr. Kinkaid serves in the Mechanical Engineering Technology academic program. Mr. Kinkaid is licensed as a professional engineer in the state of Montana.

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Abstract

In a mechanical engineering technology program, the curriculum of a finite element analysis course is typically taught in a sequential manner, starting with the development of the finite element method before demonstrating simple examples that eventually build to a semester-end test or project where the students can finally apply their fully formed skillset to an interesting problem. This leads to many students starting the semester overwhelmed or bored by mathematical abstraction, disengaging with the class for the remainder of the semester. This paper explores a pedagogical technique of immediately grabbing the students’ attention with a final exam problem and then teaching the concepts needed to solve the problem in an incremental fashion over the course of the semester. The goal of this pedagogical technique, in alignment with the 3Cs of KEEN’s Entrepreneurial Mindset framework, is to foster a sense of curiosity throughout the semester and encourage students in making connections between concepts and design realizations . Finite element analysis as an upper-division class may be unique in that the students, when presented with a final exam question on the first day of class, are already in a Zone of Proximal Development—their lower-division courses have taught them concepts of stress/strain and material strength and hand calculation analysis methods, but the methods only apply for very basic or idealized and simplified geometries. When presented with a more complex problem, the need (and hopefully desire) to learn computer-aided techniques to apply the already-understood material models of static deflection, static failure, and fatigue failure is immediately realized. The exploration of the problem in assigned small groups was extended from the first class meeting through modules revisiting the problem over several weeks as new techniques were introduced and practiced. The groups were encouraged to explore multiple solution paths and debate their relative merits. One individual was randomly selected to present their group’s method and result each class period, and all students participated in individual reflection on their group's methods as compared to the reporting group as well as the functioning of their group. A final recorded video presentation for each group will be used to culminate the project and demonstrate learning to the same objectives that were used for the problem when it was merely a question on a final exam . Achievement of those objectives as well as student engagement in the class will be assessed on the semester prior to implementation and the semester of the implementation for comparison purposes. This assessment is a work in progress and will be completed before the draft paper submission deadline.

Citation
Format

Kinkaid, J. (2024, June), Starting from the End: Introducing a Final Exam Problem on the First-Class Meeting to Foster Curiosity and Engagement Throughout the Semester Paper presented at 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon. https://peer.asee.org/47992

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - In a mechanical engineering technology program, the curriculum of a finite element analysis course is typically taught in a sequential manner, starting with the development of the finite element method before demonstrating simple examples that eventually build to a semester-end test or project where the students can finally apply their fully formed skillset to an interesting problem.  This leads to many students starting the semester overwhelmed or bored by mathematical abstraction, disengaging with the class for the remainder of the semester.
This paper explores a pedagogical technique of immediately grabbing the students’ attention with a final exam problem and then teaching the concepts needed to solve the problem in an incremental fashion over the course of the semester. The goal of this pedagogical technique, in alignment with the 3Cs of KEEN’s Entrepreneurial Mindset framework, is to foster a sense of curiosity throughout the semester and encourage students in making connections between concepts and design realizations . 
Finite element analysis as an upper-division class may be unique in that the students, when presented with a final exam question on the first day of class, are already in a Zone of Proximal Development—their lower-division courses have taught them concepts of stress/strain and material strength and hand calculation analysis methods, but the methods only apply for very basic or idealized and simplified geometries.  When presented with a more complex problem, the need (and hopefully desire) to learn computer-aided techniques to apply the already-understood material models of static deflection, static failure, and fatigue failure is immediately realized.
The exploration of the problem in assigned small groups was extended from the first class meeting through modules revisiting the problem over several weeks as new techniques were introduced and practiced.  The groups were encouraged to explore multiple solution paths and debate their relative merits.  One individual was randomly selected to present their group’s method and result each class period, and all students participated in individual reflection on their group&#39;s methods as compared to the reporting group as well as the functioning of their group.
A final recorded video presentation for each group will be used to culminate the project and demonstrate learning to the same objectives that were used for the problem when it was merely a question on a final exam .  Achievement of those objectives as well as student engagement in the class will be assessed on the semester prior to implementation and the semester of the implementation for comparison purposes.  This assessment is a work in progress and will be completed before the draft paper submission deadline.

AU  - Jeffrey Kinkaid
CY  - Portland, Oregon
DA  - 2024/06/23
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Starting from the End: Introducing a Final Exam Problem on the First-Class Meeting to Foster Curiosity and Engagement Throughout the Semester
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/47992
ER  -