Teaching with UFO’s in an Aeronautical Engineering Course

Matthew Rowland; James E. Bluman

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Conference: 2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Vancouver, BC
Publication Date: June 26, 2011
Start Date: June 26, 2011
End Date: June 29, 2011
ISSN: 2153-5965
Conference Session: Aerospace Teaching and Learning I
Tagged Division: Aerospace
Page Count: 9
Page Numbers: 22.1408.1 - 22.1408.9
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--18341
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/18341
Download Count: 370

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Paper Authors

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Matthew Rowland U.S. Military Academy

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Maj. Matthew Rowland is currently an Assistant Professor for the Civil and Mechanical Engineering Department in the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He has served the U.S. Army for the last 12 years as an officer and Army Aviator. He is a graduate of the University of Washington in Seattle, where he earned both his Bachelors of Science in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering in 1998 and his Master's of Science in the same discipline in 2008.

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James E. Bluman U.S. Military Academy orcid.org/0000-0002-8551-2958

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Major James Bluman is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering at the United States Military Academy at West Point. He has served the United States Army for the last 12 years as an officer and Army Aviator. He is a graduate of West Point (BS in Mechanical Engineering) and The Pennsylvania State University (MS in Aerospace Engineering). Major Bluman’s research interests are in swashplateless and conventional helicopter rotor dynamics, wind turbines, and innovative teaching methods.

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Abstract

Teaching with UFO’s in an Aeronautical Engineering CourseAbstract All teachers are confronted with the challenge of presenting material in a way thatenhances student retention of the subject matter. The literature is filled with methods forachieving this goal. Most approaches are based on various learning theories that includeappealing to multiple learning styles, increasing the student’s emotional involvement with thematerial, and increasing student-faculty rapport and interaction. Many teaching techniques aredesigned with more than one of these principles in mind. This paper presents a technique,termed the “Mystery Aircraft,” that is designed to leverage multiple learning theories thatincrease student interest and retention of the material covered in two sequential aeronauticalengineering classes. This is accomplished through the use of many examples of actualproduction and experimental aircraft. The technique begins with the presentation of one or more unlabeled aircraft images thatare real-world examples of the applied aeronautical engineering concepts being discussed withinthe lesson or throughout the course. Depending on how the instructor chooses to set up thepresentation, it is up to the students to identify the aircraft and the specific features that relate tothe material being covered in class. The identity of the aircraft may be held in question for ashort period of time or throughout most of the lesson depending on the response of the students.Properly facilitated, the instructor can instill and control the level of dramatic suspense as well asthe discussion that follows. This paper discusses how the use of these visual aircraft examplesadd elements of suspense and tension to the classroom, why that enhances the student learningexperience, and provides the reader with the reference list of aircraft and topics to facilitateintegration into their own classrooms. Additional discussion on the advantages of the “MysteryAircraft” technique briefly cover topics such as applying the Dual Coded Theory of Redundancyand Reinforcement for cognitive learning, enhancing student cultural literacy within the field ofaeronautical engineering, and support of institutional program outcomes and ABET criterion.The impact on student motivation is assessed through the use of student mid-course and course-end surveys.

Citation
Format

Rowland, M., & Bluman, J. E. (2011, June), Teaching with UFO’s in an Aeronautical Engineering Course Paper presented at 2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Vancouver, BC. 10.18260/1-2--18341

TY  - CPAPER
AB  -            Teaching with UFO’s in an Aeronautical Engineering CourseAbstract        All teachers are confronted with the challenge of presenting material in a way thatenhances student retention of the subject matter. The literature is filled with methods forachieving this goal. Most approaches are based on various learning theories that includeappealing to multiple learning styles, increasing the student’s emotional involvement with thematerial, and increasing student-faculty rapport and interaction. Many teaching techniques aredesigned with more than one of these principles in mind. This paper presents a technique,termed the “Mystery Aircraft,” that is designed to leverage multiple learning theories thatincrease student interest and retention of the material covered in two sequential aeronauticalengineering classes. This is accomplished through the use of many examples of actualproduction and experimental aircraft.        The technique begins with the presentation of one or more unlabeled aircraft images thatare real-world examples of the applied aeronautical engineering concepts being discussed withinthe lesson or throughout the course. Depending on how the instructor chooses to set up thepresentation, it is up to the students to identify the aircraft and the specific features that relate tothe material being covered in class. The identity of the aircraft may be held in question for ashort period of time or throughout most of the lesson depending on the response of the students.Properly facilitated, the instructor can instill and control the level of dramatic suspense as well asthe discussion that follows. This paper discusses how the use of these visual aircraft examplesadd elements of suspense and tension to the classroom, why that enhances the student learningexperience, and provides the reader with the reference list of aircraft and topics to facilitateintegration into their own classrooms. Additional discussion on the advantages of the “MysteryAircraft” technique briefly cover topics such as applying the Dual Coded Theory of Redundancyand Reinforcement for cognitive learning, enhancing student cultural literacy within the field ofaeronautical engineering, and support of institutional program outcomes and ABET criterion.The impact on student motivation is assessed through the use of student mid-course and course-end surveys.
AU  - Matthew Rowland
AU  - James E. Bluman
CY  - Vancouver, BC
DA  - 2011/06/26
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Teaching with UFO’s in an Aeronautical Engineering Course 
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/18341
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--18341
ER  -