The Self-evaluation and Revision Method for Homework: A Homework Method for Metacognition Improves Post-secondary Engineering Students’ Attitudes Toward Homework
- Conference
- Location
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Virtual On line
- Publication Date
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June 22, 2020
- Start Date
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June 22, 2020
- End Date
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June 26, 2021
- Conference Session
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Mechanical Engineering Technical Session: Pedagogy I - Best Teaching Practices
- Tagged Division
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Mechanical Engineering
- Page Count
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17
- DOI
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10.18260/1-2--35371
- Permanent URL
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https://peer.asee.org/35371
- Download Count
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392
Paper Authors
Patrick Alan Linford U.S. Military Academy
Patrick A. Linford is a Major in the United States Army, and is currently an Assistant Professor at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. He has his Bachelor of Science from the United States Military Academy (2007), and his Master of Science (2017), from The Massachusetts Institute of Technology all in Mechanical Engineering.
James E. Bluman
U.S. Military Academy
orcid.org/0000-0002-8551-2958
Lieutenant Colonel James Bluman is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He has served the United States Army for the last 20 years as an officer and Army Aviator. He is a graduate of West Point (B.S. in Mechanical Engineering), Penn State (M.S. in Aerospace Engineering), and the Univ. of Alabama in Huntsville (Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering). His research interests are in the flight dynamics of VTOL aircraft and UAVs and innovative teaching methods.
Gregory Martin Freisinger U.S. Military Academy
Greg Freisinger is an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the United States Military Academy at West Point. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Georgia Institute of Technology, as well as a MS and PhD from The Ohio State University. Greg is an US Army engineer officer in the Reserves with experience in combat and construction engineering and more recently the 75th Innovation Command. His research is primarily focused on engineering education and biomechanical factors associated with injury and performance.
John R. Rogers U.S. Military Academy
John Rogers is an engineer and an educator. He solves problems with a balance of theoretical knowledge and experimentation. He has expertise in mechanical analysis and design, electronics, application of sensors and actuators, and microcontrollers. His PhD is in Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He is an Associate Professor at the United States Military Academy, West Point, New York.
Brian J. Novoselich U.S. Military Academy
Brian Novoselich is an active duty Army Lieutenant Colonel currently serving as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering at the United States Military Academy (West Point). He earned his Ph.D. in Engineering Education at Virginia Tech in 2016. He holds Master's and Bachelor's degrees in mechanical engineering from The University of Texas at Austin and West Point respectively. His research interests include capstone design teaching and assessment, undergraduate engineering student leadership development, and social network analysis. He is also a licensed professional engineer in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Abstract
Traditional methods for grading and returning corrected homework to students does not require the student to determine how they erred, learn how to avoid repeat errors, or revise and improve their work. Educators know that multiple focused review of material is often required for learning analytically-difficult material. Even when educators provide detailed feedback and corrections, a substantial number of students look at the grade on a homework assignment, perhaps give it a cursory review, and put it away until exam study time. The result is a missed opportunity for the student to more fully understand details they have yet to master, and the time the instructor spent making corrections is wasted.
The present study details a system that attempts to address these shortcomings. Under this system, students initially electronically submit their homework on the given due date and a detailed “approved” solution is provided by the instructor at the same time. Students then mark errors against the posted solution and submit both their original work as well as their mark-ups. To ensure students pay attention to the material, a portion of the overall grade is awarded based on the extent the material is reviewed while the majority of the grade is based on correctness of the original submission. This system increases two direct principles for good undergraduate engineering practice: it encourages contact between faculty and students, and it provides prompt feedback. This grading system also addresses three indirect principles by developing cooperation among students, encouraging active learning, and communicating high expectations.
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of the above described self-review homework system on student learning for two mechanical engineering courses. We investigated a senior-level course on vibration engineering and a third-year course on rigid body dynamics across three semesters. The students in the courses were surveyed multiple times during the semester to determine if there were any changes in their attitude toward the method within a semester and between courses. The paper will also describe some administrative details associated with implementing the technique and will reflect on the instructors’ experience using the system.
Linford, P. A., & Bluman, J. E., & Freisinger, G. M., & Rogers, J. R., & Novoselich, B. J. (2020, June), The Self-evaluation and Revision Method for Homework: A Homework Method for Metacognition Improves Post-secondary Engineering Students’ Attitudes Toward Homework Paper presented at 2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access, Virtual On line . 10.18260/1-2--35371
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