Study of Instructional Modes for Introductory Computing

The School of Engineering at Vanderbilt University requires all engineering students in their first semester to take a course that introduces computers in engineering. Two questions arise: is the best setting in which to teach this type of material either a combination of lecture and laboratory or all‐laboratory; and does a student‐owned laptop computer contribute more to learning? For two years the course was organized with these two different modes of instruction. For a third year the students learned in the all‐laboratory environment and 30 percent of the students used their own laptop computer. At the end of the semester an in‐depth questionnaire with quantitative ratings was given to the students to determine if there were differences in their learning preferences. Contingency tables were used to compare responses. There were several statistically significant differences in student responses favoring the all‐laboratory mode and students using laptop computers. Several of them are: the students are much more comfortable with computers at the end of the semester; either laboratory or working by oneself were the preferred settings for learning; and lecture was not a preferred setting for learning any topic.     

Instructional Module in Fourier Spectral Analysis,Based on Principles of “How People Learn”

This paper describes the design and evaluation of an instructional module for teaching/learning Fourier spectral analysis, with emphasis on biomedical applications. The module is based on the principles of “How People Learn” (HPL) as embodied in the Legacy cycle. This cycle is a particular instantiation of problem‐based learning and includes components explicitly aimed at providing context and motivation, facilitating exploration, developing in‐depth understanding, and incorporating opportunities for self‐assessment. In the spectral analysis module, traditional teaching methods are augmented with small group discussions, peer‐to‐peer learning, a Web‐based tutorial, and an interactive demonstration. Assessment included the development of rubrics for scoring student understanding of key concepts, revealing that students who used the module demonstrated better understanding relative to students who studied the material using traditional methods. Survey results and comments indicate that students generally liked the interactive tutorial and demonstration, as well as the structure provided by the HPL framework.     

Supporting Mechanical Reasoning with a Representationally‐Rich Learning Environment

A learning environment to support mechanical reasoning and understanding of simple machines for middle school and high school students is presented, along with results of an evaluation of its effectiveness in student learning. Based on recommendations from literature on instructional frameworks and cognitive aspects of mechanical reasoning, SIMALE (the Simple Machines Learning Environment) was designed to support reflection, collaboration, and presentation of concepts from multiple perspectives. SIMALE was implemented with a diverse population of middle and high school students with three treatment variations: (1) environment with focus on Lego exercises to engage in hands‐on physical activities, (2) environment with focus on a Web‐based computer module, and (3) environment with both the computer module and Lego exercises. Analyses of results show significant increases in post‐test performance for all treatment variations within SIMALE. The results also revealed unexpected dramatic results in equalizing post‐test scores along ethnic and gender dimensions, in spite of large population differences in pre‐test scores.     

Applying James Stice's Strategy to Teach Design to Sophomore Mechanical Engineering Undergraduates

The James Stice strategies for teaching problem‐solving and improving student learning have been adopted in the development of a sophomore‐level “Materials, Manufacturing & Design” course. The curriculum, the assessment method, and the results of student evaluation over a three‐year period are described. Correlation between assessments by two faculty members (in the form of design project written‐report and oral‐presentation grades) and students self‐assessment (in the form of a retrospective survey employing a Likert‐type scale and student written comments) show that the Stice strategies are successful in teaching engineering design to sophomores.     

Effects of Faculty Interaction and Feedback on Gains in Student Skills*

Previous research has identified several variables that affect students' course satisfaction and gains in learning outcomes. The purpose of this article is to provide the reader with insights about the relationships between faculty‐student interaction and students' perceptions of selected skills and attitudes. This study specifically examined the relationships between engineering faculty teaching practices, classroom climate, and students' perceptions of their gains in communication skills, problem‐solving skills, occupational awareness, and engineering competence in a curriculum emphasizing engineering design activities. Data were gathered from more than 1,500 students taking the first‐year design course offered at 19 campuses of the Penn State system over a period of two years. The results suggest that faculty interacting with and providing constructive feedback to students were significantly and positively related to students' self‐reported gains in several design and professional skills. These relationships remained after controlling for student demographic characteristics and campus location. Recommendations regarding specific teaching practices are provided.     

A Flexible Multimedia Instructional Module for Introductory Thermodynamics

Instructional modules for introductory thermodynamics which are multifaceted and sufficiently flexible to adapt to the various learning styles of most engineering students are currently being developed at the University of Louisville. Flexibility is incorporated through the utilization of computer controlled interactive multimedia displays, which include full motion graphical images and sound. This technology makes it possible for the instructor to present information in a manner that is faster, more visually appealing, more organized, more detailed, and more open to student interaction than the student lecture format. The instructional modules under development will allow the instructor to implement several different types of classroom activity during a single class period. These include audio-visual presentations, problem solving sessions, and question and answer sessions using electronic acquisition of the student responses, as well as the usual lecture type of presentation. Parts of the module are available outside of the classroom as computer based tutorials. The module chosen for initial development was the “First Law of Thermodynamics for a Closed System.” The first version of this module has been completed and given preliminary trials in the classroom. This module includes optional material on the historical development of the first law of thermodynamics, and also a variety of optional problems, exercises, and short quizzes. Students have responded very favorably to the new system. Completion of the rest of the modules for the course is planned for the near future.     

Comparison of Student Learning in Physical and Simulated Unit Operations Experiments

Industries are tending toward computer‐based simulation, monitoring, and control of processes. This trend suggests an opportunity to modernize engineering laboratory pedagogy to include computer experiments as well as tactile experiments. However, few studies report the impact of simulations upon student learning in engineering laboratories. We evaluated the impact of computer‐simulated experiments upon student learning in a senior unit operations laboratory. We compared data on control and test groups from three sources: 1) a comprehensive exam over the course; 2) a questionnaire answered by students regarding how well the areas of ABET Engineering Criterion 3 (a‐k) were met; and 3) oral presentations given by the students. Our results indicate that student learning is not adversely affected by introducing computer‐based experiments. We therefore conclude that, while the tactile laboratory should remain in the engineering curriculum, the pedagogy can reflect the increasing use of information technology in the manufacturing industries without compromising student learning.     

Student Learning of Criterion 3 (a)‐(k) Outcomes with Short Instructional Modules and the Relationship to Bloom's Taxonomy

Engineering accreditation criteria require that engineering graduates demonstrate competency with a set of skills identified in Criterion 3 (a)‐(k). Because of a scarcity of instructional material on many of these topics, a team of engineering instructors developed and tested a set of short modules for teaching these skills. Using before and after module surveys, the students indicated their confidence in their ability to do specific tasks derived from the module's learning objectives. Data also were obtained with a control group not receiving the instruction. In comparing pre‐ and post‐module data, 33 percent of the comparisons were significantly different at the 0.05 level. In comparing control and post‐module data, the corresponding value was 44 percent. These results indicate that instruction with these short modules produced a significant effect on student learning.     

焦点-背景技术对学习绩效的影响研究

本研究将焦点-背景(Focus+Context)技术引入到多媒体教学课件的设计中,探讨了采用焦点-背景技术对提高学习绩效的影响,并对原因进行了分析。实验结果表明:采用了焦点-背景课件的学习绩效明显高于线性课件的学习绩效,而造成这一结果的原因是学生在学习焦点信息的同时还可以对背景信息进行有效的利用。本实验研究成果将为多媒体的有效制作提供科学的依据。     

Integrating the Use of Commercial Simulators into Lecture Courses

Since commercial simulators are commonly used in the practice of engineering, we need to ensure they are included in engineering education. Computer laboratory sections were added to a “lecture” course to teach the use of a simulator and to give the students practice in solving realistic problems. By thinking about the computer lab as a problem‐based learning environment, minimal lecture time was necessary to train the students on the simulator. Examples of instructions, problem statements and results from a student survey are presented.     

The Relationships between Students' Conceptions of Learning Engineering and their Preferences for Classroom and Laboratory Learning Environments

This study developed a survey entitled Conceptions of Learning Engineering (CLE), to elicit undergraduate engineering students' conceptions of learning engineering. The reliability and validity of the CLE survey were confirmed through a factor analysis of 321 responses of undergraduate students majoring in electrical engineering. A series of ANOVA analyses revealed that students who preferred a classroom setting tended to conceptualize learning engineering as “testing” and “calculating and practicing,” whereas students who preferred a laboratory setting expressed conceptions of learning engineering as “increasing one's knowledge,” “applying,” “understanding,” and “seeing in a new way.” A further analysis of student essays suggested that learning environments which are student‐centered, peer‐interactive, and teacher‐facilitated help engineering students develop more fruitful conceptions of learning engineering.     

A Web-Based Instructional Module for Teaching Middle School Students Engineering Design with Simple Machines*

The current work describes an instructional module that emphasizes integrative design using six simple machines: the lever, the wheel and axle, the pulley, the inclined plane, the screw, and the gear. The emphasis of this module is to have students investigate the underlying scientific and mathematical properties of the “machines,” and then integrate this knowledge to design creative solutions to problems. This simple machines module makes use of an original web-based multimedia learning environment as well as off-line, hands-on building activities with the LEGO^TM Technic I set. The current instructional module was used in a pilot study in an Introduction to Engineering class, and we include preliminary results from this study.     

Evaluation of a Challenge‐based Human Metabolism Laboratory for Undergraduates

This paper discusses an effort to enhance the learning and affective experience of students in a laboratory module in metabolism through the use of the “How People Learn” framework, which is grounded in educational theory and research. The laboratory, which was a component of a systems physiology course in biomedical engineering, was modified such that some students had educational experiences informed by How People Learn principles while other students encountered a more traditional laboratory. Students were compared on a number of dimensions including knowledge acquisition, ability to use information to solve problems, transfer, and perceptions of their course experience. Several differences were observed between groups, with students in the “How People Learn” group out‐performing controls on measures that required a deeper ability to use the material, but not differing in basic acquisition of information. Implications for the development of similar laboratories are discussed.     

Development of Online Ultrasound Instructional Module and Comparison to Traditional Teaching Methods

A Web‐based teaching device was constructed to deliver information on fundamentals of ultrasound imaging to approximately one‐half the students in an undergraduate medical imaging course, while the remaining students were taught the same material via traditional lectures and typed notes. The students participating in this study were separated randomly but in such a manner that prior achievement was statistically equivalent for the two groups. After approximately two weeks of instruction, an ultrasound imaging exam was administered. Results indicated no statistically significant difference in scores on homework assigned during the instructional period between the traditional and online groups. Similarly, there was no statistically significant difference in the average exam scores of students in the two groups. The traditional group required significantly more time on learning activities than did the online group. These results indicated that level of understanding was not affected by use of the online device, while efficiency of learning improved dramatically. Reasons reported by the students for the improved efficiency of the online method included flexibility in time usage and ability to cater to the individual, which came with the added responsibility of self‐discipline. The traditional teaching method, meanwhile, allowed interaction with and instant feedback from a professor and other students. In this study we have demonstrated that the nature of an online device yields a higher level of efficiency than traditional lectures, despite the inherent drawbacks of the approach. The effectiveness of this device could potentially be improved by implementing enhancements to increase the level of interaction for the user and to help with discipline and time management.     

Educational Innovations in Multimedia Systems*

Multimedia systems have emerged as one of the fastest growing segments of computing systems and thus need to be well integrated into a computer engineering curriculum. Fortunately the teaching and learning of multimedia systems can be aided with novel instructional techniques based on multimedia. The Multimedia Curriculum project at the University of Massachusetts Amherst is developing a unified set of instructional materials on the engineering techniques used in the design and test of hardware, software and networks for multimedia. This large project includes three facets: 1) multimedia instructional modules using web‐linked Digital Video Disks, 2) multimedia communication utilities to facilitate student interaction, and 3) multimedia component design projects. In this paper, we explain our approach to using multimedia as both content and instructional technology and briefly present preliminary results in each of the three facets.     

The Classroom of the Future: An Internet‐Delivered National Course on Thermal Management of Electronics

Teaching inter‐disciplinary material poses special challenges due to the diversity of student backgrounds. This problem is compounded if the material being taught is intended for both undergraduate and graduate students. Mechanical Engineering faculty members from three universities have come together to address this problem using a layered, multimedia delivery mechanism via the Internet. This has resulted in the first‐ever, live, full‐duplex, Internet course taught at any of the three partner universities: Auburn University, the University of Maryland, and the University of Minnesota. With the addition of colleagues from industrial sites such as Philips in the Netherlands and three other universities in Japan, Singapore, and Australia, the next offering will expand to become an international course. The authors hope to illustrate that a course delivered over the Internet adds significantly to the learning process in a cost‐effective manner .     

Efficacy of Interactive Internet‐Based Education in Structural Timber Design

While traditional teaching methods (e.g., real‐time, synchronous lectures) have proven effective for training future engineers, the Internet provides an avenue to reinforce the material and augment student learning, comprehension, and retention of material. This paper presents the integration and assessment of a library of interactive instructional modules specifically for a senior‐level undergraduate elective course in civil engineering. An ongoing, comprehensive assessment process was implemented in the fall 1999 semester. The results of this quantitative assessment indicate that the use of well designed and pedagogically sound Internet‐based supplemental modules provide students with a better understanding of course material. However, when Internet‐based content does not promote critical thinking, little increase in the student performance and understanding of the material is realized. Interactive Web‐based instruction should not be viewed as a “replacement” to traditional instruction, but rather a tool that provides a broader and more dynamic environment for students with a variety of learning styles.     

The Purdue-Dow Styrene-Butadiene Polymerization Simulation

Abstract An interactive computer module for the simulation of the Dow Chemical Company styrene-butadiene polymerization process has been developed at Purdue University for use as a project in the senior laboratory course. After first viewing the process on video, the students must design experiments and choose process parameters such as flow rate, temperature and concentration to determine the characteristic constants of the underlying model. Realism is introduced into the assignment by incorporating budget and time constraints, and also statistical fluctuations in the simulation results. Student results are presented in both a written report and an oral presentation. Academic colleagues at other universities report success in using the Purdue-Industry modules, not only in laboratory courses, but also in kinetics, reactor design and process control courses.