《信息论与编码》课程教学探讨与思考

在《信息论与编码》课程教学过程中,发现学生在学习和掌握这门课时存在一定的困难。为了提高课程的教学效果,先行分析产生困难存在的原因,针对不同的因素,根据本课程的教学特点,从概念讲解,学习态度,学习方法及教学实践等环节,探讨克服本课程教学中的难点、获得有效的教学效果的方法。其中,有的方法已被实施,还有的方法将在今后的教学中试行。已有的教学实践结果表明,在教学过程这些改革方法的应用,将有效提高课程教学效果。     

"新工科"背景下信息资源管理课程的改革

在高校教育教学中,信息资源管理课程是信息管理与信息系统专业学习中的一门非常重要的课程,在学生专业学习中发挥着承上启下的重要作用.在实践教学中,学生要想学好信息资源管理这门课程并不容易,因为该门课程具有较强的理论性和抽象性,包含着众多的概念与原理知识,对很多学生来说都具有一定的学习难度,很大程度上挫伤了学生学习的兴趣和积极性.在"新工科"背景下,针对这种情况,教师要引起重视,开展积极的课程教学改革探索,寻找有效的教学模式和教学方法,推动信息资源管理课程教学质量和教学效率的提高.     

matlab语言在信号与系统课教学中的应用与实践

《信号与系统》课程理论深奥、公式繁多、个别知识物理概念不是很清晰,为了让学生清晰理解课程中若干知识点的物理意义,避免学生将这门应用性很强的课程理解为一门“数学公式的推导课”,本文提出将matlab语言应用到信号与系统课的教学中并进行了实践,在提高教学水平的同时,也使学生对该课程的理解有了更深层次的提高。     

应用型本科院校学生学习结构力学的几点建议

结构力学课程作为土木工程专业的一门专业基础课,一般学时比较多,需要掌握的内同量比较大,学生在学习过程中普遍感到困难,考试不及格率偏高。本文对就读于应用型本科院校的学生,在结构力学课程的学习方法上提了几点浅薄建议,以供参考。     

对提高《C语言程序设计》课程教学质量的探讨

C语言作为当今最为流行的程序设计语言之一,不但成为计算机专业的必修课,而且也越来越多地成为非计算机专业的学习课程。但在《C语言程序设计》课程教学中,许多教师和学生都认为C语言涉及的概念比较复杂,规则繁多,使用灵活,容易出错,教师教学和学生学习都感到困难,并不同程度产生畏难心理。因此,从优化教学方法,强化实践教学,培养学生求知兴趣方面,探讨如何提高《C语言程序设计》课程教学质量。     

《物理化学》教学法的探索与实践

《物理化学》是化学、化工类专业的一门重要基础课，由于其概念抽象，推理严谨，公式繁多，所以往往不易为初学者所接受，许多学生对这门课程望而生畏，甚至达到了“谈虎色变”的程度。要讲授好这门课程，使得学生们能够顺利地掌握物理化学的理论和方法，就要求教师在这门课程的教学方法上下一定的功夫。本文拟就如何讲好这门课程谈谈自己的体会。     

中学物理探究教学策略与实验实践

物理学是一门实验学科,是有利于培养学生动手能力和创新精神的一门重要的科学课程。在学习过程中应让学生自己摸索一套学习方法,不应把困难问题的答案直接交给学生。这完全符合结构主义教育的观点。改变单一的灌输式的教学方法,是教育教学改革的关键。     

作好实验课的综合分析充分发挥实验课的特点

《化工仪表及自动化》是化工类专业的一门技术基础课，它对学生从事工程设计，指导生产高质、低耗、安全、稳定起着重要作用。该课程具有涉及知识面广、内容跨度较大、教学时效较少等特点，加之化工类专业学生对有关电类及自动调节原理方面的主要基础知识和基础理论了解不多，他们在学习中普遍觉得学该课程困难大，在这种情况下，     

工程力学多媒体教学的研究与实践

<工程力学>是工科机械类专业的一门重要的技术基础课.在多数的理工院校中, <工程力学>教学现状并不容乐观,主要是因为教学内容中涉及许多物理学和数学知识,所以普遍认为学起来较难,理论力学部分抽象,材料力学部分公式繁多.整体课程单调、枯燥,学生提不起兴趣.另外,由于教学计划的调整,目前我校<工程力学>的学时被大大的缩小.工程力学课程是由理论力学和材料力学两大部分组成,至少需要140多个学时才能完成.而我校压缩至90学时.此外,教材内需要板书的图和公式多,需要讲解的例题多,占去很多课堂时间.所以在规定的时间内完成教学内容有困难.……     

计算机操作系统教学方法的探讨与改进

操作系统是计算机及相关专业的主干核心课程,它的理论性和实践性都较强,概念多、概念抽象、涉及知识面广,教学难度很大.如何更新教学方法,提高教学质量、明确教学的目标等,值得从事计算机操作系统教学工作者们探讨.通过几年来的教学经验,分析学生在学习操作系统课程过程中普遍存在的问题,探讨解决此类问题、激发学生学习兴趣的教学方法,同时提出一些创新的教学方法.     

The Effect of Social Presence on Affective and Cognitive Learning in an International Engineering Course Taught via Distance Learning

Background Distance learning course formats can alter modes of information exchange and interpersonal interaction relative to traditional course formats. Purpose (Hypothesis ) To determine the effect of a distance course format on the knowledge acquisition (cognitive learning) and satisfaction (affective learning) of students, we investigated student learning responses and social presence during a graduate‐level engineering course taught via traditional (i.e., professor present in the classroom) and synchronous distance‐learning formats. Design /Method Direct quantification of participation, academic performance assessment based on homework and exam scores, and survey‐based assessments of student perceptions of the course were collected. Based on these data, cognitive and affective learning responses to different technological and interaction‐based aspects of the course were determined for each course format. Results We show that while affective learning decreased for students in the distance format course relative to the traditional format, cognitive learning was comparable. Our results suggest that loss of satellite connection and audio losses had a stronger negative effect on student perceptions than video disturbances, and that participation was the most important factor influencing affective learning. Conclusions While our findings do not suggest that cognitive learning is strongly affected by social presence, implementing strategies to enhance social presence may improve the overall learning experience and make distance learning more enjoyable for students.     

Implementation of Interdisciplinary Group Learning and Peer Assessment in a Nanotechnology Engineering Course

Nanotechnology is an inherently interdisciplinary field that has generated significant scientific and engineering interest in recent years. In an effort to convey the excitement and opportunities surrounding this discipline to senior undergraduate students and junior graduate students, a nanotechnology engineering course has been developed in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Northwestern University over the past two years. This paper examines the unique challenges facing educators in this dynamic, emerging field and describes an approach for the design of a nanotechnology engineering course employing the non‐traditional pedagogical practices of collaborative group learning, interdisciplinary learning, problem‐based learning, and peer assessment. Utilizing the same nanotechnology course given the year before as a historical control, analysis of the difference between measures of student performance and student experience over the two years indicates that these practices are successful and provide an educationally informed template for other newly developed engineering courses.     

The Relationship Between PDA Usage and Student Performance in an Introductory Engineering Course

This research focuses on the development of a methodology to evaluate student attitudes towards technology in the classroom and the impact of this technology on student learning. A survey was developed and tested to evaluate the impact of introducing Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) in a traditional college classroom setting. PDAs were introduced in an introductory course in the College of Engineering at Oregon State University. A reliable attitude assessment tool was developed as a result of this research. Initial results of this study also provide empirical data that engineering students respond favorably to the introduction of PDAs in a traditional classroom setting. Preliminary results also provide limited evidence that student attitudes may vary based on gender, age, and/or ethnicity. Standard student performance metrics (course assignment and exam scores) and student self‐evaluations were used to assess the impact on student learning and are discussed.     

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.     

Portfolio Assessment in Aerodynamics

A new way of assessing student learning in an aerodynamics course through the use of portfolios is presented. The approach is portable to any engineering course, with a few modifications depending on content. The main idea is to allow students more responsibility for their own learning. Instead of having everyone in the class perform identical activities (homework, experiments, projects, tests, etc.), a cadre of assignments is made available to them. Students choose and perform (within reason) the ones that suit them better in terms of their own strengths and learning styles. The ultimate goal is for each student to demonstrate a minimum level of competence in analytical, computational, experimental, design, communication, and team skills, while pursuing excellence in at least one from the first four categories. The paper describes the various assignments and options the students have for achieving the learning objectives of the course. It also discusses my observations on the effects of this approach to student learning, the impact on faculty time, and the response from the students. The results from the first two offerings of the course with portfolios show promise for improving student motivation and learning.     

高职高专设计色彩教学改革的探索

设计色彩是一门艺术类专业的必修课程,而在课程的学习中,教师或学生往往轻视理论的学习,注重培养实践的能力。使学生没有专业基础理论,让该门课程失去了对后续课程的支撑,使得学生在专业的学习上得不到提高。针对上述问题,本文主要对设计色彩课程的教学改革进行探索。     

Tracking Classroom Teaching and Learning: An SPC Application

The importance of measuring performance in higher education has long been understood by all stakeholders, including teachers, students, administrators, and researchers. However, the majority of indicators used for this purpose focus on educational outputs (e.g., graduation rates) and outcomes (e.g., final examination scores), rather than processes that create such outcomes and outputs. The problem with this focus is that the output and outcome data usually become available far too late in order to effectively respond to a problem. Because the process of knowledge transfer is an important function of educational organizations, tracking this process while it actually happens represents an on-going, rather than a post-mortem measurement strategy, and can help in the detection of existing and impeding troubles in the teaching and learning processes. This paper illustrates a model for measuring classroom performance which makes use of Statistical Process Control (SPC) in combination with classroom assessment techniques (CATs). The purpose of the model is to measure both the teacher's contribution to increasing student knowledge and the student learning outcomes. Examples of SPC charts that were used to monitor teaching and learning performance in an undergraduate engineering management course are given, together with an analysis of the obtained results. Recommendations and guidelines for an effective and efficient application of the model are provided, including an implementation algorithm, suggestions for CAT design, and a discussion of some important statistical issues. The paper is concluded with several considerations for future research.     

Analytic Hierarchy Process for Evaluating Flipped Classroom Learning

In reality, the flipped classroom has gained popularity as a modern way of structuring teaching, where lectures move from in-class procedures to digitally-based assignments, freeing up the debate, and practice exercises class time. Therefore, it is essential to implement and analyze a way of teaching that will improve student performance. The paper aims to develop a model of the method of teaching science in Iraqi schools, and to assess whether teaching flipped classroom affects the achievement, motivation, and creative thinking of students by using the methodology of Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) in the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The AHP approach includes several steps, including setting assessment criteria and their weights, and by assessing the methodology of the flipped classroom as compared to the conventional cognitive learning process. An experiment was carried out in Iraqi secondary schools to examine the attitude of the students towards the subject of Chemistry. The findings have indicated that the students and teachers favored flipped classroom learning more than conventional cognitive learning. The study took the following parameters compared to the traditional approach: teaching techniques, learning flexibility, teaching aids effectiveness, student participation and working environment. This paper indicates that the teachers in Iraqi schools will be able to improve and do more preparation to shift towards flipped learning in the classroom.     

Reflective Analysis of Student Learning in a Sophomore Engineering Course

Student learning in a specific sophomore engineering course was analyzed using a variety of learning theory explanations. Bimodal grade distributions were observed in most of the examinations. The following theories were applied to these results: knowledge structure, Piaget's concrete and formal operational stages, Myers-Briggs intuitive versus sensing, Perry's model of college student development, and deep versus shallow approaches to learning. The deep versus shallow approach to learning theory appears to best explain the results. Problem solving approaches are reviewed in light of the results obtained. Suggestions for improving the course are made, and compared to the results obtained when the course was re-taught. This analysis serves as both an example of application of learning theories and as a review of these theories.     

Increasing Student Awareness of Ethical,Social, Legal,and Economic Implications of Technology

The accreditation criteria for engineering programs require that the curriculum introduce students to the ethical, social, economic and safety issues arising from the practice of engineering. Graduates must also demonstrate competence in written and oral communication skills. This paper describes a bioengineering course we developed at Arizona State University to satisfy these criteria and also meet the literacy and critical inquiry requirement of the university. The primary goal of the course is to increase the students' awareness of the global “societal” issues arising from the development and use of bioengineering technology. Secondary goals include improvement of skills in literacy and critical inquiry, oral communication, and teaming. We use cooperative learning to ensure student participation, creative controversy to stimulate interest in the topics being discussed, and TQM tools to enhance team performance. This paper describes the course content, its organization and structure, the methods used to assess student performance, and the strategies we use to facilitate learning. We also discuss how students have reacted to the course and our experiences in delivering the course.