Thomas J. Impelluso Mechanical Engineering ME203: Computer Programming Applications COURSE RE - RE - RE -DESIGN

ME203 Status as of Fall, 2006: Programming for Mechanical Engineers: loops, logic, arrays, files, functions The class had been: “programming without purpose.” (Specific Mechanics Algorithms were not presented.)

Programming for Mechanical Engineers: loops, logic, arrays, files, functions

The class had been: “programming without purpose.” (Specific Mechanics Algorithms were not presented.)

ME203 Status as of Fall, 2006: Class met in a lab and enrollment was limited by the thirty workstations. Three instructors were needed each semester.

Class met in a lab and enrollment was limited by the thirty workstations.

Three instructors were needed each semester.

Changes deployed as of Fall ’08 – mid-way through re-design Cognitive Load to introduce mechanics Use of Blackboard for organization Use of Wimba for delivery Especially, the Desktop Sharing . Special attention

Cognitive Load to introduce mechanics

Use of Blackboard for organization

Use of Wimba for delivery

Especially, the Desktop Sharing .

Desktop Sharing Engineering School Server Student at home Instructor at home Wimba Unlimited Students

Enrollment No need to hire three instructors. No need to support 30 workstations

No need to hire three instructors.

No need to support 30 workstations

Final Exam Grade Comparison 88.25 70.00 Female students 82.33 61.25 Hispanic students 76.28 53.25 All students Fall 2008 Fall 2006 Type of Student

Failing to Finish 0% 50% Female students 16% 50% Hispanic students 13% 25.9% All students Fall 2008 Fall 2006 Type of Student

Instructor Review Fall, 2006 2.48 3.14 Fall, 2008 3.396 4.40 Spill over: Graduate classes average now about 4.5 to 5.0

Fall, 2006 2.48 3.14

Fall, 2008 3.396 4.40

Theories No ‘herd’ mentality. Review in privacy of home. Cognitive Load Theory Scaffolding Minerva’s Machine Articulation Stacking Fear

No ‘herd’ mentality.

Review in privacy of home.

Cognitive Load Theory

Scaffolding

Minerva’s Machine

Articulation

Stacking Fear

That completes the design. BUT WE WANT MORE

Re -design: 1/3 Captivating the entire class Purpose: enables instructor to focus attention on the students in need . (and now students are volunteering to turn the captivates into CD’s for ‘on-demand-learning)

Captivating the entire class

Purpose: enables instructor to focus attention on the students in need .

(and now students are volunteering to turn the captivates into CD’s for ‘on-demand-learning)

Re - re -design: 2/3 Adaptive Releas: In order to download the first five home-works, the students must first pass a short quiz about the syllabus. Purpose: enables student motivation

Adaptive Releas: In order to download the first five home-works, the students must first pass a short quiz about the syllabus.

Purpose: enables student motivation

Re - re - re -design: 3/3 Peer Review: Will it replace the need for graders? Purpose: enables learning communities.

Peer Review: Will it replace the need for graders?

Purpose: enables learning communities.

Personal Experience Brace yourself and do half. Prepare time to do the second half while teaching the first half because you see patterns emerge. I think unbalanced focus on research results in course mis-articulation.

Brace yourself and do half.

Prepare time to do the second half while teaching the first half because you see patterns emerge.

I think unbalanced focus on research results in course mis-articulation.

Redesign ME310: Machines and Mechanisms Articulation Matters ME499: Simulation Science Was ME205; will become SDSU-grid IEE: Informal Engineering Education DaVinci/SDSU Island (With S.A.) Super-duper

ME310: Machines and Mechanisms

Articulation Matters

ME499: Simulation Science

Was ME205; will become SDSU-grid

IEE: Informal Engineering Education

DaVinci/SDSU Island (With S.A.)

Beam bending Angular Velocity Kinematics Truss Analysis Centripetal Clutch Aerodynamics Dynamics: Runge-Kutta Newton-Raphson Bessel Functions

Sincere and warm thank you to Suzanne Aurilio, and to Jon Rizzo, too.