Poster submission for "Reforming the First Year Engineering Experience," August 2009, Univ. of Notre Dame. Provides synopsis of the Tower of Straws module used to provide an active learning experience for the subject of criteria and constraints through the competitive construction of a tower of straws.

1. Tower of Straws: Active Learning in Engineering Design John K. Estell Ohio Northern University Learning Objectives: Understand the role of criteria in design evaluation through use of decision matrices. Introduce the concept of (ABET) realistic constraints. Provide experience with the role of criteria and constraints in the formation of designs. Promote teamwork through use of a project requiring various forms of group participation. 1 Estell - Reforming the First-Year Engineering Experience - August 2009

2. Tower of Straws Activity Description Assign students into teams Teams must design straw-based structure capable of supporting a load above a minimum height Additional constraints specified to vary problem from year to year Students participate in developing evaluation criteria and testing protocol In-class competition held – prizes given Reflective discussion session held 2 Estell - Reforming the First-Year Engineering Experience - August 2009

3. Tower of Straws Lecture Topics Criteria and Decision Matrices; Tower Assignment Distributed Technical Constraints Realistic Constraints, 1 (Economic, Environmental, Health & Safety) Realistic Constraints, 2 (Manufacturability, Sustainability) Realistic Constraints, 3 (Social, Political, Ethical) Tower of Straws Competition + Reflection 3 Estell - Reforming the First-Year Engineering Experience - August 2009

4. Available Resources Lecture materials online at: http://www2.onu.edu/~jestell/tower Daily lecture materials Student handouts Supplemental documents ASEE paper AC 2007-686: Estell, Jaeger, Whalen, Freeman, Yoder, “Tower of Straws: Reaching New Heights with Active Learning in Engineering Design for the First-Year Curriculum” (Winner, First-Year Programs Division Best Paper Award) 4 Estell - Reforming the First-Year Engineering Experience - August 2009