The document outlines the process for reforming an introductory engineering course through collaborative design teams. It describes activities for teams to 1) understand student needs, 2) develop a shared course vision and objectives, and 3) generate and refine course ideas. The goal is for teams to create course concept presentations and develop next steps for implementing changes back at their institutions.

1. Reforming the First Year
Engineering Experience
August 2-4, 2009
(c) Mark Somerville July 2009

2. Getting ready
Meet your design team
Drop your baggage
Designing a course
Understand your students
Agree on a vision and objectives
Shop for ideas
Generate alternatives
Share your course concepts
Making it happen
Advice for creating and sustaining a change
Reflect and give feedback
(c) Mark Somerville July 2009

3. Getting ready
Meet your design team
Drop your baggage
Designing a course
Understand your students
Agree on a vision and objectives
Shop for ideas
Generate alternatives
Share your course concepts
Making it happen
Advice for creating and sustaining a change
Reflect and give feedback
(c) Mark Somerville July 2009

4. Design Teams
Each member describes his/her situation in 5 minutes.
Other members listen, ask clarifying questions, take notes.
As a team, create a poster that captures the key points of your
table’s narratives.
Some questions to consider:
What is the nature of your institution? Frank’s Story Jan’s Story
* *
What is your role at the institution? * *
* *
Why are you interested in creating a
project-based introductory course?
Chen’s Story Myra’s Story
Where are you in the process of * *
reforming your first year experience? * *
* *
What challenges do you face?
(c) Mark Somerville July 2009

5. Getting ready
Meet your design team
Drop your baggage
Designing a course
Understand your students
Agree on a vision and objectives
Shop for ideas
Generate alternatives
Share your course concepts
Making it happen
Advice for creating and sustaining a change
Reflect and give feedback
(c) Mark Somerville July 2009

6. Go along for the ride
Don’t get stuck
Ideas first,
discussion second
(c) Mark Somerville July 2009

7. About post-its and sharpies…
ared out
t. Janet st
ormy nigh ees
it was a dark and st thro uhg the tr
m window, in. Was
A Bold Idea!
of her bedroo nd and the pelting ra could
in the wi e? Who
thrashing of the driv such
at the end ur, and in
that a light sit at such a late ho
to vi
be coming awfu l weather?
YES! NO!
(c) Mark Somerville July 2009

8. Understand your students
Agree on a vision and objectives
Shop for ideas
Generate alternatives
Present your concept(s)
(c) Mark Somerville July 2009

9. Design Teams
Review the student
framework worksheet.
Discuss important
aspects of incoming
students.
Tensions?
Commonalities?
Create one or more
frameworks to capture
this information.
Post your framework(s) in
your workspace.
(c) Mark Somerville July 2009

10. (c) Mark Somerville July 2009

11. (c) Mark Somerville July 2009

12. Understand your students
Agree on a vision and objectives
Shop for ideas
Generate alternatives
Present your concept(s)
(c) Mark Somerville July 2009

13. “A Harley-Davidson with four wheels”
(c) Mark Somerville July 2009

14. www.autocity.com
(c) Mark Somerville July 2009

15. “Understand the laws of thermodynamics”
vs.
“Use the laws of thermodynamics to explain…”
(c) Mark Somerville July 2009

16. Individuals
Using short, evocative phrases or sketches,
describe your hopes and dreams for this course.
“This course should…”
“At the end of this course, students should…”
Write each phrase on a post-it note using a sharpie.
Generate 5-10 post-its.
should
Exciting for Students N o to
The T ents! explain prob y
stud boo
ext be able to lems!
cess.
k design pro
(c) Mark Somerville July 2009

17. Design Teams
Go around the table and
read your post-its.
Say one sentence
about what each means.
Avoid rat holes.
Organize related post-its into
groupings on flipchart(s).
Create new post-its if
needed.
Label groupings with
evocative summary
statement. (c) Mark Somerville July 2009

18. Design Teams
Using your affinity diagram,
create a concise vision
statement for your course:
“We envision a first year
course that…”
We envision…
Not more than 20 words. At the end of this course students
will be…
Also create 4-6 high level 5.Able to describe…
6.Able to apply…
learning objectives: 7.Able to present…
“At the end of this course,
students will be able to…”
(c) Mark Somerville July 2009

19. Understand your students
Agree on a vision and objectives
Shop for ideas
Generate alternatives
Present your concept(s)
(c) Mark Somerville July 2009

20. Understand your students
Agree on a vision and objectives
Shop for ideas
Generate alternatives
Present your concept(s)
(c) Mark Somerville July 2009

21. (c) Mark Somerville July 2009

22. Design Teams
Review your student
Contr
frameworks and your vision/ ol as a
theme
objectives.
Solve
Brainstorm ideas for your gl
warm obal
ing!
course.
- Project concepts?
- Themes for the course
art a
- Assessment approaches? Students st
ny
toy compa
- Instructional strategies?
Encourage crazy ideas! Upperclass
students
instruct
Generate 30-50 ideas.
(c) Mark Somerville July 2009

23. Design Teams
Map your ideas; fill the “sweet spot”
Crazy Solve
gl
warm obal
Magical ing!
Idealistic
start
Students
a toy company
Contr Upperclass
Mundane ol as
theme a
students
instruct
Predictable
Easy to do
Final Exam
Projects/Themes Assessment Instructional
(c) Mark Somerville July 2009

24. Design Teams
Select three ideas; generate gallery sketch for each.
Title
Use color functionally
Project Concept: Very Light Jet Front Landing Gear
Students working for VLJ Jets Inc.
Teams of 6-8, weekly
company entering VLJ lecture, 2 weekly
Market team meetings
Deliverables: Evocative
3 concepts
Analysis of concepts Sketch
CAD for final Students act as team of
Oral report construction engineers to
design front landing gear
for new VLJ.
Assessment/
Deliverables
Annotate, but
not too
many words
(c) Mark Somerville July 2009

25. Design Teams
Create final poster or PowerPoint presentation
(c) Mark Somerville July 2009

26. Getting ready
Meet your design team
Drop your baggage
Designing a course
Understand your students
Agree on a vision and objectives
Shop for ideas
Generate alternatives
Share your course concepts
Making it happen
Advice for creating and sustaining a change
Reflect and give feedback
(c) Mark Somerville July 2009

27. Case Study Teams
Discuss the provided
case study and reading.
If you were Michael, what
would you do next?
If you were able to “go
back to start”, what would
you do differently?
What general advice can
you derive from the case
study and the reading?
(c) Mark Somerville July 2009

28. Design Teams
Frank’s Story Jan’s Story
Review the poster you *
*
*
*
*
*
generated on the first
evening. Chen’s Story
*
Myra’s Story
*
* *
* *
As a team, discuss what
will each of you should do
differently when you
return home. Frank’s Steps Jan’s Steps
* *
* *
Create a poster that * *
summarizes next steps
and advice for each Chen’s Steps Myra’s Steps
member of the team. * *
* *
* *
(c) Mark Somerville July 2009