A theme-based spiral curriculum approach is being adopted to initiate the department-level reform (DLR) of the freshman engineering and the bioprocess engineering curricula at Virginia Tech. A large number of engineering faculty members are collaborating with experts in educational psychology and academic assessment to accomplish the objectives of this 3-year NSF supported project that began in September 2004. Successful implementation of the spiral approach will be used as a model for incorporating similar reforms in other engineering departments and elsewhere.
Historically, engineering has been a practical outgrowth of the need to solve physical problems. Engineering education was initially based in practical laboratory and shop experiences, as well as traditional instruction in science and mathematics. Following World War II, engineering education in the United States began emphasizing theoretical sciences and mathematics. Though a justified response at the time, this approach has evolved to one of less and less practical instruction. Today, there is a strong need to supplement traditional teaching with activities that give practical meaning to the equations presented in the lecture 1. To partially address this problem, we presented several hands-on collaborative experiences in eight of the 36 Introduction to Engineering (EF1015) lecture classes during the 2000 fall semester. This paper will discuss the impact of these activities on student learning and perception of learning. A questionnaire to assess student perceptions of learning was given at midsemester and at the end of the semester to eight hands-on (HO) sections and ten traditional (TR) sections. We first compare HO versus TR mid-semester responses and final responses to see if there is any difference in the students' perception of their learning. We then compare HO mid-semester perceptions versus HO end semester perceptions to see if hands-on activities were more beneficial to latter subjects. The results of these surveys and comparisons are presented as are our conclusions concerning using hands-on activities in class.
Over the past 50 years, engineering education has undergone a shift from an emphasis of experimental and hands-on learning to theoretical, lecture based instruction. The engineering education community is nearing consensus that the pendulum has swung too far. Our students and the industries we serve make the need for change clear, and Virginia Tech's College of Engineering is implementing new methods of instruction. More specifically, the first year engineering program at Virginia Tech is in the process of undergoing significant modification in both our approach and emphasis in educating our students. This paper discusses the past, present, and future efforts of Virginia Tech's Engineering Fundamentals Division in implementing these changes. First, a brief background of our recent endeavors to provide hands-on and early design activities is presented. A snapshot of our current programs detailing lessons learned and successes follows, and the final section discusses the short to medium range goals of the Engineering Fundamental Division.
(ENGE) at Virginia Tech conducts several hands-on exercises in the Frith Freshman Design Laboratory throughout the academic year. A recent addition to this design laboratory experience is a laboratory on fuel cells. This laboratory experience focuses on the operation and applications of fuel cells as a power source and allows the students to handle and operate their own bench-scale prototype fuel cell. During a 50-minute visit to the Frith Lab, students are guided through a brief background lecture before teams of two each receive a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) on which to conduct their own experiments to investigate this important and emerging technology. The PEMFC apparatus is powered by hydrogen that is produced in the laboratory via solar-powered electrolysis of water where the solar energy is provided by a sun lamp. This experimental setup allows demonstration of the entire green energy cycle to the students. Load boxes are used to perform measurements that are more detailed and generate the characteristic fuel cell voltage curves. Exposing engineering students to emerging technologies is one way of keeping them interested and engaged in their education, especially when the experience is a hands-on activity. This fuel cell exercise offers students the opportunity to handle and operate their own small fuel cell unit and offers a means to educate virtually every first year engineering student on an important alternative energy source. In this paper, the details of funding, budget, equipment and implementation will be fully described.
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