Candy Land: Engaging Students in Class

Abstract

Social media, cell phones, Candy Crush, the crossword in the student newspaper, and worries about the exam in the next class are among the many distractors competing for students' attention in class. Teaching in this potentially distraction-filled environment can pose significant challenges for instructors. Use of active learning techniques such as in-class activities, problem solving exercises, discussions, and questioning draw students' attention to the task at hand and help keep them engaged. Effective use of humor and fun are important tools in this endeavor. Numerous studies cite the importance of building positive rapport as a critical factor in promoting student learning. This study investigates the effectiveness of using candy in engineering classrooms and recommends methods of developing positive rapport using candy. Some faculty may be concerned about the use of candy in college classrooms as unprofessional or as a trick to curry student favor. Accordingly, students from four universities, both public and private, and from different geographical regions within the United States were asked for input about the use of candy in engineering courses. Results indicate that students feel that candy is an appropriate tool in college education and a majority agreed that candy use is not distracting or unprofessional. Similarly, students considered candy as a means for motivating them to pay attention and participate. The authors provide recommendations on how to incorporate use of candy in the classroom and list common pitfalls to avoid. This study demonstrates that, if used correctly, candy can aid student learning in college engineering classrooms. No Sugarcoating: An Introduction to using candy in the classroom Is 'having fun' relevant to learning engineering? Can use of humor or candy help promote fun? Will students perceive use of candy as unprofessional or distracting? Will students take a class or professor less seriously if candy is used? Will colleagues frown upon use of candy in the classroom? These important questions, sometimes expressed as concerns by faculty, provided the motivation for this study. Each of the authors has made an intentional choice to use candy in support of student learning. However, each of us has also asked and been asked the questions presented above. Frequently, concerns are expressed by junior faculty who may not have been exposed to the concept of 'having fun' in a college classroom or who may be concerned about students' perceptions of their role as leader in the classroom. Some faculty have expressed concern that students may consider use of candy or humor as unprofessional or inappropriate in engineering classrooms. Appropriate use of candy, as with any tool in the classroom, can help engage students, especially when coupled with appropriate use of humor. Numerous sources in engineering education literature describe the importance of engaging students as active participants to improve contextual understanding and retention of material 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Instructional strate...

Fifteen-Plus Years of Strength of Materials with Pool Noodles and More!

“…Klosky and Vander Schaaf [11] and Lanning and Roberts [14] both reported significant improvements in student ratings of the course and instructor in semesters where demonstrations were used compared to previous semesters when they were not. In several studies [7], [9], [10], [13], [17] student ratings of the effectiveness of demonstrations or activities were generally on the positive side (as opposed to the negative side) of neutral, with ratings of generally 3.5 to 4 (4.5 to 5 in one study) on a 5-point Likert scale where 3 is neutral, 4 is agree and 5 is strongly agree that they were effective. Two studies [7], [8] also looked at changes in student performance on quizzes and exams when demonstrations were used in class compared to when they were not.…”

“…Axial deformation and stresses • Rubber bands [4] or bungee cords [5] • Rectangular foam beam with grid markings [6] • Pipe insulation (foam) with square marking [7] • Surgical glove material with square and diamond markings [8] • Foam pool noodle [9] • Licorice [5], [10] Shear loading (single or double shear)…”

“…• Marshmallows [10] or silly putty [13] Centroids • Angle iron [4] • 3-D printed body [16] Moment of inertia • Rectangular foam beam [6] • Yardstick [6] or coffee stir sticks [14] Longitudinal shear in beam due to transverse loading…”

“…• Foam member (circular cross-section) with grid or square markings [6], [7] • PVC archery bow [17] Torsion loading and deformations • Circular foam member -pool noodle/pipe insulation with grid or square markings [4], [6], [7], [12], [13] • Styrofoam tube with square/diamond markings [8] • Licorice [10] • Small diameter plastic rod/tube or wooden dowel [12], rubber rod [5], or PVC pipe [17] • Cardboard tube [12] Torsion failure…”

“…• Rectangular foam beam [6], [13] • Acrylic sheet in wooden loading frame [11] • Steel ruler or wooden yardstick [9], [12] • Licorice [10] • Coffee stir sticks [14] • Small diameter wooden dowel [12] or PVC pipe [17] In general, the use of lecture demonstrations or demonstration-based activities seem to have a positive impact on student impressions of strength of materials courses and student learning. New avenues for creating and using them continue to be explored including the use of 3-D printing [19] and mixed reality [20].…”