FirstBuild in ENGR 100

firstBuild representative Amelia Gandara, ChE ’14, presents to the ENGR100 class on the opportunities to use the technologies and equipment available at their on-campus facility.

First year students taking Introduction to Engineering (ENGR 100) were introduced to FirstBuild by Speed alumna, Amelia Gandara. FirstBuild (located on the north end of campus) is a partnership between GE Appliances and Local Motors whose mission is to create a new model for the appliance industry be engaging a community of industrial designers, scientists, engineers, makers and early adopters to address engineering challenges and new innovations. Students were encouraged to participate in the online community by generating ideas or to visit the microfactory to see how they could get involved in a “hand-on” fashion.

Engineering Fundamentals Update

Drs. Jeffrey Hieb and Patricia Ralston (Engineering Fundamentals) and Dr. Keith Lyle (Psychological and Brain Sciences) have received a grant from the National Science Foundation to study a potential means of helping first-year Engineering students learn and retain calculus knowledge. The project will compare a typical classroom procedure, in which knowledge of a given course objective is tested primarily on a single quiz, with a procedure in which the same knowledge is tested on multiple quizzes spaced out throughout the course. The latter procedure–known as spacing– has been found to enhance learning and memory in many laboratory studies, but has rarely been applied in the classroom or to mathematical knowledge.

Engineering Fundamentals Update

Drs. Patricia Ralston, Jeff Hieb, Jim Lewis and Angela Thompson (Engineering Fundamentals) along with Dr. Nora Honken (research collaborator) attended the National American Society for Engineering Education Conference and Exhibition held in Indianapolis, IN, June 15-18. Together, they presented five papers in three different divisions of ASEE; Educational Research and Methods Division, First-Year Programs Division, and Mathematics Division. In addition to sharing their research, these faculty gained additional ideas and updates on the latest trends in engineering education. Dr. Jim Lewis completed two years of service of Program Chair for the Computers in Education Division and will serve as division chair for the next two years. Drs. Patricia Ralston and Nora Honken received the First-Year Program Division “Best Presentation Award” for their presentation at the 2013 ASEE Conference in Atlanta, Georgia.

Faculty Learning Community on Collaboration

The FLC is exploring ways to bring evidence-based collaborative learning techniques to engineering classrooms

A group of 7 faculty members from Speed are participating in a Faculty Learning Community (FLC) on Collaboration that is sponsored by the Speed School Center for Teaching and Learning Engineering.  Drs.  Marie Brown (Delphi Center) and Patricia Ralston (Engineering Fundamentals) are facilitators. The FLC is exploring ways to bring evidence-based collaborative learning techniques to engineering classrooms.  By properly structuring learning tasks to implement collaborative learning effectively, faculty help students learn the benefits of working together to improve both individual and collective achievement.

Faculty played a spirited game of HiHo CherryO to prepare for their session. They played the collaborative version where the goal is for the group to pick the cherries from the trees rather than compete against teammates.

Faculty played a spirited game of HiHo CherryO – the collaborative option where the goal is for the group to pick the cherries from the trees, rather than compete against teammates.

Collaborative Learning in Engineering Analysis I

Because faculty now have access to instructional videos (See December Post) for approximately one third of the content that was formerly delivered by lecture in Engineering Analysis I, faculty have more exciting options for how to use that time! This semester, Dr. Jeff Hieb is using that time to have his students meet in the newly renovated classroom, JS LL16, where he is working to implement collaborative learning.  Students work together on some homework problems and the number of problems they have to submit individually is reduced. The department is carefully studying this pilot group, and if this proves beneficial, we hope that eventually more EF classes will include collaborative learning.

Center for Teaching and Learning Engineering

Drs. Ralston, Lewis and Tyler work together on a video lesson in the EF studio.

As part of the strategic planning process, Speed School has recently established a Center for Teaching and Learning Engineering. The center works in partnership and collaboration with UofL’s Delphi Center for Teaching and Learning and is based in the Department of Engineering Fundamentals.  Already operational is a new instructional design studio.  Drs. Tyler, Ralston, and Lewis have created video content for approximately 30 percent of the Engineering Analysis I course.  This content was previously delivered in a class lecture, that time has now been returned to students, and they can view the videos at their convenience and as often as they like! Stay tuned – more exciting things are coming…

Week Ten!

It is already week ten of fall semester and our freshmen are busy indeed.  In their Introduction to Engineering Course ( ENGR 100), they have heard presentations from all seven degree-granting departments and now have a better idea of what engineers in each discipline do.  They also learned about the ethical issues engineers face as they reviewed the engineering code of ethics and worked in groups to examine an ethical dilemma.

ENGR 190 – Speed’s First Emporium Class

Dr. Jeff Hieb is shown assisting students in Room 016 of the JB Speed Building, which has been re-purposed as Speed School’s first collaborative classroom.

After months of study and research, the Engineering Fundamentals Department decided to redesign ENGR 190, the Introductory Calculus course taken by some of Speed’s first year students. Dr. Jeff Hieb agreed to lead this effort and is now directing a mathematics emporium for these students. This course provides intensive review of algebra, trigonometry, and introductory calculus concepts necessary for success in ENGR 101, Engineering Analysis I. The emporium design structures students’ learning opportunities, but allows them flexibility to attend the mathematics laboratory at times convenient to their schedule. All assignments and assessments are done on the computer using MyMathLab, courseware specifically designed to facilitate student learning.

Exciting Fall Semester 2013

Faculty and staff members from the department of Engineering Fundamentals

The Engineering Fundamentals Department (EF) enthusiastically welcomed 515 new freshmen and nearly 100 transfer students in their Introduction to Engineering classes last week! Students learned about their tablets and software needed for their courses, filled out their Flight Plan with assistance from their advisors, and heard from TAs and faculty how to become successful engineering students.

EF also welcomes as their newest term instructor, Dr. Tim Broering, a recent graduate of UofL’s Mechanical Engineering Department.  Dr. Broering’s research was in the area of computational fluid dynamics, where he studies flapping wing configurations.  Research applications include the development of micro air vehicles with potential use in military aerial reconnaissance or search and rescue.  Dr. Broering is teaching Introduction to Engineering and Differential Equations courses this fall.

Gary Eisenmenger becomes a dynamic facilitator rather than a lecturer with the use of technology.

EF’s instructor for Engineering Graphics, Gary Eisenmenger, is doing something completely different this fall in his classes.  Based on the department’s year-long analysis and evaluation of effective teaching models, he is replacing most of his standard lectures with interactive content. Students now come to class with earphones, listen to videos Mr. Eisenmenger created for each class, and ask questions if they need help with assignments. Mr. Eisenmenger is now a dynamic facilitator, rather than a lecturer.