Augmenting Design Learning through Computer-Aided Exploration

Much of engineering design courses are taught through the use of standard and simplified textbook problems that typically have a “correct” answer. In helping undergraduate students learn engineering design, it is very important that they explore scenarios that are realistic. A majority of the current educational methods and computer-based tools do not bridge the gap between the textbook problems and the real world and also lack affordances for design exploration. Although computational methods such as Finite Element Analysis (FEA) have this potential, they are hard to use and require the users to spend a significant effort in learning to use them. Also, several instructors have identified significant knowledge gaps between theory and practice in concepts related to structural design and strength of materials when the students reach their senior year. To this end, a problem-based, exploration-focused interface to allow for rapid design exploration within engineering design curricula using an easy-to-use, simplified and constrained version of finite elements for stress analysis and exploration has been developed. This interface makes it possible for users to rapidly explore various design options by incorporating a FEA back end for design exploration. The current approach uses constrained design problems for weight minimization that incorporates elements of structural topology optimization but does not automate it. In addition the tool constrains the solution generation process so that users do not get poor results. Instead, the user is provided with control on decision making for changing the shape through material removal while obtaining good solutions. Using this interface, the decision making and methodology of users in the course of the activities that provide a context of control, challenge and reflection is explored. Using questionnaires, video and verbal protocol analysis assessment is integrated in ways that are important and interesting for learning. The interface demonstrates that computational tools that are transformed for learning purposes can scaffold and augment learning processes in new ways

Using Concept Inventories to Measure Understanding

Measuring understanding is notoriously difficult. Indeed, in formulating learning outcomes the word “understanding” is usually avoided, but in the sciences, developing understanding is one of the main aims of instruction. Scientific knowledge is factual, having been tested against empirical observation and experimentation, but knowledge of facts alone is not enough. There are also models and theories containing complex ideas and inter-relationships that must be understood, and considerable attention has been devoted across a range of scientific disciplines to measuring understanding. This case study will focus on one of the main tools employed: the concept inventory and in particular the Force Concept Inventory. The success of concept inventories in physics has spawned concept inventories in chemistry, biology, astronomy, materials science and maths, to name a few. We focus here on the FCI, ask how useful concept inventories are for evaluating learning gains. Finally, we report on recent work by the authors to extend conceptual testing beyond the multiple-choice format

Digital Dissemination Platform of Transportation Engineering Education Materials Founded in Adoption Research

INE/AUTC 14.0

Production of insulin using recombinant dna technology

Biotechnology is a technology-related branch of biology. It has so many applications in the fields of agriculture, pharmaceutical and human medicine. Pharmaceutical biotechnology nevertheless has its cornerstones in fermentation and bioprocessing, but the paradigm shift created through biotechnology and pharmaceutical research has resulted in an up-to-date concept. The biotechnological revolution has redefined the processes of drug research, development, manufacturing and marketing. Insulin is one of the finest inventions in medical science in the field of biotechnology applications. Human insulin was formulated in the laboratory under in vitro conditions using recombinant DNA technology that is used for the treatment of a variety of diseases and is widely used in the clinical research industry. Human recombinant insulin was one of the first products of biotechnology. It has been developed in response to the need for consistent and sufficient global supply. This paper will discuss the production of human insulin formulations and the place of recombinant DNA technology in society

Intellectual Property Topics in Open University Distance-Taught Courses

Patents lie at the heart of engineering as a permanent and ongoing record of invention. We have taught the subject for about 5 years in both UG and PG courses, written from scratch owing to the absence of textbooks aimed specifically at engineers. Most practising engineers develop patent skills on the job rather than through conventional courses. But there is a need to present such courses as early as possible in the engineering curriculum, so that graduates have a flying start in their first employment

SciTech News Volume 71, No. 2 (2017)

Columns and Reports From the Editor 3 Division News Science-Technology Division 5 Chemistry Division 8 Engineering Division 9 Aerospace Section of the Engineering Division 12 Architecture, Building Engineering, Construction and Design Section of the Engineering Division 14 Reviews Sci-Tech Book News Reviews 16 Advertisements IEEE