4,570 research outputs found
Design and development of practical instruction for freshmen engineering students in a renewable energy course
Get PDFConference ProceedingsTechnical competence and problem solving skills
are key graduate attributes that engineering students must
develop, especially within a practical laboratory. A new specialized
course in renewable energy was introduced at the beginning of
2014 at the Central University of Technology, with the main
purpose of addressing this goal. The purpose of this research is to
describe the design and development of relevant practical
instruction which was introduced into one of the solar energy
modules, termed Solar Energy Systems II. This module forms part
of the curriculum of the new renewable energy course. The
backward curriculum design method was applied in developing
the practical instruction. Five learning outcomes were specified
while three assessment strategies were selected, including oral
presentations, written laboratory reports (headings include the
experimental question, hypothesis, materials, procedure,
observations, data, conclusion and reflections) and a final written
class test. Two main pedagogical methods were used involving
authentic learning and computer-based learning, while lectures,
group work, videos and a learning management system were also
used. A questionnaire was finally used to obtain student feedback
on the practical instruction. Students indicated that the practical
work was enjoyable (92%), relevant to the theory (83%), and a
valuable learning experience (97%). This practical instruction has
given freshmen engineering students the opportunity to
demonstrate their acquisition of important graduate attributes
that may help them to contribute to the socio-economic
development of South Africa
A simulated energy monitoring system to enable undergraduate engineering students to grasp fundamental energy generation principles
Get PDFPublished Conference ProceedingsEngineering students must be equipped with the right graduate attributes in order to
contribute effectively to the socio-economic growth of their communities. These vital attributes may
be demonstrated by students through the use of various educational technologies, including computer
based simulations. The purpose of this paper is to describe the design of a simulated energy
monitoring system that was developed at the Central University of Technology to enable freshmen
engineering students to grasp fundamental energy generation principles relating to solar energy. This
system enables students to grasp principles of energy flow in a typical PV system, as well as the
importance that power efficiency exerts on the overall performance of the system. The majority of
students exposed to this system have indicated that they enjoyed the simulations, having applied new
knowledge in a practical environment
Learning Strategies of Secondary School Technology Education Teachers and Their Students
Get PDFThe United States has long been known as a nation of innovators and doers, supported by an educational system based on these concepts; however, our school systems have had problems producing students prepared to retain the United States as a global leader. Technology Education is an exception. Technology Education provides the opportunity to apply knowledge, theory, and concepts to real-world applications through the use of activities that encourage innovation and creativity. This study used a quantitative causal comparative design to investigate the learning strategies of secondary school Technology Education teachers and their students, distribution of learning strategies in the Technology Education courses, and the differences in learning strategies across the International Technology and Engineering Educators Association (ITEEA) program areas. Technology Education teachers and students in selected programs across Virginia took the Assessing the Learning Strategies of Adults (ATLAS) instrument, which placed them in a learning strategy category of navigator, problem solver, or engager, and completed a short demographic survey about gender, Technology Education program, grade, and age. A Chi Square Test of Independence was used to see if there were significant differences in the learning strategies of Technology Education teachers and their students, and also if there was a significant difference in learning strategies among the ITEEA program areas. It is hoped that this study will provide insight into the learning strategies in Technology Education so that programs and curriculum can be developed that improve the overall effectiveness of the instructional process
Dordt College 1993-94 Catalog
Get PDFAcademic Catalog for 1993-94https://digitalcollections.dordt.edu/academic_catalogs/1027/thumbnail.jp
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