Assessment of Engineering Mechanics Instructional Multimedia in a Variety of Instructional Settings

Students from Ten Schools, Representing Seven Countries, Used Interactive Multimedia as a Part of their Engineering Statics Classes. the Software Consisted of Four Modules, Which Focused On: Mohr\u27s Circle; Centroid and Moment of Inertia; Stress Transformation; and Structural Analysis. the Students Completed On-Line Surveys About their Experience with the Software. Analysis of the Results Indicated that Students Rated their Knowledge of the Subject Matter Covered in the Software as Increasing Significantly as a Consequence of using the Software. However, This Increase Was Substantially More Pronounced for Students in U.S. Schools. Students Rated the Software as Significantly More Effective Than their Class Textbooks, And, Again, This Effect Was Substantially Stronger for Students in the U.S. the Analyses Also Indicated that the Software Differed Little in its Impact on Males Versus Females. Ratings on a Number of Additional Outcomes Were Consistently Positive with Respect to Student Opinions of the Software

Incorporating Web-Based Homework Problems in Engineering Dynamics

We are involved in a project funded by the Department of Education (FIPSE) which focuses on developing interactive software to improve the teaching and learning of engineering statics, dynamics, and mechanics of materials. This paper presents an overview of this project, discusses its objectives, and focuses on one particular aspect of the project.the use of web-based homework problems as assessment tools to evaluate student learning. The overall project includes creating, for all three engineering mechanics courses, the following web-based learning tools: (a) Animated theory modules, using Macromedia.s Flash development software, which display basic theory and example problems in an engaging, clear, and concise way; (b) Conceptual quizzes to evaluate student understanding of the theory; (c) Web-based homework problems to assess students. quantitative skills; (d) Other media elements, including streaming video mini-lectures over key topics, and video of real mechanisms and examples. The paper will give examples of web-based homework used in dynamics, discuss aspects of creating and using these, and give some results of student feedback from using these problems

Interactive Learning Tools: Animating Statics

Computer-Based Modules for Engineering Instruction Must Be Concise, Flexible, Educational and Engaging in Order to Effectively Supplement Traditional Classroom Teaching Tools. a Computer Example that Takes More Time Than a Chalkboard Presentation is Not Likely to Be Useful in Today\u27s Engineering Classroom. Flexible Navigation is Necessary So that the Instructor Can Quickly and Easily Respond to Student Questions. Useful Modules Must Also Improve Problem-Solving Skills or Clarify Troublesome Concepts in Order to Be Considered Worthy of Inclusion in the Limited Class Time Available. Finally, and Perhaps Most Importantly, Effective Computer-Based Modules Must Meet the Challenge of Holding the Student\u27s Attention. This Paper Focuses on the Development and Improvement of Computer-Based Interactive Modules for Statics Instruction. the Modules Were Created using an Animation Package (Flash®) So that Concepts Such as Sectioning of Trusses and the Generation of Shear and Moment Diagrams Can Be Presented in an Intuitive and Interactive Manner. the Modules Are Able to Represent Dynamic and Abstract Aspects of These Concepts in a Way that is Not Possible with Traditional Instructional Tools. the Paper Also Discusses the Use of Feedback from Instructors and Students to Improve the Interactivity and Scope of the Modules

Teaching the Superposition Method with Internet-Based Instructional Software

In the Mechanics of Materials course, one method used to determine beam deflections and support reactions for statically determinate and indeterminate beams is based on the concept of superposition. To help explain the theory and art of the superposition method, a series of 14 animated movies has been developed that present examples and strategies for applying superposition principles to common types of beams. To evaluate its effectiveness, experiments were conducted in which the customary lectures were replaced by use of this instructional software. Students who used the superposition software were compared to students in five other Mechanics of Materials sections on the basis of (a) score on a superposition problem included in the common final exam, (b) total score on the common final exam, and (c) a survey questionnaire consisting of a number of subjective rating items. Those students who used the superposition software were statistically comparable to the other students on all these outcome measures. In addition, there was evidence that low ability students benefited from the software in the form of increased motivation, in comparison to students in some of the other sections

A Comparison of Different Formats for Presenting Example Problems in Basic Engineering Web-based Learning Modules

The purpose of this experiment was to compare three different formats for presenting example problems within Basic Engineering Web-Based learning modules. After seeing a lecture over the shear flow concept on-line, students in a Basic Engineering Class viewed example problems covering this topic in either a video, static text/graphic, or animation format. Students then completed a number of outcome measures. High ability students scored higher on a quiz covering the materials and rated the materials as less motivating than their low ability peers. However, there were no significant objective or subjective outcome differences as a function of presentation format, nor did ability and experimental condition interact. A number of possible explanations for these findings are discussed

A Model-Driven Multi-Year Assessment of a Software Development Project for Engineering Instruction

This paper is a review of a series of evaluation studies that were utilized to inform and evaluate a large scale instructional software development project at-the university of Missouri - Rolla entitled Taking the Next Step in Engineering Education: Integrating Educational Software and Active Learning. This project was funded by the U.S. Department of Education Fund for the Improvement of Post Secondary Education (FIPSE), and was carried out over the last four years. The assessment was carried out under the auspices of UMR\u27s Laboratory for Information Technology Evaluation (LITE), and guided by the LITE model for evaluation of learning technologies. The fundamental premise of the model is that evaluation should consist of the triangulation of multiple research methodologies and measurement tools. Five representative evaluation studies, consisting of eight experiments, are presented here. The studies range from initial research consisting of basic experimentation and usability testing; to applied research conducted within the class room; to a large multi-nation cross-cultural applied-dissemination survey conducted during the last semester of the project. The results indicate that the instructional multimedia developed in this project can have a substantial positive impact in enhancing fundamental engineering classes. Further, the research also indicates that the LITE model can be an effective tool for guiding a comprehensive evaluation program

Interactive Learning Tools: Animating Mechanics of Materials

Computer-based instructional materials offer great potential for engineering education. A challenge that must be addressed in the successful use of this medium, however, is overcoming the students’ tendency toward passively receiving the instruction. Particularly in the impersonal domain of a student interacting with a computer, instructional materials must seek to actively engage students in the learning process. Well-designed software may engage students overtly -- for example, requiring responses to questions, entering the results of calculations, or prompting for decisions -- or indirectly in ways that are more intuitive such as the revealed insight of an expertly executed animation sequence. This paper presents examples of interactive learning tools being developed for the mechanics of materials course. These learning tools feature animations, graphics, and interactivity designed to engage and stimulate students, to effectively explain and illustrate course topics, and to build student problem-solving skills. Student reactions to these learning tools as well as observed changes in student performance are discussed

Games as Teaching Tools in Engineering Mechanics Courses

The computer as a teaching medium affords new opportunities for creative instructional activities that are not possible in the traditional lecture and textbook format. One such type of activity is the use of interactive games. Several games have been developed and implemented in the Statics and Mechanics of Materials courses at the University of Missouri - Rolla. These games focus on fundamental topics such as centroids, moments of inertia, shear force and bending moment diagrams, the first moment of area Q, and Mohr\u27s Circle for plane stress. These games seek to develop the student\u27s proficiency and confidence in narrowly defined but essential topic areas using repetition and carefully constructed levels of difficulty. The game format provides students with a learning structure and an incentive to develop their skills at their own pace in a non-judgmental but competitive and often fun environment. Performance improvements and student reaction to the games are discussed