Benefits of a Cross-Functional Safety Curriculum

As a profession, the practice of safety and health is still in its infancy. Thus, there is a recognized need for trained safety and health professionals. Many safety professionals start in other technical areas and receive their safety education on the job and through continuing education programs (Kedjidjian, 1998). It has been estimated that currently only 25-35% of individuals entering the safety profession are academically trained for safety (Kohn, 1997). Acceptance of safety as a true technical-based profession by industry is unlikely to occur until the majority of the people practicing the profession are academically trained. This depends on the ability of faculty to produce graduates who are able to not only perform the required activities of a safety technician, but also possess the knowledge to understand the “why” of those activities and the capability to pursue life-long learning as safety professionals

Multiple cooperating manipulators: The case of kinematically redundant arms

Existing work concerning two or more manipulators simultaneously grasping and transferring a common load is continued and extended. Specifically considered is the case of one or more arms being kinematically redundant. Some existing results in the modeling and control of single redundant arms and multiple manipulators are reviewed. The cooperating situation is modeled in terms of a set of coordinates representing object motion and internal object squeezing. Nominal trajectories in these coordinates are produced via actuator load distribution algorithms introduced previously. A controller is developed to track these desired object trajectories while making use of the kinematic redundancy to additionally aid the cooperation and coordination of the system. It is shown how the existence of kinematic redundancy within the system may be used to enhance the degree of cooperation achievable

Reducing Student Writing Time and Instructor Grading Time of Laboratory Reports

A previous study by the authors demonstrated with 95% confidence that the synopsis laboratory report format, a brief, information-rich summary, provides students with an equally positive learning experience in comparison to the longer, introduction/results/ conclusion “traditional” laboratory report format. This study examined the additional benefits of the synopsis laboratory report format; reduced student writing time and instructor grading time. A convenience sample of 56 Iowa State University industrial technology students was randomized into one of two groups that were required to write either five synopses followed by four traditional reports or four synopses followed by five traditional reports. The analysis of grading times using the paired-samples t-test revealed that synopsis reports required 4.5 to 5.8 fewer minutes to grade than traditional reports (p \u3c 0.001). The analysis of student writing times using the pairedsamples t-test revealed that synopsis reports required 32 to 44 fewer minutes to write than traditional reports (p \u3c 0.001). The results of an end-of-semester exit survey revealed that students also perceived the difference in writing time (p \u3c 0.001)

The Impact of Laboratory Report Format on Student Learning

This study sought to identify the effects on student learning of a brief `synopsis format\u27 laboratory report versus the lengthier `traditional format\u27 laboratory report. Fifty-six Iowa State University industrial technology students were randomized into one of two groups that were required to write five synopses followed by four traditional reports or vice versa. Latin Square Design analysis revealed no difference in exam scores between students who wrote synopsis reports versus those who wrote traditional reports. Exit survey results revealed that students preferred the synopsis format and perceived that the synopsis format required them to think more deeply about the content

An Evaluation of Student Performance on Traditional vs. Synopsis Laboratory Reports in Industrial Technology

Prior research demonstrated that writing synopsis laboratory reports (succinct syntheses of the experiment, lecture, and readings) instead of traditional laboratory reports, did not influence student learning as measured by comprehensive exam scores. This study extended this research by investigating the impact of these lab report formats on student learning as measured by laboratory report scores. Fifty-six Iowa State University industrial technology students were randomized into one of two groups that were required to write five synopsis reports followed by four traditional reports or vice-versa. The analysis of mean laboratory report scores using the paired-samples t-test revealed no significant difference between treatments. The analysis of the mean scores of the nine individual laboratory reports using two-sample t-tests revealed no treatment effect for seven of the nine reports. The results of an exit survey revealed that students believed the synopsis format helped them to achieve higher grades on their laboratory reports

Teaching Critical Thinking Using Understanding By Design

Academia is buzzing with the idea of teaching students to think critically and creatively. This article introduces the reader to the use of the Understanding by Design 5 methodology, also known as the “Backward Design Process”. This is an approach to develop technical courses that aim to cultivate higher-order skills in students. By incorporating recommended critical thinking design features, this article provides examples and a framework for the development of new courses or the revision of current courses. A list of websites devoted to critical thinking and Understanding by Design tools is included at the end of this article for additional information

Pilot Evaluation of an Internet Educational Module for Agricultural Safety

An important component of the safe operation of agricultural equipment is the ability to read and understand universal symbols. The Internet educational module is designed to help participants recognize these symbols. The impact of using it was evaluated using a field trial study. Assessment consisted of pre- and post-tests. Youth who had access to it averaged an improvement 29 points higher on the post-test than that of the control group. Overall, the Internet learning environment increased participants\u27 ability to recognize universal symbols faster and more accurately. The study serves as a model for supplementing Extension programming with Web-based educational material