Dan Budny

Research on learning style: applications in the physics and engineering classrooms

Several approaches to teaching undergraduate physics and engineering students using both the Dunn and Dunn and the Kolb learning style models are discussed. The Dunn and Dunn learning style model is employed with nonmajors enrolled in introductory physics at American University and the Kolb learning style model is employed with freshman engineering students at Purdue University. The basic elements of these two learning style models are compared and contrasted. Teaching approaches that have been successful with these two distinctly different populations of students are shared. These approaches can easily be adapted for use by educators in other branches of computing as well as science, mathematics, engineering and technology education.

Assessment of the impact of the freshman engineering courses

This study is based on historical data for a 28 year period, from 1966 through 1993. The study evaluates if the freshmen engineering courses supply the entering engineering student with the necessary foundation to persist in engineering because of the skills he/she acquires in these courses. To measure this, the authors evaluate longitudinal data on retention and graduation rates of students that start in the standard first semester courses, start in the off sequence semester or participate in their tutorial program and complete the engineering curriculum.

The Influence of Structural Damping on Internal Pressure During a Transient Pipe Flow

A four equation model of axial wave propagation with Poisson coupling which includes viscous damping to account for structural energy dissipation is evaluated. Comparison of the predictions with experimental data indicates that the model can satisfactorily predict fluid pressure and structural velocity.

Learning styles in the classroom: approaches to enhance student motivation and learning

A growing body of research suggests that increased learning gains can be achieved with college students when instruction is designed with learning styles in mind. In addition, several practitioners within the domains of science and engineering education have noted the importance of embedding a learning style approach within a variety of teaching strategies. Furthermore, attention to learning styles and learner diversity has been shown to increase student motivation to learn. In this interactive workshop, the research base on teaching and learning styles was outlined. Emphasis was placed on specific applications of teaching and learning styles in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology (SMET) education. Additional emphasis was placed on the critical role that a learning style approach can play in terms of SMET education. This workshop begins with an overview of several available learning style models and instruments. Information regarding how to choose the right assessment tool(s) for use with science, mathematics, engineering and technology students was shared. In addition, a description of some of the highlights of reported studies and programs involving learning styles in SMET education were given.

Library Research Project for First-Year Engineering Students: Results from Collaboration by Teaching and Library Faculty

SUMMARY This article will discuss three years of collaboration between the Freshman Engineering Program and the Engineering Library of the University Library System at the University of Pittsburgh. This collaboration has resulted in a library research project that is integrated into the freshman curriculum. The project ultimately provides the students with a research structure for presentations in an annual mock professional conference. The mission of the Freshman Engineering Programs academic and advising components is to create a first-year experience that promotes the students continued pursuit of an engineering degree through commitment to clearly understood and self-declared goals. The goal for the Engineering Library is to introduce library research as a necessary skill-set for successful engineers. The successful outcome of all of these goals requires the collaboration between “teaching” faculty and “library” faculty and results in better prepared, more focused students. Developing and integrating a library research project into the freshman engineering academic curriculum is a significant opportunity for library instruction, and the approach demonstrated here may be transferable to other disciplines.

Mathematics Bridge Program

Since 1990 the Department of Freshman Engineering has offered the Mathematics Summer Bridge Program for beginning students whose high school academic backgrounds indicate high learning potential, but also a high probability of having difficulty in completing the Freshmen Engineering mathematics curriculum. The uniqueness of the Purdue Bridge is that it is one week and only covers mathematics. The Bridge was designed to allow the student to discover his/her strengths and weaknesses in mathematics and to determine if he/she is ready for calculus. The concept is that after the bridge the student will be prepared emotionally to attack the first semester. This positive attitude will produce passing grades in her/his first semester mathematics course, a high first semester GPA, and increase the retention rate of the high risk student.

Four steps to teaching C programming

Our experience with teaching C programming has shown that the students have a problem understanding the concept of arrays, dealing with the syntax of the language, designing the organization of the program and understanding the concept of flow control such as looping and branching or function calls. In a typical C programming course the instructor must deal with all of these problems simultaneously, because of the nature of the language. To help solve this problem we have divided the various concepts and used different software packages to introduce each topic independently. For example we have discovered that EXCEL can be used to explain the concept of an array, matrix operations, data input, and the built in functions provides the student with a number of useful tools. The concept of designing the layout of a program can be introduced very well with HTML, and then the concept of control such as looping and branching can be introduced with MATLAB without many of the syntax problems that comes with C. Finally once the students are familiar with the use of EXCEL, UNIX, HTML and MATLAB the introduction of C is much easier for the students to understand. This paper describes how we introduced this new teaching concept into the University of Pittsburgh freshman engineering computing course.

Understanding of mathematics and science: efficient models for student assessments

Student self-reports provide information that is invaluable in assessing student backgrounds and achievements. These critical student inputs can be used to help place students in beginning courses; to identify high-risk and honors students; to evaluate the quality of courses, services, and resources; to initiate and evaluate existing and new programs; and to help students make career decisions. Faculty members can also use self-reports to efficiently examine student perceptions of their understanding of key content at the beginning and end of the courses for which they are responsible. This paper uses as a model: self-reports of first-year engineering students using the Mathematics Science Inventory (MSI). The MSI is used in placing students in beginning mathematics and chemistry courses and to evaluate their perceptions of their understanding of the key content of these courses. Significant, but differential self-reported gains in mathematics and chemistry knowledge are reported in twelve different math and chemistry courses, completed by 1995 and 1996 beginning engineering students. Complex, but generally positive, relationships are observed between course grades and pre-test and post-test self-reports of understanding of math and science content.

Integrating peer mentoring into the freshman curriculum

The transition from high school to college can be very difficult for many students. At the University of Pittsburgh, we have a system of courses and academic counseling that is designed to address these issues and help with this transition. One major component to help the freshman make this major transition is a series of mentoring courses that the entering student can select for the first semester. The student must also enroll in a freshman problem solving course that details the use of various computer tools. This paper discusses how these courses are integrated and describe the interaction of counseling with the first semester engineering problem solving course. The paper also discusses the mentor selection process, the mentor-training program, and the topics covered in the mentoring sessions.

The Impact Peer Mentoring Can have on Freshman Students

The transition from high school to college can be very difficult for many students. At the University of Pittsburgh, we have a system of courses and academic counseling that is designed to address these issues and help with this transition. One major component to help the freshman make this major transition is a series of mentoring courses that the entering student can select for the first semester. This paper discussed how these courses are integrated and describe the interaction of counseling with the first semester engineering problem solving course. The paper discussed the mentor selection process, the mentor-training program, and the topics covered in the mentoring sessions. Finally the impact of mentoring was compared to the student learning styles to show how mentoring can have a major impact on a group of students