Sudhir Mehta

Measurement and analysis of student engagement in university classes where varying levels of PBL methods of instruction are in use

Students participate more in a classroom and also report a better understanding of course concepts when steps are taken to actively engage them. The Student Engagement (SE) Survey was developed and used in this study for measuring student engagement at the class level and consisted of 14 questions adapted from the original National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) survey. The adapted survey examined levels of student engagement in 56 classes at an upper mid‐western university in the USA. Campus‐wide faculty members participated in a program for training them in innovative teaching methods including problem‐based learning (PBL). Results of this study typically showed a higher engagement in higher‐level classes and also those classes with fewer students. In addition, the level of engagement was typically higher in those classrooms with more PBL.

Jump Avoidance Conditions for Piecewise Linear Vibration Isolator

Piecewise linear systems being highly non-linear, standard perturbation methods cannot produce an analytical expression for the frequency response. Hence, an adapted averaging method is employed to obtain an implicit function for frequency response of a bilinear system under steady state. This function is examined for jump-avoidance and a condition is derived which when met ensures that the undesirable phenomenon of ‘Jump’ does not occur and the system response is functional and unique.Copyright

Work in Progress - A Statics Skills Inventory

This paper focuses on assessment of student skills in statics and provides details of development of a statics skills assessment tool. The use of only concept inventories to provide proof of student learning is an incomplete assessment as important engineering knowledge consists of both conceptual knowledge and skill intertwined. A multi-step Delphi process involving a group of engineering educators was used to reach consensus on the important skills of statics. These skills are currently grouped into 10 categories. The Delphi rankings included both the average importance of the skill as judged by the Delphi participants and their judgment of the average proportion of their students whom can perform the skill. Skill-based questions are being developed to probe these areas

Sensitivity of Jump Avoidance Condition of Piecewise Linear Vibration Isolator to Dynamical Parameters

An adapted averaging method is employed to obtain an implicit function for frequency response of a bilinear vibration isolator system under steady state. This function is examined for jump-avoidance and a condition is derived which when met ensures that the undesirable phenomenon of ‘Jump’ does not occur and the system response is functional and unique. The jump avoidance and sensitivity of the condition are examined and investigated as the dynamic parameters vary. The results of this investigation can be directly employed in design of effective piecewise linear vibration isolators. A linear vibration system is defined as one in which the quantities of mass (or inertia), stiffness, and damping are linear in behavior and do not vary with time [1]. Although mathematical models employing a linear ordinary differential equation with constant coefficients portray a simple and manageable system for analytical scrutiny, in most cases they are an incomplete representation simplified for the sake of study. Most real physical vibration systems are more accurately depicted by non-linear governing equations, in which the non-linearity may stem from structural constraints causing a change in stiffness and damping characteristics, or from inherent non-linear behavior of internal springs and dampers. This paper focuses on a general form of such a non-linear system. This study of piecewise-linear systems will allow hazardous system behavior over operating frequency ranges to be gauged and controlled in order to avoid premature fatigue damage, and prolong the life of the system.Copyright

A program for faculty peer review of teaching at North Dakota State University

North Dakota State University has recently created the peer review of teaching (PRT) program which seeks to promote student-centered learning through the use of cooperative peer review teams to promote enhanced teaching methods, techniques, and strategies. The PRT project is a faculty-driven initiative intended to offer individual faculty added feedback related to instruction. Faculty members work together to set goals and to interpret student reactions to instruction strategies. The process is intentionally limited to formative assessment, and the peer assessment data is owned by the individual faculty members. Project participants are required to observe the teaching materials and teaching activity of a peer for at least one class per semester, provide meaningful feedback to his or her peer related to his or her syllabus and teaching strategies, and provide a measure of evaluation and assessment related to enhanced student learning. The contents of this paper document: 1) the background and development of the PRT program, 2) the selection and coordination of the peer teams, 3) the development of the peer philosophy and project deliverables, and 4) an evaluation and assessment of the PRT program.

Concept questions for improved learning and outcome assessment in statics

Summary form only given. Students in science, math, or engineering classes often focus on plugging numbers into equations rather than understanding the basic concepts behind the equations. Eric Mazur (1997) developed materials to help physics teachers move students from juggling equations to actually thinking and learning the concepts of physics by use of concept questions and peer instruction. Statics concept questions that instructors can use to encourage students to grapple with underlying concepts as well as support active learning in statics classes are being developed. In addition, the questions are targeted at different levels of Blooms (1956) taxonomy. Use of these questions in statics classes at two different institutions and initial results are described.