Participating
Group Members:
Mark Anderson
Lisa Bailey
Richard Butler
Robin Culbertson
Jennifer Farr
Nancy Turner
Updated April 5, 2002
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The solutions
suggested by the individuals in our group were excellent as evidenced on
our Solutions page. It was difficult
narrowing our recommendations into one summary, but the majority of our
group members did reach consensus in selecting the following solutions
as our top choices:
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We agreed that
software simulation software similar to that found at http://www.eng-software.com/
and http://journal.fluid.power.net/issue4/software4.html
could be used to lighten the burden of setting up labs and would
allow students to practice and reinforce various principals
associated with the Engineering Course. The cost of the
software would be offset over time and would help save on the cost
of expensive lab equipment. The software could also be made
more accessible to students since it could be loaded on campus lab
computers. Generally speaking, campus computers would be
easier to access during odd and extended hours of the day than a
real-life lab experiment would be.
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We felt that
Hernandez should begin
the course with easier, hypothetical experiments and concepts and
then progress
to the more time-consuming “real-world”
experiments. As a fairly new professor, it seemed possible
that Hernandez did not have realistic expectations and this instructional
approach could also incorporate the use of the simulation
software. It was noted by one group member and we all
agreed, "real world designers use software before
investing in expensive manufacturing
materials."
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If Hernandez
and Spaulding discovered that the problems experienced by
Hernandez were typical (and possibly the reason that other
instructors did not want to teach the course) there is a
possibility that a prerequisite course, like Engineering
Methods and Graphical Communications I should be offered. If
Spaulding determined the Engineering course too encompassing
it might also be possible to break the one course into several
more concentrated courses (example: Introduction
to Fluid Dynamics, Introduction to Electricity, Introduction to
Force).
The creation of additional courses would in
all probability lighten the student load as well. Smaller
groups of students would allow Hernandez time to devote to
individuals and lesson preparation.
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We
also agreed that
Hernandez might be able to utilize
the graduate students more effectively by having them act as group
leaders and lab assistants. Using
the graduate students would free Hernandez so she could provide
more individual attention to her students and the students would
also benefit from the added perspective the graduates might bring
to the learning process.
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