Integration of Graphical Programming into the First-Year Engineering Experience

1. KEEN Regional Conference on the Entrepreneurially-Minded First-Year Experience 30-March-2012: Kettering University Gregory Bucks Integration of Graphical Programming into the First-Year Engineering Experience

2. Outline • Motivation • Background • Spring 2009, Fall 2009 Experience • Fall 2011 Experience • Reactions • Conclusions

3. Motivation • Increasing need for computing skills in both professional and personal life • Increasing use of computers/electronics as part of the product • Learning to program is difficult • Most students do not develop a grasp of the fundamental concepts during introductory courses • What ways can we help students to learn programming concepts/skills?

4. Motivation • Decision made to attempt to use graphical programming languages (NI LabVIEW) to augment student learning of programming and engineering design

5. Background: First-Year Engineering at Purdue Spring 2009 Fall 2009, 2011 2 course sequence “Ideas to Innovation I” Teaming User-Centered and sustainable design Engineering disciplines “Ideas to Innovation II” Engineering problem solving Programming with MATLAB • 1 course • “Engineering Problem Solving and Computer Tools” • Teaming • User-centered and sustainable design • Engineering problem solving • Programming with MATLAB

6. Course Structure: • Two 120 minute studio classes per week • Integrate lectures and activities • Students in teams of four • Weekly homework assignments • Projects throughout the semester • Conceptual • Report driven • No implementation

7. Course Structure: Spring 2009 • Modifications – 2 sections: • Inclusion of LabVIEW as an “executable flowchart” along with learning MATLAB • Homework and lab activities on LabVIEW • Use of LabVIEW on an end-of-semester group project

8. Course Structure: Fall 2009 • Modifications – 2 sections: • LabVIEW integrated as a tool to help prepare for spring semester MATLAB experience and as a venue for design experience • Homework and lab activities in LabVIEW • Two LabVIEW group projects

9. Main Project: Spring/Fall 2009 • Students tasked with developing a program in LabVIEW to teach 7th grade students a concept from the Indiana State science/math curriculum • Presented programs to local 7th grade class

10. Main Project:Spring/Fall 2009 • Schedule: 4 weeks • Proposal Memo describing user and chosen concept and paper prototype of how to convey concept • Paper proposal showing user interface • Beta program and draft instructions • Final program for use by 7th graders and set of instructions for how to use the program • Projects assessed by instructional staff, feedback from 7th graders Memo Schedule

11. Main Project: Examples of Student Work • Examples of 7th Grade Projects • Can download copy of full LabVIEW student programs at: https://engineering.purdue.edu/EPICS/ENGR195_Project/Fall2009_ENGR195

12. Course Structure: Fall 2011 • Modifications – 2 sections: • LabVIEW and NI MyDAQ system integrated as a tool to help prepare for spring semester MATLAB experience and as a venue for design experience • Homework and lab activities with LabVIEW/MyDAQ • One LabVIEW/MyDAQ group project

13. NI MyDAQ System • Small, portable USB-powered data acquisition device • Can be used on it’s own or easily integrates with LabVIEW MyDAQ Example: Generate Acquire

14. Main Project:Fall 2011 • Design a hardware and software system that demonstrates your mastery of LabVIEW and the MyDAQand is: • Fun and challenging • Exemplifies what an engineer does • Engages all team members • Integrates LabVIEW and MyDAQ • Project assessed by instructional staff, NI representatives, ECE senior design instructors

15. Main Project:Fall 2011 • Schedule: 5 weeks • Research/brainstorming • Draft of project ideas, peer/instructor feedback • Idea descriptions/decision matrix, final selected idea and initial parts list • Complete parts list, project plan/timeline, division of labor • Executive summary • Presentation and demonstration

16. Main Project: ExamplesMotivational Mirror

17. Main Project: Examples Electronic Twister Board

18. Main Project: Examples Mini Piano

19. Main Project: Other Examples of Student Work • Guitar tuning programs that used microphones to measure the sound and provides feedback if the note is flat or sharp through colored LED’s • Homemade Dance-Dance-Revolution that used a LabVIEW front panel with moving elements and a dance pad that used pressure sensors • Holiday light display that powered LED’s which were synced to music • Study monitoring system that used an image capture system to determine if the subject is at the study area and an accelerometer on the writing instrument to determine if they are writing • Residence hall room security system that employed a card swipe system to identify a person with their university ID and provide access to items in the room such as the refrigerator, computer, phone, etc. An alarm system sounded if items were accessed • Talking trash cans that provide audio feedback when things are thrown away including voices recordings and sound effects • An electronic game of twister that used pressure sensors under the pads of the game and computer logic to monitor participants

20. Student Reactions:

21. Student Reactions:

22. Student Reactions: • Course evaluations consistently higher for modified course than traditional course – despite increased workload “Even though this section was more challenging, I enjoyed it because I felt like I was doing something that actually related to engineering.”

23. Instructor Reactions: • Hands-on nature of the projects engaged the students • Fall 2011 gave actual experience with the “messiness” of engineering design • Open-endedness of projects requires wide range of expertise • Increased course cost over traditional sections • MyDAQ Projects were Senior Design quality

24. Conclusions • Incorporated National Instruments LabVIEW and the MyDAQ system in the first-year engineering course at Purdue University • Use of LabVIEW and MyDAQ allowed students to work on real engineering problems • Student and instructor reactions were very positive • Replication of service-learning project in MATLAB • Continuation of MyDAQ project in future semesters

25. Questions? • Greg Bucks – g-bucks@onu.edu • Thank you: • William Oakes – oakes@purdue.eduAssociate Professor of Engineering Education and Director of EPICS Purdue • Andrew Watchorn– National Instruments Academic Program Manager for Midwest US • More Info: • Bucks, G. and W. Oakes. Integration of graphical programming into a first year engineering course. in ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition. 2010. Louisville, KY. • Bucks, G. and W. Oakes. Enhancing the Experience in a First-Year Engineering Course Through the Incorporation of Graphical Programming and Data Acquisition Technology. in ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition. 2012. San Antonio, TX.

27. Secondary Project:Fall 2009 • Students tasked with creating a program in LabVIEW to help a student decide what engineering major to pursue: • Ask different questions about the user’s interests • Based on research done throughout semester on different engineering majors, use responses to questions to recommend a major

28. Secondary Project: Examples of Student Work • Engineering Your Major Examples: