Project Based Learning for 1 st Year Engineering Students

1. Project Based Learning for 1st Year Engineering Students • Keynote Address • International Symposium for Engineering Education 2008 • Dublin City University • Dr Brian Corcoran: School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering • Mr John Whelan: School of Electronic Engineering

2. The Great Egg Race • Professor Heinz Wolff ordering three colour-coded cardigan-wearing teams to 'solve a fiendish engineering problem'. This inevitably involved the use of clothes pegs and bike pumps. • Broadcast on BBC2 from 2nd January 1979 to 12th Sept 1986 • Total of 68 episodes in 8 series

3. 1st Year Redesign 2006 • To move to a common first year across both Engineering Schools • Complete redesign of all first year programmes

4. EM106: Laboratory and Project Work What Type of Project??? • Olin College's curriculum is built around hands-on engineering and design projects. This project-based teaching begins in a student's freshman year

5. Objectives of EM106 Project Based Learning • Objectives of the module • Support the transition from Leaving Certificate to 1st year of college • Develop skills in design, manufacture and assembly • Encourage staff student interaction and team work in 1st year • Encourage problem solving skills in 1st year • Develop formal and informal line of communication with 1st years

6. EM106: 1st Year Football Match • ‘All 1st Year Students must compete in a soccer match at the end of Second semester’ • To compete in this match they must • Design and build a remote controlled device using a limited supply of parts • The device must not exceed the size of an A4 sheet of paper • The device must cup and kick the ball • The ball size will be that of a golf ball • The pitch size will be 4m*3m

7. Project Based Learning for 1st Year Engineering Students Parts List • RC receiver • Servo (2 required) • one for steering • one for cupping ball • Solenoid for kicking ball • Motor Speed Controller

8. Project Based Learning for 1st Year Engineering Students Workshop Facilities

9. Student Up-Skilling in Semester 1 • The Class (currently 120 students) complete individual and team tasks • Semester 1: Mechanical Workshop Skills (weeks 1-6) • Individual Task • Build a model plane • Reading drawings, Marking out, drilling, filing, tapping • Mechanical Drawing (weeks 1-12) • Pencil and paper • Electronic Design (weeks 7-12) • Soldering, PCB assembly and E-CAD circuit design • Labs, Lectures and Presentations (weeks 1-12)

10. Student Up-Skilling in Semester 2 • Semester 2: Build Phase (weeks 1-10) • Teams build their final design • Devise work plan and assign tasks • Tech support and guidance given in a well equipped workshop facility • Labs, Lectures and Presentations (weeks 1-12) • Lectures on recycling, ethics and design • Poster presentations given to a public audiance • Competition and Assessment (weeks 10-12) • 1st event is an individual assessment. Score 5 goals • Elimination match for 5 mins • Final project report submitted in week 12

11. Teaching and Assessment of Project Based Learning for 1st Year Engineering Students

12. Learning Outcomes for Project Based Learning Students will be able to • Solve practical engineering problems using basic scientific knowledge • Use computer packages to write technical reports, create spreadsheets, make presentations and publish work • 3. Use computer aided design (CAD) applications to create engineering drawings. • 4. Use IT skills and software for learning, sourcing and presentation of material. • 5. Will have the ability to plan and complete a project on time. • 6. Will have the ability to work effectively within a team to achieve a desired objective

13. Project Based Learning

14. Resources and Logistics for Project Based Learning • Initial set up costs: Workshop areas • Mechanical Materials • Electronics Kits • Staff Inputs: Substantial staff student interaction • Contact time cannot be overemphasised • Complex timetabling (within both schools) • Website: Timetable changes • Groups and assessments • Labs and equipment: Flexible rooms and flexible equipment usage • Public Areas for Presentations and Events

15. Positive Outcomes of Project Based Learning

16. Project Based Learning Issues • No formal exams: Therefore increased CA • Considerable informal staff input throughout the year • Timely feed back required on a regular basis • Passenger issues (Mentors) • Lack of contribution within a group (Self Regulation or Staff Intervention)

17. Positive Outcomes of Project Based Learning • Increased Level of Staff / Student Participation and Interaction • Excellent BUZZ throughout the year • Limited inputs required to achieve major outputs • Exceptional interest and engagement of students at and early stage • High success rate in this module. Not just to pass the exam • Excellent group work and ice breaker for 1st years

18. Positive Outcomes of Project Based Learning

19. Positive Outcomes of Project Based Learning

20. Project Based Learning

21. Final Words from Prof Heinz Wolff and Ali G

22. 3rd YEAR FIREMAN PROJECT

23. Project Based Learning • DO NOT UNDER-ESTIMATE YOUR 1ST YEAR STUDENTS ABILITY TO APPLY THEMSELVES TO AN INTERESTING ENGINEERING PROBLEM

24. Class of 2008

25. References • Goff,R.M. and Gregg,M.H., ‘ Redesigning of a Freshman Engineering Program for the new Millenium,’ ASEE Southeastern Regional Conf, April 6-8, 1998, Orlando, Florida. • 2) York, S.C., ‘Providing early design/build opportunities to Freshman Engineering Students’, ASEE 2002 Annual Conference and Exposition, Montreal, Quebec, Canada June 16-19, 2002 • 3) Guizzo, E., ‘The OLIN Experiment’, IEEE Spectrum, Pg 23-28, May 2006 (www.spectrum.ieee.org) • 4) ‘Educating the Engineer of 2020’, a report by the National Academy of Engineering, http://fermat.nap.edu/catalog.11338.html • 5) O Hayden, G. and Fox, E. ‘Work in Progress- A freshman Course for Engineering and Computer Science Students’, 34th ASEE/IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference, Oct 20th-23rd, Savannah, GA, 2004