classroom innovation, a foundation coalition asee workshop, june 2001 engineering classrooms before...

Classroom Innovation, a Foundation Coalition ASEE Workshop, June 2001

Engineering ClassroomsBefore and After Innovation

David Cordes, University of Alabama, [email protected]

Jeff Froyd, Texas A&M University, [email protected]


Workshop Overview

• Introduction (20 min)– Guidelines, what is an “innovative classroom”?

• What Other Institutions Have Done (25 min)– Information dump

• Classroom Transformation (30 min)– What do you do? How do you do this?

• Other Issues and Considerations (20 min)– Items that can impact potential changes

• Wrap-up (5 min)


Introduction: Basic Guidelines

• Will operate in a team-based mode– The group knows more than any one person

• Interrupt frequently– No pre-defined set of material that “must” be

covered in this workshop

• When looking at innovative classrooms, we will focus on– The use of technology in the classroom– Lower-division engineering courses


Introduction: Team Formation

• Self-Organize into four-person groups– Want to emphasize both institutional and

departmental diversity• Try to organize so that you have no more than

one institutional representative per team

– Introduce yourselves (name & institution) within the group• Group representative will introduce the group to

the workshop as a whole


Introduction: Share information

• Within your group: discuss the following question among yourselves

What is an innovative classroom?(and could you recognize one if you saw it)

Appoint a reporter to capture group results


An innovative classroom is ...

Is this room an “innovative classroom” ?

• Video projector and powerpoint

• The people in it are sitting in little groups, talking, working together

• Have a laptop computer

• Depends on where you come from (what is the “norm”)?

• Not: still could find a better design

• Not: have not done anything yet, just talked theory

• Not: seats in rows, flexibility is limited (chairs don’t roll)

• Not: no network connections


An innovative classroom is ...• Use of novel methods in transferring knowledge and information to

students • Computers and computer connections to networks (wired or

wireless)• Appropriate software for the course• Facilitating the class, not just a “chalk-and-talk”• Not just having the equipment in the room, but the approach and how

it is used• Position of instructor/facilitator, walks around and gets involved• Noise (other than instructor), other conversations taking place• White boards available for groups to utilize (wall-to-wall)• Distance capable, e.g. video-conferencing, video-taping• Electronic white boards (can record on them for later), MIMIO• Professor can look and assess what the students are doing• Chemistry classroom feedback – simple button students use to relay

information back to the instructor (also online testing)


Part 2: What others have done

Short (~25 minute) information dump• Background Information

– one-page introduction to technology-enabled learning

• Representative Foundation Coalition efforts– Arizona State University– Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology– Texas A&M University– University of Alabama– University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth

• Other sample initiatives– Drexel’s EE laboratories– RPI’s studio model


New Classroom Environments


Arizona State University

• Philosophy– College focus on technology in classrooms, different

classrooms for different needs, faculty training essential

• Classroom layout & equipment– Hold 40 to 80 students, team-based seating, instructor has

ability to project student work on main screens

• Software & Applications– Wide variety, different rooms have different packages, all

information available via the Internet

• Audience– All fundamental engineering courses


Arizona State University

Sample

ASU

Classroom


Rose-Hulman Institute of Tech

• Philosophy– Completely networked campus environment

• Classroom layout & equipment– Every student purchases a notebook computer as an

entering student (model is specified by institution)– Over 20 classrooms have been equipped with network and

power connections to support notebook computers

• Software & Applications– Maple (calculus), Working Model & Maple (dynamics),

Physics labs (Excel - data acquisition/analysis)

• Audience– All engineering students and classes


Texas A&M University

• Philosophy– Classroom technology must be scalable for large classes (~100)

• Classroom layout & equipment– Remodeled about 10 classrooms for first-year and sophomore courses– One computer per two students– Departments have constructed their own classrooms, more are planned

• Software & Applications– Microsoft Office, Maple, AutoCAD, Eng. Equation Solver (EES), Internet– EE has students design, simulate, construct, measure and compare

behavior of circuits. Class uses NI hardware and software.

• Audience– Freshman and sophomore engineering students– Specialized classes in specific disciplines

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University of Alabama

• Philosophy– Technology in classrooms, classrooms convenient to

students (one new classroom in “engineering dorm”)

• Classroom layout & equipment– Remodeled six different classrooms– Tables for four, one computer per two students– Departments constructing their own classrooms

• Software & Applications– Microsoft Office, compilers, FORTRAN, Maple

• Audience– Freshman engineering students– All students in introductory computing sequence


Alabama Classroom Layout

• Several classroom formats exist– All have computers at student desks, instructor

console, projection system– Primarily used for lower-division classes


University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth

• Classroom layout & equipment– Remodeled three classrooms with tables that seat

four students and have two computers (48 seats)

• Software & Applications– Maple and Excel– Based on Studio Physics model (RPI), students

perform physics and chemistry experiments in the classroom, acquire, display and analyze data

• Audience– Freshman & sophomore engineering majors


University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth

IMPULSE

Classroom


Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI)Studio Classrooms

• Philosophy – studio environment– Integrate classroom (lecture) with laboratory

(experiments, acquire/display/analyze data)

• Classroom layout & equipment– Tables with two students (one computer)– Student

• Using computer faces away from instructor• Listens to lecture facing away from computer

• Audience– Mathematics, sciences, engineering students


RPI Classroom Layout

• Students face instructor during lecture– Away from computers

• Student away from instructor when using computers– Instructor can

see monitorseasily


Drexel Classroomshttp://www.educatorscorner.com/education/case_studies/drexel.shtml

• Laboratory layout & equipment– Laboratory bench for two students (one computer)– Suite of measurement equipment with computer control– First-year and sophomore students

• Perform experiments and laboratory projects for three hours/week

• Philosophy– From the start students work with current equipment and

explore stimulating physical phenomena

• Audience– Engineering students


Part 3: Transformation

• As a team, design your “ideal classroom environment” for the Fall of 2002– Describe this classroom environment– Describe how your new activities would benefit

students and their learning– Describe the resources (besides $$$) that would

be required to realize your visions– Select a different reporter from last time


Group reports…

• Text goes here, fill in during workshop


Part 4: Other Critical Issues

• Design & Utilization– Rooms available for

renovation– Physical layout considerations– Equipment (cost, size,

location, power, HV/AC)– Time (often takes more than

one summer to build)– Faculty support and education

& development– Scheduling of these rooms– Monitoring & after-hours

access– Maintenance & upgrade time

availability

• Administrative– Institution’s computing policies– Software licensing– Purchase, replacement &

upgrade costs– Support staffing– Clear plan for what inst. is

doing with technology– Impact on T&P process– Want to assess results, how to

best do this– How to get financial support

from State or outside sources?


Identifying Critical Issues

• In your group, assume that your “ideal” classroom for the Fall of 2002 was to be implemented on each of your member’s campuses.

• For each campus represented, identify the top five issues involved with its adoption and use. That is, what issues from the previous page are most critical to your success at your institution?

• Use a different reporter from last time


Group reports…

• Text goes here, fill in during workshop


End of workshop

Questions?


Resources

• Relevant resources– Foundation Coalition

• http://www.foundationcoalition.org/

– Arizona State University• http://www.eas.asu.edu/ceasrooms/• http://www.eas.asu.edu/~asufc/teaming.html

– Texas A&M University• http://coalition.tamu.edu/

– RPI Studio Classroom• http://ciue.rpi.edu/studioteaching.html

– Sigma Xi Resources• http://www.sigmaxi.org/scienceresources/undergradedu.htm

classroom innovation, a foundation coalition asee workshop, june 2001 engineering classrooms before...

Documents

classroom innovation

workshop overview introduction

group group representative

innovative classrooms

innovation david cordes

network connections

group results

online testing slide