Project Based Learning for 1st Year Engineering Students

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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

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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
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1st Year Redesign 2006

• To move to a common first year across both
  Engineering Schools
• Complete redesign of all first year programmes

Module Code Module Title
EM101 Fundamentals of Electronic Mechanical Engineering
EM102 Engineering Sciences (Mechanics, Electronics, Energy)
EM103 Engineering Mathematics Computation
EM104 Basic Sciences for Engineers (Physical, Chemical, Life)
EM105 Professional Personal Skills for Engineering
EM106 Laboratory Project Work
EM107 IT Skills Software Tools for Engineers
EM108 Programming Software Development for Engineers
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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
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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

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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 4m3m

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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

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Project Based Learning for 1st Year Engineering
Students Workshop Facilities
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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 Mechani
cal 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)
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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
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Teaching and Assessment of Project Based Learning
for 1st Year Engineering Students

Semester 1 Marks Semester 1 Marks Semester 2 Marks Semester 2 Marks
Plane Fabrication Concepts Presentation Speed Control Board 10 10 5 Design and Build Poster / Goals Scores Final Report 30 15 30
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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

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Project Based Learning
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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
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Positive Outcomes of Project Based Learning
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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)

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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
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Positive Outcomes of Project Based Learning
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Positive Outcomes of Project Based Learning
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Project Based Learning
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Final Words from Prof Heinz Wolff and Ali G
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3rd YEAR FIREMAN PROJECT
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Project Based Learning
DO NOT UNDER-ESTIMATE YOUR 1ST YEAR STUDENTS
ABILITY TO APPLY THEMSELVES TO AN INTERESTING
ENGINEERING PROBLEM
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Class of 2008
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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.o
  rg)
• 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