Find the angular velocity of the gear F given the angular velocity at A

1. How do we solve this? Find the angular velocity of the gear F given the angular velocity at A Virtual and Physical Manipulatives in Dynamics

2. The Effect of Virtual and Physical Manipulatives on Students’ Abilities to Learn Dynamics in an Undergraduate Mechanical Engineering Program A Dissertation Proposal 10/2/2012 Edward Pan University of Virginia

3. Agenda • Introduction • The Problem • Research Questions • Significance • Theoretical Framework • Visualizations & Manipulatives • Dynamics Education • Context & Participants • Study Design • Instruments & Data • Analysis • Expected Outcomes • Budget, Equipment, Timeline Virtual and Physical Manipulatives in Dynamics

4. Introduction • STEM education a national focus • Engineering education must adapt • Technology for authentic practice • 3D printing • CAD • Need to help nontraditional students • Visualization a key skill Virtual and Physical Manipulatives in Dynamics

5. The Problem • Dynamics • Foundational course in mechanical engineering • Study of accelerated motion • Particle kinematics • Particle kinetics • Rigid body kinematics • Lecture and problem solving with static diagrams • Students have difficulty solving problems • Difficulty visualizing the problem may be responsible Virtual and Physical Manipulatives in Dynamics

6. Research Questions • How does student performance compare for students with instruction supplemented with virtual manipulatives, instruction supplemented with physical manipulatives, and traditional methods of instruction? • How do students use static diagrams, physical manipulatives, and virtual manipulatives when learning rigid body kinematics? • What kinds of mental models of mechanical systems do students develop using static diagrams, physical manipulatives, and virtual manipulatives? • What do students think about static diagrams, physical manipulatives, and virtual manipulatives as learning aids? Virtual and Physical Manipulatives in Dynamics

7. Significance • Knowledge of how students learn with physical and virtual manipulatives • How students learn dynamics • Engineering education • Instructional technology • Higher Education • Education as a whole Virtual and Physical Manipulatives in Dynamics

8. Theoretical Framework • How People Learn • Embodied Cognition • Cognitive Load Theory • Mental Models • Phenomenological Primitives • Mappings • Analogical Thinking • Mechanistic Mental Models Virtual and Physical Manipulatives in Dynamics

9. Visualizations & Manipulatives • Visualizations • Tend to support lower performance and lower spatial ability students • Deceptive Clarity & Illusion of Explanatory Depth • Physical Manipulatives • Virtual Manipulatives • Mixed results Virtual and Physical Manipulatives in Dynamics

10. Dynamics Education • Supplementary Computer-Based Instruction • Computer Aided Design • Virtual Environments • Hands-On Activities • Restructuring Pedagogical Approaches Virtual and Physical Manipulatives in Dynamics

11. Context & Participants • MAE 2320 (Dynamics) Spring 2013 semester at UVA • 150-170 students • Lecture: 2x 1:15 • Lab: 1x 2:00 Virtual and Physical Manipulatives in Dynamics

12. Study Design • Quasi-experimental w/ stratified sampling • Treatment groups: • Traditional: lecture + static diagrams • Physical: lecture + static diagrams + physical manipulatives • Virtual: lecture + static diagrams + virtual manipulatives Virtual and Physical Manipulatives in Dynamics

13. Study Design: Procedure • Pretest • Treatment: 4x 20m breakout sessions to solve 1 multipart problem ea. • Absolute • Relative velocity • Instant centers & relative acceleration • Rotating axes • Posttest & Questionnaire Virtual and Physical Manipulatives in Dynamics

14. Instruments & Data • Pre/Posttest • DCI • PSVT • Questionnaire • Video recordings Virtual and Physical Manipulatives in Dynamics

15. Analysis Virtual and Physical Manipulatives in Dynamics

16. Expected Outcomes • No difference • Virtual and physical benefit low performers, no effect on high performers • Virtual and physical hurt low performers, no effect on high performers Virtual and Physical Manipulatives in Dynamics

17. Budget Virtual and Physical Manipulatives in Dynamics

18. Other Equipment Virtual and Physical Manipulatives in Dynamics

19. Timeline Virtual and Physical Manipulatives in Dynamics

20. Takeaway Points • Dynamics is difficult, visualization may be why • Physical and virtual manipulatives may help students visualize mechanical systems • Most likely to benefit students with low spatial abilities or low performance, if at all • May actually have no effect or even harm students’ abilities to visualize • This study is worthy of investigation Virtual and Physical Manipulatives in Dynamics

21. Questions? Virtual and Physical Manipulatives in Dynamics