Engineering Classrooms Before and After Innovation

1. Engineering ClassroomsBefore and After Innovation David Cordes, University of Alabama, cordes@cs.ua.edu Jeff Froyd, Texas A&M University, froyd@ee.tamu.edu

2. 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)

3. 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

4. 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

5. An innovative classroom is ... • Needs to accommodate a diversity of teaching styles • Multi-media equipped • PCs (functional) at every desk, for every student • Hardware in the classroom (demonstration hardware) • Flexible in setup (able to be re-arranged) • Appropriate environment – seating (recliners), acoustical, quick escape pod for the teacher • Internet connectivity • Follows good design practices for classroom – good viewing angles, environmental controls, etc. • Projectors for the PC, Elmo, etc. (multi-media) • Virtual lab tools

6. Is this an innovative classroom? • NO – difficulty with sight angles, temperature control • YES – multi-media presentation, broken up in non-traditional seating arrangements • YES – we confirmed that • YES – same reasons • NO – inadequate resources, poor acoustics • Plants are nice

7. 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

8. New Classroom Environments

9. 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

10. Arizona State University Sample ASU Classroom

11. 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

12. 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

13. CVLB 319: ENGR 112 Team Layout Sections 501 - 503 Windows Windows 20 19 21 24 23 22 Podium Screen Screen 18 17 16 15 14 9 13 11 10 12 8 7 6 5 3 2 4 1 Doors Doors

14. 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

15. Alabama Classroom Layout • Several classroom formats exist • All have computers at student desks, instructor console, projection system • Primarily used for lower-division classes

16. 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

17. University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth IMPULSE Classroom

18. 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

19. RPI Classroom Layout • Students face instructor during lecture • Away from computers • Student away from instructor when using computers • Instructor cansee monitorseasily

20. 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

21. 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

22. Group Report #1 • Ideal Classroom • Laptops required for all students • Wireless high-speed network connection • Uniform software suite • Instructor control over each display in room • Fully integrated lab (including data acquisition) with teaching of facts • Multi-media tools • Activities • Set up experiments such that you: teach  perform experiment  process data  reinforce concept • Active learning • Team projects • Design studio • Support • I.T. Support • Training (faculty) • Buy-in by faculty/administration • Curriculum re-design

23. Group Report #2 • Hardware • Wireless connectivity • 2 students per PC • Flat-screen monitor (flexible arm) • VCR • DVD • Document camera • Wireless microphone • Microphone on each student desk • Internet connectivity • Demo hardware/teaching kit • Satellite • Suitable for distance learning • Web camera

24. Group Report #3 • Activities • Computer Demo • Videotape show • Use Internet • Small bench demo • Wireless • Costs • $40K for laptops • $20K for TV & projectors

25. Group Report #4 • Laboratory contains • Computers • Air, gas, water at every other table • Network • Microphone and headphones • Software • Demo equipment • Projector, Elmo system • Benefits • Experience each concept • Analyze and store all data • Collaboration

26. Group Report #5 • Features • Capacity of approx. 48 students • 12 tables for 4 • Wired for laptops with a wireless network • Multimedia equipment • Proxima computer projector installed in the ceiling • Mimeo for the whiteboard • Sound system • DVD/VCR • Document camera/Elmo • Instructor’s control console • Lighting & environmental controls • White boards • Activities: • Team projects, demos, computer instruction, presentation ability • Benefits • Enhanced learning capability, more flexible teaching capability

27. Additional Questions • What other questions regarding the use of technology in the classroom need to be addressed? • Ideas regarding technology for distance education • Impact on teaching workloads (and evaluations) • What about student feedback on “value added”? • Using computers in classroom (and exams), what issues arise as a result?

28. 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? Other Critical Issues

29. 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

30. End of workshop Questions?