Educational Research on a Platform for Learning TM

1. Educational Research on a Platform for LearningTM Terri Fiez, Roger Traylor and Don Heer July 13, 2005

2. Outline • Background on Oregon State University • Motivation Behind Educational Changes • Program Overview • Partnering with FIT

3. ~20,000 Students from all over the world 20% students study engineering Agriculture, Oceanography, Forestry, Science, Pharmacy, Liberal arts Approximately $200M in external research funding per year Oregon State University

4. Oregon State University College of Engineering 22nd Largest in United States ~570 B.S. graduates

5. Student Union In Central Campus

7. Corvallis is 40 miles from the coast

8. Scenic areas exist all throughout Oregon Here is Crater Lake – center of ancient volcano

9. View from Campus of Mary’s Peak

10. OSU’s Engineering Top 25 GoalPeople. Ideas. Innovation. OUR FOCUS Work Ready Graduates Collaborative Research

11. School of EECS will Move into new Kelley Engineering Center in August 142,000 sq. ft. Specialized Research & Eduction Labs Throughout Building Building Designed to Promote Collaboration

12. Electrical & Computer Engr. 700 Undergrads 200 Graduate Students (about ¼ Ph.D. students) Typically 150-200 freshmen/sophomores Computer Science 600 Undergrads 120 Graduate Students (about 1/3 Ph.D. students) Typically 150 freshmen School of EECS

13. Motivation Behind Educational Changes

14. The Global Need Knowledge integration should be at the core of an engineering education...” Engineers must be enablers to "wealth creation" …through innovation… rather than simply be a commodity on the global market Joseph Bordogna, NSF Deputy Director

15. Problem Solving Community Depth Innovation Professional Breadth Community, Problem Solving and Innovation Our Constituent Needs Importance

16. A Platform for Learning Integrated Across the Curriculum

17. Key Features of the Platform for Learning • Personal Ownership • Curriculum Continuity • Contextual Learning • Fun Factor • Hands-on/Active Learning

18. TekBots • TekBot evolves through 4 year curriculum • Knowledge integration by building on TekBot • Challenge problems enhance innovation

19. In the Beginning… There was Sparky!

20. Sparky Made ECE Fun! But it ended there … Until we introduced layering on the robot It grows and matures as the student does • The fun continues

21. Introducing the TekBots Platform Motor Controller Proto Board Analog Board

22. TekBots Program Overview

23. Integrated Curriculum

24. Platform Evolution

25. TekBots Courses Senior Design Signals & Systems Basic Circuits Microcomputer System Design Intro to Mech. Engr. Microcomputer Arch. Digital Logic Intro to ECE

26. Introducing the TekBots Platform Motor Controller Proto Board Analog Board

27. Bridging the Analog-Digital DivideIntroduction to Digital Design Digital PLD Board

28. Electrical Engineering for Non-Majors • Electrical Fundamentals • Taken by all engineering majors at OSU (150-200 students each quarter) • DC Circuit Analysis • Introduced Data Logger with sensor interface capability

29. ECE 375: Microcomputer Architectures • Custom board introduced that allows hands-on experiences • Key platform to be leveraged in other courses • Biggest challenge was consistency in instructor teaching

30. Signals and Systems (ECE 352) • Significant Matlab component • Camera allows capturing and processing real images • Students enjoy the application

31. ECE473 Microcontroller System Design Before: NOW! Expensive, Laborious, Little learning Enhanced learning with system focus – leverages previously build mC board High level of knowledge integration • mC architecture • C programming • The HW/SW interface • Analog design • System level debugging

32. The Mechatronics Platform • The Platform for Learning targeted at Mechanical Engineering • Heavy emphasis on mechanical design and ‘scaffolding’ for electrical and programming concepts. • Mech_lib • Mx_ctlr • Lots of examples

33. Impact • More than 3000 Students using TekBots • Oregon State, Texas A&M, U Nebraska, Linn Benton Community College • 300 Students using Mechatronics Platform • 3 Journal and 7 Conference Papers • Three Active University Partners – We look forward to adding FIT • Kids attracted to engineering because of TekBots

34. Making Connections Between Topics and Classes

35. Challenge ProblemsCreating Innovation Opportunities

36. Design Research Model Tom Thompson

37. Assessment of TekBotsDrives Education Innovation

38. TekBots Enhances Community and Idea Generation

39. Activating Learning in the ClassroomRoger Traylor • What is Active Learning? • Learner is the driving force, instructor is facilitator • Can include cooperative learning, hands-on instruction • Why use it? • Students fall asleep in lecture (duh!) • 90 yrs of research, 600 studies show it works • Big classes need it badly • How it can be done? • How can I cover the material?

40. Outreach ProgramsGale Sumida • DaVinci Days • Saturday Academy • Data Pod Recovery Race • Engineering Expo • ISEF

41. Educating Work Ready Engineers for the Next Decade

42. Understand interest Identify local challenges (if there are any) Identify pilot to “try” concept Continue to build the connection between our programs – joint competitions? Collaborative projects? Partnering with FIT

43. Summary • We welcome collaborators on TekBots • Share innovations and passion for education • TekBots is still early in development • International community of innovators will only enhance each of our programs

44. TekBots Sponsors National Science Foundation