A study of the introduction of educational technology into a course in engineering dynamics: classroom environment and learning outcomes

Presented in July 1996
by
Nathan William Scott

for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy
of
The University of Western Australia.

The work was done in the
Department of Mechanical & Materials Engineering
at UWA.

Important copyright and citation information

Selected comments by the examiners

Abstract

The use of computers as replacements for, or supplements to, human tutors in engineering tutorial classes is becoming widespread. The number of innovations in this area is great; however very few of these systems can really be said to be successful. One particularly promising type of computer tutorial system for some engineering and science subjects automates the typical 'problem class', by presenting the student with a series of questions where the answer is not 'multiple choice', but a typed numerical response, entered into a computer terminal which is connected by a network to a central monitoring server. This type of computer tutorial is called a Computer Problem-Class System (CPCS) in this work.

CPCS in use in the UK and USA were used as the starting point for a new system developed in part by the author at The University of Western Australia. This new system incorporated features of its predecessors but also deviated from them in several important ways: in the degree to which student-student collaboration was deliberately encouraged, the amount of specific, diagnostic feedback given by the computer to students in the case of incorrect responses, and the presence of an integrated electronic 'book' of lecture notes with embedded, interactive engineering simulations. During 1995 it was observed that the use of this CPCS led to the development of a unique classroom environment in which human tutors were much less prominent, and yet learning outcomes appeared comparable to those of previous years. The system developed at UWA is called 'the UWA-CPCS' in this work.
This thesis is essentially a comparison of the UWA-CPCS to both traditional tutorials in the subject ­ first-year engineering dynamics ­ and to related systems used elsewhere. The theoretical foundation for the comparison is the work of Vygotsky on the social construction of knowledge, and of Marton, Saljö and Ramsden, on the assessment of teaching by examining the learning approach of the student.

The main conclusion is that the traditional form of engineering tutorial system is inherently unable to cater to the true needs of modern first-year students. A simple CPCS can bring about a social environment in which a greater proportion of students encounter the taught material in an engaging and transforming way. Critical factors in the formation of this improved learning environment are identified.

Table of Contents

Abstract
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments

1. Introduction: background, objectives and scope

1.1 Background to the research
1.2 Aims and objectives
1.3 Scope of the work
1.4 Overview of this thesis

2. Teaching paradigms and educational technology

2.1 Extreme example #1: an information pump
2.2 Extreme example #2: dropped in the deep end
2.3 Emerging roles for educational technology

3. Description of traditional course

3.1 Course content
3.2 Description and criticism of traditional course components

4. Subject domain and error in engineering dynamics

4.1 Student perception of posed problems in engineering dynamics
4.2 Misconception and problem-solving
4.3 Summary: tutorial practice and misconception

5. Issues in computer-aided teaching in engineering education

5.1 Conducting meaningful educational research
5.2 Interaction between group and individual learning modes
5.3 Total cognitive load
5.4 Engineering simulation and knowledge construction
5.5 Computers and tutorial form
5.6 Catering for the needs of individual students
5.7 Management of change
5.8 'Compartmentalisation' of knowledge and skills
5.9 Efficiency and the measurement of efficiency
5.10 Some existing computer-aided tutorial resources

6. Development of simulation software (1993)

6.1 Introduction to the development process
6.2 General form of 1993 software
6.3 Detailed description of simulation software written in 1993
6.4 Additional animation software
6.5 Description of the HyperCard course notes of 1993

7. Transitional course (1994)

7.1 Graphical error detection: early work on the 1994 CAUT grant
7.2 Student surveys of June 1993 and June 1994
7.3 Access, appropriateness and usefulness
7.4 Summary: the lessons of 1993 and 1994

8. Design of the UWA-CPCS

8.1 Group conventions, individual progress and system form
8.2 Extension of the problem set
8.3 Input type
8.4 Marking strategy
8.5 Log books
8.6 Design of feedback messages
8.7 The reason for teaching
8.8 Summary: design characteristics of the UWA-CPCS

9. Implementation of the UWA-CPCS

9.1 Overview
9.2 The HyperCard Stacks
9.3 The Serving Software (Brother)
9.4 Use of monitoring powers

10. Student behaviour under the UWA-CPCS

10.1 Student behaviour near a deadline
10.2 Numerical measures of student performance
10.3 Case studies
10.4 Assessment of answer-diagnosis
10.5 Student performance in formal examinations
10.6 The student survey of June 1995
10.7 Attitudes and approaches to the computer-mediated material

11. Discussion

11.1 The CPCS as an external guide
11.2 Group learning and individual assessment
11.3 Student participation and confidence under the UWA-CPCS
11.4 On failure in 1995

12. Summary and conclusions

12.1 Summary
12.2 Conclusions

13. Future directions

13.1 Virtual collaboration: a note about The Client
13.2 Open-ended and evolving laboratories
13.3 Having students write problems
13.4 'How WOULD you solve this': a new form of student-computer interaction
13.5 Predicting examination performance using attempts at 'significant problems'

14. Bibliography

14.1 Bibliography of papers by the author, his supervisor or members of the PRG
14.2 Bibliography

Appendix 1 Example tutorial problem sheets from 1993
Appendix 2 Two forms of the standard equation sheet
Appendix 3 Solutions to June 1995 Examination paper

A3.1 Solution to Q1
A3.2 Solution to Q2 (due to Prof. Stone)
A3.3 Solution to Q3
A3.4 Solution to Q4

Appendix 4 Example problem set 'hand-outs'

A4.1 Rectilinear Motion
A4.2 Relative Motion

Appendix 5 Nomenclature
Appendix 6 Pascal code for calculating the response of a mechanism to an angular deflection of the driving member
Appendix 7 Transcripts of videotaped interviews with students, taken in 1995

Student C
Students D and E
Student F
Student G
Student H

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank my wife, Ann, for having faith in me.

I must thank the craftsmen of the Workshop of the Department of Mechanical & Materials Engineering at UWA, for both instant miracles and long-term friendships.

Prof. Brian Stone, my PhD supervisor, has rescued me from academic disaster on more than one occasion, and manages to be supportive and positive in both lean and rich years. There can be no happier or more confident group of students ­ both graduate and undergraduate ­ than those in his care.

The Australian Federal Government has made this project possible through the Committee for the Advancement of University Teaching. In a sense this work is a report on and study of three 'CAUT grants' as they are popularly known. The first incarnation of the Committee worked tirelessly from 1992-1995 to gain the maximum long-term benefit from their modest budget, and it is hoped that the good work will continue for many years to come.

And of course, all thanks are really due to the greatest Teacher, Jesus of Nazareth, who fed the 5000 before the sermon.

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