scholarly journals Strengthening Students Mechanics Knowledge through Instructional Videos of Hands-on Activities

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chloe Gibson
Keyword(s):  
Experiential Learning ◽  
Reflective Learning ◽  
First Year ◽  
Instructional Videos ◽  
The Past ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Improving Student Learning ◽  
The University ◽  
Time Limitations ◽  
Teaching Pedagogies

The use of hands-on activities has been proven in the past to be effective in teaching pedagogies. Recognizing this need, a first year Mechanics course at the University of Waterloo has already implemented the use of seven hands-on activities. Instructors of the course have found certain time limitations which results in students only participating in two of the seven activities. To continue improving student learning, instructional videos were developed to solve this problem. The techniques used for video development incorporate learning pedagogies to foster deeper learning throughout the viewing experience. These techniques include simulating experiential learning and reflective learning. In each video, a breakdown of the activity building and experimenting process is demonstrated. This is done through people physically interacting with the models as students would in the classroom. Accompanying the demonstration is an illustration of various mistakes students often make during the activities. Errors are discussed, and their outcomes are shown using course concepts to reinforce the appropriate processes. In addition, questions are posed to the viewers throughout each of the videos.

scholarly journals A comparison of a first and third year UG enterprise unit: lessons from experiential learning and interdisciplinarity

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Veronica Sanchez-Romaguera ◽  
Robert A Phillips
Keyword(s):  
Experiential Learning ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Interdisciplinary Education ◽  
First Year ◽  
University Curriculum ◽  
Enterprise Education ◽  
Growth Of Knowledge ◽  
The University ◽  
University Of Manchester

Drawing from several years of experience, this work describes lessons learnt in designing, delivering and assessing two interdisciplinary enterprise units offered undergraduate students from any discipline studing at the University of Manchester (UK). Both units are electives (optional). One unit is delivered to first year undergrdaute students whereas the other unit is delivered to third/fourth year undergraduate students. Experiential learning and interdisciplinary cohorts are core aspects of both units. Students work on ‘real-world’ projects to develop a credible and competitive solution within a tight dead-line. In this paper, findings are drawn from data collected from staff and teaching assistants observations, students’ reflective diaries and students’ feedback. Findings showed that in general, students at both levels, year 1 and year 3/4, regarded the experience challenging at first due to the ‘unusual’ learning environment when compared to the education that most students have experienced prior to the units here discussed. However, most students highly regarded the interdisciplinary experiential learning experience. The paper contributes to the growth of knowledge and aids understanding of how experiential learning and interdisciplinarity have been effectively combined and introduced in the university curriculum. Although this works focused on enterprise education the experience-based guidance here described is also applicable to a much wider range of situations and academic areas of study. Keywords: Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Education; Employability; Experiential learning; Interdisciplinary education;

scholarly journals Using a VLE to enhance a Foundation Chemistry laboratory module

2006 ◽  
pp. 35-40
Author(s):  
Gareth J Price ◽  
June Chalmers ◽  
Clare Goodfellow
Keyword(s):  
Chemistry Laboratory ◽  
First Year ◽  
Learning Approach ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Technical Problems ◽  
Video Clips ◽  
The Past ◽  
Short Video ◽  
E Learning ◽  
The University

For the past few years, we have been experimenting with an e-learning approach to our introductory laboratory classes for first year students. Our overall objective was to maximise students’ useful time in the laboratory. We considered that time spent with students gathered around a desk watching a demonstration is not an efficient use of staff or students’ time.It is well recognised that students’ performance in the laboratory can be enhanced if they are familiar with the background of the experiments which will be conducted, hence the use of ‘pre-labs’. We have been delivering our ‘pre-labs’ electronically by requiring students to work through a package before coming to the laboratory. As well as covering the theory and background to the experiment, short video clips have been included so that students will also have seen the experiment being performed. They should at least recognise the apparatus! The package concludes with a short assessment quiz which must be completed.The packages were mounted on the University network using WebCT and meant that students could undertake the exercises at a time (and place) of their choosing rather than being confined to set laboratory hours.This communication will describe the packages and our experiences as well as an initial evaluation of our approach. Although largely anecdotal, staff felt that they spent less time on more mundane aspects of laboratory work and more time discussing chemistry.Students also felt that they were better prepared for the experiments before they came to the laboratory. Some of the pitfalls and technical problems that had to be overcome willalso be described.

scholarly journals An Economic Analysis of a University Educational Cafeteria Composting Program—Bobcat Blend

2011 ◽  
Vol 21 (5) ◽  
pp. 639-646 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason Sanders ◽  
Tina Marie Waliczek ◽  
Jean-Marc Gandonou
Keyword(s):  
Organic Waste ◽  
First Year ◽  
State University ◽  
Pilot Site ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Set Up ◽  
The University ◽  
Collection Sites

At Texas State University, a cafeteria-composting pilot program was established in which students source-separated their organic waste at one of the food courts while the program educated students on the value of organic waste and compost. Waste sorting bins were set up in a dining hall to direct students to sort trash into recyclables, compostables, and trash. Waste audit results demonstrated the value of the operation to the university in terms of savings in waste hauling expenditures, as well as showed the percent contamination, and percent waste diverted to the university's recycling and composting program. There was a significant difference between pre and post-test waste audits. The pilot site composting program resulted in a net loss of $3741.35 to the university during the first year, but was expected to produce a positive net return of $2585.11 in subsequent years. The pilot test showed the program was most successful when ongoing education at the dining hall occurred. Additionally, the student-run composting program resulted in hands-on training for students in producing a valuable horticultural commodity in an emerging waste management field. Results also indicated opportunities for further diversion such as the incorporation of compostable cups and utensils, as well as through expanding the operation to include more collection locations. With more collection sites and, therefore, more efficiency, the expanded composting program has the potential to become a self-supporting operation.

scholarly journals The Importance of School Gardens as Perceived by Florida Elementary School Teachers

2000 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 229-231 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonja M. Skelly ◽  
Jennifer C. Bradley
Keyword(s):  
Elementary School ◽  
Experiential Learning ◽  
Elementary School Teachers ◽  
The United States ◽  
School Gardens ◽  
School Garden ◽  
University Of Florida ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Learning School ◽  
The University

While gardening is the number one hobby in the United States, elementary schools are just beginning to explore the use of school gardens as a means to enhance classroom learning. School gardens can reinforce classroom instruction by offering opportunities for experiential learning. The benefits of experiential learning allow for a better understanding of concepts as the hands-on approach provides meaningful and tangible experiences. While many teachers have anecdotally attested to the benefits of school gardens, there is little empirical evidence documenting their impact. In Fall 1997, the University of Florida hosted a competition for the best elementary school garden in Florida. Results from a research questionnaire completed by participating teachers indicated that teachers used school gardens infrequently, with the majority using the garden as an instructional tool no more than 10% of the time. Many teachers did, however, indicate that school gardens were used for environmental education (97.1%) and experiential learning (72.9%), and 84.3 % of teachers said that related activities enhanced student learning. Findings also indicate that the teachers surveyed had relatively new gardens and teachers lacked, or were unaware of educational resources to assist with garden learning. This paper describes and interprets the results of the teacher questionnaire.

scholarly journals Enhancing outreach through the University of Ottawa Maker Mobile

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
François Bouchard ◽  
Hanan Anis ◽  
Claude Lagüe
Keyword(s):  
School Boards ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Support Structure ◽  
The Past ◽  
Hands On ◽  
The University

The Maker Mobile program is a new modelfor outreach at the faculty of engineering atthe university of Ottawa that allows foryearlong delivery of high quality technologyworkshops to the community atlarge. Through the transportation of rapidprototyping technologies in a 12-foot orangecube truck, the Maker Mobile deliveredmore than 719 workshops and reachedmore than 14000 youth in the past year. Inparticular this program is helping teachersincorporate engineering into theirclassrooms through hands on designactivities. This fosters interest forengineering while helping recruitmentefforts. The Maker Mobile is also helpingthe faculty develop relationships with highschools, teachers and school boards for thedevelopment of new spin off outreachinitiatives. The Maker mobile builds on asolid foundation for outreach at the facultyof engineering. Three important factorshave contributed to the development of astrong foundation for our outreach program.These factors include developing processesthat ensure sustainability and scalability, astrong association to the institution, whichcreates demand for programs and aninternal support structure that ensuresprograms have the necessary resources toscale.

scholarly journals The development and implementation of a Peer Assisted Learning programme at the University of Liverpool

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gita Sedghi ◽  
Trish Lunt
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
First Year ◽  
Peer Assisted Learning ◽  
The Past ◽  
Programme Design ◽  
Evaluation Feedback ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Student Input ◽  
The University ◽  
Academic Year

A Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) programme was designed and implemented in the Department of Chemistry in the University of Liverpool during the 2012-13 academic year. The PAL programme was initially set up to support first year chemistry undergraduate students with one particular maths module but was extended to offer support to all Year 1 modules. The PAL programme was also designed to meet the needs of a second cohort of students, year 2 direct entry international students, but this paper focuses on the first year student programme.   A key element to the development of the Liverpool PAL programme was the contribution of student input throughout the initial programme design stages and, importantly, the ongoing involvement of students during the operation of the programme over the last three years. They provided evaluation and feedback on the programme’s organisation and effectiveness, and were involved in subsequent discussions to analyse the data from these processes in order to improve and develop the programme. The concept of working with students as partners is not new, but it has risen in profile in recent years as highlighted by Healey et al. (2014) and many others. We believe that the PAL programme would not be as effective as it is without the ongoing involvement of students in all elements of the programme.   The paper will discuss the development and implementation of the PAL programme over the past three years, and highlight the value and importance of the role and contribution of the students in making the programme what it is today, as evidenced by the evaluation feedback from the students.

scholarly journals Integrative Activities for First Year Engineering Students-Fuel Cell Cars as a Linking Project Between Chemistry, Mechatronics Concepts and Programing

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carol Hulls ◽  
Chris Rennick ◽  
Mary Robinson ◽  
William Melek ◽  
Sanjeev Bedi
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Low Voltage ◽  
First Year ◽  
Joint Project ◽  
Graduate Attributes ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Team Environment ◽  
Hands On Learning ◽  
The University

In Mechatronics Engineering at the University of Waterloo, a joint project involving small, inexpensive fuel cells cars was introduced to show how courses in the first term relate to one another. Additionally, the project was designed to provide the students with hands on learning, to give the students a taste of what to expect in later years, and to start incorporating many of the CEAB's graduate attributes at an introductory level. The fuel cell car consists of two low-voltage cells, a low power microcontroller and several sensors mounted on a motorised platform. Students employed concepts from chemistry, programming and mechatronics systems throughout the project, submitting reports at key milestones. during the projet, students needed to make decision in a team environment on which strageties to implement to meet the goals of the project. The project culminated in a final competition and report. Students were surveyed at the start, and end, and the term to measure any changes in attitude with regards to the courses as well as their satisfaction with the project. The project was well recieved by students but significant challenges remain to be solved.

scholarly journals Integration of a Mindfulness Meditation Lab for University Students

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 88
Author(s):  
Duke D. Biber
Keyword(s):  
Experiential Learning ◽  
Student Learning ◽  
Mindfulness Meditation ◽  
Holistic Approach ◽  
Well Being ◽  
First Year ◽  
Holistic Wellness ◽  
Student Wellness ◽  
Higher Education Curriculum ◽  
The University

Background: Mindfulness meditation can effectively enhance every dimension of holistic wellness and learning, including cognition, attention, self-regulatory resources, and first-year academic success.Aim: This paper discusses the potential impact of a mindfulness meditation room on student wellness, education, experiential learning, and development.Methods: The program curriculum and the structure of the Wolf Wellness Lab at the University of West Georgia emphasizes a holistic approach to higher education curriculum development and student wellness and is based on the National Wellness Institute's six dimensions of wellness. The newly developed mindfulness meditation room is discussed in regard to recent research and valid, practical application as a way to improve student learning and overall wellness.Conclusions: The mindfulness meditation room provides experiential learning and high-impact practices associated with the University of West Georgia educational curriculum. The mindfulness meditation room could promote student learning and overall well-being via personal practice and opportunities to guide other students and faculty through meditation practice.

scholarly journals SUPPORTED LEARNING GROUPS (SLGS) IN A FIRST-YEAR ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY COURSE

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin Jobidon ◽  
William Owen ◽  
Mary Robinson ◽  
Andrea Prier
Keyword(s):  
Supplemental Instruction ◽  
First Year ◽  
Learning Groups ◽  
The Past ◽  
Academic Standing ◽  
Final Grades ◽  
The University

The Engineering Undergraduate Office at the University of Waterloo first started using Supplemental Instruction (SI) in a common first-year chemistry course, ChE102, in September 2013 and continued in September2014 and 2015. This paper shares the mechanics of how SI was implemented for 11 cohorts totaling approximately 3900 students over the past 3 fall terms. Findings suggest that students who attend SI after midterms have higher final grades in their CHE 102 course as well as a higher overall term average. As well, the academic standing of students (based on their midterm grades) can help to accurately predict which students will attend SI sessions.Similarly, attending SI after midterms can also help a certain type of student improve their marks in ChE 102 and also their term average.

scholarly journals Mandating Obesity Testing Across the Curriculum: Lessons Learned

2011 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-34
Author(s):  
James L. DeBoy ◽  
Sally B. Monsilovich
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
First Year ◽  
University Faculty ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
The Past ◽  
Placement Policy ◽  
The University ◽  
Radical Approach

In response to the obesity problem that has dramatically increased over the past 30 years, Lincoln University’s HPER faculty petitioned the University faculty to accept a somewhat radical approach: test all entering first year students using Body Mass Indices (BMI) data for placing students in a Fitness for Life class. This class would constitute the intervention for students with BMI scores of 30 or higher (obese rating). This paper describes the chronology of events that unfolded once the placement policy became known beyond the campus green. Arguments both for and against the controversial course are presented. While the placement policy has been modified, the aim of the intervention has not wavered: identify those students who are most at risk for hypokinetic disease and provide them with the appropriate resources to effectively address those amenable lifestyle factors that will rob them of quality and quantity of life. 

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