Does an Experiential Based Project Improve Design Education?

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy M. Hodges ◽  
Gerald A. Sullivan
Keyword(s):  
Experiential Learning ◽  
Design Education ◽  
Complex Geometries ◽  
Computational Tools ◽  
Improve Design ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Design Build ◽  
Design Challenge ◽  
Natural Frequency Analysis ◽  
Better Than

Students of engineering can significantly improve their comprehension of the theoretical and mathematical topics of design education if they are coupled with hands-on design and build projects. In this paper, several projects are discussed that are used to promote experiential learning in the Design of Mechanical Systems course. Projects implemented include natural frequency analysis of a cantilever beam and a buckling analysis. Each of the projects utilize a paradigm in which computational methods are used to reinforce analytical findings presented in class, followed by a design challenge for which students are required to design, build and then experimentally validate the performance of the design. The design challenge is structured such that analytical results give insight as to what features of the design could be changed to get the intended result, but, require the use of computational tools like ANSYS to obtain solutions due to the complex geometries involved. Once the design is complete, students fabricate it in the machine shop and then experimentally measure how closely the performance of their design came to the intended goals of the design challenge. Preliminary results indicate that students prefer these types of lab projects and that the retention of concepts covered with experiential project based labs is actually better than the retention of concepts observed in conventional labs.

scholarly journals Constructing Interior Design Pedagogy

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Hughes ◽  
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
Middle East ◽  
Gender Bias ◽  
Interior Design ◽  
Design Education ◽  
Design Pedagogy ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Design Build ◽  
And Gender ◽  
The Impact

This paper explores the nascent state of hands-on pedagogy within interior design education with regard to the impact of design-build precedents native to architectural curricula, as well as the challenges imposed by conventional assumptions linked to intellectual hierarchies and gender bias. Two primary models are emerging: Objects and the, less common, Augmentation. These methods will be discussed and illustrated with examples drawn from schools in North America and the Middle East. Taken together the methods and projects structure an evolving taxonomy for pedagogies of making in interior design.

Experiential Learning of Networking Technologies: Understanding Web Security

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ram P. Rustagi ◽  
Viraj Kumar
Keyword(s):  
Experiential Learning ◽  
Web Security ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Security Issues ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Networking Technologies

With the rapid increase in the volume of e-commerce, the security of web-based transactions is of increasing concern. A widespread but dangerously incorrect belief among web users is that all security issues are taken care of when a website uses HTTPS (secure HTTP). While HTTPS does provide security, websites are often developed and deployed in ways that make them and their users vulnerable to hackers. In this article we explore some of these vulnerabilities. We first introduce the key ideas and then provide several experiential learning exercises so that readers can understand the challenges and possible solutions to them in a hands-on manner.

pLoc_bal-mPlant: Predict Subcellular Localization of Plant Proteins by General PseAAC and Balancing Training Dataset

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (34) ◽  
pp. 4013-4022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiang Cheng ◽  
Xuan Xiao ◽  
Kuo-Chen Chou
Keyword(s):  
Subcellular Localization ◽  
Basic Research ◽  
Training Dataset ◽  
Sequence Information ◽  
Plant Proteins ◽  
Protein Subcellular Localization ◽  
Computational Tools ◽  
Validation Tests ◽  
User Friendly ◽  
Better Than

Knowledge of protein subcellular localization is vitally important for both basic research and drug development. With the avalanche of protein sequences emerging in the post-genomic age, it is highly desired to develop computational tools for timely and effectively identifying their subcellular localization based on the sequence information alone. Recently, a predictor called “pLoc-mPlant” was developed for identifying the subcellular localization of plant proteins. Its performance is overwhelmingly better than that of the other predictors for the same purpose, particularly in dealing with multi-label systems in which some proteins, called “multiplex proteins”, may simultaneously occur in two or more subcellular locations. Although it is indeed a very powerful predictor, more efforts are definitely needed to further improve it. This is because pLoc-mPlant was trained by an extremely skewed dataset in which some subsets (i.e., the protein numbers for some subcellular locations) were more than 10 times larger than the others. Accordingly, it cannot avoid the biased consequence caused by such an uneven training dataset. To overcome such biased consequence, we have developed a new and bias-free predictor called pLoc_bal-mPlant by balancing the training dataset. Cross-validation tests on exactly the same experimentconfirmed dataset have indicated that the proposed new predictor is remarkably superior to pLoc-mPlant, the existing state-of-the-art predictor in identifying the subcellular localization of plant proteins. To maximize the convenience for the majority of experimental scientists, a user-friendly web-server for the new predictor has been established at http://www.jci-bioinfo.cn/pLoc_bal-mPlant/, by which users can easily get their desired results without the need to go through the detailed mathematics.

Open-Ended Curiosity-Driven Fluids Lab Project

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas G. Shepard ◽  
Christopher Haas ◽  
Rajagopala Menon
Keyword(s):  
Fluid Mechanics ◽  
Undergraduate Curriculum ◽  
Self Determination Theory ◽  
Field Trips ◽  
Student Interest ◽  
Great Opportunity ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Design Build ◽  
Course Material ◽  
Positive Results

The lab component of a fluid mechanics course permits a great opportunity for students to engage with course material. These labs can take many forms including field trips, guided inquiry exercises, formulaic lab exercises, practical/hands-on skill development, CFD and design-build-test projects to name a few. Previous literature on self-determination theory suggests that many positive results can be gained by giving students a choice in their studies. Related literature on the importance of curiosity in students suggests similar benefits. This paper describes a multi-week lab experience where students were given the opportunity to study anything remotely related to fluid mechanics with very few restrictions on implementation. The project goals were proposed by a student, or a team of two students, and then refined with the assistance of the course instructor to ensure proper scope. Pre-project surveys were used to gage the importance students place on studying material which is of personal interest and to determine how other parts of the undergraduate curriculum match up with student interest. Post-project surveys were used to gather input on the student experience of completing the curiosity project. This paper details the results from the various assessments and discusses feedback from the course instructor, lab instructors and students relating to project implementation, opportunities for improvement and some of the advantages of such a lab experience.

AN EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING APPROACH FOR DEVELOPING MENTAL MODELS IN ENGINEERING DESIGN EDUCATION

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Li ◽  
C. Chua
Keyword(s):  
Experiential Learning ◽  
Engineering Design ◽  
Mental Models ◽  
Design Education ◽  
Mental Simulation ◽  
Learning Approach ◽  
Engineering Design Education ◽  
Design Activities ◽  
Support Engineering ◽  
Prior Experiences

Mental simulation represents how a person interprets and understands the causal relations associated with the perceived information, and it is considered an important cognitive device to support engineering design activities. Mental models are considered information characterized in a person’s mind to understand the external world. They are important components to support effective mental simulation. This paper begins with a discussion on the experiential learning approach and how it supports learners in developing mental models for design activities. Following that, the paper looks at the four types of mental models: object, making, analysis and project, and illustrates how they capture different aspects and skills of design activities. Finally, the paper proposes an alternative framework, i.e., Spiral Learning Approach, which is an integration of Kolb’s experiential learningcycle and the Imaginative Education (IE) framework. While the Kolb’s cycle informs a pattern to leverage personal experiences to reusable knowledge, the IE’s framework suggests how prior experiences can trigger imagination and advance understandings. A hypothetical design of a snow removal device is used to illustrate the ideas of design-related mental models and the spirallearning approach.

scholarly journals Parklet: A New Urban Platform for Emergent Forms of Communication and Social Interaction in the Cities

2019 ◽  
pp. 571-578
Author(s):  
Mona Ghandi
Keyword(s):  
Social Interaction ◽  
Urban Space ◽  
Structural Engineering ◽  
Adaptive Design ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Learning By Doing ◽  
Zoning Regulations ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Design Build ◽  
Construction Strategies

Social interaction is critical to the physical and intellectual well-being of a functioning democracy. The excessive influence of technology and lack of urban design and planning’s attention to pedestrian experience has caused our interactions to become more private, isolated, and mostly virtual. The following project presents the product of a design-build studio which uses adaptive/Kinetic systems to generate a creative solution to this social problem. Specifically, it will showcase the efforts of students working on a Parklet project, repurposing urban space to advance local business ethics and social justice issues. The Parklet replaces a parking space, fostering increases in social connections, public vibrancy, and support for local businesses. To move beyond schematic design, and offer students an experiment in real-world design issues, this studio provided a hands-on atmosphere for collaborative and consensus design experience, learning-by-doing, detailing challenges, and offsite construction strategies. It was structured to promote lessons in collaboration, construction detailing and process, and adaptive design, including working with city officials to meet code and zoning regulations. Since the project’s site is located in a neighboring city, students prefabricated the pieces in school and shipped and assembled them on site in one day. The studio sought to promote CAAD education, teaching design, and construction, but also innovation and entrepreneurship, through computational technology. The pedagogical framework was defined around various considerations such as structural, functional, financial, aesthetical, technological, and collaboration with other disciplines such as structural engineering and construction management

scholarly journals Experiential Learning in Management Education

2017 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eyal Eckhaus ◽  
Galit Klein ◽  
Jeffrey Kantor
Keyword(s):  
Experiential Learning ◽  
Management Education ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Management Skills ◽  
Business World ◽  
Final Grade ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Course Material ◽  
Game Simulation ◽  
The Impact

Management studies have been criticized for lagging behind the actual needs of organizations, ignoring experiential dimensions. We address this issue by applying experiential learning theory using an accountancy-oriented board game designed to help participants learn about cost management. The game was played in a pricing course with an enrolment of 104 accountancy students. We examined the impact levels of game entertainment and comprehensibility on the course material comprehension as well as the game’s impact on the final grade in the course. Results show that game participants had significantly higher grades than students that did not participate in the game, and that entertainment and comprehensibility of the game predict the understanding of course material. We also found that managerial employment capability can be predicted by level of challenge participants derive from the game. This study addresses the gap between traditional management education and practice. It provides empirical evidence of the value of hands-on gameplay experience for assimilation of course concepts and strategies. The results confirmed the importance of exposing players through an entertaining game simulation to challenges that arise in the business world. In addition, we lay the ground for future studies on the novel usage of the game as a tool to assess management skills.

Plurilingual STEAM and School Lunches for Learning?

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 33-57
Author(s):  
Daniel Roy Pearce ◽  
Mayo Oyama ◽  
Danièle Moore ◽  
Yuki Kitano ◽  
Emiko Fujita
Keyword(s):  
Elementary School ◽  
Experiential Learning ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Foreign Language Education ◽  
Cultural Artifacts ◽  
School Lunches ◽  
English Only ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Western Japan

In Japan, where there is a bias toward English-only in foreign language education, there are also grassroots efforts to introduce greater plurality in the classroom. However, introducing diverse languages and cultures into the classroom can lead to folklorization, the delivering of essentialized information in pre-packaged formats, which can potentially delegitimize other languages and cultures. This contribution examines a collaborative integrative plurilingual STEAM practice at an elementary school in Western Japan. In the ‘school lunches project,' the children experience various international cuisine, leading up to which they would engage with related languages and cultures through collaboratively produced plurilingual videos and museum-like exhibits of cultural artifacts. The interdisciplinary, hands-on, experiential learning within this project helped the children to develop an investigative stance toward linguistic and cultural artifacts, nurture a deeper awareness of languages and openness to diversity, foster reflexivity, and encourage interdisciplinary engagement.

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