Toward improving the academic performance in National Diploma Mechanical Engineering Thermodynamics 2 students

Louw, CMammen, K.J.

INTRODUCTION

• International problem.

• SA.

BACKGROUND

• Industry.

• Possible cause of the situation.

• International research.

PROBLEM STATEMENT

• Alternative teaching and learning methods to improve students performance.

RESEARCH PROBLEMS

• Course outcomes.• Current teaching practices.

RATIONALE

• Alternative innovations.

SIGNIFICANCE• Students. • More competitive graduates. • Staff can be developed.

RESEARCH QUESTION

• Can Guided Inquiry Based Learning (GIBL) assist the National Diploma Mechanical Engineering (NDME) improvement of academic performance and achievement of course outcomes of Thermodynamics 2 (MTHE 2) students?

SUB-QUESTIONS

• Did a GIBL program contribute to the improvement of academic performance of selected MTHE 2 students?

• How is this performance related to the Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) developed for this course?

OBJECTIVES

• Identify alternative teaching and learning methods.

• Implement GIBL as an alternative method.

• Develop KPI’s.

• KPI measurement.

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

• Social constructivism – (Vygotsky).

• Mismatch between teaching and learning – (Kapadia, 2008).

• Active learning improve knowledge retention – (Prince, 2004).

• Active learning develops higher order thinking skills – (Ada, 2009).

• Critical instructional objectives for 21st century – (Huet et al., 2007).

• IBL promotes important engineering skills – (Lee, 2004).

• IBL benefits disadvantaged students – (Hmelo-Silver, 2007).

Bloom’s Taxonomy

Knowledge (Remember) [list, memorize, remember, name]

Lower order thinking skillsComprehension (Understand)[comprehend, estimate, explain]

Application (Apply)[apply, compute, manipulate, solve]

Analysis (Analyze)[investigate, classify, analyze]

Higher order thinking skillsEvaluation (Evaluate)[judge, evaluate, assess, interpret]

Synthesis (Create)[design, create, develop, modify]

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

Population:

• NDME MTHE 2 students WSU.

Sample selection:

• Twenty NMDE MTHE 2 students WSU.

Instruments:

• Formative assessments – 3 written tests.

• Formative assessment – 1 oral test.

• Summative assessment - final examination.

• KPI’s.

• Structured Questionnaire.

• Interviews.

Pilot study and lessons learned:

• Positive results.

• Need indicated from students.

Data collection:

• Action research.

• GIBL.

• Assessments: tests, oral test and examination scores.

• KPI’s.

• Structured Questionnaire.

• Interviews.

GIBL Process PARTICIPATION

Explanation of theory, concepts, processes etc.

Lecturer – activeStudents – passive

Do an example following the Q and A approach in the guide.

Lecturer – activeStudents – active

Students split up into groups and are presented with new

problems to solve following the Q and A approach in the guide.

Students – activeLecturer - facilitates

Limitations/Delimitations:

• Student social economic background.

• Secondary schools attended.

• Student commitment.

• Student attitudes.

• Gender and ethnicity.

• Teaching and learning environment.

CHALLENGES FACED AND STRATEGIES TO SOLVE THEM

• New methods of teaching and learning to students.

• Resistance from students to accept new approach.

• Oral assessment is time consuming.

• Projects take up time to visit companies.

• IBL requires extra time.

DATA ANALYSIS

• PASW for data from tests, exam, questionnaire and KPI’s.

• N-Vivo for qualitative data from interviews.

• Statistician.

DISCUSSION

• Active teaching and learning improves student learning.

• Learning pyramid – more activity results in improved knowledge retention.

• International universities are introducing active learning.

CONCLUSIONS

• Definite need for this investigation.

• Innovations enhanced student learning.

• Innovations assisted in achieving outcomes measured by KPI’s.

• Lecturers can benefit from this.

• Engineers are problem solvers.

• Questionnaire gave positive feedback.

• Interviews emphasized students enjoyment and need for change.

Questions Strongly agree

Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree

1. I enjoyed the group sessions. 10 4 0 1 02. The inquiry based sessions helped me to

analyse problems effectively. 11 4 0 0 03. When working alone the inquiry based

approach helped me to analyse problems effectively. 5 4 6 0 0

4. This method helped me to understand the work and not to just memorise it. 10 4 1 0 0

5. This method helped me develop the ability to solve problems on my own. 4 10 1 0 0

6. The Thermodynamics guide with questions and answers helped me to understand the work better. 9 5 0 1 0

7. The Thermodynamics guide’s additional questions and answers helped me to understand and analyse new problems better.

4 9 2 0 0

8. This method can help me to understand other courses better. 6 7 1 1 0

9. This method should also be introduced in other courses.

9 5 0 0 1

STUDENT PERFORMANCE

• 75% of enrolled students obtained examination entry.

• 80% of students passed the course.

• 60% of enrolled students passed the course. (26% traditional)

• 55% achievement of outcomes.

SEMYEAR

NO. OF STUDENTS NO. OF ST. OBTAIN COURSE MARK

NO. OF ST. PASSED % PASSED COURSE % OF ENROLLED PASSED

22006

25 10 5 50 20

12007

26 25 5 20 19

22007

39 23 12 47 33

12008

27 12 2 17 7

22008

80 73 47 64 59

12009

33 27 3 11 9

22009

45 31 5 16 11

12010

20 16 12 75 60

QUESTIONS?