A Blended Course in Mechanical Engineering
The 15th Annual Sloan-C International Conference on ONLINE LEARNING
Orlando, Florida, October 28 - 30, 2009
Isabel S. Carvalho
IDMEC, University of Porto, PortoLisbon Engineering Institute, Lisbon
Portugal
Course description
Methodology / Contents / Activities / …..
Online & F2F integration
Overall view
Final Remark
Structure
Can course contents be made interesting and
appealing and of practical application?
YES
?
Course Characteristics
1st year MSc, Mechanical Engineering
F2F classes – 4,5 hours / week
2 different groups of students (Day / Evening)
Cover a Huge Syllabus
1 semester = approx. 15 weeks
Course Information - Syllabus, Resources,
Activities, etc. – in English (online)
Energy Production and Management
to provide a wide choice of activities and opportunities for student learning
to introduce and motivate students with Problem Based Learning approaches
to assist students in “learning how to learn”
to promote collaborative learning and teaching to increase the students’ engagement and responsibility in the learning process
Methodology / Contents
Positive interdependence (in class and online)
F2F promotive interaction (in class – coop. & collab.)
Individual accountability/personal responsibility (in class and outside class)
Teamwork skills (in class)
Group processing (in class and outside class)
Methodology / Activities
Smith et al. (2005). Pedagogies of Engagement: Classroom-Based Practices. J. Engng. Education, January, 87-101.
Online Environment
http://edu2.moonlight.pt/admin - Login & Password
EnergyCourses (Syl.)Res. & Mat.ActivitiesSem & Field TripsEvaluation
Energy Production and Management
MenuCourses Resources & Materials
CourseSyllabus
ContactsObjectivesDescriptionLearning outcomesGetting started – LMSECTS.... pdf
Resources & MaterialsFiles for download
ReportsWorking files (.XLS)
Links (National & International)Simulators (F2F)
http://edu2.moonlight.pt/admin
Online Environment
Picciano, A.G. (2006). Blended Learning: Implications for growth and access. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 10,(3).
Students meet f2f-Teacher uses simpleTechnology such as email, or web for e-lectures
Students meet online-Teacher uses simpleTechnology such as LMS, Discussion Forum
Students meet f2f-Teacher uses Technology such as simulations, tutorials, Digital video
Students meet online-Teacher uses advancedTechnology such asInteractive video conf.
Online
Tech Low
Tech High
F2F
Online and F2F
Activities and Assignments
Long term (Course Project 1 - Individual)
Long term (Course Project 2 - Team Work)
Short term in-class activities (group)
Short term online activities (group / individual)
In-class activities integrated with online feedback
PBL & Open ended problems
Field Trips
Seminars / Invited Speakers
News Forum
Activities and Assignments
Course Project 1 – Energy Audit
Individual
Whole Semester
Introduction (objectives and resources)
Examples and Case Studies; Online Simulators
XLS file / daily readings
Mid-Term Evaluation (ev)
Final presentation + Report (ev)
Course Project 2 – Team Work
Groups of 2 - 4
Online Collaborative Work (2 or 3 tasks / week)
Support bibliography and rich / high quality URLs
Peer-to-Peer Review (ev)
Final presentation in a Seminar like format (ev)
Final Report (ev)
Activities and Assignments
In Class Outside Class
QuizzesExercisesAccess to Learning Resources (controlled)PowerPoint PresentationsCD-ROMCase Studies (real world)Debates (moderated)
ReadingExercisesAccess to Learning Resources (free)Field TripsMeasuringCase Characterisation and MonitoringDo your own calculations !Interviews
Student – Content
Activity and Interactivity Map
Student-Teacher Student-Peers
In-person
Assignments and Reports with feedback
Online discussion (Forum)
Formative and summative evaluations
Small group quizzes
Small group exercises
Sidebar discussions
Online (Forum)
Peer review (in class and online)
Activity and Interactivity Map
Online and F2F
Overall View
Kick-off phase - motivation SMS
In-class and online integration
Rules and Deadlines
Feedback
Engagement and Focusing
Align content with engaging activities Design activities for interaction among learners
Information management
Establishment of check-points to secure the achievement of the main objectives
Online and In-class support sessions
Guidance and mid-term evaluations
Required interaction between learner and teacher / tutor
Workload versus Grades
Overall View
Larger pool of ideas
Healthier learning environment
Accomplish more in less time
Interaction between students encourages more and better learning
Increases motivation; flexible communication schedules; easy contact with lecturer and peers
Allows questions, reflection and corrections
Possibility to teach others and share personal exp.
Hard work; time consuming; information management
Student’s View
• Move on from Spoon - fed towards self-feeding (independent learning).... and the students enjoy it!
• Work non-technical /soft skills – formal and informal writing, communication and presentation skills, reflective thinking, creativity, synthesis, information management, strutured thinking, etc.
• Increase student / teacher interactivity and relationship more responsible.
• Evolved from a content expert to a content validator (Joan D. McMahon)
Lecturer’s View
Students make strong connections between concepts when they learn facts and skills by actively working with information rather than by passively receiving information.
Establishment of check-points to secure the achievement of the main objectives.
Learning by doing.... and enjoying it!
Willing to teach others
...MULTIPLIER EFFECT
Final Remark
Flexibility
Fairness
Objective / Subjective
Continuous / Final
Process / Product
Individual versus Team
....
Assessment - What? When? How?
Resources and Materials in English
Include students in ongoing Projects and Coop.
Real World Cases (in-class and outside)
Invited speakers; Field Trips; Interaction with society; case studies
International / Global approaches
Content; Intl. Survey; EU vs USA; News Forum
Communication skills
High/Low; Direct or Indirect; Formal or Informal;Written and Verbal
Educating the “Global Engineer”
THANK YOU !
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