COURSE / PROGRAM

• Interdisciplinary Engineering 50 (now Civil Engineering 2200) - Engineering Mechanics (Statics)

ABSTRACT

Statics is a fundamental engineering course offered at Missouri S&T during every fall, spring and summer semester. All engineering majors are required to take this course. Total enrollment for Spring, Summer and Fall 2012 for this course is over 700 students. Fall and spring offerings include six sections taught by three instructors with one section taught each summer. Current method of instruction follows the traditional approach of a three hour problem-based lecture course, with four hourly common exams and a common comprehensive final for all six sections. An online homework component using “Mastering Engineering” was incorporated in the Fall, 2010 semester as a first step to take advantage of using educational technology to enhance student’s comprehension of material. The objective of this project would be to develop online theory/lecture modules to replace normal classroom lectures. In addition, illustrative online problem solving modules and student review assistance video aids will be developed to enhance the blended learning environment and ultimately the educational experience/outcomes for students. By offering this type of access to typical classroom activities through an online environment with anytime access for students, an open environment for student/instructor and student-to-student interaction for those students who would desire that type of interface could be developed for the normal three hours of class time. The blended course would be first offered in the Fall of 2013 in one of the two T-TH sections taught by Dr. Mary Ann Koen and expanded to other sections as desired by the department after an initial assessment by comparison to Dr. Koen’s regular class. Completion of this blended class concept could lead to the option offering of IDE-50 as an individualized distance class for students who are off-campus for a semester yet still want to advance in the required course progression. This would open the option to other engineering students from other institutions as well as to our students who might need to retake the course under time constraints.

COURSE / PROGRAM

• English 20 (now 1120) - Exposition & Argumentation

ABSTRACT

This project seeks to transition three sections of English 20, a core requirement course for all Missouri S&T majors, from a traditional classroom format to a blended course.  This transition will assist in increasing classroom availability, allow for more English 20 sections to be offered at preferred class times, and improve students’ writing skills as traditionally oral classroom activities are transitioned to online writing activities.  The lead course designer for this project is Dr. Daniel Reardon, director of composition, recipient of Faculty Teaching Awards in 2008 and 2010.  Dr. Reardon has extensive knowledge of Blackboard applications and educational software.  Co-instructor in the project is Dr. Olivia Burgess, who has significant technical communication credentials, and high English 20 CET scores.  The other co-instructor is Ms. Kelly Tate, who has taught online, asynchronous sections of English 20.  Each instructor will contribute innovations to the project.  The blended English 20 course sections would be offered in fall 2013, and likely across multiple sections in future semesters after 2013.

COURSE / PROGRAM

• Computer Engineering 213 (now 3150) - Digital Systems Design

ABSTRACT

The goal of this proposal is to redesign the CpE 213: Digital Systems Design course to better meet the department’s ABET learning objectives and enhance student learning. The redesign will include blended learning and aim for an inverted classroom problem-based model which emphasizes time on task and classroom interaction. The deliverables will be a collection of short 3-5 minute videos which will introduce content, show programming examples, and run through applications.

CpE 213 is the second course in the Computer Engineering curriculum, is required also for Computer Science majors, and is often taken as an elective by Electrical Engineering majors. Its focus is on the software design of microcontroller-based embedded systems and the topics covered are directly useful to students when they begin their careers. Approximately 100 students a semester enroll in the course.

The potential impact of this proposal would be to help students better achieve the learning objectives in a course that is required for students in two majors.

COURSE / PROGRAM

•  Biological Science 110 (now 1113) - General Biology

ABSTRACT

This project intends to develop General Biology (Bio 110) into a hybrid online course following a “buffet model” approach. If approved, this move would enhance availability, quality, and impact of an introductory science elective course designed to reach students from all majors within the University. Adam Martin, M.S., the current instructor and course designer, has been teaching the course for over three years and has consistently received evaluations above average for both his department and the University as a whole. During that time he has already incorporated technological improvements including the use of clicker questions for in class participation and Blackboard testing to accommodate student time constraints. Given the introductory nature of the course the move to a “buffet style” model would be a relatively easily accomplished. The preliminary revised course will be offered in the spring of 2013 with final rollout scheduled for fall semester of 2013 incorporating lessons learned during the initial trial.

COURSE / PROGRAM

• Engineering Management 147 (now 2211) - Engineering Accounting
• Engineering Management 254 (now 3320) - Introduction to Project Management

ABSTRACT

Two undergraduate courses in Engineering Management are currently offered at the same time of day, one on MWF and one on T/TH. Stduents of both courses could greatly benefit from added online content. The long-term goal would be to then convert both classes to a hybrid format where the courses could be offered in the same classroom. The short-term goal of this project is to use technology to enhance learning and improve class efficiency for both classes.

Students in Engineering Management 147: Engineering Accounting have indicated that they could greatly benefit from observing more example problems being worked. To accommodate this need, online course content modules will be developed for the class which will allow students to have access to additional asynchronous material. In conjunction with the added online material, online homework which is linked to the textbook will be utilized.

Engineering Management 254: Introduction to Project Management currently has several student presentations as part of the course requirements. By making use of a virtual classroom tool such as Blackboard Collaborate, students could upload recorded presentations for evaluation by instructor and fellow students. By uploading presentations, evaluations could be accomplished in an asynchronous timeline which would reduce the classroom time needed for these activities.

Beginning in Fall 2012, content modules will be developed and used in Engineering Management 147. Simultaneously, a textbook with linked online homework will be introduced to the Engineering Management 147 class. In Spring 2013, Blackboard Collaborate will be incorporated into the Engineering Management 254 class.

Beyond the 2012/2013 academic year, additional online material will be developed for Engineering Management 147 as determined from student scores and surveys. If student performance and satisfaction increases, a hybrid format for Engineering Management 147 could be developed. Successful implementation of Blackboard Collaborate in Engineering Management 254 could also allow for a hybrid format to be pursued in that course.

COURSE / PROGRAM

• Electrical Engineering 151 (now 2100) - Circuits I

ABSTRACT

This project is for the adoption of technology and development of teaching strategies to improve teaching and learning for EE151 circuits I, course in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department. This project will be implemented with students registered to take the EE151 class at the Missouri University of Science and Technology/Missouri State University Cooperative Engineering Program in Springfield. The Blackboard Collaborate web conferencing tool provides features and functionality that support individual needs and learning styles to maximize student engagement and learning. By incorporating the use of Blackboard Collaborate into the EE151 class, this project seeks to expand the learning spaces, enhance dialogue, and improve outcomes.

The nature of the students enrolled in the Cooperative Engineering program is such that most of them have to combine schooling with holding regular jobs. This project will explore the use of virtual office hours with the use of Blackboard Collaborate and the Bamboo Create tablet to enhance the learning experience of these working students.