As background, the Kolb learning cycle describes an entire cycle around which a learning experience progresses [1]. The goal, therefore, is to structure learning activities that will proceed completely around this cycle, providing the maximum opportunity for full student comprehension of the course material. This model has been used previously to evaluate and enhance teaching in engineering [2, 3, and 4]. Most college education is geared toward abstract conceptualiztion, but complete learning is enhanced by the use of all four learning stages Abstract Hypothesis and Conceptualization, Active Experimentation, Concrete Experience and Reflective Observation. Some parts of this paper were presented at an earlier conference [13]. The Finite Element (FE) method is a numerical procedure that is widely used to analyze engineering problems accurately and quickly in many corporations. It has become an essential and powerful analytical tool in designing products with ever-shorter development cycles [5, 6, and 7]. The use of commercial finite element software tutorials along with the Kolb model of learning has been used for the past three years to instruct undergraduate students in an introductory FE course. This paper provides outlines of the use of the commercial software tutorials using two Kolb learning cycles, a global learning cycle for the course and a micro learning cycle for the FE tutorials. The commercial FE software tutorials provide an excellent method to reinforce student’s retention of this complex numerical procedure. The software tutorials provide hands-on learning experiences that students need to reinforce the theoretical concepts covered in the lectures. The students are provided “Abstract Hypothesis/Conceptual Theory” that begins with the background of the FE method, fundamental mathematics of FE, move through the concept of “stiffness-analysis,” one-dimensional direct stiffness analysis of various structures, the topology of the various finite elements, error analysis of FE results, and concludes with engineering analysis of a typical engineering problem. These activities are interlaced with the hands-on MSC.Nastran1 software tutorials that begin stating the proposed problem in a manner that is “real-world” in nature then the student is supplied with background theory for the analysis they will attempt. The tutorials provide specific instructions on how to build the FE model of the problem using this commercial FEM code. The tutorial includes a step-by-step outline of the problem modeling with text and illustrations. The student then performs the analysis. Instead of doing this in a blind manner, the tutorial provides a connection to the abstract theory of FE and asks the student to perturb certain parameters in the model to predict the results apriori. This causes the students to make connections between the modeling techniques and the IMECE2004-60756 Undergraduate Finite Element Instruction using Commercial Finite Element Software Tutorials and the Kolb Learning Cycle underlying physics. This focuses in on the “Active Experimentation” part of Kolb’s cycle. After the student performs the analysis, they are asked to attempt to explain the differences between the FEM modeling and theoretical results. This requires students to engage in the “Reflective Observation” portion of Kolb’s cycle. In designing the learning experiences to completely transverse the Kolb cycle, students are fully engaged to understand the fundamentals of FE modeling and maximize the learning experience the tutorials provide. Near the conclusion of this course students are asked to develop prototype models of designs for engineering problems using FE and then asked to conduct experiments to verify their FE analysis. The Kolb model describes an entire cycle around which learning experiences progress Abstract Hypothesis and Conceptualization, Active Experimentation, Concrete Experience and Reflective Observation, and is shown below in Figure 1.

Kyle Watson earned his B.S. in mechanical engineering from Villanova University and his M.S. and Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from North Carolina State University. He has been a faculty member at the University of the Pacific since 2003 and has taught undergraduate courses in thermodynamics, heat transfer, combustion, air-conditioning, dynamics, and senior capstone design.Dr. Ashland O. Brown, University of the Pacific Ashland O. Brown, Professor of Mechanical Engineering, University of the Pacific He has served as dean of engineering for ten years at both the University of the Pacific and South Carolina State University and headed engineering groups at Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Corp. The engineering groups included a product design section composed of product analysis engineers finite element analysis experts and product development engineers. He has taught engineering courses for over twenty years in thermodynamics, solar engineering, graphics, dynamics, machine design, and finite elements methods at the University of the Pacific. He has over fifty referred technical research publications, and conference papers with twelve in the areas of finite element learning modules with two recently accepted referred engineering journal papers covering the results of this NSF research on finite element active learning modules. Prof. Jiancheng Liu, University of the PacificDr. Jiancheng Liu is an Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of the Pacific. Dr. Liu's research experience and teaching interest have been in the areas of machine design and manufacturing engineering, with specific focuses on CNC machine tool design, mechanical micro machining, cutting process, flexible manufacturing system automation, sensing and control technology, and intelligent CAM technology. With his many years' experience in industry and universities, Dr. Liu has published over 90 technical journals and conference papers. He was awarded four patents. Many of his research results have been successfully implemented as commercial products or practically applied. Among his many honors is the Industrial LEAD Award from SME. Commercial finite element packages are widely used in industry thereby making exposure to this tool an essential component of undergraduate engineering education. This paper discusses the development, implementation, and results of integrating active learning modules (ALM's) throughout an engineering curriculum with the goal of providing an effective learning resource that reinforces fundamental, yet challenging, course concepts without requiring knowledge of the rigorous mathematical theory underlying the finite element method. Fifteen ALM's have been implemented into eight courses at six different universities; this paper focuses on four ALM's that have been implemented at the University of the Pacific for several years thereby providing a significant amount of data. Assessment has been done through the use of identical pre-and post-ALM quizzes and a survey that gathers student information su...

and headed engineering groups at Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Corp. The engineering groups included a product design section composed of product analysis engineers finite element analysis experts and product development engineers. He has taught engineering courses for over twenty years in thermodynamics, solar engineering, graphics, dynamics, machine design, and finite elements methods at the University of the Pacific. He has over fifty referred technical research publications, and conference papers with twelve in the areas of finite element learning modules with two recently accepted referred engineering journal papers covering the results of this NSF research on finite element active learning modules. Prof. Paul Henry Schimpf, Eastern Washington UniversityPaul H. Schimpf received the B.S.E.E (summa cum laude), M.S.E.E., and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Washington, Seattle, in 1982, 1987, and 1995. Dr. Schimpf began his academic career in 1998, and is currently a Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Eastern Washington University, Cheney, WA, USA. His research interests include numerical methods for forward and inverse solutions to partial differential equations with biomedical applications. Prior to his academic career, Dr. Schimpf was employed as a Senior Principal Design Engineer in the electronics industry, where he enjoyed 15 years of experience developing parallel embedded signal and image processing systems. Prof. Jiancheng Liu, University of the PacificDr. Jiancheng Liu is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of the Pacific. Dr. Liu's research experience and teaching interest have been in the areas of machine design and manufacturing engineering, with specific focuses on CNC machine tool design, mechanical micro machining, cutting process, flexible manufacturing system automation, sensing and control technology, and intelligent CAM technology. With his many years' experience in industry and universities, Dr. Liu has published over 100 technical journals and conference papers. He was awarded four patents. Many of his research results have been successfully implemented as commercial products or practically applied. Among his many honors is the Industrial LEAD Award from SME. Dr. Kathy Schmidt Jackson, Pennsylvania State University, University ParkKathy Jackson is a Researcher at Pennsylvania State University's Teaching and Learning with Technology Group. In this position, she works with faculty across Penn State to study and research how learning works in today's media enhanced learning environments. In addition, she is an Affiliate Faculty in the Higher Education Department where she is teaches a class on college teaching. The landscape of contemporary engineering education is ever changing, adapting and evolving. Finite element theory and application has often been the focus of graduate-level courses in engineering programs; however, industry needs more bachelor's-level engineering graduates to have skills in applying this essential analysis and design te...

earned his B.S. in mechanical engineering from Villanova University and his M.S. and Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from North Carolina State University. He has been a faculty member at the University of the Pacific since 2003 and has taught undergraduate courses in thermodynamics, heat transfer, combustion, airconditioning , dynamics, and senior capstone design. Dr. Ashland O. Brown, University of the Pacific Ashland O. Brown is professor of mechanical engineering, University of the Pacific, and Principal Investigator. He has served as Dean for two engineering schools and headed groups at Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Corp., which included a product design section composed of product analysis engineers (finite element analysis experts). He has taught engineering courses in thermodynamics, solar engineering, graphics, dynamics, machine design, and finite elements methods. He has more than 50 referred technical research publications, and conference papers with 10 in the areas of finite element learning modules, with two recently accepted as referred engineering journal papers covering the results of the NSF CCLI-Phase 1 work.

earned his B.S. in mechanical engineering from Villanova University and his M.S. and Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from North Carolina State University. He has been a faculty member at the University of the Pacific since 2003 and has taught undergraduate courses in thermodynamics, heat transfer, combustion, airconditioning , dynamics, and senior capstone design.