Improved Student Engagement through Project-Based Learning in Freshman Engineering Design

Abstract

With more than thirty years' experience in the education profession, Dr. Carpenter has a track record of managing the development of high quality, revenue impacting, blended curriculum. A seasoned professor and corporate trainer, she has delivered valuable learning experiences to students who range in age and ability from Head Start preschoolers to doctoral candidates at one of America's oldest universities. As a certified Instructional Designer, she has held leadership and instructional design positions at Fortune 500 Companies where she has leveraged strong program management and communication skills, knowledge of various MLSs, and the ability to lead and collaborate with IT professionals, subject matter experts, and content developers to create and maintain revenue generating learning experiences. Dr. Chris Yakymyshyn,Dr. Yakymyshyn received a Bachelors in Electrical Engineering/Physics from the University of Alberta, Canada in 1984, and an MS and PhD in Electrical Engineering from Cornell University. He has worked at large R&D corporations and start-ups. He was a faculty member at Montana State University and Florida Polytechnic University. He has received numerous awards, including the NSERC and Alberta Heritage scholarships, the Eta Kappa Nu outstanding young EE of the year runner-up, several teaching excellence awards and several R&D 100 awards. He has authored over 60 technical papers, one book chapter and has 37 U.S. patents. He is a senior member of IEEE and a Life member of the Optical Society of America. Mr. Logan Edward MicherLogan Micher was born in Southery, England, in 1996. He earned an IB Diploma in May 2012, and is currently working towards his Bachelor of Engineering degree. Logan recently developed a low-cost, programmable robot designed for intermediary robotics instruction, and held classes in which he walked students through design, prototyping, revision, manufacturing, and assembly processes. Since 2010, Logan has worked as a private tutor; most recently he has moved from small in-person tutoring into electronic classroom learning as a consultant for an online tutoring service. In previous semesters, he has aided the teaching of introductory design and modeling classes at Florida Polytechnic University. As the operator of the Florida Polytechnic University Robotics Laboratory, he trains students to use fabrication machinery, 2D and 3D design software, and analytic methods to aid in student and research projects. Logan also provides 3D modeling, prototyping, and 2D design services to various local companies, and hopes to earn certifications for 3D design in the coming months. Ms. Ashly Locke, Florida Polytechnic UniversityAshly Locke is a fifteen year Navy veteran and a Lab Technician at Florida Polytechnic University. She received a bachelor of science in Electrical Engineering Technology from Purdue University. Currently she is pursuing a master of science in Electrical Engineering at Florida Polytechnic University. Prior to joining Florida Polytechnic's inaugural staff; she worked for ...

Project-based learning approach: improvements of an undergraduate course in new product development

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Mechatronics Workshop for Elementary School Outreach

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Assistive Technology for Freshmen Design and K-12 Outreach

“…This Work in Progress paper describes the design of project-based learning approach focused on assistive technology as applied in a freshmen level engineering course which also integrates outreach with the local K12 system. Project-based design projects in freshmen introductory engineering courses have been shown to improve student engagement, use of divergent thinking, and teamwork skills 1,2 . Assistive technology is a field that provides a rich opportunity for students to engage with their peers, their community, and the world at large in a meaningful way 3 .…”