The Purdue Mechanics Freeform Classroom: A New Approach to Engineering Mechanics Education

Abstract

Dr. Rhoads' current research interests include the predictive design, analysis, and implementation of resonant micro/nanoelectromechanical systems (MEMS/NEMS); the behavior of electromechanical and thermomechanical systems operating in rich, multi-physics environments; and mechanics education. Dr. Rhoads is a member of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), where he serves on the Student Design Committee and the Design Engineering Division's Technical Committees on Micro/Nanosystems and Vibration and Sound. Dr. Rhoads is a recipient of the National Science Foundation's Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award,

Work In Progress: A Snapshot of OER Adoption in Engineering Mechanics Courses

“…That being said, of 80 institutions investigated, significant observations include:  Almost no OER was listed in the course materials from the observed institutions. The one clear example of a course using OER was the "Freeform Lecturebook" [16] being used at Purdue University in statics, dynamics and strength of materials. If OER is being used elsewhere, it is not being formally listed in the course materials.…”

MEERCat: A Case Study of How Faculty-led Research Initiatives Gave Rise to a Cross-departmental Research Center with Potential to Inform Local Policy

“…Recognizing the need to adopt a new research-based understanding of how engineering undergraduate students learn, instructors in the School of Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University redesigned a sophomore-level Dynamics course into an Active, Blended, and Collaborative (ABC) learning environment called Freeform [6]. The instructors developed multiple learning resources for the students including a hybrid lecturebook, an online repository of video based homework solutions, videos of lecture examples and visualizing mechanics principles, an online discussion forum, and tutorial rooms.…”

WIP: Validating a Motivated Strategy for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) in an Active, Blended, and Collaborative (ABC) Dynamics Learning Environment

“…In 2008, an active, blended, and collaborative (ABC) teaching and learning environment for a core engineering science course (Dynamics), named Freeform, was developed and adopted by a team of mechanics instructors [28]. With the goal of a student-centered classroom, Freeform transformed a lecture-based pedagogical environment to a highly-networked pedagogical environment.…”