The decision making process of the University Administration with regard to the summer employment assignments for the faculty is discussed. It is shown that the University Administration may concur with recommendations made by a lower hierarchy that may sometime do not comply with the university bylaws, policies, rules, and regulations. A case is discussed where the policies of the department and the rules and regulations of the university may have been overlooked by the hierarchy of the university administration with regard to the summer employment of the faculty members in the electrical engineering department during the summer/2002.
{"title":"Summer Employment Policies For Permanent and Temporary Faculty","authors":"E. Shaban","doi":"10.18260/1-2-620-38511","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18260/1-2-620-38511","url":null,"abstract":"The decision making process of the University Administration with regard to the summer employment assignments for the faculty is discussed. It is shown that the University Administration may concur with recommendations made by a lower hierarchy that may sometime do not comply with the university bylaws, policies, rules, and regulations. A case is discussed where the policies of the department and the rules and regulations of the university may have been overlooked by the hierarchy of the university administration with regard to the summer employment of the faculty members in the electrical engineering department during the summer/2002.","PeriodicalId":355306,"journal":{"name":"2003 GSW Proceedings","volume":"10 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"125364473","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
D. Bankston, Allen Battles, David R. Gurney, E. Reyes
In this paper, we will show how hyperbolic geometry can be presented to computer science students by using technology and a graphical approach. We have developed an applet by interfacing Visual Basic and Mathematica that can be used as a graphics calculator in understanding concepts studied in hyperbolic geometry. In particular, the applet draws hyperbolic lines, hyperbolic triangles, animates transformations in hyperbolic geometry, and computes hyperbolic distances and measurements of hyperbolic triangles. We will point out that the Poincare disk, a model for hyperbolic geometry, is a natural medium on which one can lay out a data structure such as a tree or directed graph. As we know, the leaves and nodes in a tree may represent links to databases, URL addresses, or other kinds of data. Since a tree may have several nodes or leaves, and consequently contain huge amounts of information, we will discuss how transformations in hyperbolic geometry allow a user to traverse the branches, nodes, leaves of a tree, and even provide a user different visual perspectives of the data structure.
{"title":"Creating a Tool to Demonstrate Hyperbolic Geometry And Its Uses for Data Structures","authors":"D. Bankston, Allen Battles, David R. Gurney, E. Reyes","doi":"10.18260/1-2-620-38465","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18260/1-2-620-38465","url":null,"abstract":"In this paper, we will show how hyperbolic geometry can be presented to computer science students by using technology and a graphical approach. We have developed an applet by interfacing Visual Basic and Mathematica that can be used as a graphics calculator in understanding concepts studied in hyperbolic geometry. In particular, the applet draws hyperbolic lines, hyperbolic triangles, animates transformations in hyperbolic geometry, and computes hyperbolic distances and measurements of hyperbolic triangles. We will point out that the Poincare disk, a model for hyperbolic geometry, is a natural medium on which one can lay out a data structure such as a tree or directed graph. As we know, the leaves and nodes in a tree may represent links to databases, URL addresses, or other kinds of data. Since a tree may have several nodes or leaves, and consequently contain huge amounts of information, we will discuss how transformations in hyperbolic geometry allow a user to traverse the branches, nodes, leaves of a tree, and even provide a user different visual perspectives of the data structure.","PeriodicalId":355306,"journal":{"name":"2003 GSW Proceedings","volume":"140 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"123346706","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
S. Bhattacharya, J. Berg, D. James, S. Gangopadhyaya
Abstract Physical intuition developed for fluid flows at the macro-scale can be very misleading when applied to flows in microchannels. The Reynolds number of these flows is typically low, and thus they remain totally laminar. Under microflow conditions, familiar phenomena such as fluid mixing behave counter to the intuition developed by students in a standard engineering curriculum. We present a laboratory project designed to stress this point to students taking a first-year graduate introduction to microsystems. The pilot group found the results surprising and counter-intuitive. It appears that the project was instrumental in clarifying key concepts in microfluidics. Introduction After several decades in which microsystems research mainly addressed electromechanical systems [1], the focus has begun to shift to fluidic systems. This shift is driven primarily by potential application of microsystems to chemistry, biology and medicine [2]. An introductory course in microsystems at Texas Tech University (TTU), offered to graduate students and advanced undergraduates, includes several modular projects in photolithography, surface micromachining and bulk micromachining [3]. The course also includes a microfluidics project using “soft lithography” [4]. The microfluidics component has undergone several iterations. This paper describes the most recent version, which requires the design, fabrication and test of a micromixer. It should be stressed that this course is the first of a three-semester sequence with 3 credit hours, and that subsequent projects require integration of valves, pumps and mixers with other components [3]. The main purpose of the module described here is to teach the basic
{"title":"A Flow Visualization Experiment for a First Course in Micro-fluidics","authors":"S. Bhattacharya, J. Berg, D. James, S. Gangopadhyaya","doi":"10.18260/1-2-620-38474","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18260/1-2-620-38474","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Physical intuition developed for fluid flows at the macro-scale can be very misleading when applied to flows in microchannels. The Reynolds number of these flows is typically low, and thus they remain totally laminar. Under microflow conditions, familiar phenomena such as fluid mixing behave counter to the intuition developed by students in a standard engineering curriculum. We present a laboratory project designed to stress this point to students taking a first-year graduate introduction to microsystems. The pilot group found the results surprising and counter-intuitive. It appears that the project was instrumental in clarifying key concepts in microfluidics. Introduction After several decades in which microsystems research mainly addressed electromechanical systems [1], the focus has begun to shift to fluidic systems. This shift is driven primarily by potential application of microsystems to chemistry, biology and medicine [2]. An introductory course in microsystems at Texas Tech University (TTU), offered to graduate students and advanced undergraduates, includes several modular projects in photolithography, surface micromachining and bulk micromachining [3]. The course also includes a microfluidics project using “soft lithography” [4]. The microfluidics component has undergone several iterations. This paper describes the most recent version, which requires the design, fabrication and test of a micromixer. It should be stressed that this course is the first of a three-semester sequence with 3 credit hours, and that subsequent projects require integration of valves, pumps and mixers with other components [3]. The main purpose of the module described here is to teach the basic","PeriodicalId":355306,"journal":{"name":"2003 GSW Proceedings","volume":"118 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"115382991","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Design, Build, and Activation Experience in an Undergraduate Mechanical Engineering Program","authors":"A. Rogers, Amir Karimi","doi":"10.18260/1-2-620-38509","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18260/1-2-620-38509","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":355306,"journal":{"name":"2003 GSW Proceedings","volume":"331 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"124672400","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Beginning in 2000, the author has run an annual online puzzle contest for engineering students as one of UTA’s Engineering Week activities. The goal of developing this tradition has been to show that problem solving can be both fun and profitable. The contest has been humorously dubbed the Dirty Dozen Puzzle Contest from the challenging nature of its thirteen problems. The winner of each year’s contest receives a $1000 scholarship, which also gives in-state tuition for up to three semesters for a non-Texas resident. As a result, approximately 10% of all engineering students participate. This paper provides details of the contest’s philosophy and administration, as well as past contest puzzles. Moreover, other engineering schools are invited to participate in an intercollegiate competition.
{"title":"Playing at Engineering Education: The Dirty Dozen Puzzle Contest","authors":"H. Corley","doi":"10.18260/1-2-620-38482","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18260/1-2-620-38482","url":null,"abstract":"Beginning in 2000, the author has run an annual online puzzle contest for engineering students as one of UTA’s Engineering Week activities. The goal of developing this tradition has been to show that problem solving can be both fun and profitable. The contest has been humorously dubbed the Dirty Dozen Puzzle Contest from the challenging nature of its thirteen problems. The winner of each year’s contest receives a $1000 scholarship, which also gives in-state tuition for up to three semesters for a non-Texas resident. As a result, approximately 10% of all engineering students participate. This paper provides details of the contest’s philosophy and administration, as well as past contest puzzles. Moreover, other engineering schools are invited to participate in an intercollegiate competition.","PeriodicalId":355306,"journal":{"name":"2003 GSW Proceedings","volume":"92 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"126345235","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
R. Barr, Marcus G. Marcus G., A. Petrosino, L. Abraham, T. Karande, Bijal Patel
This paper discusses the development and classroom testing of Virtual Biomechanics Laboratory (VBL) learning modules that offer students an opportunity for web-enhanced learning in a traditional biomechanics course. The pedagogical framework for the modules is based on the widely publicized book “How People Learn” (HPL). The HPL teaching framework presents the learning material as a series of challenges that are posed through a “Legacy Cycle.” The first two challenges for the Virtual Biomechanics Laboratory deal with the kinematics and kinetics of walking. Students are challenged to solve specific conceptual problems. For theses challenges, actual laboratory data from a human gait lab is presented to the students at the website in the form of excel spreadsheets. Using formulae pasted into the appropriate spreadsheet cells, the students can calculate and plot the trajectory of the whole body center of mass (COM) and determine the ground reaction forces (GRF). Included in the modules are video clips of experts presenting their opinions on the problem, and video shots of the equipment used in the data collection process in the actual biomechanics laboratory. Several appropriate reference papers are also supplied for background reading. This paper concludes with some results of testing this approach to learning in a traditional biomechanics class taught at the University of Texas at Austin in the Fall 2002 semester. This research study included pre- and post-tests, module components’ effectiveness rankings, a survey of learning outcomes, and a personal preference affect questionnaire.
{"title":"Classroom Testing of Virtual Biomechanics Laboratory (VBL) Learning Modules","authors":"R. Barr, Marcus G. Marcus G., A. Petrosino, L. Abraham, T. Karande, Bijal Patel","doi":"10.18260/1-2-620-38470","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18260/1-2-620-38470","url":null,"abstract":"This paper discusses the development and classroom testing of Virtual Biomechanics Laboratory (VBL) learning modules that offer students an opportunity for web-enhanced learning in a traditional biomechanics course. The pedagogical framework for the modules is based on the widely publicized book “How People Learn” (HPL). The HPL teaching framework presents the learning material as a series of challenges that are posed through a “Legacy Cycle.” The first two challenges for the Virtual Biomechanics Laboratory deal with the kinematics and kinetics of walking. Students are challenged to solve specific conceptual problems. For theses challenges, actual laboratory data from a human gait lab is presented to the students at the website in the form of excel spreadsheets. Using formulae pasted into the appropriate spreadsheet cells, the students can calculate and plot the trajectory of the whole body center of mass (COM) and determine the ground reaction forces (GRF). Included in the modules are video clips of experts presenting their opinions on the problem, and video shots of the equipment used in the data collection process in the actual biomechanics laboratory. Several appropriate reference papers are also supplied for background reading. This paper concludes with some results of testing this approach to learning in a traditional biomechanics class taught at the University of Texas at Austin in the Fall 2002 semester. This research study included pre- and post-tests, module components’ effectiveness rankings, a survey of learning outcomes, and a personal preference affect questionnaire.","PeriodicalId":355306,"journal":{"name":"2003 GSW Proceedings","volume":"5 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132938710","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Due to the drastic shift in the educational landscape toward outcome-based learning, it has become essential to implement classroom tools that will facilitate better learning of the subjects that most students find difficult to grasp. This task seems to be even more difficult in engineering courses where concepts, terminology, equations, formulations, and problems, which are initially foreign to students, abound. This paper is an attempt to demonstrate the utilization of one of the tools of outcome-based learning that will accommodate a variety of learning styles, namely a concept map. The course selected to apply this tool is the first thermodynamics course taught at Southern University. This course is usually a one-semester course taken by third-year engineering students. The course is an introduction to the basic laws of classical thermodynamics and the behavior of gases and vapors. The principles and laws necessary for energy transformation are also covered. These concept maps are developed in hope that the student will be able to qualitatively and quantitatively grasp the fundamentals and how they are linked, and appropriately apply them in the analysis of engineering systems.
{"title":"Demonstration of Concept Maps to Enhance Student Learning in an Engineering Course","authors":"H. D. Jerro, Chunmei Huang, P. Mensah, Lynn Evans","doi":"10.18260/1-2-620-38491","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18260/1-2-620-38491","url":null,"abstract":"Due to the drastic shift in the educational landscape toward outcome-based learning, it has become essential to implement classroom tools that will facilitate better learning of the subjects that most students find difficult to grasp. This task seems to be even more difficult in engineering courses where concepts, terminology, equations, formulations, and problems, which are initially foreign to students, abound. This paper is an attempt to demonstrate the utilization of one of the tools of outcome-based learning that will accommodate a variety of learning styles, namely a concept map. The course selected to apply this tool is the first thermodynamics course taught at Southern University. This course is usually a one-semester course taken by third-year engineering students. The course is an introduction to the basic laws of classical thermodynamics and the behavior of gases and vapors. The principles and laws necessary for energy transformation are also covered. These concept maps are developed in hope that the student will be able to qualitatively and quantitatively grasp the fundamentals and how they are linked, and appropriately apply them in the analysis of engineering systems.","PeriodicalId":355306,"journal":{"name":"2003 GSW Proceedings","volume":"133 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"121385060","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Demonstrating Techniques for Estimating the Constant of Variation in Commonly Occurring Variation Problems in College Algebra Textbooks","authors":"W. Link, Carlos G. Spaht","doi":"10.18260/1-2-620-38501","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18260/1-2-620-38501","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":355306,"journal":{"name":"2003 GSW Proceedings","volume":"53 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116969284","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Two policy initiatives were considered in this study. The first allows students to rework and resubmit previously evaluated work for additional credit. The second allows students to have a small pool of “bonus days,” or declared but nonjustified extensions to homework or laboratory report deadlines. Both policies are intended to address perceived shortcomings in the traditional methods for setting deadlines and evaluating and returning student work to the student. Student surveys indicate broad acceptance of the policies, some perception of reduced stress due to inflexible deadlines, small if any reduction in the amount of learning in the first iteration of student work, and an increased amount of attention to the homework in total.
{"title":"The Impact on Student Learning of Resubmission of Work and Flexible Deadlines","authors":"Kevin M. Nickels, M. Uddin","doi":"10.18260/1-2-620-38505","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18260/1-2-620-38505","url":null,"abstract":"Two policy initiatives were considered in this study. The first allows students to rework and resubmit previously evaluated work for additional credit. The second allows students to have a small pool of “bonus days,” or declared but nonjustified extensions to homework or laboratory report deadlines. Both policies are intended to address perceived shortcomings in the traditional methods for setting deadlines and evaluating and returning student work to the student. Student surveys indicate broad acceptance of the policies, some perception of reduced stress due to inflexible deadlines, small if any reduction in the amount of learning in the first iteration of student work, and an increased amount of attention to the homework in total.","PeriodicalId":355306,"journal":{"name":"2003 GSW Proceedings","volume":"32 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"114682298","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Working in teams, especially on multidisciplinary projects, is becoming more and more common in engineering as well as in other work environments. However, despite the importance of “team-work” in engineering design, there is little data on the characteristics of “good” and “poor” team players. This paper presents preliminary results from an ongoing, horizontal study of this issue in two engineering design courses, one at the sophomore level and the other at the senior level. Individual demographic, academic, personality (Myers-Briggs type indicators) and personal data, as well as interest and skill level, were gathered for the entire class. The data for those individuals judged to be above average team players and those judged to be below average team players were then compared. Some of the conclusions reached are listed below: • The women tended to be better team players than the men. • The better team players tended to be older, with more work and hands-on experience and either Caucasian or Hispanic. • The better team players tended to have higher college and high school GPAs and higher SAT Verbal scores but lower SAT Analytical scores. • The better team players tended to have better drawing abilities and, perhaps most important of all, were better self-critics of their own drawing abilities. As a result of these conclusions several specific recommendation are made which may improve the ability of some students to work more effectively in groups. However, these conclusions and recommendations are based on very limited data, and further study is needed.
{"title":"Who Are the Good Team Players?","authors":"R. Bannerot","doi":"10.18260/1-2-620-38467","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18260/1-2-620-38467","url":null,"abstract":"Working in teams, especially on multidisciplinary projects, is becoming more and more common in engineering as well as in other work environments. However, despite the importance of “team-work” in engineering design, there is little data on the characteristics of “good” and “poor” team players. This paper presents preliminary results from an ongoing, horizontal study of this issue in two engineering design courses, one at the sophomore level and the other at the senior level. Individual demographic, academic, personality (Myers-Briggs type indicators) and personal data, as well as interest and skill level, were gathered for the entire class. The data for those individuals judged to be above average team players and those judged to be below average team players were then compared. Some of the conclusions reached are listed below: • The women tended to be better team players than the men. • The better team players tended to be older, with more work and hands-on experience and either Caucasian or Hispanic. • The better team players tended to have higher college and high school GPAs and higher SAT Verbal scores but lower SAT Analytical scores. • The better team players tended to have better drawing abilities and, perhaps most important of all, were better self-critics of their own drawing abilities. As a result of these conclusions several specific recommendation are made which may improve the ability of some students to work more effectively in groups. However, these conclusions and recommendations are based on very limited data, and further study is needed.","PeriodicalId":355306,"journal":{"name":"2003 GSW Proceedings","volume":"53 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"122698280","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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