Dynamic Systems Teaching Enhancement using a Laboratory-Based, Hands-On Project - 2004 ASEE Conference

P.Avitabile, C.Goodman, J.Hodgkins, K.Stevens, TVZandt, G.StHilaire, N.Wirkkala, T.Johnson

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An undergraduate course in dynamic systems involves basic material in previous undergraduate courses that are critical building blocks for course execution.  Differential Equations, Mathematical Methods for Engineers, Dynamics, etc. are all basic underlying material that is critical to the material covered in an undergraduate course.  Material taught in those prerequisite courses is often considered irrelevant to the student since there is no practical application to firmly instill these basic STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) concepts.  A traditional Dynamic Systems course, with traditional class lecture/homework/test scenario is destined to the same fate as these earlier courses, if taught in the same manner. 

A new variation of this Dynamic Systems course has been implemented, which has individual projects which address various analytical approaches using closed-form analytical solutions with MATLAB and SIMULINK computer software to completely address 1st and 2nd order systems.  In addition, a laboratory based component is added to collect measured data for these systems to be used to further develop the analytical representation of these systems.  Students work in groups and collect data to develop these models and prepare detailed reports summarizing their efforts.  Each project is anonymously peer reviewed by another team to provide a detailed evaluation of the report and data evaluation.  As a result of this peer review, the students further appreciate the need to analyze and report findings in an accurate manner. 

The project is described along with laboratory experiments performed.  Student comments regarding the project are presented.  Assessments at the end of the first deployment of the project clearly indicate that the students enjoyed the hands-on based project and clearly felt that they understood the material in much greater depth as a result of the project.

 

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