| Paper Title: | On Introducing Experiments in a Numerical Methods Course |
| Author: | Autar Kaw, University of South Florida, kaw@eng.usf.edu |
| Suggested track: | Laboratory experiences: on-site and at a distance |
| Presentation type: | Work In Progress |
| Preferred Category: | Other: |
| Abstract: | One of the major and common themes during graduating seniors exit interviews in our department of mechanical engineering is that students would like more hands on and real-life applications as part of their course work. In response to such requests, several lecture courses have incorporated experiments that include class demonstrations, collection of data in a laboratory, building of simple experiments, etc. As part of this effort, we developed five simple experiments that are now used regularly in the classroom to teach the course in Numerical Methods. We developed experiments that 1. are low cost so that other universities can develop them with minimal material cost and use of a machine shop, 2. require low space so that they can be carried to the classroom or set up in the laboratory that has limited space, 3. need low set-up time so that nominal amount of classroom time is used. The data from the five experiments is used to reinforce the various mathematical procedures (regression, interpolation, integration, simultaneous linear equations, and ordinary differential equations) taught in a typical Numerical Methods course. Analyzing the data obtained from experiments is assigned as homework or as in-class computer laboratory assignment for analysis. Comparison between experimental and numerical results is also made. Starting Spring 2008, the effect of introducing the experiments in the classroom is being quantitatively and qualitatively surveyed over a two-semester period. Hence, the results of the surveys will be available by the conference date. Surveys will measure student satisfaction in the following items: 1) acquiring basic knowledge; 2) reinforcing information presented in class; 3) learning to formulate a specific problem and then work it through to completion; 4) developing generic higher-order thinking; 5) developing problem solving skills; 5) developing a sense of competence and confidence, and 6) seeing the relevance of the experiments to their major. |
Abstract 1017
