Transcript Shifting the Responsibility of Learning in First Year Electrical Engineering Students. George Gibbon Associate Professor School of Electrical and Information Engineering University of the Witwatersrand South Africa http://www.dept.ee.wits.ac.za/~gibbon School of.

Shifting the Responsibility of
Learning in First Year
Electrical Engineering
Students.
George Gibbon
Associate Professor
School of Electrical and Information Engineering
University of the Witwatersrand
South Africa
http://www.dept.ee.wits.ac.za/~gibbon
School of Electrical and Information Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
Overview
• The students we get (Raw material)
• Support programmes
• Society’s requirements
• Problem solving and critical thinking
• How (Electric Circuits)
• Results
School of Electrical and Information Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
The raw material
Clever students (IQ)! (TV/Computer generation)
– Possibly with no engineering aptitude or interest
Result of “Internationalisation” of the South African
secondary education system (1994)
Success based on rote learning techniques
– Dependence on teachers for
• Material to be learnt
• Learning techniques
• Examination techniques
• Spotting of examination questions
Students are totally dependent on their teachers, in
a comfort zone, with little imagination, low selfconfidence and no intrinsic-motivation.
School of Electrical and Information Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
School of Electrical and Information Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
The raw material
Clever students (IQ)! (TV/Computer generation)
– Possibly with no engineering aptitude or interest
Result of “Internationalisation” of the South African
secondary education system (1994)
Success based on rote learning techniques
– Dependence on teachers for
• Material to be learnt
• Learning techniques
• Examination techniques
• Spotting of examination questions
Students are totally dependent on their teachers, in
a comfort zone, with little imagination, low selfconfidence and no intrinsic-motivation.
School of Electrical and Information Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
Support (“Scaffolding”) Programmes
Programmes:
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•
•
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Pre-University Bursary Scheme (1986)
College of Science
Engineering Foundation Programme (1994)
Compulsory Small-group Tutorials (1994)
Side Effects:
•
•
Increased failure rate in third and fourth year
Increased failure of the design and research
projects in fourth year (Honours year)
School of Electrical and Information Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
School of Electrical and Information Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
Requirements
Society (ECSA): Engineers must:
Creatively and innovatively identify, assess, formulate and
solve convergent and divergent problems using:
–
–
–
–
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mathematical and numerical analysis
statistical methods
physical laws
techniques and principles of engineering science
knowledge of the world (financial, ethical, environmental)
and communicate their results*.
University (Government): Pass more students without
changing standards.
The School: Increase throughput and eliminate failure in
the 3rd and 4th years.
* Outcome
of all University degrees
School of Electrical and Information Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
Problem solving requires “Self-motivated
and Creative Critical Thinkers”
•
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Identify and challenge all assumptions
Imagine and explore alternatives
•
Emotive as well as rational
•
Reject standard formats of problem solving
•
Have multiple perspectives on problems
•
Use trial-and-error and alternative approaches
in experimentation
•
Embrace change optimistically
•
Self confident and trust in their own judgement
School of Electrical and Information Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
Creative Critical Thinking (Brookfield 1987)
•
•
A process not an outcome
Internal, but usually connected with an
externally imposed crisis.
• A productive and positive activity. Discouraged
by:
– Governments, religious leaders, university
and industry administrations, peers etc.
• Cornerstone of democracy
1. If a problem already has a solution there is no
problem!!
2. You cannot teach people “problem solving” by
providing them with the solution (see 1).
(Gibbon)
School of Electrical and Information Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
What we decided to do?
1. Remove the comfort zone
(externally imposed crisis)
2. Introduce the use of imagination,
visualisation and the fun of exploration
3. “Force” self-responsibility
(intrinsic-motivation)
4. Build self-confidence
(Empower the students)
School of Electrical and Information Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
Electric Circuits
Critical Thinking
Presented over the whole year: Externally imposed crisis,
imagination, visualisation,
1 formal and 1 informal lecture exploration
Externally imposed crisis,
No formal tutorials
intrinsic-motivation
Imagination, visualisation
No formal laboratories
and exploration
Two self-evaluation take-home Intrinsic-motivation,
tests
imagination, visualisation,
self-confidence
There are no solutions
Externally imposed crisis,
imagination, visualisation
(memos, recipes etc)
self-confidence
Two formal tests and an exam.
School of Electrical and Information Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
Electric Circuits
Laboratory 1:
1. Using the supplied components build the “Amplifier
with Gain=20” on page 5 of the attached LM386 data
sheet.
2. Demonstrate the output of the amplifier with an
appropriate input signal supplied to the microphone.
Attached are laboratory assignments “Introduction to the
Oscilloscope” and “Introduction to the Digital Multimeter” which may help you to test the amplifier and
demonstrate the output signal.
School of Electrical and Information Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
Management of the imposed crisis
The stages psychologists associate with a loss:
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Shock
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Denial
•
Strong emotion
•
Resistance and withdrawal
•
Struggle and exploration
•
Return of confidence
•
Integration and success.
Foundation / Special Programmes
School of Electrical and Information Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
Small Group Instructional Diagnosis (SGID)
• Students were aware that the more
actively they participated in the course the
more likely they were to have made gains
in critical and independent thinking.
• The weakest group, even when pushed by
the interviewer, would not blame the
lecturers or the university for their failures
and accepted responsibility - a very
unusual phenomena.
School of Electrical and Information Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
Feedback from the Tutors
Tutors feel at least 80% of the class really
know how to use an oscilloscope.
School of Electrical and Information Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
Results
Electric Circuits Results: 2004
35
30
% Students
25
20
15
10
5
0
0-9
10-19
20-29
30-39
40-49
50-59
60-69
70-79
80-89
90-100
Mark (%)
2004 (68%)
2003 (54%)
2002 (58%)
2001 (58%)
School of Electrical and Information Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
Mathematics II
What had we done to the students?
For the first time they were:
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well behaved
attentive
prepared for both the lectures and tutorials
reading ahead without instructions to do so.
School of Electrical and Information Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
In conclusion
Courses continuing the teaching philosophy
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Engineering Skills and Design Course (1st year)
Electronics I, Software Engineering I (2nd year)
Electronics II (3rd year)
Measurement Systems (4th year)
The future
–
Involve all the staff and service courses
We are
Developing the imagination, self-confidence,
intrinsic-motivation, critical thinking and problem
solving skills of our students.
School of Electrical and Information Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg