Teaching with Projects

1. Teaching with Projects Prof. Rick Vaz ECE Dept and IGSD WPI March 16, 2004

2. Disclaimer • This lecture is a perfect example of what projects are not about! • PowerPoint is fine for “teaching”, but not that great for learning • If I had 3 hours, I’d spend the first two having you do something, and then we would talk about what had happened • However, projects are by definition complex and time-intensive, so you are off the hook…

3. Not Completely Off the Hook • What has been your own experience with projects in your education? • What do you see as strengths and weaknesses of projects? • What do you hope we’ll talk about today?

4. What We’ll Talk About Today • What is teaching with projects? • Why do it? • Where do projects come from? • What is the instructor’s role? • What are the pitfalls? • What are the strategies? • How might this fit into a course?

5. What Constitutes Project Work? • “Open-ended” problems • Many possible solutions • Goal, methods, criteria chosen by students • Real and messy • Complexity, ambiguity, uncertainty • Integration and interdisciplinarity

6. Why Do It? Learning Outcomes! • Problem solving • Communication and teamwork • Research, analysis, synthesis • Critical thinking • Preparation for the “real world”

7. Why Do It Early and Often? • Research of Astin, Kuh, et al. indicates that student engagement drives desired learning outcomes • Engagement can be linked to • Academic interaction with peers and faculty • Time on task and intensity of effort • Active and collaborative learning • “Enriching” experiences (e.g. projects)

8. Where Do Projects Come From? • Faculty—choose project(s) based on experience, challenge, support • Students—design a project within appropriate parameters • External constituencies—community organizations, local gov’t and schools, corporations, nonprofits, NGOs

9. Moving away from: Dispensing information Authority and expert Benevolent dictator “Sage on the stage” And towards: Monitoring inquiry Coach and facilitator Mediator and mentor “Guide on the side” What Is the Instructor’s Role?

10. Moving away from: Listening/watching Reacting to prompts Dependence Acquiring knowledge Novice And towards: Creating/discovering Proactive inquiry Independence Making knowledge “Mini-expert” What Is the Students’ Role?

11. Sounds Great—What’s the Catch? • You still must evaluate their work! • Coach/mentor model can break down here • Grades can get in the way of learning • Students are used to “right” and “wrong” • Grade concerns can limit open communication • Team dynamics make or break each project • Students rarely know how to work well in teams • Faculty may not know how to facilitate teams

12. Some Key Strategies • Make learning objectives clear • Convince students it’s not a “game” • Articulate expectations and criteria • Effort/results • Attitude/process • Provide frameworks for monitoring progress • Regular team meetings • Progress reports, written drafts • Presentations and other updates • Use both formative and summative evaluation

13. Providing Feedback • Be specific and honest • Don’t just focus on the negative • Be consistent with the criteria • Consider narrative assessment—complex experiences warrant rich feedback • Goal: no surprises at the end

14. Case Study: EE 2799, Introduction to ECE Design • Sophomore/junior level course • Preparation for senior design projects (MQPs) • Solving open-ended technical problems • Learning to find and use resources • Experimentation, simulation, synthesis • Human factors: ergonomics, ethics, aesthetics • High expectations: 20+ HPW • “Rite of passage”

15. Example: Solar Lighting You are to design a solar-powered lighting application which should include some type of solar cell or panel, one or more rechargeable batteries, and an appropriate light source. Your design must also include any additional features that your market research deems necessary for a successful product. While your product should have appeal in the global marketplace, it must also find application in the developing world, and be cost-effective. Your completed prototype design must be able to be constructed for a parts cost of $50 or less.

16. Faculty and Student Roles • Students are in teams of “design engineers” • 3 projects, 10 teams of 3 students on each • TAs/undergraduate tutors are “senior engineers” • 3 tutors, one for each project • Faculty act as “engineering managers” • 3 faculty, one for each project

17. Structured Activity • 4 classes/week: process issues of design • Market analysis, user requirements • Brainstorming, teamwork • Project management, documentation • Standards, safety, ethics, quality • 1 “lab”/week: design review • Group brainstorming • Presentation of interim results • Mandatory meetings with “senior engineers”

18. A Different Type of Dialogue • Old scenario: • Student: “Prof, how do I solve this problem?” • Prof: “Here, watch me do it…” • EE 2799 scenario: • Student: “Prof, how do I solve this problem?” • Prof: “I don’t know. What have you tried?” • S: “I think X or Y might work, but I’m not sure…” • P: “Where have you searched for an answer?” • P: “What are the most important criteria?” • P: “What do your partners think?” • etc.

19. Does It Work? • Senior project teams seem more capable, more confident—assessment will tell • Students are mostly enthusiastic about the course • Faculty haven’t run out of ideas or energy quite yet…

20. What The Students Say (Besides “Ouch, stop it.”) • Overall, how much did you learn from this course? • Almost nothing 1% • A little 10% • Quite a lot 57% • More than any course I’ve taken 32% N=70

21. A Note to the Senior Engineer “Hi Chris, Thanks for all your help in the past 6 weeks. Reflecting on the past six weeks, this class really turned me around as a student here. I was never really motivated for anything because I didn't see the fun and importance in it. Now, I think I can view my classes and classmates from a whole different angle. My project is still not done. Currently, I am working on the code for the timer. Instead of using the low power RTC code from Microchip, I have decided to write my own. For most part, my problem was being afraid of taking my own approach and trying too hard to get someone else's stuff to work. Hopefully, it is not too late to realize that. Again, thanks for your help. This is an awesome course. Jason”

22. Impressions from the Trenches • A lot of work for everyone, but worth it • Basic knowledge applied and reinforced • The design process learned and applied • A wake-up call for some • Engagement, commitment, pride • Teamwork and responsibility • Students take pride in their work • MQP teams now doing a better job • Future work • Develop a remediation strategy • Find out why core material isn’t always understood

23. Something to Keep in Mind • Most faculty learn by reading and writing • Most students learn by doing • Academia rewards cognitive abilities • Real world rewards affective abilities …our students are not like us!

24. Questions for Discussion • Are projects feasible for humanities courses? • Are projects feasible at all levels? • Do projects require “real” assignments? • How does this relate to community service? • How can this be applied to experiential work? • Is group work an essential component?