Hands-on Engineering: Learning by Doingin the Integrated Teaching and LearningProgram*

LAWRENCE E. CARLSON and JACQUELYN F. SULLIVANIntegrated Teaching and Learning Laboratory, College of Engineering and Applied Science,University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0522, USA.E-mail: lawrence.carlson@colorado.edu

An integrated teaching and learning (ITL) program was initiated in 1992 by a team of faculty andstudents who articulated an ambitious vision for undergraduate engineering education reform: ` . . . topioneer a multidisciplinary learning environment that integrates engineering theory with practiceand promotes creative, team-oriented problem-solving skills.' The ITL Laboratory was dedicated in1997 to support this college-wide vision. This paper describes the development process of this newfacility and its major features. The underlying educational value is also discussed. Outreachactivities are described, including a unique on-line system where experimental modules are madeavailable on the WorldWideWeb.

INTRODUCTION

`Tell me, and I forget.Teach me, and I may remember.

Involve me, and I learn.'Benjamin Franklin

IMAGINE a learning environment . . .

. where first-year students design a trackingsystem to keep an elderly person fromwandering;

. where teams of sophomores `discover' dynamicsby analyzing kinetic sculptures;

. where undergraduate students are so committedto completing an assistive technology designproject for their disabled `customer' that theyrequest lab access during spring break;

. where a team of aerospace, electrical andmechanical engineering seniors design andbuild an experiment that flies on a space shuttle,under their control;

. where students explore the innermost secrets of abuilding system in real time, on-line.

All of these are happening today as part ofthe Integrated Teaching and Learning (ITL)program. The consensus among educators andpractitioners nationwide is that engineering edu-cation must significantly change; the students,faculty and administration at the University ofColorado (CU) agree. The engineering curriculumfor the next century must be relevant to the livesof students and the needs of society. Reflecting

the real world of engineering, the ITL programexploits teaming, active learning and project-based design and problem-solving experiences inall four years of the curriculum.

The ITL program is supported by the newIntegrated Teaching and Learning Laboratory, a34,400 sq. ft. hands-on learning facility that openedin January 1997. The architecture of this facilitywas driven entirely by curricular reform initiatives.It provides students with an interdisciplinary learn-ing arena in which the principles of design areintroduced during a student's first year; wheretheoretical engineering science courses in themiddle two years are augmented with hands-on,open-ended discovery opportunities; and whereinterdisciplinary teams of seniors design, buildand test real-world products.

The ITL Laboratory features first-year designstudios, an active learning center, a computersimulation laboratory, an extensive computernetwork that integrates all the experimental equip-ment throughout two large laboratory plazas,capstone design studios to showcase studentprojects, group work areas to support studentteams, shops where students turn their dreamsinto reality and interactive science-based kineticsculpture galleries.

Unlike any other educational facility in theworld, the ITL Laboratory itself functions as aliving laboratory through exposed engineeringsystems and sensors integrated into the building,making its `pulse' accessible on the Internet as atechnology and building systems resource.

* Accepted 15 October 1998.

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Int. J. Engng Ed. Vol. 15, No. 1, pp. 20±31, 1999 0949-149X/91 $3.00+0.00Printed in Great Britain. # 1999 TEMPUS Publications.

THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

Program concept and initial planningIn early 1992, a small team of faculty, students

and the Dean embarked on an ambitiousventureÐto revitalize the undergraduate curri-culum by enriching it with hands-on, project-based learning, and to examine the traditionalrole of faculty. An interdepartmental curriculumtask force solicited input from a broad customerbase that included students, alumni and industry.More than 50% of the college's 150� facultyprovided input; most of the original task forcemembers are still actively engaged in ITL.

Engineers from Martin-Marietta Corporation(now Lockheed-Martin) led a formal process todefine the design requirements for the revisedcurriculum. Early and frequent dialog withHewlett-Packard Company culminated in a $3 mequipment grant, one of the largest grants everawarded by HP to a public institution, to outfit theITL Laboratory with high-end computers, instru-mentation and networking. The emerging ITLconcept was also shaped by input from theEngineering Advisory Council, comprised ofindustry leaders who meet semi-annually to guidethe college. An External Review Board, formed in1994, meets annually to provide meaningful andobjective critique.

Curriculum conceptsTo illustrate the many components of the ITL

program, a concept diagram emerged in late 1992,shown in Fig. 1. At its center are 2,400 under-graduate students pursuing bachelor's degrees inten degree programs in six departments: aerospaceengineering sciences; chemical engineering; civil,environmental and architectural engineering;computer science; electrical and computer engi-neering; and mechanical engineering. The innerring represents the information technology

component of the ITL program: a computernetwork linking computers that support electroniclab notebooks, control of experiments, dataacquisition and analysis, graphics and reportpreparation. Interdepartmental areas that focuson common fundamental concepts of engineeringwere defined: measurement and instrumentation,electronics and microprocessors, controls, heattransfer, fluid mechanics, structures and materials,manufacturing, and environmental engineering.

The outer ring illustrates the curricular compo-nents of the ITL program. These curricular elementssupport students' progress in becoming indepen-dent learners and effective team membersÐskillsvital for lifelong learning and professional success.The curricular components include a first-yeardesign course, integration of hands-on experimen-tal modules and hands-on homework componentsthroughout theory courses, and interdisciplinarycapstone design courses.

Focus areas span all departments. By late 1993, thework of the task force was augmented by thecontributions of experimental focus area teamsÐgroups of faculty from multiple departments inter-ested in common, specific topical areas such asfluid mechanics, controls and manufacturing. Thefocus area teams defined experimental modulesthat serve multiple departments by providinghands-on experiences to augment theory courses.For example, four departments teach courses influid mechanics. While retaining disciplinaryspecialization at advanced levels, the focus teamsidentified common underlying concepts andspecified modules and equipment to supporthands-on reinforcement of basic theoreticalprinciples. The first two interdisciplinary focuscourses, in fluid mechanics and electronics,inaugurated the new ITL Laboratory using in-class demonstrations and hands-on laboratoryand homework experiences. Faculty throughoutthe college developed more than thirty-five experi-mental laboratory modules in various focus areas;all are exportable to other institutions.

Vital student support. Since the inception of theITL program, an essential and unique source offinancial and intellectual support has been pro-vided by the student body. In 1991, forward-thinking undergraduate engineering students,with a referendum support vote from their peers,chartered the Engineering Excellence Fund (EEF)to sponsor college-wide curriculum innovation.Every engineering student now contributes $100each semester to the EEF, managed by a group ofstudents, with the advice and approval of theDean. This nationally unique fund generates$700,000 annually; half of that is committed tooperational support of the ITL program. Theother half is competitively awarded annually tofaculty and students for curricular and laboratoryinnovations throughout the college, much of whichis complementary to ITL.Fig. 1. ITL program concept diagram.

Hands-on Engineering: Learning by Doing 21

Students were also intellectual partners in theevolution of the ITL program. They lobbied boththe Colorado Commission on Higher Educationand the state legislature to support the ITLprogram and to change the state legislative rulesto allow a portion of EEF funds to be used forcapital construction costs. Several students servedon the curriculum task force, and numerousstudents provided input into the conceptualdesign of the ITL Laboratory.

Successful fund-raising. The curriculum task forcewas instrumental in helping to privately raisetwo-thirds of the $17 m ITL program funding.The team also led the project approval processthrough the state legislative system, whichresulted in more than $5 m in state support forthe program. Foundations that have supportedITL include the David and Lucile Packard, USWEST, Hewlett-Packard, AT&T, and GatesFamily foundations. The Hewlett-Packard Com-pany, Quantum Corporation, National Instru-ments and Lockheed-Martin Corporation alsowere significant contributors to the implementationof the ITL program.

The vision takes shape1994 marked the offering of pilot ITL curricu-

lum components, most notably the First-YearEngineering Projects course, as well as architec-tural design of the ITL Laboratory, which wasentirely curriculum-driven. The ITL program'semphasis on co-operative teamwork and activelearning formats demanded spaces different fromtraditional laboratory and classroom configura-tions. The initial design meeting was held at theSan Francisco Exploratorium to inspire projectarchitects by experiencing the thrills of people ofall ages engaged in open-ended discovery. Designof the laboratory was conducted as a college-wide,participatory process. All students and facultywere invited to a number of open-house-styledesign charettes to provide input. The potentialto make the building itself a learning opportunityevolved as the architects and engineers engaged increative brainstorming sessions.

From the earliest phases of facility designthrough construction, the ITL co-directorsprovided strong project leadership, workingcollaboratively with facilities management andthe external design and construction teams aspartners. An all-day partnering session was heldwith the designers, contractors, and all majorsubcontractors to kick-off the constructionphase. Imbuing them with the ITL vision andnegotiating a process for collaborative andproductive resolution of inevitable projectconflicts, an environment for collaborativedecision-making was established. In particular,the extraordinary complexity of making thebuilding itself a learning tool required an unprece-dented level of creativity and co-ordinationbetween faculty, architects and contractors.

Unquestionably, the exciting hands-on laboratoryfacility that emerged from this intense processreflects the collective creativity of dozens ofstudents and faculty.

By late 1995, ITL Laboratory constructionwas under way, the First-Year EngineeringProjects course was refined and gaining accep-tance by faculty throughout the college, and theHewlett-Packard equipment grant was secured.A college-level curriculum revision in spring 1996guaranteed that the First-Year EngineeringProjects course fits into all majors.

The process and investments paid off: the ITLLaboratory building was completed ahead ofschedule and within budget.

MAJOR PROGRAM FEATURES

The ITL curriculum and laboratoryBecause the design of the ITL Laboratory was

curriculum-driven, a tour of the facility providesan excellent way to describe the curricular elementsthat define the ITL program. To realize the ITLcurricular dream, several fundamental designconcepts were incorporated into the laboratorydesign. Flexibility was vital to accommodatefuture, and unknown, teaching and learningmethods. Because much of engineering is visuallyinteresting, visibility was a key element in thedesign to stimulate students to study engineeringby watching other students in action. Finally, thelaboratory needed to be interactive and stimulatingin order to function as a learning environment forstudents, as well as its many visitors. The interiorspaces showcase engineering in ways very differentfrom traditional laboratories.

Bridging to the future. An overhead bridge linksthe Engineering Center to the ITL Laboratory.Flanking one side are ten group study rooms thatstudents reserve for team work. Each spacecontains a round table and white boards, with acomputer connected to the ITL network for accessto data as student teams analyze experimentalresults and prepare presentations.

A place for art in engineering education. A galleryof interactive science-based sculptures providesboth intrigue and educational opportunities forstudents. One audio-kinetic piece features a fas-cinating maze of spiraling tracks with ballszooming down, seemingly at random. Sensorsincorporated into the sculpture allow students tomeasure aspects of dynamics such as velocity andacceleration, and compare them to computersimulations. Using a video camera and a com-puter, students track the repetitive bounces of aball on a steel plate, measuring the coefficient ofrestitution (Fig. 2). This experiment, and severalothers, is also available on the Internet as avirtual experiment accessible for distance learning(http://bench.colorado.edu). All the sculptures

L. E. Carlson and J. F. Sullivan22

possess this multiple level for learning potentialand are targeted to expose elementary-age children,as well as college students, to the excitement anddiscovery of science and engineering.

First-year students try on engineering. Just pastthe gallery with its commanding view of thelaboratory plaza below, students enter one of twodesign studios (Fig. 3) dedicated to the First-Year

Engineering Projects course where they experiencethe engineering design process in a hands-on way[1]. The design of the studios was based on twoyears' experience piloting the course, and repre-sents a significant departure from the conventionalclassroom. Small tables facilitate team communi-cation, while work benches and hand tools supportproduct design and construction. A computer witha myriad of software is available for each team.

Fig. 2. This kinetic sculpture intrigues all visitors to the ITL Laboratory, and is used for quantitative experiments in dynamics byengineering students.

Fig. 3. Design studios support the first-year projects course.

Hands-on Engineering: Learning by Doing 23

These spaces are two of six smart classroomsthroughout the building that use network con-nectivity and high-resolution video projection tocapitalize on the growing role of educationaltechnology in the learning process.

During the past 4 12

years, 36 sections of theFirst-Year Engineering Projects course have beensuccessfully offered. The course is available to allfirst-year students in the college. In contrast to theoften large, impersonal math and science courses,each section is limited to 30 students. The coursegoals include introducing students to the excite-ment of engineering and to the practical considera-tions of the design process, experimental testingand analysis, project management, oral andwritten communication, and working in multi-disciplinary teams. Workshops on team dynamics,social style profiles, learning styles, and groupcommunications progressively develop students'awareness and skills. Design reviews, presenta-tions, written communications, cost considera-tions, and engineering design journals are keycomponents of the first-year projects experience.The course also serves to cement the conceptsfirst-year students concurrently learn in corephysics, chemistry, and mathematics courses.

In the main eight-week design project, studentsexperience the complete design-build-test cycleof product prototype development. Past projectthemes include:

. Rube Goldberg contraptions to performordinary functions in surprising ways.

. `Green' designs to make it easier for the campusrecycling center to collect materials.

. Sensors that accurately measure a physicalquantity, such as the amount of fuel remainingin a vehicle's tank, regardless of its orientation.

. Assistive technology devices, e.g., a page turnerfor an adult with cerebral palsy [2].

. Interactive learning exhibits aimed at teachingan engineering or scientific concept to children,either in a middle school class, or as an exhibit ina youth museum.

Preliminary retention figures indicate that nearly80% of students who took this course during theirfirst year have remained in engineering into theirthird year, a remarkably higher rate than thecollege's 55% average. Students overwhelminglyreport that this demanding design course givesmeaning to their physics and calculus courses,and frequently cite it as their initial reason forselecting CU, and then for remaining in engi-neering. Individual students have said, `the appli-cations aspect of the course has kept me inengineering,' and `it's using your mind, not plugand chug'.

Recognizing the importance of hands-onexperience, coupled with the large number ofstudents who transfer into engineering after theirfirst year, the co-authors piloted a new sophomoreversion of this course in fall 1998. With financialsupport from the National Collegiate innovatorsand inventors Alliance, innovation and inventionfocuses on the invention and product developmentprocess.

Opportunities for open-ended discovery. In the past,sophomores and juniors studied heat transferwithout feeling heat, or fluid mechanics withoutgetting wet. The two 4,000 sq. ft. laboratory plazas(Fig. 4) at the heart of the ITL Laboratory changethat. Dispersed throughout each plaza, designedto accommodate up to 90 students at a time,15 custom-designed LabStations [3] access and

Fig. 4. Large, open laboratory plazas showcase engineering education in action.

L. E. Carlson and J. F. Sullivan24

analyze data from mobile experiments. Standard-ized connectors allow pre-wired portable experi-ments to quickly connect to the LabStation (Fig.5). Each LabStation features an oscilloscope,signal generator, counter, multimeter and signalanalyzer, all controlled by two PCs running Lab-VIEW software [4]. Each plaza features a 260 sq.ft. smart break-out space where students gatherwith the instructor for a short, stand-up discussionof an important nuance, then return to theirLabStations to continue their experiments.

Experimental laboratory modules. Experientiallearning is the cornerstone of the ITL program.Recognizing that the undergraduate curriculacannot accommodate a traditional laboratorycomponent in every course, experimental modulesprovide enhancements to traditional theorycourses. Modules are small experiments mountedon carts that are wheeled to a standardized Lab-Station. These portable, modular experiments weredeveloped for the interdisciplinary focus areasshown in the concept diagram (see Fig. 1) byfaculty teams that span multiple departments;many were developed by undergraduate studentsas senior design projects. Modules are open-endedto encourage learning by discovery. For example, afunctioning model of an automobile suspensionwith variable mass, spring rate and damping,controlled with LabVIEW software, allows stu-dents to design, model and observe optimumresponse characteristics.

More than 35 experimental modules are in vari-ous stages of development. They are designed to be:

. of multidisciplinary interest, crossing traditionaldepartmental boundaries;

. suitable for open-ended exploration;

. standalone experiments requiring minimalsupervision;

. sequence-independent.

Examples of modules already piloted in coursesinclude:

. Dynamic strain analysis of a mountain bikeÐabicycle instrumented with strain gauges allowsstudents to measure stresses in real time.

. Compressible flow modelerÐuses water tosimulate supersonic flow conditions in air.

. Photoelastic stressÐvisualizes stress patterns incomplex structures.

. Musical signal analysisÐstudents studydynamic signal analysis using inputs fromvarious musical instruments and computingFast Fourier Transforms.

Interdisciplinary focus courses. Interdisciplinarycourses combine hands-on experiences into coreengineering theory subjects. One such offering is ajunior-level course in basic fluid mechanics co-ordinated between civil and mechanical engi-neering. Fifteen experimental modules are utilized;some were developed at CU while others usecommercially available fluid mechanics equipment.Fluids courses in aerospace and chemical engi-neering also use some of the experimental modules.Most of the experiments are open-ended,encouraging students to discover and understandfundamental fluid mechanics concepts by applyingthem. The college-wide Electronics for Non-Majors course relies heavily on the HP computersand electronic instrumentation.

Seniors struttin' their stuff. Capstone designprojects form the ultimate integrating educational

Fig. 5. LabStations provide flexible data acquisition capabilities for a diversity of experimental modules.

Hands-on Engineering: Learning by Doing 25

experience, allowing seniors to apply the know-ledge they have acquired to open-ended designprojects with no `right' answer. Adjacent to thelower lab plaza, four capstone design studiosprovide a highly-visible environment for long-term, in-depth projects with visual appeal. Obser-ving seniors working on intriguing projects stimu-lates the interest of lower division students andmakes them eager for their own design experiences.Each studio is equipped with a full complementof electronic instrumentation and a computer.Student teams compete for the limited space,which becomes their secure working environmentfor an entire term, or year, depending on theproject.

Use of these design studios during the ITLLaboratory's inaugural year was diverse,including:

. `Things That Think'Ðan interdisciplinary com-puter science course in which students createdand tested small intelligent devices.

. A racecar powered by a motorcycle engine thatcompeted in the national Formula SAE compe-tition in Detroit in May 1998.

. The Robotic Autonomous Transport (RAT)Ða robotic vehicle that can navigate an out-door course delineated by two white lines andavoid numerous obstacles in its path. Thisunique vehicle won second place overall in aninternational competition in May 1998.

. Remote micro-surveillance airplane.

Modeling the real world. Analysis characterizesengineering design, allowing numerical modelsto accurately predict the behavior of a complexdesign before it is built. The simulation labora-tory features 20 high-performance UNIX work-stations with simulation software that studentsuse to predict stresses in a complicated structure,estimate heat transfer behavior or model com-plex fluid flow phenomena. Moreover, studentslearn that simulation is an integral part of theengineering design and manufacturing processthat goes hand-in-hand with testing in thelaboratory.

Active learning: an alternative to lectures. Moreeffective than the traditional `chalk-and-talk'lecture format is the active-learning approach inwhich lecture is minimized and replaced withintense team-based student interactions. Studentsstay alert, are engaged, and learn more. Theactive learning center is designed to support theneeds of a more student-centered learningapproach. Serving 65 students at a time, thisre-configurable `smart' space features oval tablesto accommodate small-team interactions.

Create what you dream. As any practicing engi-neer can attest, the proof is in the fabricationand implementation of a design. Included withinthe ITL Laboratory is the capability to build

mechanical and electrical components and sys-tems. The manufacturing center contains a widevariety of computer-controlled and conventionalmachine tools for metal, wood and polymerfabrication, including rapid prototyping withengineering polymers directly from a CADmodel.

The electronics center allows students to bread-board and test electronic circuits. Technical staffhelp students learn to safely fabricate theirdesigns. These shops restore a hands-on manu-facturing capability once prevalent in engineeringeducation.

A LIVING LABORATORY

A modern building is an ideal example of theintegration of multiple complex engineeringsystems. A one-of-a-kind educational facility, thenew ITL building itself is an interactive teachingtool, with the capability to expose, monitor andmanipulate the many engineering systems inside.In a hands-on, real-world way, this capabilityhelps to educate both engineering students andthe general public about the multidisciplinaryscience and engineering technology found intoday's structures, as shown in Figs 6 and 7 [5].

To demonstrate engineering principles andpractice, building elements that are usuallyhidden above ceilings, behind walls or in equip-ment rooms are exposed. Interpretive signs high-light these features for the self-guided visitor. Forexample, the air handling unit that ventilates andcools the entire building is visible behind a glasswall. A prominent design feature of the laboratoryis a five-foot diameter duct and its myriad ofbranches that carry the HVAC air supply through-out the three-story facility. Several types ofconcrete and steel structural framing are conspic-uous, including a yellow 40-foot truss spanning alarge bay. Numerous transparent `slices' revealthe building's infrastructure, including waterflowing in a transparent pipe, the elevator shaftand equipment room, dampers inside a mechanicalVAV box, etc. A peek into the wall separating thebathrooms reveals . . . plumbing, but little else!Reinforcing steel on the outside of one concretecolumn and beam illustrate and mirror the maze ofre-bar hidden inside, making the building itself atutorial in construction engineering.

From instrumentation placed in buildingcomponents, more than 280 precise measurementsare taken in real time to monitor the status of thebuilding systems, thermal environment, structuralloading and electrical load profile. An extensivedigital network controls the HVAC system andreveals its `pulse' on computer workstations inseveral locations. Also measured are temperaturestratification in a three-story atrium, temperaturedistribution through five different wall sections,thermal performance of several different types ofwindow glazing, outside soil temperature along the

L. E. Carlson and J. F. Sullivan26

foundation wall, fin tube heater performance, etc.Steel framing and concrete caissons are equippedwith strain gauges to measure stresses, and the useof optical fibers embedded in concrete to measurebuilding strain is being pioneered. These data aresampled every minute, and are accessible on the

WorldWideWeb at http://blt.colorado.edu in avariety of formats.

Manipulation of building systems presentsunique learning opportunities. One of the twofirst-year design studios has conventional pneu-matic temperature controls, while the other uses

Fig. 6. Exposed features of the building demonstrate how buildings function. In this case, the mechanical room is exposed, withcolor-coded piping.

Hands-on Engineering: Learning by Doing 27

separately programmable direct digital control.Students testing different control algorithms canexperimentally manage the climate in the secondroom. A parallel experimental computer networkprovides students the opportunity to experimentwith network management without jeopardizingthe laboratory's main network.

In addition to its important role in engineeringeducation for CU students, the ITL Laboratoryserves a broader role as a technological museum.In addition to educating visitors about engineer-ing, it will hopefully motivate young peopletowards careers in engineering. Many `building-as-learning-tool' concepts were utilized in civilengineering courses during construction of theITL Laboratory, and many courses throughoutthe college will use this rich capability as theycome on-line.

INITIAL STATISTICS

In its initial year of operation during the1997±98 academic year, 62 faculty (out of 150 inthe college) taught 49 separate courses, with a totalof 79 sections, to 2,580 undergraduate students. Asshown in Fig. 8, all six engineering departmentsutilized the new facility, in addition to the appliedmathematics department, and general engineeringprojects courses. Also, approximately 8,000 schoolchildren visited as part of the ITL outreachmission.

Modeling teamworkWhile the new laboratory facility has

exceeded everyone's expectations, it is the team

of professional and student assistant staff thatmakes the ITL Laboratory a world-class learningenvironment. Seven technical staff members,assisted by more than 20 student assistants, areimbued with the high quality, service-orientedattitude that pervades the organization. Weeklystaff meetings focus on meeting the needs of ITL'sprimary customersÐthe students.

Students are a key part of the ITL team. Allstudents who want after-hours access to thelaboratory or a computer log-in must first take ahalf-hour orientation tour conducted by students.They each sign a contract agreeing to expectedstandards of conduct while using the ITL Labora-tory. Student employees also serve as after-hourssecurity patrollers. Wearing purple vests to identifythem as ITL Laboratory staff, they not onlymonitor after-hours use of the laboratory, butthey answer questions students may have, andprovide useful data on after-hours usage patterns.

ITL PROGRAM ASSESSMENT

The college is committed to assessing the totalqualitative and quantitative impact on studentlearning of the tightly coupled facility, equipment,and curricula that represent the ITL program.Assessment initiatives underway include:

. In-depth satisfaction surveys, with in-personfollow-up if requested, by the 58 faculty whotaught in the ITL Laboratory during itsinaugural year. Response was overwhelminglypositive, and many suggestions for improvementsare being implemented to continuously enhance

Fig. 7. More than 280 sensors integrated into the ITL Laboratory monitor its pulse, such as the electrical system.

L. E. Carlson and J. F. Sullivan28

the learning environment. Students will also besurveyed during the coming academic year.

. Group consensus feedback approaches areemployed in all sections of the First-YearEngineering Projects course to obtain in-depthinformation.

. Students who took the First-Year EngineeringProjects course are interviewed two years laterthrough focus groups to assess the longer-termvalue of the course.

. College-wide questions were added to all thefaculty course questionnaires to assess the coursecontent for design, computing, communication,and teamwork components.

. Students' attitudes, beliefs and knowledge areassessed before and after taking the client-basedsections of the First-Year Engineering Projectscourse. This helps to fine tune the class anddetermine if students are gaining the experiencesexpected.

. Three to five years after graduation, alumni willbe surveyed to assess the relative value ofvarious components of the ITL program ontheir undergraduate experience. Suggestions toevolve the curriculum to make it more relevantto needs in the `real world' will be solicited.

K-16 INTEGRATED ENGINEERINGOUTREACH

Preparing children with the skills necessary toflourish in an increasingly technological world

becomes more challenging every day. Our modelfor an integrated K-16 engineering community isdesigned to demonstrate, through doing, that en-gineering is about building things to help peopleand society. Beyond the pipeline issueÐnurturingenough motivated students to study engineeringand technologyÐlingers a growing concern forgeneral technological literacy. The more membersof society who understand the nature of tech-nology, how it transforms social systems, and theramifications of technology on culture, the greaterlikelihood we as a nation will continue to prosper.

The K-16 Engineering Outreach Vision is:

To create a K-16 learning community in whichstudents, K-12 teachers and the college of Engi-neering explore, through hands-on activities, therole of engineering in everyday life, and, to applyand appreciate the art of engineering throughdesigning and building solutions to meet theneeds of society.

To meet today's challenges, the ITL program isreaching beyond the campus walls and deep intothe K-12 community. The ITL program wasrecently awarded a prestigious Program of Excel-lence grant from the Colorado Commission onHigher Education to foster outreach activitiesand model the integration of engineering prin-ciples and practices into a seamless K-16 commu-nity. Arbitrary barriers of age and grade level fallaway as students acquire and integrate first-handknowledge in mathematics, engineering and tech-nology. University engineering students areenriched as they:

Fig. 8. Usage of the ITL Laboratory was distributed across all engineering disciplines during the first year of operation (academic year1997±98).

Hands-on Engineering: Learning by Doing 29

. design and build devices to serve the broadercommunity;

. help develop and teach summer K-12engineering workshops;

. participate in design initiatives throughout theirundergraduate experience;

. create a comprehensive on-line technologyeducation resource;

. mentor K-12 students, especially those fromtraditionally under-served populations.

The three interrelated K-16 outreach programcomponents are:

. Design for the community

. Engineering in everyday life

. Advancing under-served audiences.

Design for the community. Engineering students inseveral sections of the projects courses describedearlier design and build sophisticated client-basedprojects that anchor their learning experiencewhile creating useful engineering products for thecommunity:

. Assistive technologyÐcustom products to aidpeople with disabilities.

. Museum exhibitsÐfor science and youthmuseums.

. Interactive learning exhibitsÐfor elementaryand middle school classrooms.

Projects from recent semesters include a specializedbed for a child with Down's Syndrome, a portabledesktop tornado, an interactive bubble exhibit thatillustrates varying gas densities, and a demon-stration of the ability of soils to buffer acid rain.These client-based projects promote university/community collaborations while benefitingindividuals and institutions locally.

Engineering in everyday life. This initiativepromotes technological literacy by developinginteractive, hands-on pre-college engineeringworkshops, based on the K-12 educationalstandards developed by the state of Colorado.The two primary elements of the program are:workshops for students and teachers, and websitesand networking opportunities.

Engineering faculty and students team withmiddle and high school teachers to develophands-on pre-engineering activities, curriculummodules and resource guides. These materialsform the basis for week-long summer workshops:`Engineering in everyday life' workshops for K-12children, and design and build workshops forteachers. Examples for summer 1999 include:

. Go With the FlowÐfluid mechanics for middleschool.

. Kinetics for KidsÐdynamics and chemicalkinetics for 10±12 year olds.

. Too Hot to HandleÐthermodynamics and heattransfer for 11±14 year olds.

. How Do Things Work?Ðdissection of electronicand mechanical components for 11±14 year olds.

All learning materials developed during summer1999 teacher workshops will be posted on awebsite to encourage networking among workshopparticipants and dialogue with others interested inthe subject matter, as well as to ensure thatteachers are comfortable with use of the World-WideWeb. When the teachers return to theirclassrooms they will be encouraged (and coached)to stay connected to each other via the website toshare successes, trouble-shoot problems, andmaintain contact with CU content specialists.

Advancing under-served audiences. The goal ofequity/equality is to ensure that broad ranges ofstudents have access, opportunity, participationand success in mathematics and pre-engineering.The successes of the college's Women in Engi-neering and Minority Engineering programs areenhanced by providing hands-on learning experi-ences through the ITL Laboratory that exposestudents to the challenging and fun world ofengineering at critical points in their K-12 careers,when they can still make pivotal academic and lifechoices. Upcoming outreach initiatives targeted atunder-served audiences include:

. Pre-college experiences for girls and children ofcolor to capitalize on diverse learning styles.

. Development and piloting of a summer design/build engineering course for high schoolstudents between their junior and senior years.

. Pre-college workshops for rural students thatmotivate technology-based careers.

. Development, piloting, and refinement of aconcentrated summer First Year EngineeringProjects course designed to `jump-start' first-year engineering students considered `at-risk'.

ON-LINE LABORATORY EXPERIMENTSIN MECHANICS

In order to make the ITL Laboratory moreaccessible both on-campus and beyond, a uniqueon-line experimentation program was developed tocapitalize on the latest in information technology:virtual instrumentation, high-speed networks, andthe WorldWideWeb. Many permutations of anITL Laboratory experiment are run to create alarge experimental database. Engineering studentsfrom community colleges and other universitiesconnect from a remote site to `run' experimentsthat randomly access the stored data. As a result,they have access to hands-on experience to supple-ment their existing courses, without the tremen-dous cost associated with these experiments. Theygenerate and analyze real data to supplementexisting engineering courses, just as students doinside the ITL Laboratory.

Experimental modulesAt present, ten on-line experimental modules

are available to users at http://bench.colorado.edu.

L. E. Carlson and J. F. Sullivan30

A summary can be found at http://bench.Colorado.EDU/presentation. The modules are:

. Mechanical Behavior of MaterialsÐthemechanical properties of aluminum using atensile test.

. Heat Treatment of Aluminum: the effects ofheat treatment on the mechanical properties ofaluminum.

. Coefficient of Restitution: determination of thematerial type for three different balls by analyz-ing their bounce characteristics in a uniquekinetic sculpture.

. Dynamics of Fluid Flow: the behavior of atransient fluid flow system.

. First-Order SystemsÐthe Thermocouple: anintroduction to first-order modeling response.

. Sound Experiment: an introduction to Fouriertransforms and sound frequency analysis.

. Torsion Test Experiment: determine the shearmodulus, shear stress, and strain using a torsiontest.

. Beam Deflection Experiment: an introduction tothe theory and application of beam deflection.

. Statistical Similarity: a laboratory that introducesstatistical testing methods for variance andmean similarity.

. Composite Testing: a two-part laboratory thatdemonstrates the fabrication and tests the elasticresponse of a composite specimen.

The strengths of the on-line program include:

. By utilizing modern computer and communi-cation technology, the state-of-the-art ITL

Laboratory facilities are available to studentsoff-campus at a minimal cost.

. The hands-on experience supplements existingcourses at other institutions.

. Students access real data, not computersimulations.

. The technology is readily accessible to studentsand faculty 24 hours a day.

. On-campus students benefit as well, by havingafter-hours access to reinforce concepts learnedduring actual experiments.

. Once in place, experiments can be run for yearswith minimal maintenance.

The plan is to continually expand the availablemodules/experiments, creating a growing library.Universities worldwide can add their own state-of-the-art experiments to exponentially expand theresource base. Future experiments from industrywill help students `simulate' their roles in industrybefore actually getting there.

CONCLUSION

The new Integrated Teaching and LearningLaboratory culminates the vision and years ofplanning and risk-taking by a dedicated team,beginning with the concept of a revitalized curri-culum. Both the curriculum and the laboratory aredynamic, evolving entities. Now that the labora-tory is in its second year of full-time operation, thedriving force for all of those involved continues tobe same as for the studentsÐthe excitement oflearning by doing.

REFERENCES

1. L. E. Carlson et al., First year engineering projects: an interdisciplinary, hands-on introduction toengineering, Proc. ASEE Annual Conference, (1995) pp. 2039±2043.

2. M. J. Piket-May, J. P. Avery and L. E. Carlson, 1st year engineering projects: a multidisciplinary,hands-on introduction to engineering through a community/university collaboration in assistivetechnology, Proc. ASEE Annual Conference, (1995) pp. 2363±2366.

3. L. E. Carlson, L. D. Peterson, W. S. Lund and T. L. Schwartz, Facilitating interdisciplinary hands-on learning using LabStations, Proc. ASEE Annual Conference, Milwaukee, WI, (June 1997) Session2659. (http://itll.colorado.edu/LabStations/labstations paper.html)

4. L. E. Carlson, Using LabVIEW to reform engineering education, Instrumentation Newsletter, 8, 3,National Instruments (Autumn 1996).

5. L. E. Carlson, and M. J. Brandemuehl, A living laboratory, Proc. ASEE Annual Conference,Milwaukee, WI (June 1997) Session 3226. (http://itll.colorado.edu/Building/living lab.html)

Lawrence Carlson is a co-director of the Integrated Teaching and Learning (ITL) programin the college of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Colorado at Boulderand Professor of Mechanical Engineering. He received his BS degree in mechanicalengineering from the University of Wisconsin in 1967. Moving west, he earned an MSdegree from the University of California at Berkeley in 1968, and a D.Eng. degree in 1971,both in mechanical engineering. His first teaching position was at the University of Illinoisin Chicago, and he joined the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1974.

Jacquelyn Sullivan is co-director of the ITL program in the college of Engineering andApplied Science at the University of Colorado at Boulder and also director of the Centerfor Advanced Decision Support for Water and Environmental Systems, a water resourcesresearch center in the Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering.She received her BS degree in biology from Olivet College in 1972 and earned an MS degreein aquatic toxicology from the University of Detroit in 1974, and a Ph.D. in environmentalhealth physics and environmental toxicology from Purdue University in 1977.

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