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Towards Designing an Interactive System for Accelerated Learning and Assessment in Engineering Mechanics: A First Look at the Deforms Problem-solving System

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Conference

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Location

Virtual Conference

Publication Date

July 26, 2021

Start Date

July 26, 2021

End Date

July 19, 2022

Conference Session

Computers in Education 3 - Modulus I

Tagged Division

Computers in Education

Page Count

14

DOI

10.18260/1-2--37919

Permanent URL

https://peer.asee.org/37919

Download Count

321

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Paper Authors

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Arinjoy Basak Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

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Arinjoy Basak is a PhD student in the Department of Computer Science at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, advised by Prof. Clifford A. Shaffer. He obtained his Bachelors in Computer Science from the Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology, Shibpur in 2016, and his Masters in Computer Science from Virginia Tech in 2019.

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Todd Patrick Shuba Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Orcid 16x16 orcid.org/0000-0003-1991-3814

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Todd P. Shuba is a New Horizon Graduate Scholar in the College of Engineering, as well as a Graduate Research and Teaching Assistant in the Department of Engineering Education, at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. His research interests include transfer of learning, collaborative learning, and student motivation and engagement. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering with a concentration in Environmental and Ecological Engineering and a minor in Mechanical Engineering, as well as a Master of Science in Education with a concentration in Educational Psychology and Research Methodology, from Purdue University-West Lafayette.

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Jianqiang Zhang Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

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Sneha Patel Davison Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

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Sneha is an instructor in the Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics Department at Virginia Tech. She earned her Bachelor's of Science, her Master's of Science, and her Doctoral degree from the Engineering Mechanics department also at Virginia Tech. Her research interests include exploring the most effective methods to teach students introductory level mechanics, especially in the large classroom environment.

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David A. Dillard Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

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David Dillard is the Adhesive and Sealant Science Professor in the Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics Department at Virginia Tech. He has worked extensively in the field of adhesive bonding, having experience in structural adhesives for aerospace, automotive, and infrastructure applications; adhesives and coatings for microelectronic applications; pressure sensitive adhesives; elastomeric adhesives and sealants; and polymeric membranes. He has authored or co-authored over 195 refereed publications and regularly teaches courses in adhesion science, polymer viscoelasticity, and sustainable energy solutions. With nearly 40 years of experience as an educator, he is interested in new ways to leverage technology to have a positive impact on student learning and assessment.

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Jacob R. Grohs Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

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Jacob Grohs is an Assistant Professor in Engineering Education at Virginia Tech with Affiliate Faculty status in Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics and the Learning Sciences and Technologies at Virginia Tech. He holds degrees in Engineering Mechanics (BS, MS) and in Educational Psychology (MAEd, PhD).

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Nicole P. Pitterson Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Orcid 16x16 orcid.org/0000-0001-9221-1574

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Nicole is an assistant professor in the Department of Engineering Education at Virginia Tech. Prior to joining VT, Dr. Pitterson was a postdoctoral scholar at Oregon State University. She holds a PhD in Engineering Education from Purdue University and other degrees in Manufacturing Engineering from Western Illinois University and a B.Sc. in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from the University of Technology, Jamaica. Her research interest is eliciting conceptual understanding of AC circuit concepts using active learning strategies.

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Clifford A. Shaffer Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

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Clifford A. Shaffer received his PhD in Computer Science from University of Maryland, College Park in 1986. He is currently Professor of Computer Science at Virginia Tech, where he has been since 1987. He directs the OpenDSA project, whose goal is to provide a complete online collection of interactive tutorials for data structures and algorithms courses. His research interests are in Digital Education, Algorithm Visualization, Algorithm Design and Analysis, and Data Structures.

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Abstract

Repeated deliberate practice has been shown to be vital to developing mastery in engineering problem solving. Online tutoring systems have enhanced learning experiences, and delivered content tailored for specialized fields. Motivated by the aim of improving students’ problem solving skills, we created an interactive system for use in an undergraduate introductory engineering mechanics course required for many engineering disciplines. Our system provides an intuitive, visual framework that allows students to rapidly solve problems that require building systems of equations in multiple steps. Built within the OpenDSA eTextbook system, these exercises can be served directly through a learning management system such as Canvas, allowing the exercises to be integrated seamlessly with other content. In this paper, we describe the key design choices for our system, present important features and the student workflow, and describe support for targeted feedback and analysis for the instructors. We present our plans to evaluate the system, and discuss the results of a preliminary usability study.

Basak, A., & Shuba, T. P., & Zhang, J., & Davison, S. P., & Dillard, D. A., & Grohs, J. R., & Pitterson, N. P., & Shaffer, C. A. (2021, July), Towards Designing an Interactive System for Accelerated Learning and Assessment in Engineering Mechanics: A First Look at the Deforms Problem-solving System Paper presented at 2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access, Virtual Conference. 10.18260/1-2--37919

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