9354365 Jiji This program introduces innovative changes in undergraduate instruction, targeting a broad segment of engineering education, enhancing students' learning and improving comprehension in both theoretical and laboratory courses. This is done via the creation of 14 modules describing 14 home experiments for integration into theoretical and laboratory courses in thermodynamics, fluid flow, heat transfer and mechanics of materials. Each module gives a description of the experiments, typical results obtained at home, and laboratory results obtrained using sophisticated techniques. The program is designed to achieve (1) an increase in student involvement and thereby their motivation; (2) education of students in the processes of simplification, approximation and modeling; (3) encouragement of students to adopt and utilize modeling processes by developing and providing all necessary material, thus minimizing the demands on instructors. These objectives will be achieved by integrating simple experiments which students can perform at home in: (i) theoretical courses to better understand theoretical concepts and principles, and (ii) laboratory courses to appreciate and demystify complex laboratory measurements and elucidate the role of theory.The program will be evaluated in two stages: internally at CCNY and externally at a participating college. Internally, the program is monitored and evaluated during two consecutive semesters in four undergradute courses. External evaluation is based on program utilization in the four courses during one semester. Both evaluations will be conducted by a faculty member in the CCNY School of Education.The program findings are to be disseminated through presentations and exhibits at national conferences of professional societies such as ASME and ASEE, and though publication of articles in appropriate journals. Two key features of the program are that it can be integrated with existing curriculums, and is cost effective. O nce the modules are developed for a specific discipline, their adoption by institutions is essentially cost free.
