Interactive Computer Simulation and Animation (CSA) to Improve Student Learning of Projectile Motion in an Undergraduate Engineering Dynamics Course

摘要

Computer simulation and animation (CSA) has been receiving growing attention and application in recent years in the international engineering education community. In the present study, an innovative set of CSA learning modules was developed to improve student learning of projectile motion in engineering dynamics, an important yet difficult undergraduate engineering course. The new CSA learning modules integrate visualization with mathematical modeling to help students directly connect engineering dynamics with mathematics. Quasi-experimental research involving an intervention group and a comparison group was performed to investigate the extent to which the new CSA learning modules improved student learning of projectile motion. The results show that as compared to the comparison group, students in the intervention group increased their learning gains by 30.3% to 43.6% on average, depending on the specific CSA learning modules. The difference in learning gains between the two groups is found to be statistically significant. From the present study, it is concluded that properly-designed computer simulation and animation not only provides students with a visualization tool for them to better understand engineering phenomena, but can also improve their procedural skills for finally solving problems in engineering dynamics.