Five-Minute Demonstrations: Minimal Faculty Investment for Maximum Learning Impact

摘要

This work examines a systematic approach of designing five-minute course demonstrations for use in large engineering lectures for active learning and course concept retention within a traditional engineering second year course. A one-page demonstration design question flow-chart was created and followed in formation of the five-minute demonstrations. These tangible brief activities, which students can physically operate during the lecture based course, are structured for students to develop a better engineering feel for the importance of theoretical concepts paralleled in the same lecture. With the need for innovative methods for engaging future engineers, these hands-on demonstrations are structured with the goal of realization of practical applications of mathematical based engineering course concepts [1]. Students have opportunity to individually actuate the demonstrations shown by the instructor as they are passed around the lecture hall to optimize students seeing, hearing, and physically experimenting briefly with the goal of improved retention of knowledge [2]. The demonstration design process and related flow chart can be used by faculty for demonstration construction within a variety of engineering service courses. Students in the lecture course are surveyed for qualitative and quantitative feedback on the impact of the hands-on five-minute demonstrations.