A fatigue finite element (FE) learning module was developed for use in an undergraduate machine design course. The commercial FE software ANSYS RTM was used. The module assumes that a student has a basic knowledge of fatigue. The design of the module was based on student learning experience progression described in the Kolb Cycle. The design of the module was also assessed to have no bias for learning styles (Felder-Soloman) and personality types (Myers-Briggs) for typical engineering students. The fatigue FE learning module was assessed using post survey, pre-quiz, and post-quiz in an undergraduate machine design course. Based on assessment results for the pre- and post-quizzes, a multiple-choice checklist form was created based on educational measurement literature to improve quiz quality. The effectiveness of the checklist form was evaluated by assessing the quality of the quizzes developed by instructors for an undergraduate introduction to mechanics course. An experimental group of instructors used the checklist form to write a new quiz, and a control group of instructors wrote a new quiz based only on professional experience. The quizzes from each group were assessed through independent reviewers consisting of engineering faculty and graduate students. The checklist form appears to be a valuable tool for an instructor to develop new multiple-choice quizzes. Three chapters of this thesis were published in the proceedings of three separate American Society of Engineering Education conferences. The fatigue FE learning modules can be found at http://www1.pacific.edu/∼abrown/ASEE/.
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