How and why

The course where I intend using technology is the final engineering mathematics for semester students.

The last learning outcome of the course involves numerical techniques which involve solving differential equations and derivatives numerically, amongst other sub learning outcomes.

My biggest reason for using technology is to give the students a taste of something different. Traditionally these topics are covered using pen and paper but with the usage of technology, I am sure the students will find it more interesting.

Secondly, number crunching plays a major part in solving numerical technique questions and there are always chances of hitting the wrong button on the calculator. These kind of mistakes be reduced as EXCEL with do most of the arithmetic operations.

One powerful help that EXCEL provides is prompting for incorrect formulae input which otherwise the students will not be able to find out easily.

Typically I would give a mini test to the students on these topics which would last 45 minutes or so and most of that time is spent by the students on calculators. Using EXCEL will reduce the time consumed in this regard too.

In conclusion, using EXCEL will test the students’ understanding of the concept of these numerical techniques with them not getting penalised for their lack of proficiency with a calculator.    

Learning networks

I can consider myself blessed that I have been a part of a learning network throughout my engineering career. That goes to show that a) Engineers are a helpful lot. And b) that that field is so vast we need help from each other, always.

My informal learning network was actually formed during the student days at UNISA and it has had additions with passing time. It became international as I studied in Europe and even more diversified as I found employment here in Dubai.

The level of contact with this bunch of people is varied and dependent. My colleagues at wotk are always there to help, advice and support. I am still in touch with my chief engineer from my previous employer, an expert in fluid mechanics, both socially and professionally. Other members of the network are contacted professionally as need arises.

The tools used for keeping are the usual social media and email although I love the face to face interaction with the colleagues.

Lastly the importance of these informal groups cannot be denied. You always have someone to lean on or to share your knowledge and experiences.

MS EXCEL - Can it do it??

I have been told by a lot of experts that MS excel is a very powerful tool when it comes to performing complex mathematical operations.

My own expertise in Excel is limited to adding up the grades of the student every semester and calculating the averages.

So I would like to use MS Excel to teach numerical techniques including differentiation & solving differential equations, perhaps even more.

The experts better be right!!

Teaching Engineering Mathematics: The new fashioned way

Traditionally mathematics at the higher end of the engineering matrix is still taught and assessed in the good old way. Pen, paper, whiteboard, etc etc.

I want to use technology in teaching (& not only assessing) at least one learning outcome.

My hypothesis is that the students will find this approach to be different and hopefully will enhance their learning experience.  

Re-Introduction

My fellow PGCTHEians

I must say it feels good to be back.

Module one was very informative and here's to hoping that module 2 is even more.

My brushes with educational technologies as an educator have been varied with sharepoint and BB vista being the usual suspects.

As a learner I also had interaction with on-line assessment and assignment submissions and accessing tutoring videos (from MIT) and course material.

Talking about "The Ten Fundamental Reasons for technology in education", I concur with all the reasons mentioned there. In my opinion the biggest benefit technology provides is the flexibility to a student's learning.

History of Education on Earth 101

My dear Martian Friend

Hope you and your green family are well. We are fine too. It’s been a bit warm since the last solar flare, but nothing beats Mercury in summers.

You asked me to describe the changes that have occurred in the educational system and environment, since your last visit here in 2011. Although I am not an expert but I will try to do my utmost.

On Earth, education has evolved tremendously in the last millennium. I have read in books that a long time ago we had various educational systems governed by various countries and each one thought their system was the best.

Fortunately it is not the same anymore so the students from Timbuktu to Tahiti and from Dubai to Dallas all study a very similar curriculum during their school years. Their assessments are also standardised throughout. This ensures uniformity in the material that is being delivered and the level of students joining higher education is almost the same.

This also means that there is no need for accreditations and evaluations in case a student wants to transfer from one institution to another, in any part of the world.

The students arriving at universities for higher education have all acquired competence in using computers, making all assessments to be online. The course material and resources along with the lectures are available online so the students can access them at any time of their convenience.

The course content and its assessment comprise mainly of case studies, design, application and research. Hence students only learn topics and material which are applicable in their practical life of the chosen discipline.

And lastly, education has been deemed as a necessity, like breathing oxygen (a pleasure to which, unfortunately, you are not privy to) and hence been made compulsory yet the costs are reduced to a minimum providing access to a multitude of students who historically did not have an opportunity to get in tertiary education.

That’s all from me for now. There are many other aspects I wanted to cover but more about them some other time.

Best wishes to everyone on the Red Planet

Archimedes' Principle revisited

We have all studied Archimedes' Principle in school. It has something to do with the displaced fluid and its weight, volume, buoyancy and so on. Boring stuff I know but an important topic covered in college physics and a topic that I had to cover for my class.

I decided to try a different approach and instead of expecting the students to remember all the terms mentioned above and making sense out of them I asked them to perform the same experiment Archimedes had done about 2222 years ago and see if helps them to understand the concept.

The feedback I received was phenomenal as it somehow clicked for most of them. The students could see science in action. Somehow conducting experiments in labs or watching presentations or youtube videos are never as satisfying as learning in a bath tub!!

Understanding won 6-0 against memorising.