An examination of the effects of contextual computer- Aided design exercises on student modeling performance

2014-01-01
Johnson, Michael
Peng, Xiaobo
Yalvac, Bugrahan
Öztürk, Elif
Liu, Ke
Many in the academe and industry have long found computer- Aided design (CAD) education lacking. These critics have decried the lack of strategic skills and the focus on declarative knowledge associated with specific CAD packages. This work will discuss the most recent findings of a three year iterative investigation examining the role of contextual exercises on CAD modeling procedure and the manifestation of adaptive expertise. The effects of a varying number of contextual exercises incorporated in regular instruction throughout a semester will be examined. Contextual exercises consist of students modeling a component that they have a personal connection to, as opposed to a stylized example from the textbook. Modeling performance on a standard assessment is compared for the various groups as is performance on an end of the semester exercise. This work compares the results of student performance on the standard assessment based on whether students received no, one, or four contextual exercises prior to the assessment. Student performance on an end of the semester exercise that is either stylized or contextual in nature is also examined. Student interviews and coding are used to examine the manifestation of adaptive expertise among those various groups. Statistical analyses are used to evaluate differences among the groups. Interview data showed that there was a slightly greater manifestation of behaviors associated with adaptive expertise in the single contextual self-guided exercise group as compared to those students that used a stylized self-guided exercise. However these differences were of limited statistical significance. The implementation of four contextual exercises showed no increase in the manifestation of adaptive expertise behaviors. In both cases, the implementation of contextual exercises did not result in improved performance on the standard assessment. Limitations of the work and possible causes for some of the unexpected results are detailed. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2014.
121st ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition: 360 Degrees of Engineering Education

Suggestions

Integration of contextual exercises in computer-aided design education
Liu, Ke; Peng, Xiaobo; McGary, Prentiss; Yalvac, Bugrahan; Öztürk, Elif; Johnson, Michael D.; Valverde, Lauralee (2015-01-01)
The authors have implemented a series of contextual CAD modeling exercises in a freshman CAD class to transform adaptive expertise in the CAD education. The students were interviewed before and after the exercises to capture their manifestation of adaptive expertise. At the end of semester, a CAD modeling test was given to the students. The CAD modeling procedures were evaluated based on the model attributes and students’ screen-recordings. The data analyses examine the role of learner-centered contextual e...
Analyzing Adaptive Expertise and Contextual Exercise in Computer-Aided Design
Peng, Xiaobo; McGary, Prentiss; Öztürk, Elif; Yalvac, Bugrahan; Johnson, Michael; Valverde, Lauralee M. (2014-01-01)
The fast changing pace of modern CAD tools has demanded the users to be more adaptive to apply their CAD skills. This paper presents the initial work to transform adaptive expertise in the CAD education. An adaptive expertise survey (AES) and a contextual exercise were implemented in a freshman CAD class. The students' responses to the survey and interviews were analyzed. The CAD models were evaluated based on the attributes. The statistically significant relationships among the variables are reported. The ...
A methodology for examining the role of adaptive expertise on CAD modeling
Johnson, Michael D.; Öztürk, Elif; Valverde, Lauralee; Yalvac, Bugrahan; McGary, Prentiss; Peng, Xiaobo (2013-01-01)
Computer-aided design (CAD) tools play a significant role in the modern product commercialization environment. As CAD and general CAx technology advances, it becomes more important to understand how engineers adapt their expertise to new environments and problems. This work examines a methodology consisting of a set of surveys, interviews, and exercises with a small group of practicing engineers to assess adaptive expertise (AE) and relate this AE to CAD modeling performance and procedures. Results detail A...
Examining the role of contextual exercises and adaptive expertise on CAD model creation procedures
Johnson, Michael D.; Öztürk, Elif; Valverde, Lauralee; Yalvac, Bugrahan; Peng, Xiaobo (2013-07-31)
As computer-aided design (CAD) tools become more integral in the product commercialization process, ensuring that students have efficient and innovative expertise necessary to adapt becomes more important. This work examines the role of adaptive expertise on CAD modeling behavior and the effect of contextual modeling exercises on the manifestation of behaviors associated with adaptive expertise in a population of student participants. A methodology comprising multiple data elicitation tools is used to exami...
Analysis of contextual computer-Aided design (CAD) exercises
Öztürk, Elif; Peng, Xiaobo; Valverde, Lauralee Mariel; Mcgary, Prentiss Dwight; Johnson, Michael (2013-09-24)
Computer-Aided Design (CAD) technologies are an essential part of modern design endeavors. In today's industry, engineers use CAD models throughout their work. This makes CAD education crucial. However current CAD education has typically focused on narrow skills related to particular CAD software. The skills necessary to adapt new CAD software and effectively utilize the existing models in modified designs are not the primary emphasis in CAD education. In this paper, the most recent findings of a three-year...
Citation Formats
M. Johnson, X. Peng, B. Yalvac, E. Öztürk, and K. Liu, “An examination of the effects of contextual computer- Aided design exercises on student modeling performance,” presented at the 121st ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition: 360 Degrees of Engineering Education, Indianapolis, IN, Amerika Birleşik Devletleri, 2014, Accessed: 00, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?partnerID=HzOxMe3b&scp=84905157786&origin=inward.