A Writing Intensive Cornerstone Course for STEM Students
Clif Kussmaul, Associate Professor of Computer Science and Jane Flood, Associate Professor of Physics
6-8
Write & pitch concept proposals
(2-3 each, 500+ words)
9-11 Analyze & define requirements
(UML, prototyping, scheduling)
12-13 Write elaboration proposals
(1 each, 1000+ words)
Design & build percussion (teams of 2-4)
14-15 Write & pitch venture proposals
(teams of 3-4; 3000+ words)
Percussion Instrument Design
Students worked in teams of 2-4 for 3 weeks to
design & build percussion instruments. A local
percussionist served as a resource & evaluator.
Finished instruments included:
• flowerpot drum with adjustable head tension.
• hanging water bottles filled to different pitches
• trapezoidal drum with multiple striking surfaces
(wood, metal, & plastic)
• PVC pipes cut to different pitches
Average
1: Too
Little
How much time
was devoted to:
3: Too
Much
Table 3: Time
1. writing
0%
2. speaking
0% 100%
0% 2.0
3. reading
8%
92%
0% 2.1
4. listening
0% 100%
0% 2.0
5. teaming
6. tech. content
33%
0%
42% 58% 1.4
67%
0% 2.3
83% 17% 1.7
Results
Table 2 summarizes results of a pre- and postcourse survey, and shows that students were
more confident in their abilities, but perhaps not
convinced that these abilities are important, so
we will clarify these connections in the future.
Table 3 summarizes students ratings of time spent
in the course, and shows a strong desire for more
writing, which we will address in the future.
Conclusions & Future Directions
We are generally pleased with the first offering of
the course, and plan the following changes:
• Add more “academic” reading & writing.
• Move some discussion to web-based forums.
• Design & build percussion instruments earlier.
• Allocate more time for later product proposals.
Acknowledgements
Supported in part by NSF DUE-0965834.
References
1.
2.
0% 3.6
0% 2.9
0% 3.5
0% 3.8
post-course
67% 33% 0%
50% 42% 8%
post-course
67% 33% 0%
75% 17% 0%
5.
6.
Average
1: Very
Unconfident
Learning Outcomes Ratings
Confidence in your ability to:
pre-course
Work effectively in teams.
57% 43% 0%
Develop & review proposals & reports. 14% 57% 29%
Importance to your future:
pre-course
Work effectively in teams.
57% 36% 7%
Develop & review proposals & reports. 79% 21% 0%
2: Somewhat
Unconfident
Table 2: Pre/Post Course Survey Results
3: Somewhat
Confident
3.
4.
4: Very
Confident
FYS 293: Studying Problems, Creating Solutions
The first author adapted the cornerstone
approach into a FYS organized around
the activities, skills & knowledge needed to
design & develop products. The course included:
• active-, inquiry-, & team-based activities.
• reading, writing, & discussing a variety
of articles, chapters, & essays [e.g. 3,5].
• multidisciplinary design projects, including:
• a pookalam (south Indian flower design)
• musical percussion instruments
• new product development proposals
Table 1 provides an overview of the syllabus.
Brainstorm problems & solutions.
Learn & teach creativity methods.
(StageGate, peer review)
Average
First Year Seminars
At Muhlenberg, a first year seminar (FYS) is
a small discussion-oriented class that promotes
intellectual conversation, critical thinking, and
reading & writing. Content is not prescribed,
but determined by the instructor’s interests.
3-5
1: Very
Unconfident
Cornerstone Courses
Engineering schools have developed cornerstone
courses to encourage & support students by
emphasizing community building, professional
development, and activities, processes, & tools
found in working environments [e.g. 2,4].
Since the sciences also have retention issues [6],
we predicted that a cornerstone course would
improve retention of the SIMS students.
Intro & overview
(team processes, wiki)
New Product Proposals
Students developed new product proposals using
a document template & a Stage-Gate model [1],
which progressed from many ideas per student
through a few short concepts and to larger team
proposals & final presentations, which were
favorable received by a faculty panel including
faculty from Entrepreneurial Studies.
Final venture proposals included:
• bracelets that change color with UV exposure
• travel mugs that change color based on
temperature of contents
• airplane seats for increased comfort
• treadmills that explore virtual environments
2: Somewhat
Unconfident
The project has 6 key components: financial aid,
psychosocial support, academic support,
mentoring, professional development, and
a faculty learning community. (Some project
elements bridge multiple components.)
1-2
3: Somewhat
Confident
(SIMS): Improving Recruitment & Retention
in the Mathematical & Physical Sciences.
Week Table 1: FYS Content & Key Activities
4: Very
Confident
Introduction
In 2010, Muhlenberg received a NSF DUE
S-STEM grant, Scholarships in Math & Science
2: About
Right
[email protected] [email protected] Muhlenberg College, 2400 Chew St, Allentown, PA 18104
0% 3.7
0% 3.4
0% 3.7
8% 3.6
Cooper. 2001. Winning at New Products. Basic Books.
Culbertson, Oehrtman, Thompson, et al. 2009.
Engineering design of musical instruments as a context
or math, physics, and technical writing in a freshman
learning community course. Proc. of ASEE.
Dym & Little. 2008. Engineering Design:. Wiley.
Larochelle, Engblom, Gutierrez. 2004. A Cornerstone
Freshman Design Experience. Proc. of ASEE.
Petroski. 1985. To engineer is human. St Martin’s Press.
Seymour & Hewitt. 1997. Talking about leaving: Why
undergraduates leave the sciences. Westview Press.