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What
is a Learning Module?
- A Learning Module (LM) is a structured,
concise, and self-sufficient learning resource. An LM provides the
learner with the required content in a precise and concise manner,
enabling the learner to learn more efficiently and effectively. It has a
number of characteristics that distinguish it from a traditional
textbook or textbook chapter.
- An LM is learning objective driven, and its
scope is clearly defined and bounded. The module is compact and precise
in presentation, and its core material contains only contents essential
for achieving the learning objectives. Since an LM is inherently
concise, it can be learned relatively quickly and efficiently.
- An LM is independent and free-standing.
Module-based learning is therefore non-sequential and flexible, and can
be personalized with ease.
- The proposed Learning Module-Based approach is
built on sound pedagogical principles and promotes new teaching
strategies of modular learning, conceptual analysis, and abstract
modeling.
- It explores and addresses a significant and
current challenge in undergraduate engineering education: the need to
introduce efficiently and effectively new content reflecting cutting
edge developments in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
(STEM) fields, the Finite Element Method.
- Success of the proposed work will create new
learning materials and teaching strategies for undergraduate students in
engineering and contribute positively to the health and vitality of
national STEM education.
- It also helps faculty develop expertise in
engineering education, assess learning, and evaluate innovations.
The
impact can be appreciated from five aspects:
- It provides an effective way, without
requiring a major change to the existing curricula, to introduce one of
the most important tools to students’ learning experience in STEM
fields.
- It helps train knowledgeable and competent
future engineers in keeping pace with the needs of the industry.
- It empowers students in their capabilities of
analyzing real-life engineering problems which, in turn, enhances their
experiences in other technical courses.
- It enables and encourages the participation
of all students, especially women and underrepresented minorities, and
will have a positive impact on student retention in engineering
programs.
- Although the target audience is primarily
undergraduate engineering students in the U.S. universities, the need
for an effective introduction to FEM is shared by a broad spectrum of
industries. The impact is expected to reach all the industries that can
benefit from the use of FEM.
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