Collaborative Experimentation and Simulation: A Pathway to Improving Student Conceptualization of the Essentials of System Dynamics and Control Theory

工程-机械(56)我们的项目涉及开发创新的解决方案，以解决提高学生对系统动力学概念的概念化这一主要挑战。学生们很难理解应用看似抽象的数学来预测和可视化物理系统的动态响应。我们采用的工作来自Moseterman和他的团队在虚拟实验室上所做的工作。此外，Johansson和他的团队的工作正被用于开发实验室前练习，并最终将这些实验作为虚拟实验室形式的独立完全开发的实验室。正在开发利用虚拟系统和远程访问实验的大学间实验室模式，以补充德克萨斯大学泛美分校(UTPA)和德克萨斯大学圣安东尼奥分校(UTSA)的机械工程课程-这两所机构为大量面临严格时间限制的非传统学生提供服务。在UTPA和UTSA，拉美裔学生分别占学生总数的87%和46%。超过70%的UTPA和40%的UTSA入学新生是第一代大学生，其中相当大一部分人至少是兼职。这些学生中的大多数进入大学时，对物理和微积分的接触有限，必须迅速迎头赶上才能竞争。我们的目标是让学生有效地参与动态系统建模和控制的工程过程。其目标是开发和评价实验室模式：1.利用多种可视化手段加强基础知识的概念化和使用；2.通过许多机构的学生通过互联网更好地传播、获取和获得实验，增加参与度；3.在UTSA机构效能办公室的帮助下，PI和他的团队一直在评估新的课程。

Engineering - Mechanical (56) Our project involves the development of innovative solutions to the major challenge of improving students' conceptualization of system dynamics concepts. Students struggle to understand application of seemingly abstract mathematics to predict and visualize the dynamic response of physical systems. The work we have adapted is from the work on Virtual Laboratories done by Moseterman and his team. In addition, the work of Johansson and his team is being utilized to develop pre-laboratory exercises and eventually have these experiments serve as stand-alone fully developed laboratories for the virtual laboratory format. Inter-university laboratory formats utilizing virtual systems and remotely-accessible experiments are being developed to complement the mechanical engineering curricula at the University of Texas-Pan American (UTPA) and the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) - institutions that serve significant populations of non-traditional students that struggle with strict time constraints. Hispanic students constitute 87% and 46% of the student populations at UTPA and UTSA, respectively. Over 70% of UTPA's and 40% of UTSA's entering freshmen are first-generation college students, and a significant percentage work at least part-time. The majority of these students enter college with limited exposure to physics and calculus and must catch up rapidly to compete. Our goal has been to effectively engage students in the engineering process of modeling and controlling dynamic systems. The objectives have been to develop and evaluate laboratory formats that: 1. enhance conceptualization and use of fundamentals using multiple means of visualization;2. increase participation through improved dissemination, accessibility, and availability of experiments via the Internet to students at many institutions; and3. engage students collaboratively to improve understanding of system dynamics.With aid from the Office of Institutional Effectiveness at UTSA, the PI and his team have been evaluating the new curricula.