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Introduction  |  Student Survey  |  Guiding Questions

A state university is interested in the potential of computer simulations to help students enrolled in mechanical engineering courses. The faculty have developed a computer simulation that allows students to build and test steel structures.

To test the simulation, the department introduces it to 50 students in a mechanical engineering course halfway through the year. A control course with another 50 students uses only traditional lab methods of notebook calculations and hands-on construction.

The department's staffers plan to evaluate the performance of the two classes. In addition, they design a survey on paper to collect formative feedback from students who have experienced the simulation. The survey asks students to judge various features and compare use of the simulation with the traditional method they used in the first half of the year. The staffers plan to distribute the survey electronically.

A draft of the survey follows. (You may wish to print it out for ease of reference.) Please consider how the survey could be improved. You will be asked to respond to questions about the changes you would make.

STUDENT SURVEY ON MECHANICAL ENGINEERING COMPUTER LABS (printer friendly)

This survey asks for your views about the Engineering Simulation Software (ESS) used in this class during the second half of the year. Your feedback and suggestions about the new lab will help us decide how to use and improve the lab component of Introductory Mechanical Engineering.

I. 1. Are you planning to major in engineering?

______ Yes
______ No (If No, What are you planning to major in? ___________________)
I. 2. Including this one, how many courses with labs have you had while enrolled at this university? _____________

I.

3. Estimate how many hours per week you typically used the Engineering Simulation Software (ESS) for this course?

Less than two hours
Two to four hours
Four to six hours
More than six hours

I. 4. The overall quality of the Engineering Simulation Software (ESS) was:
  _______ Excellent   _______ Very Good   _______ Good   _______ Fair   _______ Poor

II. On the following dimensions, please compare your experience using the Engineering Simulation Software (ESS) during the second semester with using traditional lab methods (TLM) during the first semester. (1= ESS much better; 2= ESS somewhat better; 3= ESS and TLM about the same; 4= TLM somewhat better; 5= TLM much better)

1. Ease of use   1 2 3 4 5
2. Linked with other course materials 1 2 3 4 5
3. Understand key concepts 1 2 3 4 5
4. Apply key concepts 1 2 3 4 5
5. Remember key concepts 1 2 3 4 5
6. Collaborate with peers 1 2 3 4 5
7. Access help if you have questions 1 2 3 4 5
8. Increase your interest in the course 1 2 3 4 5

II. 9. Excluding the labs, the overall quality of the Introductory Mechanical Engineering course was:
  _______ Excellent   _______ Very Good   _______ Good   _______ Fair   _______ Poor

II. 10. Please summarize the strengths and weaknesses of the Engineering Simulation Software (ESS).
Strengths:  ____________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Weaknesses:  ____________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________