Simulation in a Webbased, Asynchronous Learning Environment

1
Simulation in a Web-based, Asynchronous Learning
Environment

• K. M. Ragsdell, R.L. Davis,
• J.F. Petrikovitsch, and V. M. Eller
• University of Missouri-Rolla
• USA

2
Outline

• Introduction
• The Challenge
• Total Quality Management
• Quality Engineering
• An Experiment

3
Introduction

• University of Missouri-Rolla
• Rolla 4000 FTE day students
• Missouri via UMVN and in person
• USA via Internet and video tape
• Army at FLW via accelerated 8 week sessions
• Graduate Engineering Program in St. Louis
• Saudi Arabia/Boeing

4
The Challenge

• Synchronous Learning
• Students instructor come together at one place
  and time.
• Individual and team work outside class.
• Asynchronous Learning
• Students instructor dislocated in time and
  space.
• Learning style
• Role of instructor
• Role of student

5
Simulation is FUN!!

• Lets play a game!
• Lets try new things, and consider the
  alternatives.
• The virtual laboratory.
• Simulation motivates students to try NEW
  approaches to OLD problems.

6
Total Quality Management

• Customer focus
• Worker empowerment
• Continuous improvement
• The Deming Way
• Tools
• 7 old tools
• 7 new tools
• Leadership

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The Deming Way

• Quality is defined b the customer.
• Understand and reduce variation in every process.
• Top management must be committed.
• Continuous improvement is essential.
• Support education and training.
• Beware of traditional performance ratings.

8
Virtual Calculator

• Simple and easy to use
• The ruler experiment
• Variation in performance is normal
• Variation management is the issue

9
Quality Engineering

• Taguchi System of Quality Engineering
• Reduce the effect of variation on performance not
  variation.
• On-campus
• Internet-streaming video
• Fort Leonard Wood
• Blackboard

10
The Catapult
11
Course Delivery Experiment

• No (few) lectures
• Work together in class on laboratory assignments
  and semester project.
• View lectures outside of class on blackboard and
  by streaming video on internet.
• Learning teams
• 8 week course

12
Student Opinion-19 March 02
13
Student Opinion-19 March 02

• 20 students responded
• Most students
• Course is interesting
• Instructor knowledgeable
• Enjoyed discussion
• Liked materials on web
• 9 students prefer traditional presentation
• 11 students prefer nontraditional presentation or
  dont care!

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Student Opinion-18 April 02
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Student Opinion-18 April 02

• Same as before except now with MBPT.
• 16 students responded with MBPT.
• 5 ENTJs
• 100 say working with instructor is useful
• 40 prefer traditional course presentation.
• 5 INTJs
• 60 say working with instructor is useful.
• 80 prefer traditional course presentation.

16
The Future

• Student personality
• Learning style
• Course format
• Let courses adapt to student learning style.