43. How Hands-on Activities Affect the Learning of Engineering Concepts

Abstract

Although traditional lectures remain one of the most commonly used styles of teaching, they may not provide students with the ability to fully understand a complex concept. Students show that they can memorize and repeat the information but struggle when it comes to applying the concept. It is known that hands-on projects help students to understand materials better. In this study, a lesson with a hands-on project was devised to teach students the design of an airfoil. The research will show how the implementation of hands-on activities affect the student’s ability to learn when compared to a traditional airfoil design lecture. We have designed a wind tunnel and associated test materials in order to gauge our students' knowledge before and after its use. Students will design an airfoil and print out their designs using 3d printers. Then, their airfoil will be tested with the wind tunnel. By testing airfoils that they have designed, the intent is for them to learn as much as they can about lift, drag, wing shape, angle of attack, and how these aerodynamic properties affect a vehicle in flight. Students will take pre- and post- tests so that their understanding of airfoil design can be measured before and after the hands-on project. Through this method, more insight will be gained into how the hands-on teaching style impacts a student’s understanding of a concept.