Promoting Class Room Creativity, Innovation

andDiscovery

V.Thanikachalam, Ph.D.,M.Tech.,B.E.,M.S.

(drthanikachalam@aol.com)

What is creativity in engineering education?

Creativity in engineering education

Solving real life problemsSeeking new solutionsMeeting the challenges through innovationsCombinatory playSynthesizingSelf assuranceRisk taking

Creativity, Invention, & Innovation

Creativity is visualizing what no one else has thought beforeInvention is transforming those new thoughts to tangible ideasInnovation goes even further, involving preparedness to mix with the world to turn novel ideas into products

Creative Thinking SkillsSuggesting hypothesesGenerating and extending ideasApplying imagination, andLooking for alternate innovative outcomes

CreativityIs the application of knowledge and skills in new ways to achieve a valued goal.Identifying new problems, rather than depending on others to define them.Transferring knowledge gained in one context to another to solve a problem.Continuous learning will eventually lead to success

Creativity:The capacity to focus

attention in the pursuit of a goal or set of goals

-Seltzer& Bentley,1999

Barriers to InnovationLack of leadership and commitmentLack of resourcesLack of clearly articulated institutes’ needs/ challengesLack of innovative culture in institutionsLack of technology resources and linkagesRisk aversenessInadequate trained faculty

Innovations in Instructional Design

Generating new learning modelsPlanning instruction from a new perspectiveMoving outside the existing paradigmsImproving the existing instructional processesAdopting successful instructional designs

Instructional DesignInquiry processCollaborative to cooperative agencyInteragency collaborationBuilding professional competenciesSolving Interdisciplinary problemsReasoned discourseGlobalization Conceptualization to implementation

Students’ Behaviour Students’ behaviour progressively mirrors that of the facultyIn class room innovative instructional designs both teachers and the students are learning in new situationsTough field problems are challenging and they lend to innovative solutionsIntrinsically motivating and engaging

What do students possess?

Untapped potential in all areas of worthwhile human endeavor Potential can be realized by policies, programs and proceduresCapability to build professional knowledgeCreativity Ingenitivity

Incremental InnovationMinor modifications to existing productSwims with the tideStarts with present and works forwardMinor improvement

Radical InnovationSignificant breakthrough representing major shift in designSwims against the tideImagines the future and works backwardsMajor transformation

Innovative Learning Active and student-directed; peer-and faculty monitoredCooperative learning and teamwork Learning in context assists students to organize their long-term memory for retrievalsCommunication skills, respect for the views of others, the critical faculty, the satisfaction of contributing to the group, ability to give and take criticism without offence being caused.

Students’ Motivation The excitement of self-discoveryGetting additional information from the Internet, journals, books, reports Visualizes the role of senior executivesAbility to analyze the failures in planning, design, construction and maintenance.Ability to evaluate alternativesAbility to create alternate products

Self-directed Learning and Self-assessment

Developing the critical learning habitSelf evaluationGroup decision making

Definition of Innovative Learning

A pedagogical strategy for posing significant, contextualized, real world situations/problems, and suggesting resources, guidance, and instruction to learners as they develop content knowledge and problem-solving skills.

Learners’ RoleIn self directed learning, students collaborate to study the issues of a problem as they strive to create visible solutions (Aspy, Aspy & Quimbly,1993).Learning in problem based situation normally occurs within small discussion groups of students facilitated by a faculty (Bridge&Hallinger,1991).

Faculty’s Role Subject matter expert Resource guideTask group consultantEncourage learner participationProvide appropriate informationAssume the role of fellow learnerAvoiding negative feedback

Advantages Task group processes informationCompetencies to solve the problemDevelops flexibilityDevelops cognitive strategiesHelps to analyze unanticipated,ill structured situationsProduces meaningful solutions

Conventional Lecture Method Information on knowledge and rulesSituation specific with well-defined problem parametersPredetermined outcomes with one correct / best answerFocus on instruction is to solve predetermined problemDoes not prepare the learners to solve real life complicated problemsIneffective in transferring the learning to new domains

Real Life Problems (Undefined Field Problems)

Seldom Parallel to well-structured ProblemsA Case on FailureDemand Critical Thinking SkillsLearners need to interact with life beyond class room walls ( >2->4->6)Demand Problem Solving Skills

Innovative Learning is concerned with:

What should students learn to perform in the workplace where teacher will not there to guide?How they should learn?What are the short comings?Whose problem is this?Designer? Field engineer? Contractor?What type ultimate solution that they are expected to suggest?

Problem-1: The incoming GI water pipeline to a RCC water tank fails every time in two

weeks after repair !

Why?Poor quality materials? Poor workmanship?Inefficient supervision?

Problem-2 The RCC bridge for ECR constructed on the

backwaters in Kovalam near Chennai started settling.The EE was suspended!

What could be the cause for settlement?Poor execution?How will you prevent the settlement?

Problem-3: The PG Professor of structural engineering designed

a shell structure for an auditorium.

The auditorium collapsed.•The contractor faithfully followed all the construction procedures specified.•Four carpenters died at the time of removing the shutters.•The quality of materials were good.•Why did the failure occur?

Real Field Engineering Problems are to based on the Program

ObjectivesUsually written cases are derived from field experience, accidents, failures, breakdowns…Stimulate active learningNot only based on the local situations but also on the global field worksIntegrated approach (investigation, planning, design, manufacturing, testing, improvement, maintenance)

Typical Engineering Field Cases MIC gas leak at Union Carbide factory in Bhopal…Sudden floods in Himalayas…Fires in submarines … Airbus 787 accidents… Tsunami in Eastern Coast of Tamil Nadu…Buildings collapse due to earthquake in Gujarat… Low foreign exchange reserve…Volvo bus sudden burning after accidents…

Implementation of Innovative Learning Process

Less LecturingMore Learner ContactSelf Directed LearningRelevant Materials from InternetYou tube Video ClippingsCreative thinking to practical problemsClearly Related to Objectives & jobs

Focus of Innovative Learning

Encourages the learners to work on real problems [ analysis, design, prototype development, testing, manufacturing, safety, efficiency and maintenance]Integrates experienceRecalls previous knowledgeLooks for new sources of informationNetworks skills and procedures

Innovative Learning StepsClarify Terms and Concepts which are not clearDefine the ProblemAnalyze the ProblemBrain stormList Possible Outcomes

Formulate Learning Objectives and Set Priorities Look for Additional Information Outside the GroupReport back, Synthesize and test the Decisions

Specialty of Innovative LearningPlaces the Responsibility for Learning in the Hands of StudentsVery Useful Teaching Strategy for Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Programs

Provides Exposure to Learning in the real life situationsGood Starting Point for Shared LearningLearning from Case Aanalysis of the material seen by Learners ThemselvesUses Video tapes/ multimedia packages

Highlights of Innovative LearningStudents’ Learn by Analyzing the Given Field ProblemsStudents Work in Executive Groups Recording Key Areas for LearningLearning is Active and Student -Directed

Self-Directed Learning Skills are developed and enhancedTeachers Guide and Facilitate rather than directDiscovery and Application of Knowledge emphasized over Recall

AssessmentAssessment focuses on final product design, reasoning and self directed learning as well as recognition of facts

Assumptions of Innovative Learning

Students are assumed to be better able to learn and recall information through:

- Activation of prior knowledge- Elaboration on newly acquired

knowledge- Contextual knowledge

Learning ProcessPreliminary discussions in small groups Students mobilize available knowledgeConstructs explanatory models based on the prior knowledgeProcesses and comprehends new information

Elaboration (Construction of Cognitive Models)

Discussion.Note-taking and searching for solutions.Answering questions.New information is understood if students are stimulated to elaborate on it.

Facilitating Student Learning

Use small discussion groupsSupplement by traditional methods to stimulate active learning on the parts of studentsChoose problems by deriving from clear objectivesProblems are sensitive to the level of sophistication at different stages of learning

Traditional Approach

Curriculum overloadInappropriate teaching methodsShifted to the emphasis of the curriculum away from field challenges

Implications of Innovative Learning

Less lecturing More student contactSmall group workSelf-directed learning

Advantages of Innovative Learning

* Preliminary discussion in small groups * Activation of prior knowledge * Elaboration on newly acquired

knowledge * Contextual learning

General problem solving ( task-dependent) skills

A task or challenge as a source of learning Ability to care for user needs and solve their problemsAcquisition of knowledgeExposure to real-life problemsProblem solving skills dependent on acquisition of knowledge

Problem / Learning TaskThe group’s task is to evaluate and define the different aspects of the problem, physical, social, environmental etc.Achieve an understanding of the basic mechanisms involvedA planned strategy-a way of enabling students to develop the required reasoning and critical thinking more efficientlySpeeding up the process of acquiring the experience

Integration of basic science concepts into field problems

Focusing on application of old knowledge in new situationsEncourages the integration of knowledge from domains (basic sciences, IT enabled analysis and management)Students are able to integrate basic science knowledge into the solutions of field problems

Self-directed Learning Skills

Learn to learn to meet the personal needsIndependent Self-directedLifelong learnersSelf evaluateConduct literature searches themselves

Intrinsic Interest in Subject Matter

Enhances intrinsic interest in subjectIncreases motivationInvolves the learners more actively in the issues at hand

Potential Difficulties with Innovative Learning Process

The variations in quality of the facultyGuiding skillsConfusion among the studentsLack of a sense of purposeOrienting and training the studentsSeminars and lab. demonstrations are essential

Competency list

Conduct job analysisList the tasks to be accomplishedPrepare competency list Grade them Write educational program objectives

Development of Cases

Based on the professional challengesCases are to be written from real life observationSmall groups are to be formedGuidance is to be provided for learning materialsBrain storming is to be conductedGive feedback and encourage them

Review of Cases (Formative Evaluation)

Interdisciplinary approachEditing Instructional materials Youtube Video ClippingNewspaper cuttingsExtracts of speeches of VIPs

The Government of India protected Indian Manufacturing Companies

since 1947 as an Economic Policy.They did not allow any market

competition. There were too many restrictions in

manufacturing, pricing…

The Finance Minister stated that:

Japan’s Toyota motors got the technology for car manufacturing from GM Motors in early 1950sHindustan Motors also got the technology for manufacturing Ambassador car from the same GM Motors during the same period.Now the quality of the Ambassador lags far behind Toyota !Why?

Indian government has not fully globalized the

higher education.

One of the Chairmen of the IITs stated that India did not attract

any foreign professor !Who is responsible?Have we globalized our engineering education?Can we recruit any foreign professor by paying US $ 250000/- per annum?What could be the motivation of comparable Indian professors if this salary is offered to foreign professors?

Summative EvaluationReview the findingsFine tune the case files based on the performance of the learnersRecycle

Plan an instructional design for “Human

Resource Dynamics”* Identify the course objectives• Identify the intended course outcomes• What are the sources of information?• How will they plan the self-directed

learning?• What is the role of the faculty?

Instructional PlanningCounsel the students to choose an MNCLet them identify the corporate HR needsAssess the HRD policies, goals and processExplore from the web of the companyIdentify the HR strategies and programsEvaluate the HRD program objectives and implementation

Thank You Creative & Innovative educators.

What are your creative questions, please?