Engineering_Intuition
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This document discusses enhancing engineering intuition through problem-based learning. It argues that engineering intuition can be strengthened by complementing deductive reasoning with practical skills like experimentation and prototyping. The ideal learning environment would use problems to simulate real-world engineering innovation and motivate students to apply theory, test ideas experimentally, and critically evaluate gaps between the two. Several historical success stories in engineering highlight how both analysis and intuition contributed to innovations. The conclusion advocates giving students problems that combine theoretical analysis, experimentation, and evaluation of results to allow intuition to drive iterative learning.
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Engineering_Intuition
- 1. Enhancement of Engineering Intuition through Problem-Based Learning Dr. Christakis Papageorgiou, NIDays 2015, Beirut, Lebanon
- 2. Contents Engineering Intuition. Success stories in Engineering Innovation. Learning and Doing Engineering. Desirable Learning Environment for Engineering. Learning and Doing Electronics. Conclusions. 04/04/2015 NIDays 2015, Beirut, Lebanon 2
- 3. Engineering Intuition in Education 04/04/2015 NIDays 2015, Beirut, Lebanon 3
- 4. Intuition vs Rational Reasoning 04/04/2015 NIDays 2015, Beirut, Lebanon 4 Merriam-Webster: `a natural ability or power that makes it possible to know something without any proof or evidence: a feeling that guides a person to act a certain way without fully understanding why The Free Dictionary: `knowledge or belief obtained neither by reason nor by perception, instinctive knowledge or belief, a hunch or unjustified belief Deductive Reasoning, Mathematical Proof, inference Intuition, Instinct, Hunch, Imagination Adversaries or Complementary Powers of Acquiring and Applying Knowledge?
- 5. Success stories: First Controlled Human Flight, 1903 04/04/2015 NIDays 2015, Beirut, Lebanon 5 U.S. patent, `invention of a system of aerodynamic control that manipulated a flying machine's surfaces, Orville and Wilbur Wright. Invention of three-axis control, which enabled the pilot to steer the aircraft effectively and to maintain its equilibrium. (fundamental breakthrough, INNOVATION) Using a small, homebuilt wind tunnel, the Wrights also collected more accurate data than any before. (Aerodynamics experimentation and mathematical analysis) Gained the mechanical skills essential for their success by working for years in their shop with printing presses, bicycles, motors, and other machinery. (Practical manufacturing skills) Their work with bicycles in particular, influenced their belief that an unstable vehicle like a flying machine could be controlled and balanced after continuous practice (BELIEF, INTUITION creating their DRIVING FORCE for experimentation and further analysis)
- 6. Success stories: Fly-ball Governor, 1788 04/04/2015 NIDays 2015, Beirut, Lebanon 6 James Watt patented (INNOVATION) a form of governor in 1788 to control the speed of his steam engine, and James Clerk Maxwell in 1868 described "component motions" associated with these governors that lead to a decrease in a disturbance or the amplitude of an oscillation. (Stability Analysis using Differential Equations, 80 years later) `whose improvements to the Newcomen steam engine were fundamental to the changes brought by the Industrial Revolution in both his native Great Britain and the rest of the world. Watt began to experiment with steam, though he had never seen an operating steam engine. He tried constructing a model `Understanding of the steam engine was in a very primitive state, for the science of thermodynamics would not be formalized for nearly another 100 years. Did ENGINEERING INTUITION (coupled with experimentation and prototype modeling) help?
- 7. Success stories: Negative feedback Amplifier, 1927 04/04/2015 NIDays 2015, Beirut, Lebanon 7 US Patent 2,102,671 "Wave Translation System", which was issued to Bell Laboratories in 1937, covering the negative feedback amplifier. (Harold Black) `he got his inspiration to invent the negative feedback amplifier when he was traveling from New Jersey to New York City by taking a ferry to cross the Hudson River in August 1927. One reason for the delay (Patent) was that the concept was so contrary to established beliefs that the Patent Office initially did not believe it would work. `The Nyquist stability criterion developed by Harry Nyquist (1932) of Bell Laboratories is used to study the stability of feedback amplifiers. (Mathematical Analysis lagging Inspiration by 5 years) Did ENGINEERING INTUITION (fuelled by imagination and inspiration contrary to established beliefs) help?
- 8. Learning and Doing Engineering Balance Reasoning and Intuition Intuition can only be enhanced while complementing deductive reasoning processes 04/04/2015 NIDays 2015, Beirut, Lebanon 8 Playing and having fun Communication and creative expression LEARNING AND DOING ENGINEERING Mathematical Analysis Deductive Reasoning Experimentation Modeling and prototyping Practical manufacturing skills Software modeling and simulation
- 9. Learning Environment for Engineering 04/04/2015 NIDays 2015, Beirut, Lebanon 9 Problem Based Learning: Simulate the Learning Environment of the numerous success stories of theoretical and applied innovation in Engineering throughout the centuries. Creation and adoption of Engineering Problems (Artificial and Natural) in Design, Analysis, Experimentation, Simulation, Manufacturing, Prototyping to cover the required Learning Outcomes within a field of Engineering. Learning starts with the Formulation of an Engineering Problem (e.g. in Electronics): Design a PID controller using operational amplifiers to control Design a Low-Pass filter using to Given the power electronics circuit, test it and measure its efficiency Build a simulation model of a half-wave rectifier circuit using Implement an algorithm using PLCs to control Implement a control algorithm on an embedded platform to control Implement a communications system to control remotely
- 10. Learning Basic Electronics 04/04/2015 NIDays 2015, Beirut, Lebanon 10 Problem: Design and test a passive RC filter (Design, Application of Electrical Laws, Analogy between electrical and fluid systems to enhance intuition)
- 11. Learning Basic Electronics 04/04/2015 NIDays 2015, Beirut, Lebanon 11 Problem: Design and test a passive RC filter (Build the circuit)
- 12. Learning Basic Electronics 04/04/2015 NIDays 2015, Beirut, Lebanon 12 Problem: Design and test a passive RC filter (Test and analyze the circuit, Critically evaluate the theory-experiment gap)
- 13. Learning Basic Electronics 04/04/2015 NIDays 2015, Beirut, Lebanon 13 Problem: Build and test a half-wave rectifier circuit (Design and analyze the circuit)
- 14. Learning Basic Electronics 04/04/2015 NIDays 2015, Beirut, Lebanon 14 Problem: Build and test a half-wave rectifier circuit (Build the circuit)
- 15. Learning Basic Electronics 04/04/2015 NIDays 2015, Beirut, Lebanon 15 Problem: Build and test a half-wave rectifier circuit (Test and analyze the circuit, Critically evaluate the theory-experiment gap)
- 16. Learning more advanced Electronics 04/04/2015 NIDays 2015, Beirut, Lebanon 16 Problem: Apply frequency response analysis for active filters (Bode diagram)
- 17. Learning more advanced Electronics 04/04/2015 NIDays 2015, Beirut, Lebanon 17 Problem: Implementing Control Algorithms on an Embedded Platform
- 18. Recipe for Enhancing Engineering Intuition 04/04/2015 NIDays 2015, Beirut, Lebanon 18 Step 1: Provide a problem to the student, such that the student can only use a limited amount of analysis tools and a limited amount information. (Theoretical knowledge is always an approximation to Reality) Step 2: Motivate the student to acquire more information or evaluate the theory through prototype modeling, software simulation and experimentation. (Application of Practical Skills to enhance knowledge) Step 3: Motivate the student to assess the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical experience. (Critical Comparison between Theory and Experimental observations) Step 4: Motivate the student to provide an explanation for the difference between the theoretical analysis and the experimental results. (Intuition) the student will naturally resort to her/his INTUITION initially, rather than a formal analytical reasoning. Being on the edge of their theoretical knowledge, they will allow INTUITION to become the driving force for further enhancement of knowledge.
- 19. Recipe for Enhancing Engineering Intuition 04/04/2015 NIDays 2015, Beirut, Lebanon 19 Theoretical analysis and design Practical testing and experimentation LEARNING Critical evaluation of theory- experiment gap ENGINEERING INTUITION
- 20. Conclusions 04/04/2015 NIDays 2015, Beirut, Lebanon 20 Engineering Learning Problem: Create or Adopt a Problem, and combine the activities of theoretical analysis, experimentation and critical evaluation of the theory- experiment gap. Allow INTUITION to provide the driving and adhesive force for implementing successive iterations in minimizing this gap.
- 21. 04/04/2015 NIDays 2015, Beirut, Lebanon 21 Acknowledgements: John Leek (Faculty, BP Electronics Major) David Krause (Faculty, BP Electronics Major) Conor Sheedy (Faculty, BP Electronics Major) THANK YOU Questions?