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|  |  |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |\n|  |  |  |  | |  |\n|  |  |  |  |  |  |\n\nSPRING 2018  \nUsing LEGO Kits to Teach Higher Level Problem Solving Skills in System Dynamics: A Case Study  \nYI WU  \nCHARLOTTE DE VRIES  \nAND  \nQI DUNSWORTH  \nPenn State Erie, the Behrend College Erie, PA  \nABSTRACT  \nSystem Dynamics is a required course offered to junior Mechanical Engineering students at Penn State Erie, the Behrend College. It addresses the intercoupling dynamics of a wide range of dynamic systems: including mechanical, electrical, fluid, hydraulic, electromechanical, and biomedical systems. This course is challenging for students due to the abstract nature and advanced mathematics needed to understand the topic. While hands-on experience can be a useful tool in learning the material, the ready-to-use units in the market are costly. This paper explores the applications of using low cost LEGO® MINDSTORMS® NXT kits to help students learn key quantitative skills in Systems Dynamics course. The labs include (1) time response of a first order system and transfer function identification and verification,(2) time response of a second order system, and (3) PD controller design. These lab activities use MATLAB®/Simulink® to study the response of LEGO MINDSTORMS units. Multiple student surveys (before and after each lab, at the end of semester, one semester/year after the completion of course) and multiple learning assessments have been analyzed and have shown that there is an improvement in students’ confidence and skills in topics covered by the labs.  \nKey words: Hands-on experience, mechanical engineering, Systems Dynamics, quantitative, problem solving  \nINTRODUCTION  \nSystem Dynamics is a core undergraduate engineering course that studies complex relationships among various aspects of a system and the behaviors of the system over time [1] . Most undergraduate mechanical engineering programs offer system dynamics, either as one independent course, one  \nSPRING 2018 1  \nADVANCES IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION  \nUsing LEGO Kits to Teach Higher Level Problem Solving Skills in System Dynamics: A Case Study  \ncourse with an associated lab, or as two courses offered in sequence. Currently, System Dynamics is offered as a one-semester junior course by the Department of Mechanical Engineering in the School of Engineering at Penn State Behrend. This course has evolved from a previous course that focused on the design of feedback controllers [4] . It does not have a sequel in the ME curriculum. Unlike most other courses in the ME field, Behrend’s System Dynamics course involves the study of several subject areas including mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, thermal, electrical, electromechanical, and biological systems. It emphasizes the use of mapping input-output relationships to solve problems. One big challenge of teaching this course is that the complexity of mathematical tools makes the course material abstract, adding difficulty for student understanding [3] . On top of that, because of the breadth of course coverage, it is hard to teach students to think dynamically and holistically [2] . An investigation in current engineering education literature found two approaches to be effective in addressing those challenges, although each has its own drawbacks. Applying real life cases in economy, biology, and information sciences has demonstrated success in teaching systematic thinking, targeting qualitative understanding and analysis [15, 20, 21] . However, it usually takes multiple weeks to complete a case study because the background knowledge is usually foreign to engineering students. Other studies show that hands-on experience was very effective in teaching key quantitative skills in system dynamics [14, 16-19] . Some of these studies used low cost equipment, such as analog circuits [19], haptic paddles [14], or bicycles [18] . It is to be noted, however, successful integration of those hands-on","cbCaifxLzzphnwbg","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaifxLzzphnwbg","pdf",2402238,"English","# Abstract\n# Introduction\n# Method","[{\"question\":\"Why is System Dynamics challenging for junior mechanical engineering students?\",\"answer\":\"The course is challenging due to the abstract nature of the material and the advanced mathematics required to understand system behaviors over time.\"},{\"question\":\"What labs were included in the LEGO-based learning approach?\",\"answer\":\"The study includes three lab activities: first-order system time response and transfer-function identification, second-order system time response, and PD controller design, supported by MATLAB/Simulink.\"},{\"question\":\"How were the learning outcomes evaluated?\",\"answer\":\"The researchers analyzed multiple student surveys (before/after each lab, end of semester, and one semester/year later) and multiple learning assessments to measure confidence and skill improvements.\"}]","Using LEGO Kits to Teach Higher Level Problem Solving Skills in System Dynamics - A Case Study | PDF",1792065865]