USERS & WEB
LINKS: The following are some of the known
websites that link to the HNMI website or/and use its resources. Search engine websites
and libraries are NOT
included in the list as they are too many to list).
Educational Institutions
College of Engineering, Nahrain University, Baghdad, IRAQ:
They are using varied resources in the Scientific Computing course.
Polish University of Science and Technology in Cracow:
They are using the PPTs and videos in a Numerical Methods course in
the Physics Department
University of Heidelberg: They are using the
resources in a 2-week block of Numerical Methods in their Physics
Department.
Division of Math & IT, Mount Saint Mary College:
Using several modules in their
Numerical Analysis Course. The readings for the course are
assigned from the website.
Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering, University
of Minnesota: Used materials from the
website for a inversion methods seminar.
University of Cincinnati:
They are using MATLAB modules in their Numerical Methods course in
Department of Civil Engineering.
Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador
(School of Engineering): They are using the ebooks and the MATLAB modules in their
Numerical Methods course.
Faculdade de Engenharia - Pontifícia Universidade católica do rio
Grande do Sul (PUCRS) - BRASIL: They are using the resources in a Numerical Methods course in
Chemical Engineering.
De La Salle Lipa (DLSL) ,
Philippines: The course Numerical Methods Computer
Applications in the department of electrical engineering is using
textbook notes and MATLAB worksheets on several topics including
nonlinear equations, SLE, interpolation and regression.
University of Toronto:
The Calculus and
Numerical Methodscourse
uses the textbook notes of the website as the textbook for the numerical
methods part of the course.
University of Minnesota: In
their course
Intro
to Matrix Algebra, the e-textbook Introduction to Matrix
Algebra as a course text.
Skidmore College: In their
course Mathematical Modeling, MATHEMATICA modules on Lagrangian and
Spline interpolation are used in the class lectures.
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam:
In their course Methods in
Theoretical Biology, the e-textbook Introduction to Matrix
Algebra is recommended reading
University of California at San
Deigo: Used as
online resource for MATH 170C Numerical Ordinary Differential
Equations.
Louisiana Tech: In their course
MEEN 292 Mechanical Engineering Computer Applications, many
of the physical problems of the website are used to assign HW and
illustrate numerical methods.
Polytechnic University:
LinksIntroduction to Matrix Algebra ebook as a useful
link for EL 512Image Processing course.
Digital Libraries
NSDL National Science Digital
Library: NSDL is the Nation's online library for education and
research in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics.
View the
collection data of the website.
World Lecture Hall: WLH is an
entry point to free online course materials from around the world.
Mathforum: The Math Forum is
the comprehensive resource for math education on the Internet.
Entries
are for the website and the Introduction to Matrix Algebra book.
NSDL Scouts Report: Since 1994,
the Internet Scout Project has focused on research and development
projects that provide better tools and services for finding,
filtering and delivering online information and metadata. Here
they are
reviewing the Introduction to Matrix Algebra ebook.
MERLOT: Finds peer reviewed
online teaching and learning materials. Shares advice and expertise
about education with expert colleagues. Recognizes contributions to
quality education. View the
collection data of the website.
SMETE:
Engineering Pathway is a portal to high-quality teaching and
learning resources in applied science and math, engineering,
computer science/information technology and engineering technology,
for use by K-12 and university educators and students. View
the
collection data.
INTUTE:
Intute is a free online
service providing you with access to the very best Web resources for
education and research. The service is created by a network of UK
universities and partners. View the
collection data of the Introduction to Matrix Algebra
book.
Featured User MathCAD: In
October, 2004 MathCAD Advisor Newsletter
profiled the website as a featured user.
Awards
2004 ASME Curriculum Innovation Award:
The
ASME Curriculum Innovation Award recognizes innovation in
Mechanical Engineering (ME) and Mechanical Engineering Technology
(MET) Education and encourages the dissemination of exemplary
curricular innovations throughout the engineering education
community. The award is given for curriculum innovations for
undergraduate, graduate or continuing education, that 1) have
demonstrated a significant advancement in engineering education and
have been demonstrated (reduced to practice). 2) Have the potential
for significant impact on meeting the changing needs of the
engineering profession. 3) Have the ability to be adapted by many
schools in an affordable and effective manner. 4) Show a high
likelihood of the innovation being widely adopted.” In 2004, Drs.
Kaw and Besterfield received the award for the ongoing development,
assessment, and dissemination of the web-based modules available at
the Holistic Numerical Methods Website. Read
paper and go through the PPT
presentation.
2006 ASEE DELOS Best Paper Award:
The Division for Experimentation and Laboratory Oriented Studies
(DELOS) Division of American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE)
recognizes individuals for excellence in the preparation and
presentation of a paper in a DELOS session at the ASEE Annual
Conference. A paper on "Assessing
Teaching Methods in a Numerical Methods Course" received a 2006
ASEE DELOS
best paper award.
Since 2002, the Introduction to Matrix
Algebra book has been downloaded by more than 30,000 users from 50
different countries. This book is an extended primer for undergraduate
Matrix Algebra. The book is either to be used as a refresher material
for students who have already taken a course in Matrix Algebra or used
as a just-in-time tool if the burden of teaching Matrix Algebra has been
placed on several courses. In my own department, the Linear Algebra
course was taken out of the curriculum a decade ago. It is now taught
just in time in courses like Statics, Programming Concepts, Vibrations,
and Controls. There are ten chapters in the book: 1) Introduction, 2)
Vectors, 3) Binary Matrix Operations, 4) Unary Matrix Operations, 5)
System Of Equations, 6) Gaussian Elimination, 7) LU Decomposition, 8)
Gauss-Seidal Method, 9) Adequacy Of Solutions, 10) Eigenvalues And
Eigenvectors.
This book entitled Numerical Methods with
Applications is written primarily for engineering undergraduates taking
a course in Numerical Methods. The textbook offers a unique treatise to
numerical methods which is based on a holistic approach and short
chapters. This book is a product of many years of work on educational
projects funded since 2002 by the National Science Foundation. Features:
1) Examples of real-life applications are available from seven different
engineering majors. 2) Each chapter is followed by multiple-choice
questions. 3) Supplemental material such as primers on differential and
integral calculus, and ordinary differential equations are available on
the web. 4) The book has a state-of-art dedicated open courseware
website with extra examples, PowerPoint presentations, worksheets in
MATLAB, MATHEMATICA, Maple and MathCAD, anecdotes, eBooks, and blogs.
JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS
Assessing Online Resources for an
Engineering Course (under review)
Melinda Hess, Corina Owens, Autar Kaw
To determine, improve, and refine the quality of the online
resources for an engineering course in Numerical Methods, three
assessment instruments were used to gather feedback from 1) the
independent instructors of the numerical methods course, 2) the students
who use the majority of the resources, and 3) the general students
worldwide who use resources on an as-per-need basis. The findings of
this study provide strong evidence that the use of the website modules
is a valued aide to most students. The availability of information in
multiple modes and formats, at any time, for the students provides them
with accessible and convenient learning material that enhances
traditional methods. In addition, the analyses of the open-ended items
by both faculty reviewers and students provided insights into how a
website used in a technical course such as Numerical Methods can be
effectively organized and implemented to enhance student learning. Using
the multiple and innovative approaches described in the paper, the
instruments and methods illustrated in this study can be used in any
other course to help instructors assess their own online initiatives.
Several low cost, low space, low setup time experiments
were developed and implemented in an undergraduate course in Numerical
Methods for Engineers. The analysis and interpretation of the collected
experimental data encompassed most of the mathematical procedures
covered in the course. This paper describes these experiments and shows
how they were used throughout the course. The effect of introducing
experiments in the course was quantitatively and qualitatively surveyed
via student satisfaction surveys over a two-semester period. The
results of the student surveys indicate high student satisfaction,
especially in the areas of applying programming concepts, problem
formulation, and relevance to their engineering major.
Journal of Professional Issues in
Engineering Education and Practice
Vol. 134, No. 4, October 2008, pp. 359-364
This paper is an illustration of using a
problem-centered approach in an undergraduate course in numerical
methods. The problem used in the course was first encountered in a
research project that related to the assembly procedure of the fulcrum
of bascule bridges. It involved the study of the fulcrum assembly
procedure where a trunnion cooled in a dry-ice/alcohol mixture for
shrink fitting became stuck halfway in the hub before full insertion
could take place. The solution of the problem and its implementation
involved numerical solutions of mathematical procedures taught in a
typical numerical methods course. The effect of the problem-centered
approach in the classroom was quantitatively and qualitatively surveyed
over a two-semester period. The results indicate very high student
satisfaction in helping them: acquire basic knowledge and skills;
reinforce information presented in class, reading assignments, and
problem sets; learn to clearly formulate a specific problem and then
work it through to completion; develop generic higher-order thinking and
problem solving skills; and develop a sense of competence and confidence
and see the relevance of the course material to their major.
The effectiveness of four instructional
delivery modalities, (i) traditional lecture, (ii) Web-enhanced lecture,
(iii) Web-based self-study and (iv) Web-based self-study and classroom
discussion, was investigated for a single instructional unit (Non-linear
Equations) over separate administrations of an undergraduate engineering
course in Numerical Methods. Two assessment instruments - student
performance on a multiple-choice examination and a student satisfaction
survey - were used to gather relevant data to compare the delivery
modalities. Statistical analysis of the assessment data indicates that
the second modality, in which Web-based modules for instruction were
used during face-to-face lecture delivery mode, resulted in higher
levels of student performance and satisfaction.
Effectiveness of web-based modules developed
for a course in Numerical Methods was measured via three mixed assessment
instruments – student satisfaction survey, student performance in a
multiple-choice examination based on Bloom’s taxonomy, and summative
rating of the modules based on content, learning, usability and
technology. The web-based modules are holistic and are customized based on
a student’s engineering major and choice of computational system.
Statistical analysis of the assessment data indicates that web-based
modules for instruction improved both student satisfaction and
performance.
ASCE Journal of Professional Issues and Engineering
Education
Vol. 131, No 3, pp. 175-177, 2005.
Techniques include being organized, understand the importance of first
day, use teaching tools effectively, being compassionate, give rapid
feedback, ask questions, and having high expectations.
Autar Kaw, Nathan Collier, Michael Keteltas,
Jai Paul, Glen Besterfield
Computer Applications for
Engineering Education
Vol. 11, No 4, pp. 203-210,
2004
Prototype
web based resources have been developed for an undergraduate course in
Numerical Methods.The web modules are holistic, that is they include pre-requisite
information, real-life applications, presentations and notes, simulations,
and self-assessment.The student interest and learning are maximized by providing
customization of content based on a student’s engineering major and
computational system of choice.
For
developing web-based resources for an undergraduate course in Numerical
Methods, four computational systems (Maple®, MathCAD®, MATHEMATICA®,
and MATLAB®) were used to illustrate algorithms, convergence, and
pitfalls of different numerical methods.In this paper, we discuss the advantages and drawbacks of each
mathematical package based on this experience.Also as an example, from the four computational systems, we show
the source code and output for one of the simulations.
CONFERENCE PUBLICATIONS
On Evaluating and Rating Online Resources
for a Numerical Methods Course in Engineering Work in Progress
Proceedings of the ASEE-SE Conference, Austin, TX, June 15-18, 2009.
On Introducing
Experiments in a Numerical Methods Course
Proceedings of the 2008 FIE Conference, Saratoga, NY, October 22-25,
2008.
Low Cost, Low Space, Low Setup Experiments
for a Course in Numerical Methods
Proceedings of the ASEE-SE Conference, Memphis, TN, April 6-8, 2008.
Incorporating a Research Problem in a
Numerical Methods Course for Mechanical Engineers
Proceedings of the ASEE Conference, Honolulu,
HI, June 25-28, 2007.
Assessing Teaching Methods for a Course in Numerical Methods
Presented at the ASEE Conference, Chicago,
IL, June 18-21, 2006
2004 ASME
Curriculum Innovation Award Winner, ASME International
Mechanical Engineering Congress & Exposition, Anaheim, CA, Nov 13-19,
2004.
Web-Based
Resources for a Course in Numerical Methods:
Proceedings of the
FIE
2003 conference in Boulder, CO, November 5-8, 2003.
Holistic
Numerical Methods -A Customized Approach:
Presented at the
ASEE
2003 conference in Nashville, TN, June 22-25, 2003.
Seven Traits of Highly Effective
Engineering Educators:
Proceedings of the
ASEE
2003 conference in Nashville, TN, June 22-25, 2003.
Holistic
Numerical Methods -A Prototype:
Presented at
2002 NSF ECEG conference in Washington DC, September 30 - October 1, 2002
OTHER PUBLICATIONS
Using Bloom's
Taxonomy to Develop Exam Questions:
To check your mastery at expected levels in the course – Computational
Methods (Numerical Methods), I am following a widely used approach to
item-writing and test construction.This
approach is called Bloom’s taxonomy (..
more).Type
of publication:
Web Article
PRESENTATIONS
Dissemination of Numerical Methods
Resources: Beyond the textbook, conference and a paper
CCLI 2008 Conference in Washington DC,
August 13-15, 2008
The development of Numerical Method
resources has been funded by three consecutive NSF CCLI grants since
2002. To maximize our audience, we have not only used the traditional
dissemination avenues such as presentations at conferences and
publishing journal articles, but also put the complete resources in
multiple formats on the web, used blogs, uploaded videos to YouTube,
self-published textbooks, and made contributions to Wikipedia. Many of
these avenues were assessed for their effectiveness. The feedback from
the assessment is used to further enhance the quality and availability
of these resources. PPT [PART
ONE] [PART
TWO].
Assessing impact of web-based resources on
student learning and satisfaction in a numerical methods course.
ASEE
2008 Conference in Pittsburg, PA, June 22-25, 2008
Effectiveness of web-based modules developed
for a course in Numerical Methods was measured via two mixed assessment
instruments – 1) student performance in a multiple-choice examination
based on Bloom’s taxonomy, and 2) student satisfaction survey.
Statistical analysis of the assessment data indicates that web-based
modules for instruction improved both student performance and
satisfaction. PPT [PART
ONE] [PART
TWO].
Incorporating a Research Problem in a
Numerical Methods Course
ASEE
2007 Conference in Honolulu, HI, June 25-28, 2007.
This
presentation is an example of incorporating a research problem in a
course in Numerical Methods for Mechanical Engineers. The research
problem relates to the fulcrum assembly procedure of bascule bridges
where a trunnion cooled in a dry-ice/alcohol mixture for shrink fitting
got stuck halfway in the hub. To find the solution to the problem
involved numerical solutions of mathematical procedures including
nonlinear equations, simultaneous linear equations, interpolation,
regression, integration, and ordinary differential equations. Using this
problem-centered approach is highly appreciated by students as found via
a student satisfaction survey. What they liked most was the
1) application of course material to real-life engineering problem and
2) using different solution approaches to the same problem and comparing
the quality of the solutions.
[PPTPDF]
Distance, Face-to-Face, or Hybrid
Approaches to Instruction: An Evaluation of Four Delivery Methods in
Numerical Methods Course
2006 Florida
Educational Research Association Meeting, Jacksonville, FL, November
15-17, 2006.
Assessing Teaching Methods for a Course
in Numerical Methods:
ASEE
2006 conference in Chicago, IL, June 20-23, 2006.
In this study,
we are assessing four different teaching methods for a course in
Numerical Methods. These methods are a) Traditional Classroom Lecture,
b) Web Enhanced Classroom Lecture, c) Web-Based Self Study, d)
Combination of Web- Based Self Study and Classroom Discussion. [PPTPDF]
Novel Web-Based Modules for a
Course in Numerical Methods:
ASME 2004
Curriculum Innovation Award Winner, Preprint, ASME International
Mechanical Engineering Congress & Exposition, Anaheim, CA, Nov 13-19,
2004.
Web based resources are being developed, assessed
and disseminated for a typical undergraduate course in Numerical
Methods. These resources are holistic, that is, they include
pre-requisite information, real-life applications, presentations and
textbook notes, simulations, and self-assessment. The student interest
and learning are maximized by providing customization of content based
on a student’s engineering major and computational system of choice. The
effectiveness of the resources was measured via two mixed assessment
instruments – student satisfaction survey and student performance.
Statistical analysis of the assessment data indicates that web-based
modules for instruction improved both student satisfaction and
performance. ([PPT]
[PDF])
Assessment of Web-Based Modules for a Course
in Numerical Methods:
ASEE
2004 Conference in Salt Lake City, UT, June 20-23, 2004.
Effectiveness of web-based modules developed for a course in Numerical
Methods was measured via three mixed assessment instruments – student
satisfaction survey, student performance in a multiple-choice examination
based on Bloom’s taxonomy, and summative rating of the modules.
Web-Based
Resources for a Course in Numerical Methods:
FIE
2003 conference in Boulder, CO, November 5-8, 2003.
Funded by the NSF CCLI-EMD program, web based resources ....Prototype resources are available for topics in nonlinear equations
and interpolation.The
innovative feature of the web modules is that they are holistic as well as
customizable. (...
more).
Effectiveness of Web-Based Resources for a
Course in Numerical Methods:
2003 NSF ECEG conference in Washington DC, September 21 - 23,
2003.
Prototype
web based resources have been developed at the University of South Florida
for an undergraduate course in Numerical Methods
([PPT-Poster])
Holistic
Numerical Methods -A Customized Approach:
ASEE
2003 conference in Nashville, TN, June 22-25, 2003.
Web
based resources have been developed that are holistic but also customized
for an undergraduate course in Numerical Methods(...
more).
Holistic
Numerical Methods -A Prototype:
2002 NSF ECEG conference in Washington DC, September 30 - October 1,
2002.
Prototype
web based resources have been developed at the University of South Florida
for an undergraduate course in Numerical Methods(...
more).
BOOKS
Introduction
to Matrix Algebra: This book is
written primarily for students who are at freshman level or do not
take a full 3-credit hour course in Linear/Matrix Algebra, or are
wanting a contemporary and applied approach to Matrix Algebra (download
book). From the feedback about the book, the E-book is
being revised (due in Fall 2003) to include answers to end of chapter
books, a sub table of contents for each chapter with links, bookmarks and
an index.
Type
of dissemination: Textbook available over the
web.
Numerical Methods with Applications: This
book consists of topics of a typical 8-topic semester length course in Numerical Method. Type
of dissemination: Textbook available over the
web.
Postcard: See the
postcard sent to
numerical methods instructors and engineering department chairs in Fall
2007.
Refrigerator
Magnet for Promoting the Website: See the design of a
3.75"x2" business card sized
refrigerator magnet that was mailed in
Spring 2003 to instructors of numerical methods throughout the nation.
Mailing was targeted to instructors of numerical methods,
students, public and attendees of engineering education conferences.
