Discusses the use of varied resources to conduct undergraduate systems design courses at the Drexel University with the support of the Sloan Foundation. The purpose is to provide students with an ability to develop solutions to problems encountered in a real, living, and dynamic situation. (CC)

Discusses the offering of a two-quarter Sloan Foundation course entitled "C-50-Design of Complex Systems" to students in all departments, from freshmen to Ph.D. candidates, at the Northwestern University. Indicates the presence of a realistic working environment due to the mix of students' interests, skills, and levels of ability. (CC)

Discusses experience of using Dorsett M-86 audio-visual response teaching machines to teach basic statistics courses. Recommends further research in the design of the optimal mix of various teaching methods for a block of instruction. (CC)

Studied relationships of college student's personality to his learning traits, preferences for instructional strategies, and evaluations of instructional experiences by using Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Concluded that both attitude and performance were influenced by personality traits in the self-paced sample course. (CC)

Describes the respective problem solving procedures, namely, the rule-formula application oriented and the strategy oriented in engineering and science as preconceived notions of each profession. Concludes that the fundamental paradigm is a unified model fitting many apparently unrelated bodies of knowledge. (CC)

Most pressing and unsolved problem in engineering education is reluctance to adopt new teaching techniques, advanced information processes and data systems. (IR)

Describes a systematic study of skills for solving problems in basic physics. Also discusses how detailed observations of individuals were used to formulate models for problem-solving processes in mechanics and applications for teaching basic college physics or engineering courses. (HM)

Describes a course teaching the use of computers in emulating human visual capability and image processing and proposes an interactive presentation using multimedia technology to capture and sustain student attention. Describes the three phase presentation: introduction of image processing equipment, presentation of lecture material, and…

A model for training computerphobes addresses typical fears--of change, status loss, computer impact on society, isolation, failure, and job displacement. Four steps include (1) identifying target audience's needs; (2) accounting for human factors in training design; (3) desensitizing fears; and (4) providing advanced training. (SK)

Describes the problem-solving approach implemented in the University of Manitoba's first-year technical communication course. Considers technical writing as a process which can be broken down into steps: classify, analyze, test, and solve. Explains that this process offers students the methodology and flexibility they need to solve either…

A method of plotting planes on stereonets is described including great circles, poles, and dip vectors. Teaching applications of dip vectors in engineering geology and structural geology are discussed. (CW)

An approach that may be used to introduce the fundamental ideas of thermodynamics using a mathematical background with the knowledge of the behavior of matter is described. The physical background, conservation of energy, predicting the behavior of a system, and solving problems are topics of discussion. (KR)

Describes the Academic Excellence Workshops program at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, as a potential model for an academic support system specifically designed for underrepresented students in math-based disciplines. (PR)

Describes the development of a program for providing young girls at an all-girls school opportunities to problem solve by constructing their solutions using tools and materials unlikely to be part of their home or school experiences. The program combines analytical and problem solving skills with basic engineering concepts. Notes problems…