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Feedback on Learning Diary 7Feedback on Learning Diary 7

Timothy W. SimpsonProfessor of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering and Engineering DesignThe Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA 16802 USA

phone: (814) 863-7136email: tws8@psu.edu

http://www.mne.psu.edu/simpson/courses/me546

ME 546 - Designing Product Families - IE 546

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Changing the slides per pageChanging the slides per page

I was looking through the old 546 notes and I noticed that the format on the handouts change around.  Sometimes the there are four slides to a page, 3 slides with lines on the side and recently we have been getting four slides that when you turn or flip the page that the slides are right were they need to be.  All semester we have been talking about learning.  This to me sticks out as being awkward that the handouts have not been consistent.  I was wondering if this was something that Dr. Simpson did on purpose for the fact of the different learning styles or was it purely by incident.  No matter what reason I kind of like the fact that it was done that way.      One thing that this does is that it switches things up.  To me it’s sort of like weightlifting.  When you are lifting to build muscle you don’t want to get into the same routine and do it over and over.  Otherwise the muscles do not respond and basically they get bored.  So then you just end up toning the muscles.  The whole purpose is to confuse the muscles.  I want to use the word “confuse” lightly. It’s not really confusing the muscles but It’s making them build up using different techniques.  The same can be said about the notes.  To me I feel that these notes and throwing something different at me in class is a good thing.  Otherwise I would get bored and tend to just flip the page when everyone else is flipping.  Even though this is a subtle change for the class I feel that subconsciously it catches kids off guard.      The second reason is thinking from a teachers perspective.  I’m not saying that this really helps students and I’m not saying that Dr. Simpson does this on purpose for this very reason.  I just feel this is a good way to cater to the different learning styles and the different routines of people.  Some students write everything on the notes, write what only seems to be important and nothing at all. For me I am visually able to remember what part of the semester that these notes are from or I can narrow it down.  The last couple of lectures they have been four slides on the page and are able to be flipped with little or no effort.  It seemed like the slides with the lines were about mid semester. 

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How my learning essays have progressed

How my learning essays have progressed

• Learning Essay 1: I was clueless. I was not sure what to write in the learning essay.

• Learning Essay 2: Understood what learning diary demands, but still couldn’t come up with new insights.

• Learning Essay 3: I was finding transition from my comfort zone. I started to think beyond the course.

• Learning Essay 4: I tried to come up with new insights. I started finding learning diary as an improvement tool for myself.

• Learning Essay 5: Thoughts started coming fluently. I felt comfortable to put my thoughts.

• Learning Essay 6: I got the motivation in many ways. I thought I can still do better. There is always room for improvement.

• Learning Essay 7: While writing learning essay 7, i.e., the present one, I feel I’m in control of my learning essay and know what it is doing to me. I am expressing myself and competing with myself.

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A Challenging Dissection Project

A Challenging Dissection Project

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Learning as a TeamLearning as a Team

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Sequence diagram for reducing cost of education

Sequence diagram for reducing cost of education

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Reducing “cost” of term project

Reducing “cost” of term project

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An S-Curve for learningAn S-Curve for learning

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Modules and Platforms for Teaching

Modules and Platforms for Teaching