Pedagogical Pattern #42
In-Line Exercises (ILE) Pattern
(Version 1.0)
Kevin Morris Marler
Raytheon E-Systems Garland
Manager of Learning Services
Technology Transfer Center
marler@onramp.net
Name:
In-Line Exercises Pattern
Intent:
To provide motivation for attention by the students and immediate feedback on learning objects to the instructor by having the students perform engineering exercises by sitting in groups of three (possible one set of two due to class count).
Motivation:
Instructors often have a difficult time knowing the degree of task competency during the presentation of complex engineering processes like the creation of object oriented diagrams. The ILE pedagogy provides an approach for the instructor to present the method and process for each task within an object oriented methodology and then to test the student understanding before continuing to the next task. Keeps the class from moving on without all of the class understanding the material. Useful for teaching processes that rely on the correctness of understanding of the previous tasks.
Applicability:
Use the In-Line Exercises pattern to adjust the level of material being presented to the level of understanding demonstrated by the students.
Structure:
Task is presented:
Instructor presents the methods and processes required by the students to perform a task.
In-Line Exercises:
The students, team size of three, perform the task sitting in the same position that they were during the instructor's presentation. Alternatively, the method and process can be contained in the course materials that are distributed to the students along with a blank worksheet that contains part of the graphics required for the model.
Review of Exercise:
The exercise is then worked with the class on an overhead transparency. Alternatively, an individual or team can be asked to write their answer on the transparency.
Course adjustment:
Instructor can either return to the task to present it again with another exercise or go onto the next task with an increased understanding of how well the class is understanding their presentation.
Lab:
Students perform the task immediately with feedback. For adult learners immediate feedback is key to their understanding and confidence.
Consequences:
The ILE pattern:
- allows students to know if they are understanding the material being presented and to develop confidence in their abilities;
- encourages students to ask questions based on problems that they have in performing the task or additional question that arise from form/style, correctness, or completeness;
- allows the instructor to find-tune the level of material being presented to the capability of the students
Implementation:
Issues to consider:
- the instructor needs to be capable of performing the tasks and able to perform a rapid review of the models as the students prepare them. The exercise can be from work performed on an actual project or from another credible reference, the project or references solution can be presented and
contrasted to the work performed by the students;
- the students will ask questions based on problems that they have working the exercise. A useful technique is to lead a discussion of how the students worked the exercise: what lessons-learned did they gain; how can they make it easier for themselves to work this task the next time.;
- keep the in-line exercises simple. A set of simple exercises has been used with the discussion of the one where the instructor observed the most difficulty.
Related Patterns:
(none so far)
Example Instances:
This pattern has been used to teach (examples available from Raytheon E-Systems Garland classes):
- Systems Engineering Using Object Concepts
- Requirements with Verification and Validation processes