Bringing Feedback Into The Course Development Loop

Student feedback contributes to course development through incorporation into a subsequent course design problem. The authors reviewed course-end critiques and identified two general trends. 1) Students found fluid mechanics concepts abstract and difficult to conceptualize and 2) students desired more realistic and challenging design opportunities. These two general comments were considered in the development of the subsequent course syllabus. The following semester course design problem directly addressed the first feedback trend above. Students were given the following problem statement: “Previous Fluid Mechanics students have identified the need for more visual demonstrations and experiments involving key Fluid Mechanics Concepts.” Design groups were formed and assigned one of twelve key course concepts for which to design a solution or demonstration of the stated problem. This technique enhances the course in several ways. First, students that provided the original feedback are assured that their comments are indeed reviewed and considered important. Second, students accomplishing the design found that they had a truly open-ended, realistic and challenging problem to solve. Third, student motivation for the design was increased. Fourth, several of the final design products will be used in future semesters to enable students to more easily grasp fluid mechanics concepts.