Supersonic Project Based Learning

Dr Howard Ashwww.herts.ac.uk

Supersonic Project Based Learning Overview

• Formula Student – A Success Story

• Integrating Project Based Learning

• Example Projects

• What are the necessary ingredients?

• The benefits

Formula Student – A Success Story

Formula Student – A Success StoryBackground

• International Design Engineering Competition for Students to Design, Build, Test, compete with their own car.

• Started in the UK in 1998, UH have competed since then and are the Top UK Team

• FS helps deliver job ready graduates

Integrating Project Based Learning

• Final year MEng students from the School of Engineering and Technology undertake a 45 credit module running over Semester A and B that simulates a realistic industrial problem.

• Looking for a range of skills including; team work, design, research, managerial, business, marketing, analytical…

• Group sizes: 3-12 • Current cohort size is 45 full time students with 9 Team Projects.

• First challenge is to accommodate the range of projects necessary given the different Engineering disciplines, relies on fellow members of staff to supervise projects where necessary.

Integrating Project Based LearningAssessment

• Assessment is carried out in two phases, each with moderated peer assessment taken in to account.

• Interim Assessment (20%) – (Dec)• Final Assessment (80%) – (April)• Interim assessment consists of Progress Presentations and moderated peer

assessment.• The final assessment takes into account individual contribution to the final

report, their presentation and moderated peer assessment.

Integrating Project Based LearningAssessment

• Moderated Peer assessment is judged on:– Attitude and contribution as an active group member Up to 5 – Initiative and understanding brought to bear on the work Up to 5 – Quantity and standard of the work undertaken Up to 5

Where, in each of the above, marks are described as: 5 Excellent, beyond normal expectation 4 Very good, with some outstanding quality 3 Good performance, acceptable in all respects 2 Average, lacking in some respects 1 Little effort or low standard 0 Poor / little interest / lack of attendance

Thanks to Ray Wilkinson for the Peer assessment criteria

Integrating Project Based LearningAssessment

Peer assessment mark from each group member

recorded

Staff moderation if required

Peer assessment mark is worth 20%

of the interim assessment

Staff award Individual mark from interim

presentation worth 80% available for the interim

assessment

Calculate each individuals interim

marks by adding the % from the peer

assessment and the presentation mark

Example Projects

Example Projects

• Supersonic Rocket

• Greenpower Corporate Challenge

• Radio Control Model Car Project

• Heavy Lift Challenge

Example Projects – Supersonic Rocket

• Aim: To accelerate a sled beyond the sound barrier, 760mph

• Sled is either an impactor, a sample carrier or both. Principle use for high g/strain rate research.

• Project involved research, design, analysis, modelling and experimental studies.

Example Projects – Supersonic Rocket

Example Projects – Radio Control Model Car Project

• Collaborated with World Championship winning

manufacturer Schumacher Racing Products to

Develop both 1:10th scale Touring cars and Off

Road buggies

• Full aerodynamic study

• Comprehensive vehicle dynamics study

• Motor dynamometer

Example Projects – BMFA Heavy Lift Challenge

• BMFA Heavy Lift Challenge pits University teams against each other in a similar fashion to Formula Student

• Teams have to Design, build and compete with their own RC airplane

• Competing aircraft have to perform a genuine operational task in terms of payload, power plant type, etc.

• Aerodynamic and structural design of the aircraft must be assessed in order to predict operational performance, and is presented in the form of a design report and design drawings.

Example Projects – Greenpower Corporate Challenge

• Project is in collaboration with Lockheed Martin, aim is to compete in the Greenpower Corporate Challenge.

• Teams are challenged to complete as much distance as possible with an electric vehicle with only limited battery capacity.

• Project is focused on design, energy management, thermal heat management, race preparation and race strategy.

What are the necessary ingredients?

What are the necessary ingredients?

• Students must have a can do attitude and show initiative.

• Projects must engage and enthuse the students.

• Students are allowed to self select a project, subject to staff approval.

• Dedicated supervisory team

• Resources to support the project, be it; space, machine shop access, funding, technical knowledge…

The Benefits

The Benefits

• Participation in Group activity enhances the students skill set, with attention to team working, time management, communication, leadership and diplomacy amongst the benefits.

• Students are better prepared for the working environment and are more job ready.

• Opportunity to network with industry.

Thank you for listening – Any Questions?