An investigation on industry-sponsored design projects' effectiveness at the first-year level: potential issues and preliminary results

This paper presents the preliminary work for developing guidelines to ensure that industry-sponsored projects in first-year courses aid, not hamper, retention of students. Specifically, the overall research plan includes the following steps: (1) investigating the appropriateness of industry projects in a required introduction to engineering design course (approximately 1000 students per year), (2) assessing the impact of industry-sponsored projects on first-year students' learning and retention, and (3) promoting an awareness of issues involved in successfully introducing industry projects in the first year. It is expected that the outcomes of this work will result in guidelines widely applicable by other institutions looking into or currently using industry projects in the first year, thereby addressing the recognized national need of increasing retention rates, especially amongst women and minorities.

This paper covers a review of potential factors affecting industry-sponsored projects' appropriateness at the first year, and related preliminary data.     

A longitudinal evaluative study of student difficulties with engineering graphics

We have previously reported in this journal that spatial ability influences academic performance in engineering. We have also reported that spatial ability is trainable, and can be increased through instruction focused on using perception and mental imagery in three-dimensional representation. In this article, we present the results of a longitudinal evaluative study of student difficulties with engineering graphics at our university, involving research over a 24-year period. Prior to our intervention, the first-year engineering graphics course at our university had a failure rate of 36% for all engineering students, and failure rates of 80% for African students studying at our university. In terms of outcomes, our study indicates that changed teaching practices have been associated with increased pass rates, which currently average 88% for all students. There is clear evidence that African students no longer experience major difficulties in passing the course. This can be attributed both to changes in teaching methodology, as well as broader contextual changes occurring in South Africa over the period reviewed.

Despite evidence of increased pass rates, our data suggest that there is a continuing relationship between three-dimensional spatial perception and academic performance in engineering graphics, as well as with aggregated first-year engineering marks. For this reason, many students still require academic support. There is also evidence that female students experience difficulties with engineering graphics due to lack of previous technical experience, and use a variety of strategies to overcome their study problems. The most effective appear to be use of peers and friends, and in particular students who had previously taken the course, as mediators of the course content and materials. Those female students who have not taken technical drawing at school level, and female students who do not network with other engineering students, are those at greatest disadvantage.     

高校学科评估排名与馆藏文献资源建设——基于国家光学工程重点学科馆藏数据的生成

基于高校学科评估排名结果,根据《全国总书目》、《全国期刊联合目录》等书目所收录的TN2（光电子技术及激光技术）文献目录,通过对被列入国家重点学科（光学工程）的8所高校图书馆馆藏文献资源的统计调查,寻求馆藏文献资源建设的特色构建模式。     

应用型工程人才培养目标课程体系研究

以工程设计能力教育为主线,构建环境工程专业技术能力课程群和专业方向课程群,以优化环境工程专业人才培养模式、构建校企结合的实践教学体系、建设专兼结合具有工程背景的教师队伍、加强教材建设和改进教学方法,培养应用型卓越工程人才.     

“机械制造专业英语”教学方法探索与思考

机械设计制造及其自动化专业是所有综合性大学都开设的本科专业。对"机械制造专业英语"这门课程近些年来的教学经验进行了总结。针对不同层次学业基础水平的学生如何达到较好的教学效果方面进行了有益的探索与思考。从教材的选择、讲义的编写、课件PPT的制作、教学方法的体会和经验、学习积极性和兴趣的提高等5个方面来总结和归纳"机械制造专业英语"的教学方法和感悟,针对不同的专业方向的学生如何更好地学以致用方面进行了对策性研究。     

工科线性代数的教改与创新

传统的线性代数教学内容偏重理论、教学手段滞后,阻碍了工科学生对线性代数知识的掌握和应用。文章基于数学建模思想引出概念教学法并借助计算机Matlab软件,对教学内容的设计和教学手段进行改革和创新,激发工科学生学习线性代数的兴趣,提高其理论联系实际和实践动手能力。     

为地方经济建设服务扩大地方高校学报发展空间--《苏州科技学院学报(工程技术版)》服务地方的认识与做法

地方高校学报理当为地方经济建设和社会发展服务,而地方经济、社会的发展则为学报提供了广阔的用武之地.<苏州科技学院学报(工程技术版)>根据学校的专业特色和学科优势,除了报道适合各地、具有普遍意义的研究成果外,还加强对地方经济和社会等方面的理论研究与应用研究成果的报道,刊发了环境科学、建筑工程、防灾应变、古城保护等方面的论文.学报在为地方经济建设服务中不断扩大发展空间,努力体现刊物特色.     

Multi-lagged-input iterative dynamic linearization based data-driven adaptive iterative learning control

This article presents a multi-lagged-input based data-driven adaptive iterative learning control (M-DDAILC) method for nonlinear multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) systems by virtue of multi-lagged-input iterative dynamic linearization (IDL). The original nonlinear and non-affine MIMO system is equivalently transformed into a linear input-output incremental counterpart without loss of dynamics. The proposed learning law utilizes the desired trajectory to cancel the influence from iteration-by-iteration variations, as well as additional multi-lagged inputs to improve control performance. The developed iterative estimation law is more effective and also makes estimation of the unknown parameters easier because the dynamics for each parameter to represent are decreased by dividing the system into multiple components in the multi-lagged-input IDL formulation. Moreover, the proposed M-DDAILC does not need an explicit and accurate model. It is proved to be iteratively convergent with rigorous analysis. Both a numerical example and a practical application to a permanent magnet linear motor are provided to verify the validity and applicability of the proposed method.     

Optimal synchronization controller design for complex dynamical networks with unknown system dynamics

In this paper, the optimal synchronization controller design problem for complex dynamical networks with unknown system internal dynamics is studied. A necessary and sufficient condition on the existence of the optimal control minimizing a quadratic performance index is given. The optimal control law consists of a feedback control and a compensated feedforward control, and the feedback control gain can be obtained by solving the well-known Algebraic Riccati Equation (ARE). Especially, in the presence of unknown system dynamics, a novel adaptive iterative algorithm using the information of system states and inputs is proposed to solve the ARE to get the optimal feedback control gain. Finally, a simulation example shows the effectiveness of the theoretical results.     

State and unknown input estimations for discrete-time switched linear systems with average dwell time

In this paper, the problem of state and unknown input estimations for a class of discrete-time switched linear systems with average dwell time switching is investigated. First, a proportional integral observer with an exponential H_∞ performance is constructed to estimate the system state and unknown input simultaneously. Second, both of the observability and the stability of the estimation error system are analyzed, then the derivation of the observer gain matrices is transformed into the calculation of linear matrix inequalities. Third, the obtained results are extended to the systems with output disturbances. Finally, two simulation examples are provided to show the validity and effectiveness of the proposed methods.