Description: A freshman engineering design course, InterEgr170, will have a large group lecture once a week, and this opportunity involves creating interactive large lecture activities and assessments to promote student learning. This is a project-based, first-year course. Effectively teaching and engaging students in large lectures is an important skill as an educator, and this opportunity might involve guest lecturing. The intern might also contribute to a lesson and/or activity for the lab sections.
Read an example of how the course has made a difference by building a wheelchair for a paralyzed dog.
“They’re having to pass these very tough classes in math, physics, and other sciences,” Puccinelli says. “This is an outlet for them. It’s not just about academics—it’s about applying engineering knowledge. A lot of them have different backgrounds, and this course gives them the chance to see what it’s like to work together on something for a common goal in a space where they don’t have to know everything and can lean on each other.”
Semester(s): Spring
Institution: UW–Madison
Intern background needed: Engineering design and/or team-based project experience and desire to create an inclusive classroom
Course: Inter Egr 170
Course info: Large lecture-style, Project-based, large, first-year course with ~10 sections. Team taught by faculty with a course coordinator.
Course time/day: Two lecture sections. Fall is Wednesday 3:30 pm and Thursday 11 am; Spring is Tuesday 11 am and Wednesday 3:30 pm. Optional weekly faculty meeting Fridays at 10 am.
Challenges a project might address include:
Potential guest teaching topics/units: The topic an intern could teach in lecture would depend on their expertise. Ideas might include several different areas, such as analysis and testing; writing technical reports and presenting posters; intellectual property/patents/standards; and ethics in engineering
Teaching strategy of interest:
Teaching strategies currently used:
Contact: Tracy Jane Puccinelli, tjpuccinelli@bme.wisc.edu