Using Multimedia In An Engineering Economy Course

This paper describes the use of computer-based multimedia course material in an engineering economy course taught at Virginia Tech. The interactive multimedia course material was developed over a period of two years and was used to support a National Science Foundation research project aimed at enhancing the undergraduate engineering curriculum through innovative application of design and economics principles. 1.0 Introduction Interactive multimedia is fast becoming a useful platform for disseminating information in every aspect of society. Interactive multimedia can be defined as an information system that includes a combination of text, graphics, sound, video, and animation sequences packaged together to form an interactive visualiaudio presentation of information and knowledge in which the end-user has a direct control on the flow of the presentation. Interactive multimedia can be used to support employee training, employ as a reference tool, provide powerful presentations, and use as a supplementary teaching tool in education [1, 2, 3]. Numerous innovative teaching methods have been used in the past but there is yet to be an optimal learning environment. However, it is generally accepted that if information is conveyed to students with a combination of text, color, graphics, animation, sound, moving pictures, and a degree of interactivity, the attention of the student will be significantly increased, promoting learning interest and enhancing retention of knowledge [5]. Studies have shown that people retain 25% of what they hear, 45!Z0 of what they see and hear, and almost 70% when they actively participate in the process [6]. Active participation is where the use of interactive multimedia lectures can become an important teaching aid. This paper reports on the use of interactive multimedia instructional material in a classroom environment and describes the course material that was digitized into multimedia presentations. From written feedback given by students who were exposed to the multimedia instructional material, the overall consensus was that the use of interactive multimedia in the classroom has a positive effect on student’s learning and interest towards the course. 2.0 The Multimedia Course Material A series of multimedia-based lecture modules was developed in the Industrial and Systems Engineering Department at Virginia Tech [7]. These modules were used as instructional support material in Engineering Economy, a fundamental engineering course attended by all sophomore engineering students at Virginia Tech. The modules were developed to emphasize on important concepts of the course and they were meant to be shown in class at different stages of the course curriculum. f$iiii’ ) 1996 ASEE Annual Conference Proceedings qyT1311L;: P ge 113.1 There are altogether eight modules, seven course modules and a control module (Figure 1). The control module enables the instructor to move back and forth from one course module to another. The modules consisted of animated and visual explanations on important concepts, with animated worked examples that are based on the sequential illustration of how engineering economic analysis can be applied to solve problems. [ Main Menu Mod ule ) I I [ Inhductiorl to I I COmpri.u3n 0[ Simple Engineering Economy and Cwqmund Interests Equivalence CaIculatio helop~ Cash Flows I Estimating Techniques I Summary of Enginee~ Student Quiz Economy Concepts