(312d) Supplement Homework with Problems from a Freely Available Repository

A crowd
sourced problem repository, ExcelProblemPedia.org, is being formed that allows
educators to download problems and supplement their homework assignments.  This
repository is designed to be easy to use with minimal instructor time.  This
system is flexible and will supplement any homework system the instructor
currently uses.  The repository is easy to query and allows searches by subject
area, course, concept, problem difficulty or problem creator.  A preview of the
problem is displayed and the instructor would then download the appropriate files
associated with the desired problem.  Currently, the repository is dominated by
problems from Material and Energy Balances but will be expanded in the coming
years to include problems from other courses and disciplines.  The repository
is envisioned to have many problem creators and thus increase the variety of problem
styles and real world applications.  For maximum flexibility and to accommodate
different instructor’s preferences, problems can either be downloaded as a text
based or computer based files.

The computer
based problems are variable parameter problems (VPP) where each student
receives a different set of numerical or categorical parameters.  In this way, each
student’s problem and therefore answers would differ but the form of the
problems remains the same for all.  Thus, collaboration between students is
encouraged while straight student copying is minimized.  On these problems,
students receive immediate feedback and are allowed multiple tries.  The
instructor can accept the defaults or use/modify one of the many features these
VPP allow.  For instance, post problem reflection or metacognitive question can
be selected or added, so that students are encouraged to think more deeply
about the engineering concepts necessary to solve the problem or explore how
well they have mastered the integration of these concepts.  Pre-problems can also
be included so that students must estimate the solution or identify the
concepts covered in the problem before they attempt a solution.  Intermediate
questions can be eliminated and different versions of the problem can be
constructed that vary in difficulty.  Instructional videos for implementing these
advanced options are included on the web-site. 

This
repository has been used to supplement homework problems in the Introduction to
Chemical Engineering course as well as the Material and Energy Balances courses
at Trine University.  So far over sixty problem have been developed and used in
these courses and response from the students has generally been positive.