Something to build upon: A foundations course for pre-engineering freshmen

A foundation course for preengineering freshmen at Northern Arizona University is described. The theme of the course is active investigation and problem solving in an environment of fun and adventure. The learning process will be centered around activities designed to intrigue the students or to give them some useful hands-on experience. Taking things apart and investigating them is one such activity. An example might be the dissection of a clothes washing machine. The activities of disassembly and exploration provide context within which to introduce and discuss basic mechanical and electrical concepts and present some quantitative methods.<
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