Work in progress - enhancement of problem solving techniques with tablet PC-based learning technologies

EC2000 criteria raised the bar for educating engineers in the traditional 4-year degree program, requiring more student learning outcomes and teaching in more innovative ways. A challenge of teaching more in the undergraduate program is that itpsilas hard to do so in the time available. After recognizing a deficiency in problem-solving skills, an initiative was developed which will use classroom technologies to improve the skills yet have minimal time requirements. The initiative will enhance small, currently-existing workshops for the first-semester engineering course, which are taught by GTAs. DyKnow's interactive software used on tablet PCs will enhance problem-solving techniques as suggested in literature. Integration of these technologies and techniques will be implemented in spring of 2008 when there are fewer students, assessed via quantitative and qualitative methods, and finally revised before the next large student cohort arrives in fall of 2008. This paper will highlight the problem-solving techniques being enhanced, the technologies used and their implementation, assessment of the initiative, application of relevant literature, and future work.