Jan 27 2009
Episode 4: Making Paper Airplanes to Achieve Learning Outcomes
In this interview, Dr. Peter Saunders talks with Toni Doolen, who uses simulations to achieve learning objectives in her Lean Manufacturing class. Learn how she puts students to work in paper airplane “factories” to demonstrate differences between batch vs. continuous production systems.
Watch video clips from the interview and the class activities in our
Best Teaching Practices Video Library.
Program Outline
00:50 Q: What classes do you teach?
01:24 Q: What key concepts do you want students to come away with?
07:10 Q: How do you divide students into groups?
08:10 Q: What are some “aha” moments or outcomes that come up during the simulation?
10:16 Q: Do you see problem solving in the students’ interactions?
11:20 Q: How do students react? Do they take this activity seriously?
12:40 Q: What comes up during the student reflections?
14:30 Q: How does grading work?
20:27 Q: What is your role in these activities?
23:55 Q: Do activities take too much time away from lectures?
27:30 Q: Do you lecture from slides?
29:07 Q: Do you use the same strategies in lower classes?
22:00 Q: Do you see differences between incoming freshmen and seniors during the activities?
31:08 Q: Is there a class size limit for doing these activities?
31:40 Q: Would round tables facilitate these activities better?
35:12 Q: Where do you find your activities, or do you create them?
36:00 Q: Did you have these kinds of experiences during your training?
37:20 Q: Did you have doubts when starting this technique?
38:30 Q: Did you have to learn new time management skills?
40:05 Q: Many schools don’t use lecture-based classes. What do you think about that approach?
41:55 Q: Any advice for instructors who want to start doing this?