Explore the broad range of ENGAGE Engineering lesson plans that incorporate familiar and engaging examples to improve student engagement, increase retention of engineering students, and improve student evaluations of instructors.
What are Everyday Examples in Engineering (E³s)?
E³s demonstrate engineering concepts based on objects and ideas familiar to students, like exploding soda cans, musical instruments, or bicycles. E³s are more engaging to students than typical examples such as I-beams and boiler pipes. Familiarity provides students with a level of comfort and some basic intuitive understanding.
Local weather is a great inspiration for familiar, relatable examples that help students learn foundational engineering concepts.
When classes begin in August, for example, you can introduce students to the First Law of Thermodynamics with E3s incorporating air conditioning, sweating drink cans, and misted glasses.
We’ve had a great sports-filled summer with Wimbledon, the Tour de France, and the 2016 Olympics. Watching these events provides great inspiration to exercise and develop our own skills, as well as great entertainment. But have you ever noticed how sports also make for great Everyday Examples in Engineering?
Take a look at our ready-to-implement lesson plans and incorporate one or more into your upcoming courses this fall. You might also come up with an Everyday Example for a sport that isn’t represented here! Curling, anyone?
