Social Context, Singular Focus (FIE 2014)
From Abstract: In the Computer Science Department at the University of Michigan (UM), we have spent the past five years building social context into several courses in the traditional computer science (CS) curriculum. Specifically, freshman- and senior-level, project-based classes have been designed to both teach significant and appropriate academic content, while also building software games and apps for children with cognitive and/or physical disabilities within the university’s associated hospital. Children with disabilities provide the context for these courses, while the content remains representative of a traditional curriculum. During the past academic year, one of the senior-level courses had the singular focus of developing software apps and games for a 13 year old girl with athetoid cerebral palsy. This paper will discuss the general process that is used in this style of course, the specific approach that was used during the 2013-2014 academic year, and offer general suggestions for implementation in disciplines other than computer science.
Big Fish III: But, Does Story-Telling Work? (ASEE 2010)
From Abstract: This paper is very likely the final paper in the trilogy. (Otherwise, it would not be a trilogy!) Data was collected regarding the quantity and sequential proximity of stories and content in an engineering classroom in an attempt to draw conclusions about its effectiveness as a teaching method. Specifically, data was recorded about the quantity of time used for story-telling by faculty during a semester-long course, the proximity between stories and course content, and the performance of students on exams. Finally, a subset of students in the course kept logbooks that reflected on their thoughts regarding story-telling in the classroom.
Big Fish II: The Lost Art of Story-Telling in the Engineering Classroom (ASEE 2007)
From abstract: After the presentation of Big Fish at ASEE 2006, several members of the audience approached the presenter asking if they could acquire the necessary skills to become a good story-teller. This led to an interesting conversation as to whether story-telling is an inherent skill (like being funny) or an acquired skill (like telling a joke). In this paper, the author assumes that good story-telling is an acquired skill. Furthermore, literature related to story-telling methods will be briefly reviewed and the science (that is, the process steps) of good story-telling will be explained. In summary, Big Fish I told why story-telling is important. Big Fish II will discuss how to tell a good story.
Big Fish: The Lost Art of Story-Telling in the Engineering Classroom (ASEE 2006)
Abstract: Story-telling is frequently a lost art in the engineering classroom. Often, engineering educators feel that telling stories is a distraction to communicating the necessary content of a course. In contrast, this paper describes story-telling as an improvement to traditional teaching techniques. Story-telling may be used as a method to illustrate important points, give coherent meaning to seemingly divergent topics, aid students in remembering content, or simply to break up a long lecture. The author has used story-telling extensively in the engineering classroom. A consistent comment from students in end-of-semester evaluations is to include more stories in subsequent offerings of the course. The paper will present methods and findings from using story-telling in technical course offerings.
Additional Publications
Here is a full list of other publications, theses, articles, and media. Copies of many/most of the articles are available from me upon request.
General Pedagogy
J. Schox and D. Chesney, Understanding Patent Law and Strategy for Engineers and Entrepreneurs, at the American Society of Engineering Educators Conference, Honolulu, Hawaii, June, 2007.
J. Ringenberg and D. Chesney, MYSPACE in the Classroom: Classroom Note Taking Collaboration via a Social Networking Model, at the American Society of Engineering Educators Conference, Honolulu, Hawaii, June, 2007.
Reality Check: Student Reflection on Groupwork, at the Frontiers in Education Conference, Boulder, Colorado, November, 2003.
K-12 Outreach
From Egg Drops to Gum Drops: Teaching Fourth Grade Students about Engineering, at the American Society of Engineering Educators Conference, Nashville, Tennessee, June, 2003.
Space Weather
A.J. Ridley, T. Gombosi, G. Toth, O. Volberg, I. Sokolov, D. De Zeeuw, K. Hansen, D. Chesney, K. Powell, K. Kane, R. Oehmke, Q. Stout, Space Weather Modeling Framework: An Overview and Application to the October 29, 2003 Storm, Huntsville 2004 Workshop, Huntsville, AL, October 18-22, 2004.
A.J. Ridley, T. Gombosi, G. Toth, O. Volberg, I. Sokolov, D. De Zeeuw, K. Hansen, D. Chesney, K. Powell, K. Kane, R. Oehmke, Q. Stout, Comprehensive Solar-Terrestrial Environment Model for Space Weather Predictions: Progress of the Space Weather MURI Project, 2004 Space Weather Week, Boulder, CO, April 13-16, 2004.
T.I. Gombosi, R. Clauer, K. Powell, Q. Stout, D. Chesney, D. De Zeeuw, K. Hansen, K.Kane, J. Kozyra, M. Liemohn, W. Manchester, A. Ridley, I. Roussev, I. Sokolov, G. Tóth, O. Volberg, Center for Space Environment Modeling (CSEM), 2003 GEM Meeting, Snowmass, Colorado, June 23-27, 2003.
A.J. Ridley, T. Gombosi, G. Toth, I. Sokolov, D. De Zeeuw, D. Chesney, O. Volberg, K. Powell, Q. Stout, K. Hansen, K. Kane, Space Weather Modeling Framework: An Overview and Application to the October 29, 2003 Storm, 2004 Fall AGU Meeting, San Francisco, CA, December 13-17, 2004.
T. Gombosi, G. Toth, O. Volberg, I. Sokolov, A.J. Ridley, D. De Zeeuw, K. Hansen, D. Chesney, K. Powell, K. Kane, R. Oehmke, Q. Stout, Space Weather Modeling Framework: An Overview, 2004 Spring AGU Meeting, Montreal, Canada, May 17-21, 2004.
Volberg, O., Tóth, G., Sokolov, I., Ridley, A. J., Gombosi, T. I., De Zeeuw, D. L., Hansen, K. C., Chesney, D. R., Stout, Q. F., Powell, K. G., Kane, K. J., Oehmke, R. C., Doing It In The SWMF Way: From Separate Space Physics Simulation Programs To The Framework For Space Weather Simulation, 2003 Fall AGU Meeting, San Francisco, CA, December 8-12, 2003.
G. Toth, O. Volberg, A.J. Ridley, T.I. Gombosi, D. De Zeeuw, K.C. Hansen, D.R. Chesney, Q.F. Stout1, K.G. Powell, K. Kane, R. Oehmke, A Physics-Based Software Framework for Sun-Earth Connection Modeling, Conference on Sun Earth Connections: Multiscale Coupling of Sun-Earth Processes, Kona, HI, February 9-13, 2004.
G. Toth, O. Volberg, A.J. Ridley, T.I. Gombosi, D.L. De Zeeuw, K.C. Hansen, D.R. Chesney, Q.F. Stout, K.G. Powell, K.J. Kane, R.C. Oehmke, A Physics-Based Software Framework for Sun-Earth Connection Modeling, in Proceedings of the Sun-Earth Connection Conference, edited by A.T.Y. Lui, Y. Kamide, and G. Consolini, Elsevier Publishing, in press, 2004.
Automotive
Generalized Equations for Sprag One-way Clutch Analysis and Design. With John M. Kremer. In proceedings of the 1998 Society of Automotive Engineers International Congress and Exposition and 1998 Transactions, Paper No. 981092.
Generalized Equations for Roller One-way Clutch Analysis and Design. With John M. Kremer. In proceedings of the 1997 Society of Automotive Engineers International Congress and Exposition and 1997 Transactions, Paper No. 970682.
Genetic Algorithms Applied to the Optimization of One-way Clutch Design. In proceedings of the Eighth Annual Transmission Technology Symposium, General Motors Corporation, September 1996.
ICAD Tool for One-way Clutch Design. In proceedings of the Seventh Annual Transmission Technology Symposium, General Motors Corporation, September 1995.
Generalizing the Unimodular Approach. In proceedings of the 1994 International Conference on Parallel and Distributed Systems, December 1994.
A Formal Approach to Automatic Source Code Translation for Parallel Architectures. Technical Report CPS-91-15, Michigan State University, October 1991.
Computer Based Tools to Communicate Lessons Learned. In proceedings of the Product Engineering Technology Conference, General Motors Corporation, May 1990.
Casting Shrink Defect Elimination Using SOLCAST. In proceedings of the Manufacturing Technology Conference, General Motors Corporation, May 1989.
Almost Real-Time Diagnosis and Correction of Manufacturing Scrap Using an Expert System. In proceedings of the Society of Automotive Engineers/Engineering Society of Detroit International Computer Graphics Conference and Exposition, April 1987.
Presentations
Informal and Formal Models of Software Engineering for Automotive Applications. Presented at University of Michigan Automotive Engineering Seminar Series, November 1998.
Application of the Unimodular Approach to Loop Fission and Loop Fusion. Presented at Scaleable High Performance Computing Conference, May 1994.
Formal Specification of an Automatic Source Code Translator for Parallel Computer Architectures. Presented at Minnowbrook Workshop on Software Engineering for Parallel Computing, Syracuse University, August 1992.
Computers in the Foundry. Presented at Solidification Modeling Conference, October 1990.
Dissertations and Theses
Matrix-Based Representations of Loop Transformations. Dissertation for Doctor of Philosophy degree at Michigan State University, May 1995.
Almost Real-Time Diagnosis and Correction of Manufacturing Scrap Using an Expert System. Thesis for Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering, Michigan State University, August 1987.
Finite Element Modeling of Castings. Thesis for Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering degree at General Motors Institute, June 1984.
Defensive Publications and Patents
Engine Shutdown as a Result of Continuous Powertrain Protection Mode. In Research Disclosure, September 1998, Number 41325.