Search for Exercises

Browse Exercises:
...by Discipline
...by Openness
...by Level
...by Duration
...by Resources

Other Resources

About Open-Ended Exercises

Help Using This Site

Feedback

Learning by Design: Open-Ended Exercises

A web resource for the infusion of design type, open-ended exercises into engineering education.

What are Open-Ended Exercises? - These exercises are meant for use across the board in undergraduate engineering education, e.g., in thermodynamics, circuits and systems, strength of materials, controls, fluids, or any other so-called engineering science subject. Of course they might be used in a design course as well, but their purpose is as much to enliven and enrich the teaching of the hard-core subjects as it is to teach design per se.

They are open-ended in several ways: The most significant feature is that each admits of more than one solution. This means that the way the student addresses the task, the assumptions and estimates they construct, their interpretation of specifications and constraints, as well as their creative response and strength of their supporting analyses all matter and all must be evaluated. They are open too in that the brief descriptions provided here generally require elaboration and further definition before letting the students go off on their own. Setting the task, specifying time allowed, defining allowable resources, reporting requirements, works best if the student takes part in this process.

It is the editor's experience that if students are given the opportunity to engage an open-ended exercise, one which requires they take on a degree of responsibility not usual in most engineering courses but, at the same time, one which allows them the freedom to be creative and independent in their response, they welcome the challenge.

How can you use this site? - Description of how this site can be used, with pointers to more detailed information, user manual, etc.