stem4equity-banner image

ENGR110: Analytic Mechanics - Dynamics

Rigorous, Fundamental, Application-oriented

Reflection on Instructional Change using Evidence-Based Lecture Alternatives:

In my course, I implemented two instructional changes to create a more engaging and relevant learning environment. First, I began showing short animations before each lecture to visually demonstrate how the concepts we were about to study are applied in real-world contexts. Second, I shifted from solving problems on the whiteboard to using a Document Camera (DocCam), encouraging students to solve problems along with me. These changes were aimed at helping students better connect theory to practice and to increase active participation during numerical problem-solving sessions.

To implement these changes, I carefully selected animations that closely tied to the day's topic, keeping them brief but impactful, and presented them at the start of each class. For problem-solving, instead of writing on the whiteboard, I solved problems live under the DocCam, allowing students to more clearly follow each step. I encouraged students to solve problems along with me during class, and afterward, I posted the annotated solutions on Canvas so they could review them at their own pace.

Students responded very positively to these changes, as shown in the MAP evaluation results. About 95% of students agreed that the slides containing animations were helpful in understanding the material. Furthermore, 100% of the students agreed that the posting of solutions and going over them during class improved their learning experience. Qualitatively, several students also shared that the animations helped them recognize the relevance of the material in real-world scenarios, and the posted solutions made it easier to revisit problem-solving strategies outside of class.

In my opinion, these changes significantly contributed to student success in STEM by improving engagement, understanding, and retention of material. Highlighting real-world relevance made the abstract mathematical concepts feel more accessible, while the detailed, posted solutions supported students who needed additional review. Overall, the project fostered a deeper connection between theoretical knowledge and practical application, a crucial component for success in STEM fields.

**Evidence of Instructional Change**
Visual Demonstrations	Guided Practice
Dynamics Meets Hollywood: Using Mission Impossible to illustrate the real-world meaning of impulse and momentum.	This image shows a step-by-step classroom solution to a dynamics problem involving a pulley system with friction. It includes kinematic analysis, free-body diagrams, and Newton’s laws to find the block's final velocity. The solution was worked out during class and uploaded to Canvas for student review and study.

Changes in Course:

Pre FLC - Course Module

The following two Canvas module images highlight the shift in instructional approach before and after the start of the Faculty Learning Community (FLC).

As depicted in the image below, the Chapter 2 module (before FLC) contains only lecture PDFs and readings

Post FLC - Course Module

In contrast, the Chapter 3 module (after FLC began) includes detailed, worked-out problem solutions uploaded after class. This change was implemented as part of FLC efforts to support student learning through more accessible and transparent problem-solving resources.

See description above image.

**Faculty Bio**
Faculty Picture	Bio
	Garima Bhandari, Ph.D. is a tenure-track Assistant Professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department at ECS. She earned her Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from IIT Roorkee, India. Her research focuses on Dynamics, Control, and Robotics. She is passionate about teaching concepts that connect to real-world applications and believes that one should always remain a student of life, continually learning and growing.

STEM4Equity: US Dept. of Education STEMHSI P031C210012
*Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Sacramento State.