1. Authentic Learning Experience
Mariappan “Jawa” Mariappan, Ph.D.
Interim Director, Center for Community Service Learning
Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering
California State Polytechnic University
NCIIA 13th Annual Meeting
Washington D. C.
March 19, 2009

2. Authentic Learning Experiences
Theories of Knowledge
 Empiricism
 Behaviorism
 Rationalism
 Pragmatism
 Constructivism
 …..

3. Authentic Learning Experiences
Constructivism
Learner´s knowledge is based past knowledge

 Timeliness of new knowledge
 Ability to understand the connections

4. Authentic Learning Experiences
In other words
Learner´s construct their own knowledge

Knowledge is not transferred into learner´s brain

A well must produce its own water
– Farsi Proverb

5. Authentic Learning Experiences
Bloom´s Taxonomy – Goals of Learning
Knowledge

 Comprehension
 Application
 Analysis
 Synthesis
 Evaluation

6. Authentic Learning Experiences
Is this another buzzword?
 How about senior projects, hands-on
activities, internships, etc.?
 What is the difference?

7. Authentic Learning Experiences
Traditional Approach
It links curriculum and teaching methods such that an educator can

deliver knowledge to as many students possible within a short
period of time.
According to NCREL [2005], this assumes that properly managed

instruction enables most students to acquire the skills and
knowledge needed to continue to learn. Practice and
repetition, with frequent tests of recall and recitation, characterize
this approach. This approach is the only one that many parents
and educators have ever known, and their level of comfort with this
model will make it very difficult to supplant.

8. Authentic Learning Experiences
Characteristics of Constructivist Learning Environment
Multiple representation of reality

Multiple representations avoid oversimplification and represent the

complexity of the world
Emphasis on knowledge construction instead of reproduction

Emphasis on real tasks in an meaningful context rather than abstract

instruction out of context
Scenario based learning instead of predetermined sequence of

instruction
Thoughtful reflection on experience

Enable context and content dependent instruction

Collaborative construction of knowledge


9. Authentic Learning Experiences
Scenario-Based Learning (SBL)
 Create a scenario that represents a realistic situation
 Students make decisions through a guided process
 Learning occurs when the learner goes through the
experience, regardless of the final outcome

10. Authentic Learning Experiences

11. Authentic Learning Experiences

12. Hyatt Skywalk Strategy
 New atrium design lobby 60 feet high with
new elegant skywalks suspended from the
ceiling
 Greatest structural tragedy in the US
 Two skywalks collapsed dumping 65 tons of
concrete, metal, glass and dance spectators
onto hundreds of people below
 114 died including 18 pairs of husbands and
wives

13. Hyatt Skywalk Strategy
 Jack Gillum, who was in-charge of the $50
million Hyatt Project said in an interview that
any first-year engineering student could
figure it out (the cause).
 Your task as an engineering student is to
conduct an investigation and determine the
cause.

14. Hyatt Skywalk Strategy
 What happened?
 What were the building codes and where
they observed?
 Were there any signals? Were they
ignored?
 Theories (vibration, poor workmanship, bad
material, design change, etc.)
 Analysis (FBD, Calculations)

15. Teaching Mechanics Using SBL
 Vectors, Equilibrium, FBD
 Structural Analysis
 Frames and Machines
 Centroids
 Friction

16. Authentic Learning Experiences
Entrepreneurial Education
Involves the learners in activities that deal with a real-

life problem
Involve real people in real time, and therefore it contain

elements of drama and dilemma
Content knowledge is usually embedded in the situation

Unstructured problems

Value beyond classroom

Personally meaningful and fulfilling


17. Projects
Cal Poly Pomona, Mariappan quot;Jawaquot; Jawaharlal

18. Authentic Learning Experiences
Spoon Holder - Devices for developmentally disabled
(cerebral palsy)

19. Authentic Learning Experiences
Exercise Bicycle - Devices for developmentally disabled
(down syndrome)

20. Authentic Learning Experiences
Voice Activated Wheel Chair for handicapped
Prof. Saeed Monemi

21. Authentic Learning Experiences
Water Pump - Devices for the developing countries

22. Authentic Learning Experiences
Water Pump - Devices for the developing countries
Spring Return Singer Sewing Style

23. Authentic Learning Experiences

24. Authentic Learning Experiences
Teeter Totter Water Pump

25. Authentic Learning Experiences
Drinking Assistant

26. Authentic Learning Experiences
Table Top Can Crusher

27. Authentic Learning Experiences
DMD (Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy)
Helping Hand

28. Authentic Learning Experiences
Helping Hand

29. Authentic Learning Experiences
Engineering Design Inspired by Nature - Biomimicry
Preliminary Research

30. Authentic Learning Experiences
Engineering Design Inspired by Nature - Biomimicry
Preliminary Research

31. Authentic Learning Experiences
Engineering Design Inspired by Nature - Biomimicry
Preliminary Research

32. Authentic Learning Experiences
Collegewood Elementary School, Walnut

33. Authentic Learning Experiences
International Service Learning projects
• Coconut de-husking
• Human powered home lighting (with SDSU)
• Water delivery system (in Guatemala)

34. Authentic Learning Experiences
Risk Management
Risk management is less about what happens
after something goes wrong than it is about
informing everyone so that nothing goes wrong to
begin with
 Protects you, the faculty member
 Protects your student
 Protects your Partner

35. Authentic Learning Experiences
Thanks you!
Q/A