Question about new Zachry building vs old Zachry building

3,220 Views | 11 Replies | Last: 5 yr ago by Ranger1743
Ferg
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I went to the game yesterday with my Aggie Engineer alum son and we checked out the rebuilt Zachry. It looked awesome. What we didn't see was anything that looked like classrooms. Does it have something to do with a change in the learning process? Do they just look different as we saw a lot of rooms that looked like labs and or small meeting rooms. Just curious.
redd38
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There are no lecture rooms with a bunch of seats facing forwards, all the classrooms have chairs around tables with people facing in all different directions.
TexasA&MUniversity
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You are right! Zachry is filled by what are called Learning Studios and Common Labs which more closely mirror the workplace once students graduate. They are designed to foster problem-solving, creativity and teamwork.

Here is more info about the Common Labs on the Zachry website.
redd38
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They suck for lectures though.
lost my dog
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redd38 said:

They suck for lectures though.
Lol, depends who is teaching...
redd38
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lost my dog said:

redd38 said:

They suck for lectures though.
Lol, depends who is teaching...


Doesn't matter who is teaching, you've still got a bunch of people either with their backs to the professor or spun around to face the professor but no table to take notes on.

And that's not the only aspect of new Zachry that seems to have been implemented simply because they can and not because they should.
one MEEN Ag
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redd38 said:

lost my dog said:

redd38 said:

They suck for lectures though.
Lol, depends who is teaching...


Doesn't matter who is teaching, you've still got a bunch of people either with their backs to the professor or spun around to face the professor but no table to take notes on.

And that's not the only aspect of new Zachry that seems to have been implemented simply because they can and not because they should.
They are trying to use room design to force curriculum redesign. If you're in a lecture hall, all you can really do as a student is receive a lecture.

So with the 'flipped' classroom the student is supposed to watch online videos/read before attending lecture, then the lecture time is just a brief overview and a ton of group work at the tables to get comfortable with solving the problems.

What actually happens is somewhere in between. Those students who can stay ahead on the curriculum do incredibly well in the flipped classroom concept. Those who are drowning in homework/projects/studying (95% of the engineering student body) get further behind because the lecture isn't built to teach all of the material the first time.

About halfway through the semester the professor will have to slow down and basically cover everything twice.

The students usually groan more about a flipped classroom, usually test results show they learn more.
Ranger1743
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In my experience, the flipped classroom stinks. Especially in engineering.
one MEEN Ag
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Ranger1743 said:

In my experience, the flipped classroom stinks. Especially in engineering.


It's a mixed bag. The year over year reviews from the class show the students don't like it compared to a normal lecture, but the year over year grades show that students overall do better.

Engineering as a department is more suspectible to the pitfalls of the flipped classroom because A) the average engineering professor hates teaching /sucks at it anyway and now they have to prepare more for the class and B) the students are generally overworked compared to other majors.

There is also a consistent disdain for engineering ethics from engineering students anyway. By any chance were you petroleum or MMET? Those kids consistently put up the biggest fights about the whole subject of engineering ethics.
lost my dog
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one MEEN Ag said:

Ranger1743 said:

In my experience, the flipped classroom stinks. Especially in engineering.


It's a mixed bag. The year over year reviews from the class show the students don't like it compared to a normal lecture, but the year over year grades show that students overall do better.

Engineering as a department is more suspectible to the pitfalls of the flipped classroom because A) the average engineering professor hates teaching /sucks at it anyway and now they have to prepare more for the class and B) the students are generally overworked compared to other majors.

There is also a consistent disdain for engineering ethics from engineering students anyway. By any chance were you petroleum or MMET? Those kids consistently put up the biggest fights about the whole subject of engineering ethics.

Engineering ethics is changing massively - ENGR /PHIL 482 is going away. Engineering students can complain about what their departments do for ethics in the future, rather than what the college does.

I will still say (and can back it up, but I won't here, so you'll just have to trust me) that who you have as prof matters more than flipped vs. traditional.
Eliminatus
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lost my dog said:

one MEEN Ag said:

Ranger1743 said:

In my experience, the flipped classroom stinks. Especially in engineering.


It's a mixed bag. The year over year reviews from the class show the students don't like it compared to a normal lecture, but the year over year grades show that students overall do better.

Engineering as a department is more suspectible to the pitfalls of the flipped classroom because A) the average engineering professor hates teaching /sucks at it anyway and now they have to prepare more for the class and B) the students are generally overworked compared to other majors.

There is also a consistent disdain for engineering ethics from engineering students anyway. By any chance were you petroleum or MMET? Those kids consistently put up the biggest fights about the whole subject of engineering ethics.

Engineering ethics is changing massively - ENGR /PHIL 482 is going away. Engineering students can complain about what their departments do for ethics in the future, rather than what the college does.

I will still say (and can back it up, but I won't here, so you'll just have to trust me) that who you have as prof matters more than flipped vs. traditional.


Any literature on the 482 going away? Or is just word of mouth from a "guy".
lost my dog
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Eliminatus said:

lost my dog said:

one MEEN Ag said:

Ranger1743 said:

In my experience, the flipped classroom stinks. Especially in engineering.


It's a mixed bag. The year over year reviews from the class show the students don't like it compared to a normal lecture, but the year over year grades show that students overall do better.

Engineering as a department is more suspectible to the pitfalls of the flipped classroom because A) the average engineering professor hates teaching /sucks at it anyway and now they have to prepare more for the class and B) the students are generally overworked compared to other majors.

There is also a consistent disdain for engineering ethics from engineering students anyway. By any chance were you petroleum or MMET? Those kids consistently put up the biggest fights about the whole subject of engineering ethics.

Engineering ethics is changing massively - ENGR /PHIL 482 is going away. Engineering students can complain about what their departments do for ethics in the future, rather than what the college does.

I will still say (and can back it up, but I won't here, so you'll just have to trust me) that who you have as prof matters more than flipped vs. traditional.


Any literature on the 482 going away? Or is just word of mouth from a "guy".
What literature are you looking for? The degree plans of upperclassmen still include it, so if you look at the degree plans on the web you will still see it.. But if you ask the department advisors they will (should) all know that departments are having to make their own plans for ethics.

482 will continue to be taught until those students who need it for their degree graduate. Check degree plans next year to see the changes. Since these degree plans are still being approved you won't find them on the web yet.
Ranger1743
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one MEEN Ag said:

Ranger1743 said:

In my experience, the flipped classroom stinks. Especially in engineering.


It's a mixed bag. The year over year reviews from the class show the students don't like it compared to a normal lecture, but the year over year grades show that students overall do better.

Engineering as a department is more suspectible to the pitfalls of the flipped classroom because A) the average engineering professor hates teaching /sucks at it anyway and now they have to prepare more for the class and B) the students are generally overworked compared to other majors.

There is also a consistent disdain for engineering ethics from engineering students anyway. By any chance were you petroleum or MMET? Those kids consistently put up the biggest fights about the whole subject of engineering ethics.



I was BMEN. Engineering ethics was fine I guess, although the dynamic was hilarious. A philosophy PhD student TAing a room full of undergraduate engineers, literally everybody thought they were the smartest one in the room.
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