Learning at IRE

The major reason for the creation of Iron Range Engineering is to change the way students learn engineering technical and professional skills. Up until this semester, all we have done is talk about the different learning style and how it is supposed to work. Well now that we are a few weeks into the semester, this learning is actually taking place. The first project that I am involved in is a sauna heater that uses steam as an input. This project is taking me down several different learning paths. I am looking through textbooks and engineering handbooks trying to find information about heat transfer topics such as convection and conduction. I have never taken a heat transfer class, but I am learning the material as I am applying it to the project. The great part about this learning is that I can relate the learning topics to the project. This makes the learning objectives easier to understand and, because I need to learn the information to complete the project, I am engaged and motivated to learn. I am doing a lot of research on my own, but there are times when I need help. When this happens, I use our faculty for help. Dan and Ron have been awesome at pointing us in the right direction to find information and helping us understand topics. The new style of learning is actually taking place and it already helped me learn several topics.

Proofed by Christine