Using 3D Animation Programming in a Core Engineering Course Seminar

A core engineering course plays a vital role in the curricula of schools of engineering. At Bucknell University, Exploring Engineering (ENGR100) is the core engineering course where first year students are introduced to the study and practice of engineering and presented with overviews of specific engineering disciplines. In this paper, we describe an innovative approach for the 3-week programming seminar component of ENGR100. This approach makes use of a 3D animation tool for program visualization. Program visualization is used to introduce traditional programming concepts in a short time frame. The primary goal of this approach is to provide: a firm foundation for the novice programmer, a challenge for the experienced student, and a collaborative project experience for all students. A description of the first trial results of this innovative approach is included in the paper