A PORTABLE FACTORY:
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OF MANUFACTURING CONCEPTS
Dr. Cheryl Dunn
Introduction
Evidence of Effectiveness
Grand Valley State University – dunnc@gvsu.edu
Many students find manufacturing
concepts abstract and confusing.
Elements of the Portable Bookmark Factory for the Classroom
Machine Operation?
Bill of Materials??
Production Run???
Overhead????
HELP!!!!
A Large
Suitcase
Labeled
plastic boxes
for each type
of tool and
material
•
“This is the best experiential learning
project that I have ever used in a class.
The instructions and teaching notes were
comprehensive and clear. It could be
used/modified for any business class. In
fact, one of its main strengths is the ability
to use this project to stress the multidisciplinary aspects of production.”
•
“One student said it was her favorite part
of the class.”
•
“We used this in both the Operations
Management and Managerial Accounting
class. It was a great way to demonstrate
the interdisciplinary aspects of business
and provided an experiential learning
experience that was fun as well as
educational.”
•
“I have got to find a way to use your
bookmark exercise. It is wonderful.”
•
“…we are going to expand on the exercise
and make it the basis of our analysis of
internal controls and flowcharting
exercises, so it will be an integral part of
the entire course. I suspect it will be the
most memorable part of the course – and
isn’t that the most effective teaching?”
• Review vocabulary worksheet
•
• Discuss ways in which captured information could be used to
support decisions, e.g. variance analysis
“The bookmark activity in particular was
very enriching.”
•
(paraphrased) The bookmark my students
made provided hints for a course topic. I
noticed this semester they know that topic
better than last semester and had much
less confusion due to them learning that
topic off of the bookmark.
•
“Using hands-on exercises like your
bookmark exercise allows students to
visualize the concepts that we are trying to
get across in class.”
Materials: wallpaper or
contact paper, tassels, glue
sticks, bookmark designs,
laminating pouches
Experiencing Concepts Helps
Abstract concepts become concrete when
students can connect the words to real things
and activities. By turning your classroom into a
factory for a class period, you will help students
understand and retain knowledge of these
concepts.
Oh! Glue is an indirect
material! It was partially
used up by an imprecisely
measured amount in each
bookmark we made!
Feedback from Instructors who have
participated in the portable bookmark
factory and/or used it in their classes:
Workstation instructions
Laminating machines and various tools –
scissors, long straight edges, rulers, hole
punchers, pencils
Source documents
Vocabulary Worksheets
Each Student Plays a Role
Assembly Line Supervisors
Assembly Line Workers
Equipment Store-room Clerk
Materials Store-room Clerk
Quality Control
Data Gatherers
Post-Production Class Discussion – Reinforcing
the Experience
• Discuss capacity constraints and ways of breaking the
constraints, e.g. small vs. large laminator, single vs. 3-hole
punch
• Discuss cost measurement issues, e.g. direct, indirect, fixed,
setup, waste, training, quality control
• Discuss material/labor tradeoffs – such as using wallpaper
border pre-cut to desired bookmark height to save one labor
step -- effects on quality and on costs
• Students get to keep the bookmarks they made!