Yan Tang

Title
Associate Professor and Program Coordinator for B.S. in Mechanical Engineering
Email
Department
Mechanical Engineering Department
College
College of Engineering

Office Hours

16:00-18:00 (M-F), 14:00-17:00 (SU), or by appointment

Areas of Expertise

Cognitive Load Theory, Deliberate Practice, Problem Solving

Yan Tang

Dr. Yan Tang is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering (ME) at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, where she also serves as the ME Undergraduate Program Coordinator. As a seasoned practitioner in the field of engineering education, Dr. Tang is dedicated to applying principles of learning, instruction, and assessment to foster an effective, engaging, and inclusive teaching environment.

Currently, her primary focus is on teaching Engineering Dynamics, a challenging yet integral part of the engineering curriculum. She employs a distinctive approach to make this complex subject more accessible through the integration of cognitive science principles and well-structured instructional design.

Central to her teaching philosophy is the application of her research on deliberate practice and mastery learning. Drawing an analogy from control systems—a focal point of her Ph.D. studies in Mechanical Engineering—Dr. Tang perceives learning as a control plant, instruction as the controller, and assessment as the sensor. By dynamically responding to assessments and adjusting instruction accordingly, she aims to optimize the learning experience.

A staunch believer in the principles of inclusive teaching, Dr. Tang contends that every student, given they invest effort into learning, has the potential to achieve mastery in all undergraduate engineering subjects. This conviction is rooted in the understanding that our brains are designed for learning when appropriately stimulated. The Chinese saying: "没有教不会的学生," which translates to "There are no students who can't be taught," encapsulates her belief succinctly. It's crucial to note that this saying presupposes that students are making an effort to learn—under these conditions, effective teaching can unlock their potential.

By incorporating deliberate practice, mastery learning, and inclusiveness into her teaching, Dr. Tang aims to cultivate an environment that encourages comprehensive understanding, proficiency, and the development of critical skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and effective teamwork.

As her research and methodologies evolve, Dr. Tang welcomes collaborations with other educators and researchers. Her aim is to collectively enhance our understanding of effective, inclusive teaching and learning practices in engineering.

  • Ph.D. - Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering, University of Central Florida
  • ES 204: Dynamics
EE401/EE402

ME306

ME400

ME402

ME414

ME419

ME495B

ME595F


American Society for Engineering Education
2021 Tej Gupta Outstanding Teaching Faculty Award. This is one of three awards (teaching, research, and service) given to faculty on the Daytona Beach campus.