Engineering Commons^™

Green Infrastructure Training For Veterans, Carol L. Considine, Michael W. Seek, Jon Lester, Anthony W. Dean

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

The Environmental Protection Agency launched a Strategic Agenda to Protect Waters and Build More Livable Communities through Green Infrastructure in April of 2011. This initiative supports local communities in using green infrastructure to manage rain water while creating co-benefits of green space, which makes communities more attractive and livable. (EPA) In the fall of 2014 the Environmental Protection Agency along with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, U.S. Department of the Interior and U.S. Department of Transportation signed a federal letter of support for green infrastructure …

Implementing Peer-Review Activities For Engineering Writing Assignments, Stacie I. Ringleb, Orlando M. Ayala, Jennifer Kidd

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Professional engineers spend a considerable portion of their day writing, yet disciplinary writing skills are not addressed in many engineering courses. This study investigates peer review as a mean to enhance student writing in engineering courses. Students completed formative peer reviews using an online peer review system for a group project in a fluid mechanics course (with online and face-to-face sections) and for an individual writing assignment in a senior capstone class in mechanical engineering. A university-wide rubric for disciplinary writing was used to assess student writing performance on interim and final assignments completed over the course of a semester. …

Manual Revision Process For Project-Based Laboratory Instruction, Gene Hou, Feifei Zhong, Orlando M. Ayala

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

A four-step laboratory manual revision process was developed in this study based upon a technical writing process for supporting project-based laboratory classes. The audience and the objectives of this type of laboratory manuals are quite different from those of traditional, descriptive laboratory classes. The project-based laboratory manual has to serve as both an operational handbook and a theoretical textbook. The proposed four-step manual revision process was implemented in the fall 2016 semester in a 3-credit, senior elective class which was built upon a commercially-rated finite element analysis software package. Student surveys and evaluations showed that the revision process greatly increased …

Developing Critical Collaboration Skills In Engineering Students: Results From An Empirical Study, Pilar Pazos, Nina Magpili, Zikai Zhou, Luis J. Rodriguez

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

In highly technical organizations, work is becoming increasingly distributed; requiring practicing engineers to master virtual collaboration skills while acquiring expertise in a range of collaboration technologies. Although there has been great emphasis on developing collaboration competencies in the engineering curriculum, empirical evidence of successful strategies for distributed team settings is scarce. As an attempt to fill this gap this study investigates the impact of a scalable intervention in developing virtual collaboration skills. The intervention, based on instructional scaffolds embedded with collaboration technologies, is aimed at supporting specific processes including planning, goal setting, clarifying goals and expectations, communication, coordination and progress …

Web Tools: Keeping Learners On Pace, Mickey Kosloski

STEMPS Faculty Publications

One of the greatest challenges in teaching technology and engineering is pacing. Some students grasp new technological concepts quickly, while others need repetition and may struggle to keep pace. This poses an obstacle for the technology and engineering teacher, and is particularly true when teaching students to build a website. However, there are a plethora of online tools available that can assist learners in building a website. This article identifies some of the tools that may be used in the classroom and for classroom-oriented, teacher-hosted websites. While specific examples are provided, Web search terms are denoted at the end of …

First-Year Project Experience In Aerospace: Apogee Determination Of Model Rockets With Explicit Consideration Of Drag Effect, Hüseyin Sarper, Drew Landman, Linda Vahala

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

This paper describes a student team project using model rockets and engines to learn engineering solution methods for determining the apogee of model rocket when the drag effect is considered explicitly instead of estimating its effect later. Model rocketry is a powerful tool for instructors who wish to incorporate science, engineering, and mathematics into a fun, engaging, and challenging activity for the students. The apogee can be determined using a number of distinct methods: trigonometry, onboard altimeters, analytical calculations, and simulation. This paper emphasizes numerical analytical solution using spreadsheet programming instead of a full analytical solution that requires higher mathematics. …

Evaluation Of Static Vs. Dynamic Visualizations For Engineering Technology Students And Implications On Spatial Visualization Ability: A Quasi-Experimental Study, Petros Katsioloudis, Daniel Dickerson, Vukica Jovanovic, Mildred Jones

STEMPS Faculty Publications

The benefit of using static versus dynamic visualizations is a controversial one. Few studies have explored the effectiveness of static visualizations to those of dynamic visualizations, and the current state of the literature remains somewhat unclear. During the last decade there has been a lengthy debate about the opportunities for using animation in learning and instruction. More specifically it has been shown that dynamic visualizations often provide no advantages over static visualizations. If they had shown advantages, it was due to the fact that more information was available in the animated than in the static version. Given this result, the …

Using Computer-Aided Design Software And 3d Printers To Improve Spatial Visualization, Petros Katsioloudis, Millie Jones

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Many articles have been published on the use of 3D printing technology. From prefabricated homes and outdoor structures to human organs, 3D printing technology has found a niche in many fields, but especially education. The education of technology and engineering students has come a long way from traditional instruction using hand drawings. Although drawings may still be a part of a students learning, computer technology has been embraced in this field for several years. With the introduction of AutoCAD technical drawing programs and now 3D printing, learners can use 3D printed models to develop their spatial abilities in technology and …

An Initial Look At Robotics-Based Initiatives To Engage Girls In Engineering, Jennifer Michaeli, Vukica Jovanovic, Otilia Popescu, Ana Djuric, Ece Yaprak

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

Over the past 10 years, the use of robotic kits in K-12 Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) initiatives as well as undergraduate engineering education has increased significantly. However, a survey of students in grades 9–12 indicated that only 2–3% of women in high school express an intention to study engineering; conversely, 16% of high school men declared that they plan to pursue an engineering degree [1]. In this paper, the authors present an initial review of published literature regarding the use of robotics in schools to identify cases where robotic kits have been used to engage girls in STEM …

Lessons In On-Campus And Distance Learning Delivery Of An Introductory Naval Architecture Course, Jennifer G. Michaeli

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

This paper describes the author’s experiences in multi-mode (face-to-face and online) delivery of an introductory-level course on the topic of Naval Architecture geared towards anaudience of engineering and engineering technology undergraduate students with no previousmaritime background. The goal of this course is to expose talented undergraduate engineering students to the marine industry and to prepare those interested in pursing a career in this field with an introductory understanding of the complex nature of designing and building ships and other marine vessels. This course was offered in Spring 2013 and Fall 2013 to a group of engineering and engineering technology students. …

Strategies For Effective Online Course Development, Carol L. Considine, Michael W. Seek, Jon Lester

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

Old Dominion University's Civil Engineering Technology (CET) program has a successful history of distance education, with more than half of the student population comprised of distance learners. Distance learning delivery has traditionally been via satellite and videostreaming with students having the choice of asynchronous or synchronous options. The university is in the process of updating their distance learning technologies and has encouraged programs to migrate to an online modality of distance learning. Developing and delivering online courses requires different competencies and facilitation skills than video streamed synchronous delivery or face to face instruction. A course delivered online changes the teaching …

A Third-Year Review Of Design And Packaging Of Sensor Systems, M. Brian Thomas, Andrea Mitofsky, Vukica Jovanovic, John Eiler

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

Faculty from the Electrical Engineering and Design Engineering Technology Departments at Trine University have developed a joint design module for upper-level courses in their respective disciplines. In this module, student teams collaborate in designing and prototyping the electronics and packaging for a hand-held sensor system. The principal objective of the collaboration is for students to incorporate design factors external to their discipline in a program-focused design project. This effort advances the students' abilities to work effectively in multidisciplinary teams during their senior capstone courses. The design module was introduced in the fall 2011 semester, and was repeated in fall 2012 …

Enabling Multidisciplinary Perspective In Student Design Project: Fast Fashion And Sustainable Manufacturing Systems, Vukica M. Jovanovic, Manveer Mann, Petros J. Katsioloudis, Daniel L. Dickerson

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

Fast fashion retailers are growing faster than any other type of retailer due to their ability to offer trendy low-cost clothing mimicking latest runway trends with turnaround times as low as two weeks. Fueled by short production and distribution lead times, fast fashion retailers combine rapid prototyping, small batches of fashionable product designs, and efficient transportations and delivery. Among others, the methods applied in fast-fashion industry include mass customization and personalization, and lean manufacturing. Current trends in manufacturing lean towards the application of digital and rapid manufacturing methods and increased use of product lifecycle management, knowledge management systems and computer …

Dissemination Of Microprocessor Courses Through Classroom And Interactive Cyber-Enabled Technologies, Steve C. Hsiung, John M. Ritz, Ece Yaprak, Thomas B. Stout, Richard L. Jones

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

The project is in the middle stages of the implementation. There seems to be a positive attitude of learning and using of the training system and curriculum package by all project staffs. Microchip, Inc. and microEngineering Labs, Inc. have donated supplies to support the hardware and software development for this project. The next objectives are team training, recruitment of interested trainees/teachers to participate in training for summers 2014, and assess the effectiveness of the implementations with teachers and students. Photo 2 is the project logo that describes all the concepts of this project.

Simulating Real-World Work Experience In Engineering Capstone Courses, Thomas H. Deagostino, Vukica M. Jovanovic, M. Brian Thomas

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

Experiential learning and cooperative education provide students with the necessary tools to succeed in the workplace by simulating their future working environment. Various studies have shown that many graduates have gaps related to their so called "soft skills", which are related to teamwork, time management, working under pressure and tight deadlines. The main purpose of the inclusion of the industry expert in senior design discussions is to provide meaningful feedback through a competitive led by industry practitioners. In this simulation, the senior engineering students take on the role of actual engineering job functions, on a demanding, continuous basis for the …

Technology And Engineering Education Doctoral Students' Perceptions Of Their Profession, Gene Martin, John Ritz, Michael Kosloski

STEMPS Faculty Publications

The growth and vitality of both technology and engineering education professions rely on the quality of contributions of its new and emerging leaders. Many of these leaders are currently enrolled students in doctoral programs. These students will be challenged to assume leadership roles in which they are not currently engaged (Ehrenberg, Jakubson, Groen, So, & Price, 2007). Some students may choose to focus their careers in developing new curricula; some will become active in grant writing and grant procurement some will choose to serve as officers in their professional organizations; and others will contribute to the body of literature in …

Clarifications Of A Datum Axis Or Centerplane Specifying In Maximum Material Condition Of Geometric Dimensioning And Tolerancing, Cheng Y. Lin, Jennifer G. Michaeli, Mileta Tomovic

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

Engineering and Engineering Technology students and professionals learning the processes and standards in computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) should learn and understand the methodology of geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) to describe the intent and requirements for part and assembly geometries. Correct application of GD&T ensures that the part and assembly geometry defined on the drawing will have the desired form and fit (within limits) and function as intended. One learning difficulty in understanding GD&T is the concept of defining a datum axis or center plane using Maximum Material Condition (MMC). To overcome this difficulty, a new approach …

Future Critical Issues And Problems Facing Technology And Engineering Education In The Commonwealth Of Virginia, Petros Katsioloudis, Johnny J. Moye

STEMPS Faculty Publications

The purpose of this research was to determine the future critical issues and problems facing the K-12 technology and engineering education profession in the Commonwealth of Virginia. This study was based on the Wicklein nationwide studies (1993a, 2005). Even though this study did not exactly replicate the Wicklein studies--since it was limited to the Commonwealth of Virginia--the method and questions used were identical. The modified Delphi research design was used to draw consensus among technology and engineering education experts in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Seventy-five percent of the participants agreed with one another concerning the top five critical problems and …

A Comparative Analysis Of Preferred Learning And Teaching Styles For Engineering, Industrial, And Technology Education Students And Faculty, Petros Katsioloudis, Todd D. Fantz

STEMPS Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Design And Implement A Cost-Effective Wireless Communication Project On A Pic Training System, Steve Hsiung, Walter F. Deal, Lacides Agustin Osorio, Mathew Henderson

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

Wireless communication becomes popular and widely used in almost every electronic product in our daily life. The RF communication is one of the major wireless applications in consumer products. Usually, it is integrated with an embedded system (microcontroller) to control various applications such as temperature sensing, data logging, data exchange, actuator activation, and user interaction wirelessly. A project based model can be used as an effective instructional strategy to enhance learning about complex RF concepts and technologies. The project method can lead to improved understanding and create interest by actively engaging the student with hands-on and problem solving and critical …

Simulation And Visualization Enhanced Engineering Education- Development And Implementation Of Virtual Experiments In A Laboratory Course, Sushil K. Chaturvedi, Kaustubh A. Dharwadkar

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

This paper presents results from a National Science Foundation grant titled "Simulation and Visualization Enhanced Engineering Education", funded by the EEC division. Although the scope of the project is quite broad, embracing a wide range of courses in three engineering disciplines, the present work describes the results obtained from application of simulation and visualization for development and implementation of web-based virtual engineering laboratories. The present work leverages the advancement in hardware and software technologies to map physical experiments into web-based virtual experiments that can be used to enrich student's laboratory experience. Four physical experiments in the thermo-fluids laboratory course have …

Improve Or Perish, Revisited -- Again, Johnny J. Moye, Petros J. Katsioloudis

STEMPS Faculty Publications

The article reviews the articles "A Major Problem in Education: Improve or Perish," by M. Ray Karnes and "Improve or Perish-Revisited," by John V. Gallagher.

An Integrated Simulation Design With Three-Dimensional Motions And A Hydraulic Stewart Simulator, Cheng Lin, Gene Hou, Yuzhong Shen, Hector Garcia

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

This paper presents an integrated design process and tests of a Stewart simulator with a virtual visualization tool, which uses Virtools to create and generate three-dimensional motions. An inverse kinematic algorithm is written to convert each visualized motion to the displacements of six cylinders in a Stewart motion simulator. Information of the displacements is then transferred through the User Datagram Protocol (UDP) to a personal computer which has the LabVIEW software. An NI USB-6251 data acquisition device is applied to interact with the LabVIEW program and the Stewart hydraulic simulator. The approach presented in this paper to function an old …

Introducing Freshmen To Construction Estimating And Scheduling Using K'Nex Bridge Kits, Carol Considine, Vernon Lewis

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

The College of Engineering and Technology at Old Dominion University has developed project-based courses for freshmen engineering students in order to engage them in engineering early with the goal of increasing retention. The courses are divided into three five-week modules that are distributed among the various departments within the college. The Engineering Technology department is responsible for two of the five week modules. One module is comprised of all the engineering technology curriculums; civil, electrical and mechanical, and the other module is strictly a civil engineering technology project.

The civil engineering technology project is focused on the construction industry. Students …

Enhancing Student Learning In Engineering Technology Programs? A Case For Physical Simulations, Alok Verma

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

Physical simulations have a proven record as a teaching tool. Concepts that are often hard to grasp are made easy by the use of physical simulation activities. The constructivism learning theory suggests that people learn better by actively participating in the process of learning. According to the Encyclopedia of Educational Technology, "Simulation-based learning involves the placement of a student into a realistic scenario or situation. The student is then responsible for any changes that occur as a result of their decisions." A number of physical simulation based tools have been developed by the author for use as instructional tools to …

Addressing Student Retention In Engineering And Engineering Technology Through The Use Of A Multidisciplinary Freshman Course, Anthony Dean, Bonita Anthony, Linda Vahala

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

The Engineering Fundamentals Division of the Batten College of Engineering and Technology (BCET) at Old Dominion University administers a freshman engineering course sequence, along with four engineering departments (Mechanical Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, and Electrical and Computer Engineering) and the Department of Engineering Technology (which offers degrees in Mechanical Engineering Technology, Civil Engineering Technology and Electrical Engineering Technology). The two course sequence, Exploring Engineering and Technology I and II, involve the five departments in teaching at least one five week module in each of the two courses. Each department generally involves the students in a basic design …

An Assessment And Continuous Improvement Model For Engineering Technology Programs, Alok Verma, Gary Crossman

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

Assessment and continuous improvement are essential and critical processes for higher education. Development and implementation of such processes are not only required by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) but it is also a necessary condition for the maturation and development of any engineering technology program. The assessment and continuous improvement plan discussed here was developed at Old Dominion University (ODU) and implemented during the last accreditation cycle within the Engineering Technology Department. The plan is based on two cycles of assessment and evaluation, a short cycle of one year and a long term cycle of three years. …

Designing A Microcontroller Training Platform For Active Distance Learning Engineering And Technology Students, Steve C. Hsiung, James E. Eiland, John R. Hackworth, John Ritz

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

This is an active distance-learning project that addresses the hands-on microprocessor/ mi-crocontroller-related courses. A research team designed a low-cost training system with supporting instructional materials to assist the teaching of these concepts. Individual laboratory activities are being developed to reinforce student learning and skill development in programming concepts. This basic system format eventually will support an array of engineering and technology courses. This project involves two community colleges, Blue Ridge Community College (BRCC) and Olympic College (OC), and a four-year university, Old Dominion University (ODU), in a collaborative research team to design and develop a specific PIC microcontroller training system …

Privatization Initiatives: A Source For Engineering Economy Case Studies, Paul Kauffmann, Tarek Abdel-Salam, Keith Williamson, Carol L. Considine

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

A case study method which reviews the basic structure of the circular A-76 privatization decision model is discussed. It highlights the possibilities for development of case studies that can challenge student teams to apply engineering economy tools while developing skills in a range of circular areas that are important to undergraduate engineering education and career success in engineering practice. Beyond building quantitative and qualitative business analysis skills, engineering economy cases can enhance student skills in other topical areas such as technical presentations, and report writing. The privatization initiatives and related decision models can also enhance human relations oriented skills in …

A Template Functional-Gage Design Using Parameter-File Table In Autodesk Inventor, Cheng Lin, Moustafa Moustafa

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

A systematic approach using Autodesk Inventor to design the functional gages of Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing (GD&T) is presented. The gages can be used to check straightness, angularity, perpendicularity, parallelism, and position tolerances of a part when geometric tolerances are specified with Maximum Material Condition (MMC). Four steps are proposed to accomplish the task: (1) creation of two-dimensional (2-D) initial template files, (2) generation of hierarchical folders for the template files, (3) creation a 3-D gage model from a specific template file, and (4) dimensioning and generation of the gage drawing. Results show that, by following this approach, students can …