Engineering Commons^™

Students Views On Engineering Mechanics Education And The Implications For Educators, Thomas Goldfinch, Giles Thomas, Anna L. Carew

Faculty of Engineering - Papers (Archive)

This paper presents findings of a qualitative study conducted as part of a larger project to address the issue of high failure rates in first year engineering mechanics. Engineering student focus groups were held at two institutions, and were asked about the subject area, curriculum, and their approaches to study. Eight academics were also interviewed individually on the same topics to provide some context for the focus group outcomes. Documented responses revealed a tendency for both groups to focus on the most negative or extreme examples as cases which were representative of a wider situation. Although the focus group and …

Rapid Development Of Multimedia Instructional Modules For Information Technology Education, Nanda Ganesan

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

A multifaceted learning model was developed for implementing e-learning in a largely commuter campus. The primary objective of the model was to build a flexible learning environment that combined the learning effectiveness of in-class learning with the flexibility and accessibility of online learning. One of the components of the model was the multimedia instructional modules produced to teach various Information Technology courses. Several different types of modules were produced representing chalk-and-talk type of lectures, PowerPoint presentations and software tutorials. The chalk-and-talk type of lecture modules and the software tutorials that emulated the in-class learning experience contributed positively towards enhancing the …

Energy Conservation In The Trinidad Tourist Industry Training Program, Florida Solar Energy Center, William Young

FSEC Energy Research Center®

This Final Report summarizes the work performed by the Florida Solar Energy Center/University of Central Florida on the contract entitled "Energy Conservation in the Trinidad Tourist Industry Training Program". This program was performed for the Ministry of Tourism, Trinidad and Tobago, WI. (MoTTT) for the period September 1 to November 1, 2008. The MoTTT established a program for the tourist industry to facilitate learning about energy conservation and renewable energy technologies appropriate for resort applications on the Island of Trinidad. The Florida Solar Energy Center provided assistance through consulting, in education about energy technologies. FSEC modified existing energy training courses …

Building A Blog From Scratch, Jonathan Bacon

SIDLIT Conference Proceedings

The presenter takes the audience step-by-step through the creation of a Weblog, a tool which can be used for distance education.

Report Of The Commission To Assess The Threat To The United States From Emp Attack: Critical National Infrastructures, William R. Graham

George H Baker

The physical and social fabric of the United States is sustained by a system of systems; a complex and dynamic network of interlocking and interdependent infrastructures (“critical national infrastructures”) whose harmonious functioning enables the myriad actions, transactions, and information flow that undergird the orderly conduct of civil society in this country. The vulnerability of these frastructures to threats — deliberate, accidental, and acts of nature — is the focus of greatly heightened concern in the current era, a process accelerated by the events of 9/11 and recent hurricanes, including Katrina and Rita. This report presents the results of the Commission’s …

Plug-In Electric Drive Vehicles: Experiences In Research And Education, Mehdi Ferdowsi

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper briefly describes the research and educational activities related to a current NSF CAREER grant titled "Vehicle Fleet as a Distributed Energy Storage System for the Power Grid". The PI, Dr. Ferdowsi, is an assistant professor at the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department of the Missouri University of Science and Technology (MST).

Summary Of 2008 Homeland Security Symposium At The National Academies: Fostering Public-Private Partnerships, George H. Baker, Cheryl J. Elliott

George H Baker

Recent U.S. high consequence events have made clear the importance of government collaboration with industry. The benefits of such collaboration were clearly seen as a lesson from Hurricane Katrina. The resources owned and controlled by American industry dwarf those available to local, state and even the federal government departments. Better agreements and incentives to bring the full capabilities of industry squarely into the national response agenda will be indispensable in effectively responding to large-scale catastrophes. General Russel Honoré who led the National Guard response to Katrina has said, “We need the partnering between local, state, and federal governments; but the …

An Integrated Approach To The Teaching Of Numerical Methods To Engineering Students, Garrett Keane, Michael Carr, Patrick Carroll

Conference papers

In Technological University Dublin, historically, numerical methods were taught to engineering students using a format of traditional mathematics lectures, to a large class group consisting of students from five different engineering disciplines, complemented by small class tutorials. Assessment was by a single, written exam only.

In order to improve the overall effectiveness of the students’ learning experience, it was deemed beneficial to also introduce practical computing classes in which the students would be required to apply the general mathematical methods covered in lectures to discipline-specific examples.

Three different practical computing assignments were devised for the students to undertake, and 20% …

Introducing Hands-On Simulation Activities In Introduction To Engineering & Engineering Technology Class To Keep Students Engaged, Alok Verma

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

Low enrollment and high attrition rates have often plagued Engineering and Engineering Technology programs. Part of this problem can be attributed to the lack of engaging hands-on activities during the first year of instruction. Most engineering and technology programs require students to take natural science, math and some general education courses during the first two years with minimal technical content. To maintain student's interest in the technical career path, it is important that students establish a link between the theoretical knowledge and its application to solve real life problems early in their learning experience. Simulation based activities have a proven …

A Process Plan For Consensus Building In The Evaluation Of Nsgc & Epscor Native American Outreach Program, Jocelyn S. Nickerson, Brent D. Bowen, Henry R. Lehrer

Publications

The NASA Nebraska Space Grant (NSGC) & EPSCoR Programs at the University of Nebraska at Omaha have embarked on a unique educational journey known as the Nebraska Native American Outreach program (NNAOP). The NNAOP’s main objective is to encourage and motivate Native American students to be more competitive in mathematics and science. This program has allowed for a variety of educational and public outreach activities to take place. However, in order to continually provide effective support to Nebraska’s Native American community, NSGC & EPSCoR sought an evaluation technique for the NNAOP. To execute such an evaluation, NSGC organized the first …

Detect: Developing Sustainable Pathways Towards Innovative, Sustainable Collaboration Between Four Engineering, Design And Technology Education Institutions, Michael Dyrenfurth, Mike Murphy, Donal Mchale, Richard Hayes, Robert Herrick, Dhushy Sathianathan, Heinz Schmidt-Walter, Eugene Coyle, Robert Simpson

Conference papers

No abstract provided.

Mechanical Engineering Education In Irish Context: On Route To Becoming A Chartered Engineer, David Kennedy, Richard Good

Conference Papers

Engineering Education in Ireland and throughout Europe has changed dramatically over the last few years and the pace of change is ensuring that we, the educators are constantly keeping abreast of new developments and benchmarks. Programmes that were based on inputs from learners are now outcomes based and the onus is on the educators and facilitators to provide evidence that graduates are capable of conducting specific tasks, commonly termed as Programme Outcomes. Similarly, greater onus is now placed on the learner to take greater responsibility for their educational development. The new and current process of meeting the educational requirements of …

Applying Six Sigma Methodology To The Admissions Process In Higher Education, Alok Verma

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

Time and quality are two important metrics for improving a company's production and profit performance. Six Sigma is one of the most powerful continuous improvement tools that have been used to improve the quality of products and business processes. Six Sigma methodology provides the techniques and tools to improve the capability and reduce the number of defects in any process. It was originally developed by Motorola to systematically improve processes by eliminating defects. Although, originally developed for manufacturing processes, the tool has been effectively applied to improve business processes also. Evaluation of applications for admission in higher education is often …

Cascading Infrastructure Failures: Avoidance And Response, George H. Baker, Cheryl J. Elliott

George H Baker

No critical infrastructure is self-sufficient. The complexity inherent in the interdependent nature of infrastructure systems complicates planning and preparedness for system failures. Recent wide-scale disruption of infrastructure on the Gulf Coast due to weather, and in the Northeast due to electric power network failures, dramatically illustrate the problems associated with mitigating cascading effects and responding to cascading infrastructure failures once they have occurred.

The major challenge associated with preparedness for cascading failures is that they transcend system, corporate, and political boundaries and necessitate coordination among multiple, disparate experts and authorities. This symposium brought together concerned communities including government and industry …

Computer-Based Instruction For Engineering Education In The Developing World, Bradford G. Singley

Theses and Dissertations

Although civil engineers continually develop new ways to solve problems involving water, energy, infrastructure and environmental sustainability, these innovations can take years – or even decades – to reach developing countries. Computer-based instruction has the potential to dramatically decrease this lag time by improving engineering education in the developing world. This paper discusses the development of instructional simulations, based on the theory of model-centered instruction. These simulations can serve as self-paced learning modules, which can be accessed for free over the Internet. A pilot learning module was developed for the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on the …

Improving Pediatric Cardiology Consultation Methods By Introducing Digital Interactive 3-D Heart Models: A Proof Of Concept Study, Adam Verigan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of a pediatric cardiology consultation is to inform, or educate, the patient and family of all aspects surrounding a certain congenital heart defect. Consultation education methods and materials may include verbal descriptions, two-dimensional (2-D) heart diagrams, and take-home pamphlets. Because the human heart is a complex three-dimensional (3-D) object, the problem lies within the clarity to which these methods are performed by the doctors and understood by the patients and families. Therefore, during a consultation the cardiologist must a) possess the ability to describe a defect visually as well as verbally and b) ensure that the patient and …

Development And Evaluation Of A Simulation System Based Upon Standard Pedestrian Thoroughfare Methodologies, Charles O. Pringle

All Master's Theses

This study was undertaken to determine whether existing simulation and modeling systems could be used to analyze and model pedestrian traffic flows. The study incorporates the Highway Capacity Manual 2000 (HCM) (Transportation Research Board, National Research Council [TRB], 2000a) methodologies into a ProModel simulation and then compares and contrasts the results of the HCM calculations with the ProModel simulation.

The Social Construction Of Authorship: An Investigation Of Subjectivity And Rhetorical Authority In The College Writing Classroom, Johannah Rodgers

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Although we use the term author on a daily basis to refer to certain individuals, bodies of work, and systems of ideas, as Michel Foucault and other critics have pointed out, attempting to answer the question “What is an Author?” is by no means a simple proposition. And, starting from the position that there is no single, or definitive answer to this complex question, this dissertation seeks to contribute to the ongoing discussion of the genealogy of authorship by investigating the ways in which conceptions of the author have informed models of the writing subject in the field of rhetoric …

Recruitment And Retention: The Role Of The Public Image Of Engineering, Eddie Conlon

Conference papers

This paper presents findings of three surveys conducted with first year students in the Faculty of Engineering in the Dublin Institute of Technology. It focuses on their motivation for studying engineering and the people who influenced the decision to do engineering. It shows there are gaps in the students’ knowledge of their programmes and also between their expectations and their experience of their course. Some proposed areas of action are identified to increase both recruitment and retention. It is argued that projecting an image of engineering as a creative activity would help in addressing recruitment and retention issues.

Reinventing A Level 7 Programme In Electrical Engineering And Greatly Improving On Student Retention, Eugene Coyle, Mike Murphy, Frank Costello, Leslie Shoemaker

Books/Book chapters

Following the successful implementation over a number of decades of a three-year Diploma in Electrical and Control Engineering at Technological University Dublin, the programme entered a period of extreme difficulty and uncertainty in the late nineteen ninetees and early years of the new millennium. As with many such engineering programmes, student numbers seeking to enter began to diminish. Furthermore, engagement and retention of students who had enrolled on the programme became evermore challenging, necessitating some radical moves in the formation and operation of the programme and in putting additional student support mechanisms in place. The situation hit rock bottom between …

Enhancing Educational Programmes For Geomatics In Ireland, Frank Prendergast, William Prendergast, Avril Behan, Helen Murray

Conference Papers

The growing spatial information needs of society, the rapid development of new surveying technologies, and the global demand for appropriately qualified surveyors, have triggered a radical re-evaluation of Geomatics education in Europe. Although significant enhancements to DIT’s educational programmes have been made during the last decade, the provision of new opportunities for learners and innovative changes to existing paradigms of training and education are required. This paper addresses some of the issues confronting educators in DIT, and presents some of the strategies for their enhancement and implementation.

Agc's Online Institute, Purdue Ect Team

ECT Fact Sheets

Increasing construction volume and maintaining quality and profits are difficult tasks when qualified new employees are expensive and hard to find. The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) understands that demand for the information far exceeded the ability to offer personal instruction of the course material. After extensive testing of various distance learning techniques, it was concluded that an Internet-based program offered the ideal solution.

Application Of Constructive Alignment Principles To Engineering Education: Have We Really Changed?, Sharon Nightingale, Anna L. Carew, Justin Fung

Faculty of Engineering - Papers (Archive)

A survey of some common engineering subjects in four Australian universities shows that despite much discussion of student centred learning, assessment is still very heavily based on examinations. Analysis of exam questions, and other assessment tasks also shows that in some cases there may be significant mismatch between the stated learning objectives of subjects and the way in which students are assessed. Application of constructive alignment to design of assessment has the potential to ensure that assessment tasks reflect the learning objectives, and may help encourage academics to consider alternatives to examinations.

Regulation Issues And Prediction Of Natural Estrogen Loads For Wastewater Treatment Plants, Michelle E. Jarvie

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

No abstract provided.

Project Management Practices In The Information Technology Departments Of Various Size Institutions Of Higher Education, Charles R. Johnston, David C. Wierschem

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

The demand for information technology at institutions of higher education is increasing at a rapid pace. It is fueled by student, faculty, and administrative needs. This paper examines project management practices at these institutions with respect to the sizes of the institutions. Survey results indicate an emphasis on operational concerns at small and medium size institutions when selecting IT projects. The prominence of the role of project manager and adoption of formal PM tools/techniques by IT departments generally increase with the sizes of the institutions. The importance of having a project plan is recognized by all sizes of institutions of …

Educating Engineers For The 21st. Century: And Why Some Elements Of History And Philosophy Should Be Incorporated Into The Curriculum, William Grimson, Mike Murphy, Eugene Coyle

Conference papers

It has been said that in some respects the Russian composer Igor Stravinsky was a magpie – borrowing styles and ideas from diverse sources for whatever musical project he was working on. The practice of engineering has this same characteristic in that it willingly takes ideas, knowledge and techniques from wherever in pursuit of completing its goal. Further, Engineering is, at least in part, in agreement with Fyodor Dostoevsky – ‘if everything on Earth were rational, nothing would happen’. Against such a background it is proposed that a framework based on both philosophy and the history of engineering, science and …

Fpga-Based Experiment Platform For Hardware-Software Codesign And Hardware Emulation, Yajuvendra Nagaonkar

Theses and Dissertations

An FPGA-based experiment platform for hardware-software codesign experiments was developed. The proposed platform would be used by an engineer who can be affiliated with academia, research or industry for codesign experiments or hardware emulation. The platform utilizes a combination of a microcontroller and a FPGA device to enable sufficient flexibility in exploring the design space to implement codesign experiments. The FPGA device operation is integrated with that of the microcontroller to provide an overall embedded solution for codesign experimentations. It is anticipated that the platform will be used in academia for educating the students the concepts of computer architecture and …

Resource And Technology Issues: Case Studies, Mike Murphy

Presentations

No abstract provided.

Women, Engineering And Research: Providing Choice And Balance, Cecilia Chan, Mike Murphy

Conference papers

“Research cannot reach its full potential when half the population is excluded from its activities”1. Women researchers in engineering remain a minority in both Higher Education and industry in Ireland. Recent statistics of women graduating in science and engineering indicated an increase (a slow increase) but the numbers moving through to completion of PhD and careers in academia or industry remain quite low. Statistics on women in professorial and senior positions within the engineering sector also remains low. The educated workforce produced in Ireland by its education system is acknowledged as a key factor in attracting international investment to the …

Recruiting First Year Engineering Undergraduates, Eddie Conlon

Conference papers

This paper presents findings of three surveys conducted with first year students in the Faculty of Engineering in the Dublin Institute of Technology. It presents evidence on the reasons students study engineering, their sources of information on higher education programmes and the people who influence their decision to do engineering. It shows there are gaps in the students’ knowledge of their programmes and also between their expectations and their experience of their course. Some proposed areas of action are identified to increase both recruitment and retention. It is argued that projecting an image of engineering as a creative activity would …