Engineering Education Commons^™

Ole Miss Engineer 2009

Ole Miss Engineer

No abstract provided.

Innovations In Composition Programs That Educate Engineers: Drivers, Opportunities, And Challenges, Jon A. Leydens, Jen Schneider

Jen Schneider

Recent developments in engineering education have shaped the nature of composition programs at institutions or programs that emphasize engineering and science. Among these developments are revised accreditation guidelines and a curricular debate with a long history. Such developments highlight collaborative opportunities between technical and humanities/social sciences faculty. This multi-case study investigates how composition programs have responded to such drivers, opportunities, and challenges. The study draws from historical, observation, document, and interview data, and particularly interviews with composition program administrators at six institutions with significant technical emphases. Findings indicate shifts in historical emphasis on culture and utility, and three contemporary responses. …

Using Abet Assessment Requirements As A Catalyst For Change: Enhancing And Streamlining The Engineering Management Undergraduate Program At Missouri S&T, Stephen A. Raper, Susan L. Murray, Christa Moll Weisbrook, William Daughton

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The Engineering Management (EM) undergraduate degree program at Missouri University of Science & Technology (formerly University of Missouri-Rolla) was the first program of its kind. The program started over 40 years ago and it is one of only five ABET accredited undergraduate EM programs [1]. The initial degree program included a senior year of management courses in conjunction with three years of courses in common engineering disciplines such as mechanical, electrical, and civil engineering. In the 1990s the program underwent a major restructure and students combined core engineering management classes with an emphasis area inside the department. Industrial, manufacturing, packaging, …

Developing And Assessing A Case Study For Teaching Engineering Entrepreneurship At San Jose State University, Anuradha Basu, Minnie Patel

Faculty Publications

In this paper the authors share their experience of developing a case study for teaching engineering entrepreneurship and subsequently developing assessment and instructional material for the case. We also present the lessons learned from that experience. The authors developed the case study in question on the basis of a survey of engineering students’ perceptions of entrepreneurship6. Our survey showed that many students were interested in entrepreneurship, but were hesitant about starting their own business. We proposed two complementary approaches to learning, namely, case studies and active learning, to enhance the engineering students’ understanding of the entrepreneurial process and dispel some …

A Model For Coordination And Management Of Resources For Multiple Sections Of An Active Learning Style Freshman Course, Jean Nocito-Gobel, Amy Thompson, Carl Barratt, Michael Collura

Engineering and Applied Science Education Faculty Publications

NOTE: The first page of text has been automatically extracted and included below in lieu of an abstract.

Much research in recent years has verified that an active learning style approach to freshman engineering design courses adds value to undergraduate engineering programs and improves retention rates. Many universities have established First Year Programs to coordinate the activities and classes for first year students. However, not all universities have the funds to establish programs separate from disciplinary programs. How can faculty that are not assigned to a First Year Program efficiently manage multiple sections of a hands-on course with limited resources? …

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A Systemic Solution: Elementary Teacher Preparation In Stem Expertise And Engineering Awareness, Louis S. Nadelson, Janet Callahan, Pat Pyke, Anne Hay, Cheryl Schrader

Curriculum, Instruction, and Foundational Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations

Research shows that most K-5 teachers are typically required to complete only minimal coursework in science and mathematics, which constrains their knowledge, efficacy, and confidence for teaching STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) content. Additionally, elementary teachers, like much of the general public, have limited comprehension about the relationship between STEM concepts and engineering fields and the kind of work and societal contributions made by engineers. Yet, elementary school is a critical time in which students develop foundational understanding of STEM concepts, career options, and inquiry learning.

To address students' STEM needs and limited teacher preparation, the Idaho SySTEMic Solution …

Transdisciplinary Green Engineering Education At San José State University, Belle Wei, Patricia Backer

Faculty Publications

Climate change is a pressing issue for the world today. There are an increasing number of technological by-products posing a threat to the stability and quality of the world environment. According to the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), global warming appears to be accelerating, resulting in higher increases in global temperature and higher rises in the sea level. To effectively address this problem, there is a need for transdisciplinary, transnational approaches, reflecting the complexity of the problem and the interdependence of people’s lives around the world. Consequently, the Davidson College of Engineering at San José State University …

Year Five Annual Report: Activities, Findings And Evaluators' Reports, Ncete Faculty

Reports to NSF

The National Center for Engineering and Technology Education (NCETE) received funding from the National Science Foundation on September 15, 2004. Originally NCETE proposed the following goals for the Center: • To build capacity in graduate education and develop a new cadre of leaders who are engaged in research, teacher preparation, and professional development with the knowledge and skill to integrate engineering into technology education • To conduct research in how students learn engineering and technological concepts; how students learn design and problem solving, assessment and evaluation strategies; and how best to prepare technology teachers • To refocus technology teacher education …

Web Based Classes For Enhancement Of Prelaboratory Lectures, Tiffany Hesser, Michael Collura

Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Faculty Publications

The use of web classes, such as Tegrity Campus1, as a supplement to pre laboratory reading or a replacement for pre laboratory lectures could become a standard tool in laboratory education protocol. In classes with multiple lab sections and instructors, pre laboratory lectures can lack consistency and it can be difficult to gauge the students’ level of preparation. With the ever increasing exposure to technology, students generally prefer information in a digital and multimedia form, rather than textbook readings. Therefore, this method can prove to better prepare students prior to laboratory experiments, increasing the overall understanding of the chemical reactions …

Ole Miss Engineer 2009

Ole Miss Engineer

No abstract provided.

Choose Wisely: Static Or Kinetic Friction—The Power Of Dimensionless Plots, Daniel O. Ludwigsen, Kathryn A. Svinarich

Physics Publications

Consider a problem of sliding blocks, one stacked atop the other, resting on a friction-less table. If the bottom block is pulled horizontally, nature makes a choice: if the applied force is small, static friction between the blocks accelerates the blocks together, but with a large force the blocks slide apart. In that case, kinetic friction still forces the upper block forward but with less acceleration than the lower block. The choice, then, lies in the relative terms—what is meant by small and large? After a confusing experience during a recent exam, we’ve found a demonstration and graphical presentation that …

An Investigation Of Students’ Conceptual Understanding In Related Sophomore To Graduate-Level Engineering And Mechanics Courses, Devlin Montfort, Shane Brown, David Pollock

Faculty Publications - Biomedical, Mechanical, and Civil Engineering

Interviews were conducted with students from a sophomore-level mechanics of materials class, a sophomore/junior-level structures class, a senior-level steel design class and a graduate-level advanced steel design class to investigate students’ conceptual understanding of bending and normal stress. The graduate students generally demonstrated higher computational skill and confidence but they were not significantly different from the sophomores in terms of conceptual understanding. Interestingly, the seniors showed markedly lower confidence in their ability to solve the problems posed in the interviews. Common difficulties include a conceptual definition of stress and reasoning involving the normal stresses developed under bending.

The Development And Implementation Of A Nanotechnology Module Into A Large, Freshman Engineering Course, Vinod Lohani, Ganesh Balasubramanian, Ishwar Puri, Scott Case, Roop Mahajan

Ganesh Balasubramanian

The development and implementation of a nanotechnology learning module into a freshman engineering course in Virginia Tech’s large engineering program is discussed. This module, a part of a spiral theory based nanotechnology option that will be implemented in the curriculum of the Engineering Science Mechanics (ESM) department at Virginia Tech, was piloted with ~180 freshmen in Spring ’08. The pilot included a prior knowledge survey, a 40-minute in-class presentation on nanotechnology, a hands-on module involving analysis of nanoscale images, plotting of force functions at atomic scale using LABVIEW, and a post-module survey. Students’ misconceptions, observed through the prior knowledge survey, …

Resources - Thinking Small: Nano Small, David Stricker

Publications

The article provides information on the "Nanooze" magazine publication. It notes the significance of nanotechnology to the development of latest innovations that come from materials at smallest dimensions or at the nanoscale levels. It presents resources published within the publication that explore the emerging issues in nanotechnology.

Are Simulation Tools Developed And Used By Experts Appropriate Experimentation Tools For Educational Contexts?, Alejandra De Jesus Magana De Leon, George Bodner, Sean B. Brophy

School of Engineering Education Graduate Student Series

No abstract provided.

Decision Making In First Year Engineering: Exploring How Students Decide About Future Studies And Career Pathways, Ida Ngambeki, Odesma Dalrymple, Demetra Evangelou Dr

School of Engineering Education Graduate Student Series

The number of students enrolling in engineering has declined steadily over the last fifteen years, and the number of engineers joining certain fields in engineering has decreased even more drastically. A number of studies have demonstrated a strong relationship between students’ interests and abilities and their persistence in engineering. It is therefore logical to assume that students who choose a major which makes the best use of their skills and engages their interest, are more likely to not only stay, but also thrive in the field of engineering which they choose. Students who make a poor choice, because of incomplete …

Rube Goldbergineering: Lessons In Teaching Engineering Design To Future Engineers, Shawn Jordan, Nielsen Pereira

School of Engineering Education Graduate Student Series

Hands-on learning experiences and interactive learning environments can be effective in teaching K-12 students. Design, in essence, is an interactive, hands-on experience. Engineering design can be taught in the classroom using innovative hands-on projects, such as designing and building serve to teach design, promote creativity, and provide opportunities for hands-on problem solving, in addition to giving students experience working in cooperative teams. In turn, these experiences could encourage students to consider future careers in engineering and science.

This paper explores findings from data collected during the authors’ recent experience teaching a group of fifteen 4th – 6th grade students enrolled …

Lean Six Sigma Principles In Capstone Aeronautical Engineering Technology Courses, Sergey Dubikovsky, Mary E. Johnson

School of Engineering Education Graduate Student Series

No abstract provided.

Educating Engineers: A History Of Engineering Education At Valparaiso University, Edgar J. Luecke

Engineering Faculty Publications, Patents, Presentations

No abstract provided.

International Service Learning Projects For Senior Capstone Projects, Steve Reichle, Avery Bang, Carol Considine

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

Service learning is being adopted in many engineering programs at various course levels. International service learning experiences can provide senior level engineering students with opportunities to practice the required skills of engineering graduates as detailed by the ABET Criteria for Accrediting Engineering Programs. Bridges to Prosperity is a non-profit organization that builds footbridges in rural third world communities. These design build footbridge projects require a full year for fundraising, site visit, design and construction, and provide engineering students an opportunity to practice their knowledge of globalization, sustainability, engineering design, teamwork, and leadership. A team of students from the University of …

System Design And Integration For Repeated Impact Tests, Cheng Lin, Gene Hou, Sebastian Bawab, Timothy Coats, Hesham Nassar

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

The design and integration of an impact-testing machine is particularly for the test of an object which is repeatedly dropped down from a specified height. Four linear actuators with two on each of the two magnetic rails are used to lift up an object weighing up to 70 lbs. Each actuator is powered and controlled by an industrial amplifier. A Programmable Logical Controller (PLC) is applied to activate these four actuators simultaneously and repeatedly. Accelerometers using an National Instruments (NI) data acquisition system are used to measure the impact force during the tests. Students gain design and implementation experiences from …

Integrating Engineering Design Into Technology Education: Georgia's Perspective, Cameron Denson, Todd Kelley, Robert C. Wicklein

Publications

This descriptive research study reported on Georgia’s secondary level (grades 6-12) technology education programs capability to incorporate engineering concepts and/or engineering design into their curriculum. Participants were middle school and high school teachers in the state of Georgia who currently teach technology education. Participants completed a Likert-type online-survey which reported on technology education teacher’s (a) current instructional practices to teach engineering-based instruction, (b) curricular value placed on engineering-based instruction, and (c) instructional needs to teach engineering-based topics. General demographic information was collected from all participants. The results from the study aided in informing the educational community on the perspective of …

A Theoretical Framework To Guide The Re-Engineering Of Technology Education, Todd R. Kelley, Nadia Kellam

Publications

Before leaders in technology education are able to identify a theoretical framework upon which a curriculum is to stand, they must first grapple with two opposing views of the purpose of technology education – education for all learners or career/technical education. Dakers (2006) identifies two opposing philosophies that can serve as a framework for technology education, both inspired by ancient Greece, with the works of Descartes and the birth of positivism. Later reappearing in Pascal’s writings of the mathematical mind, and finally with Rousseau in the mid 1700s, the theoretical arguments of academic verses vocational were established in education, and …

Teacher Challenges To Implement Engineering Design In Secondary Technology Education (Part 3), Todd R. Kelley, Robert C. Wicklein

Publications

This descriptive study examined the current status of technology education teacher practices with respect to engineering design. This article is the third article in a three-part series presenting the results of this study. The first article in the series titled Examination of Engineering Design Curriculum Content highlighted the research findings regarding engineering design curriculum content delivered by technology education teachers. The second article in the series titled Examination of Assessment Practices for Engineering Design Projects in Secondary Technology Education reported technology education teachers’ assessment practices when implementing engineering design projects in the classroom. The sample for this study was drawn …

Examination Of Assessment Practices For Engineering Design Projects In Secondary Education (Part 2), Todd R. Kelley, Robert C. Wicklein

Publications

There is a growing interest in the topic of engineering design for technology education. At the 2007 and 2008 International Technology Education Association (ITEA) conference held in San Antonio, over 80 presentations were related to engineering topics. Further evidence of the influence and impact of engineering design content comes from the large number of well documented curriculum projects designed to infuse engineering content into technology education such as Engineering by Design; Project ProBase; Project Lead the Way, and Introduction to Engineering (Dearing & Daugherty, 2004). Likewise, state curriculum standards exist for the teaching of engineering design in technology education (Massachusetts …

Examination Of Assessment Practices For Engineering Design Projects In Secondary Education (Part 1), Todd R. Kelley, Robert C. Wicklein

Publications

The following descriptive study was designed to determine the national status of secondary technology education curriculum content and assessment practices as they relate to engineering design. The results of this study were divided into a three-part article series. Although this study focused on the larger construct of the national status of the infusion of engineering design into technology education, three separate sub-constructs emerged. The three sub-constructs were: a) status of engineering design curriculum content; b) the status of assessment practices of engineering design projects, and c) what selected challenges are identified by secondary technology educators in teaching engineering design.

Using Engineering Cases In Technology Education, Todd R. Kelley

Publications

The article discusses issues related to the use of engineering case studies in technology education in K-12 classrooms. Experts from K-12 education, universities, industry and U.S. government officials came to an agreement on the need to implement engineering in K-12 schools. In relation to the proposed use of engineering case studies in technology education, several definitions of the term "design case studies." The presentation of cases using multimedia formats is also cited as a powerful format of engineering design cases.

Motivation While Designing In Engineering And Technology Education Impacted By Academic Preparation, Nathan Mentzer, Kurt Becker

Publications

The purpose of this study was to determine if high school students’ academic preparation was correlated with change in motivation during an engineering design challenge. The research was conducted in a high school classroom in which elements of engineering design were taught in a technology education context to eleventh-grade student from diverse academic backgrounds (measured by grade point average [GPA]). Participant motivation was assessed by the California Measure of Mental Motivation (CM3). The CM3 measures student motivation to apply critical thinking skills and reasoning to solve problems in five subscales: mental focus, learning orientation, creative problem solving, cognitive integrity, and …

Delivering Core Engineering Concepts To Secondary Level Students, Chris Merrill, Rodney L. Custer, Jenny Daugherty, Martin Westrick, Yong Zeng

Publications

Within primary and secondary school technology education, engineering has been proposed as an avenue to bring about technological literacy (Lewis, 2005; Dearing & Daugherty, 2004). Different initiatives such as curriculum development projects (i.e., Project ProBase and Project Lead The Way) and National Science Foundation funded projects such as the National Center for Engineering and Technology Education (NCETE) have been developed to infuse engineering into primary and secondary education. For example, one key goal of the technology teacher education component of NCETE is to impact the focus and content of the technology education field at the secondary level (National Center for …

Essential Concepts Of Engineering Design Curriculum In Secondary Technology Education, Robert G. Wicklein, Phillip C. Smith Jr., Soo Jung Kim

Publications

Technology education is a field of study that seeks to promote technological literacy for all students. According to a recent study, in the United States, technology education is part of the state framework for 38 states, there are approximately 35,909 middle or high school technology teachers, and technology education is most frequently an elective course (Meade & Dugger, 2004). Indeed, students have an opportunity to learn about the processes and knowledge related to technology that are needed to solve problems and extend human capabilities through technology education. Wright and Lauda (1993) defined technology education as a program designed to help …