Engineering Education Commons^™

Work In Progress – Building Innovative Curricula For Electrical And Computer Engineering Programs At The University Of Mount Union, Okechukwu Ugweje, Chad S. Korach

ASEE North Midwest Section Annual Conference 2020 Publications

Background: The University of Mount Union has introduced new programs in Electrical and Computer engineering. In a liberal arts college with unique curriculum requirements, it is challenging to develop a new program in electrical and computer engineering. With several university mandates such as only 4- and 2-credit hours courses only, and Integrative Core liberal arts requirements, designing the new programs in engineering has been challenging.
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present the ongoing effort to develop new Electrical and Computer engineering programs at the University of Mount Union. The program curricula are unique as there are no …

Staying Connected – Interactive Student Learning During The Covid Transition To Remote Learning, Jeffrey A. Starke, Margaret L. Mcnamara, Richard J. Povinelli, Daniela Castillo-Perez, L. Noelle Brigham

ASEE North Midwest Section Annual Conference 2020 Publications

Background. How can we transition courses in one week, while maintaining a similar experience for students? This was probably the initial response by faculty across universities as they transitioned to remote learning, mid-semester, in response to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Our approach is supported by the ICAP framework which posits that “as activities move from passive to active to constructive to interactive, students undergo different knowledge-change processes and, as a result, learning will increase.” (Chi and Wylie, 2014)
Purpose/Hypothesis. How we could foster students’ interactions with course material, instructors, and their peers using collaborative technology and course activities? It was hypothesized …

A New Method For Biomechanical Data Acquisition In Remote Laboratory Delivery During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Ahmed M. Sayed

ASEE North Midwest Section Annual Conference 2020 Publications

Background: Delivery of a hands-on laboratory experience is a real challenge in the present pandemic environment. Many instructors tend to acquire and record experimental data, and then instruct their students to analyze such data to produce results and lab reports in an online course mode. Such a process considerably diminishes students’ motivation, engagement, and eagerness to explore further knowledge, as students appreciate more experimental data that they gather themselves. Such drawbacks are even more profound in a practical field such as biomechanics, where students need to feel the sense of kinematic and kinetic data of their own body motions and …

A Comparison Of Platform Configurations For Robotics Development Within Ros2, Raspberry Pi, Andwebots, Katherine Gisi, Diane T. Rover, Phillip H. Jones Iii

ASEE North Midwest Section Annual Conference 2020 Publications

Background: The field of robotics continues to expand with new, progressive technologies. The vast ecosystem of robotics, with its countless routes, is initially challenging to navigate. It is even more so during a season of virtual instruction. Creating strategic entrance points for the incoming students merits consideration. Purpose: Our aim is to provide a way for students to explore three critical areas in robotics: the physical robot (hardware), the simulated robot (digital twin), and the operating system and code (controller).
Method: We explore options for integrating two advanced robot development frameworks (i.e. Robot Operating System 2 (ROS2) and Webots) in …

Critical And Liberative Theories: Applications In Engineering Education, Corin L. Bowen, Aaron W. Johnson

ASEE North Midwest Section Annual Conference 2020 Publications

Background. Higher educational programs in engineering today are seeking to correct disproportionately low enrollment and success rates of minoritized students. However, most diversity-related programming fails to address systems of structural oppression that cause particular students to be underrepresented in higher education. In addition, typical engineering pedagogical methods fail to address the reality and impacts of structural oppression, as educators cannot overcome the effects of structurally oppressive systems through traditional methods of controlling classroom and curriculum.
Purpose. This paper explores the relationship between existing critical and liberative theories and engineering educational systems and re-frames the goals and problems of diversity and …

An Augmented Reality Multimedia Learning Platform Assisting Online Lecture Delivery Of Engineering Classes: An Hvac Course, Huojan Yang, Jiaming Zhao, Tianyi Liang, Siqing Zheng, Nikolas R. Kukert, Jun Kong

ASEE North Midwest Section Annual Conference 2020 Publications

Background: The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has recently resulted in an emergent shift of traditional instruction to (presumably temporary) online delivery, and many students were not able to participate in practical activities (e.g., laboratory experiments) due to inaccessible or unavailable “brick and mortar” laboratories. Purpose: This works-in-progress paper developed a multimedia learning platform with virtual laboratory modules through an Augmented Reality (AR) environment, where virtual objects (augmented components) are superimposed onto a real learning setting during online lecture instruction. Specifically, to facilitate students’ gaining practical skills, a library of virtual objects were established for the main physical components or systems related …

Proposing An Engineering Gendered Racial Microaggression Scale, Arielle True-Funk, Cristina Poleacovschi, Gloria Jones-Johnson, Scott Grant Feinstein, Meghan Berger

ASEE North Midwest Section Annual Conference 2020 Publications

Background Minorities in engineering regularly experience negative statements or behaviors of others that disparage them due to their gender, race, ethnicity, or other identity. Students from engineering have cited these persistent subtle negative statements and behaviors, or microaggressions, as reasons for considering leaving engineering programs or the university entirely. Previous measures of microaggressions have not been designed to capture the unique experiences of minorities within the engineering environment.
Purpose This research differs from previous work because it incorporates an intersectional perspective by acknowledging microaggressions are not experienced universally for individuals within all groups or institutions (Crenshaw et al. 1993; Wilkins …

Correlating Mechanics Of Materials Student Performance With Scores Of A Test Over Prerequisite Material, Nicholas Alan Smith, Roy Y. Myose, Syed J. Raza, Elizabeth Rollins

ASEE North Midwest Section Annual Conference 2020 Publications

Background – It can be difficult to differentiate the effects of curriculum and instructional changes from differences in student preparation and capabilities. Purpose – In this work we will determine whether a test over prerequisite material from Statics and Calculus can be useful in predicting performance in Mechanics of Materials courses.
Method –This “pre-test” involves the application of concepts and knowledge through problem solving rather than multiple-choice questions alone. This pre-test was administered to 692 students in 19 sections taught by three different instructors over four years at Wichita State University.
Conclusions – Results show that pre-test scores given …

A Hybrid Mechanics Of Materials Course Part 2: Study Of The Effect Of A Sudden Change To Fully-Online Format, Roy Y. Myrose, Elizabeth Rollins

ASEE North Midwest Section Annual Conference 2020 Publications

The recent COVID-19 health crisis caused universities worldwide to move suddenly to an online format during the middle of the spring semester. This change in class format provides a unique opportunity to study the effect of this abrupt shift to online learning on student performance. In order to develop a baseline, the performance of 79 students in two sections of a hybrid Mechanics of Materials course during the face-to-face portion in the spring of 2020 was compared to the past performance of 461 students in 13 sections taught by the same instructor in a similar fashion. Using this comparison as …

Implementing Professional Skills Training In Stem: A Review Of The Literature, Ann M. Gansemer-Topf, Qing Li, Shan Jiang, Guk E. Okudan-Kremer, Nigel Forest Reuel

ASEE North Midwest Section Annual Conference 2020 Publications

Background: Project management and other professional skill training is often lacking in graduate student education, typically as a result of limited resources, lack of faculty buy-in, and narrow focus on thesis research. To address this need and with support from NSF, we are developing the Graduates for Advancing Professional Skills (GAPS) program at Iowa State University. To aid the initial development of this program, we conducted a literature review to understand the current context of the development and implementation of professional skills in higher education curricula, with specific interest in STEM fields.
Purpose: The purpose of our study was …

Revising A Portfolio Initiative To Assess Student Progress In A Mechanical Engineering Program, Nancy B. Barr

ASEE North Midwest Section Annual Conference 2020 Publications

Background: This work-in-progress paper describes an effort to modify a pre-existing course portfolio initiative in a large mechanical engineering undergraduate program to be used for multiple forms of program assessment while maintaining its value as a student learning tool.
Purpose: This paper aims to outline the process that an ad-hoc department committee used to define what it wanted to assess in a required four-course second and third-year problem-based learning sequence by reviewing various rubric options.
Design: Deciding what to assess and what language to use in a rubric involved a series of facilitated discussions.
Results: Following a mock assessment exercise, …

A Community Of Practice Approach To Integrating Professional Skills Training With Graduate Thesis Research, Shan Jiang, Ann M. Gansemer-Topf, Nigel Forest Reuel, Gul E. Okudan-Kremer, Qing Li, Rebecca Mort

ASEE North Midwest Section Annual Conference 2020 Publications

Background. It is well recognized that current graduate education is too narrowly focused on thesis research. Graduate students have a strong desire to gain skills for their future career success beyond thesis research. This obvious gap in professional skill training in current graduate study also leads to the common student perception that professional skills beyond academic knowledge should only be gained after completion of thesis research.
Purpose. A new program is being developed to rigorously integrate professional skills training with thesis research. The approach is to establish learning communities of Graduates for Advancing Professional Skills (GAPS) to incorporate project management …

The Investigation Of The Relationship Between Emotional Engagement And Creativity, Elif Elcin Gunay, Chih-Yuan Chu, Liyuani De Jesus Delgado Tapia, Omar El Menoufy, Ani Yam, Shibani Raje, Rafal Jonczyk, Danille S. Dickson, Janet Van Hell, Zahed Siddique, Gul E. Okudan-Kremer

ASEE North Midwest Section Annual Conference 2020 Publications

Background - One of the most critical challenges in engineering education is improving students’ divergent thinking skills. Usually, we observe students’ fixating on only one single solution for engineering problems. However, their ability to think outside the box and provide alternative solutions should be developed. Research shows that engagement may foster the development of thoughts and boost creativity.
Purpose/Hypothesis – Our aim was to investigate students’ engagement with tasks that inspire different facets of creativity (verbal, numeric, and visual). Considering the role of demographics in student engagement, we explored the relationship between their engagement level and demographic traits such as …

Correlation Of Student Participation In Practice Exams And Actual Exam Performance, Antonette T. Cummings

ASEE North Midwest Section Annual Conference 2020 Publications

Background: Practice exams are a type of formative feedback. These can be administered through learning management systems such as D2L and Canvas as low stakes assessment. This paper intends to show the relationship between students’ participation in online practice exams and their scores on the actual exams.
Research Questions: Does participation in timed, online practice exams correlate with improved actual exam performance on similar questions? Does a correct answer in a timed, online practice exam correlate with obtaining the correct answer on the actual exam on a similar question? Does participation in timed, online practice exams correlate with improved overall …

Faculty And Student Perceptions On Shared Teaching Materials For Advanced Manufacturing (Stam): Building Momentum Through Workshops, Richard Wysk, Gul E. Okudan Kremer

ASEE North Midwest Section Annual Conference 2020 Publications

In this paper, we summarize the outcomes of the two workshops aimed at speeding up the transition of research-based advanced manufacturing knowledge into course curriculum for technology and engineering programs. Advanced manufacturing technologies have opened up the realm for new products that only a decade ago were considered unproducible. For example metals 3D Printing has almost no geometric limitations, which allows engineers to develop mesh–based products. Unfortunately, the educational system that serves to educate the majority of manufacturing technicians and engineers still utilizes many of the same curriculum resources for these emerging areas (textbooks, traditional lectures, etc.), frequently creating an …

Using Schema Training To Facilitate Students' Understanding Of Challenging Engineering Concepts In Heat Transfer And Thermodynamics, Dazhi Yang, Ruth Streveler, Ronald L. Miller, Inanc Senocak, Jim Slotta

Educational Technology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Chi and colleagues have argued that some of the most challenging engineering concepts exhibit properties of emergent systems. However, students often lack a mental framework, or schema, for understanding emergence. Slotta and Chi posited that helping students develop a schema for emergent systems, referred to as schema training, would increase the understanding of challenging concepts exhibiting emergent properties.

Purpose: We tested the effectiveness of schema training and explored the nature of challenging concepts from thermodynamics and heat transfer. We investigated if schema training could (a) repair misconceptions in advanced engineering students and (b) prevent them in beginning engineering students. …

Elementary Teachers’ Mental Images Of Engineers At Work, Rebekah Hammack, Juliana Utley, Toni Ivey, Karen High

Journal of Pre-College Engineering Education Research (J-PEER)

The purpose of the current study was to determine the impacts of a multiple-day engineering-focused professional development program on elementary teachers’ perceptions of the work of engineers and their use of mathematics and science. Data were collected in the form of drawings of engineers prior to and immediately after the professional development program as well as an open-ended exit survey at the end of the program. Participants’ drawings were scored in the following areas: use of mathematics, use of science, and work of an engineer. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests revealed that the only significant change between measures was in ‘‘work of …

The Importance Of Collaborative Design For Narrowing The Gender Gap In Engineering: An Analysis Of Engineering Identity Development In Elementary Students, Mandy Mclean, Jasmine M. Nation, Alexis Spina, Tyler Susko, Danielle Harlow, Julie Bianchini

Journal of Pre-College Engineering Education Research (J-PEER)

Research suggests that, to narrow the gender gap in engineering, we should focus on helping young girls identify with engineering both because gendered attitudes emerge around kindergarten and because identity is more predictive than performance on persistence in the field. This qualitative study sought to understand the impact of collaborative engineering design on the development of engineering identities in elementary-school students and compared the findings across gender. We focused on three tiers of collaboration embedded into the engineering design process: peer groups, role models, and shared goals. More specifically, the elementary students worked in small teams and partnered with undergraduate …

An Evaluation Of Technical Oral Presentation Components In Engineering, Mohamed Abdullah Adnan

Student Works (2020-2029)

This case study evaluates implementation of Technical Oral Presentations (TOP) components in English for Specific Academic Purposes (ESAP) language course for engineering undergraduates at a technical university. The respondents were 310 engineering undergraduates who registered for English Technical Communication (ETC) course and 12 instructors from Universiti Malaysia Pahang. The case study employs Convergent Parallel design to collect data in all four evaluation components of Context, Input, Process and Product (CIPP) Evaluation Model. Two questionnaires were administered in this study. The Questionnaire Set A were distributed to English language instructors teaching English for Technical Communication course while the Questionnaire Set B …

Engineering And Technology For The Better Good Of Society, Pit-Oer, Huixin Wu, Raymond Lam, Dimitrios Stroumbakis

Open Educational Resources

Understanding the importance of New America's commitment to strengthening the outcomes of non-profits and the public sector. We at QCC's Engineering Technology (ET) Department are dedicated to contributing to the nationwide efforts underway by Universities to establish Public-Interest-in-Technology curriculums. Technology impacts our every day lives like never before and it is time to augment the technologists' and engineers' education with curriculum components to enhance their ability to serve the good of society by:

• Teaching students to leverage 3D printing, Open Source Coding, Project Management and Engineering Ethics for the good of society.
• Exposing ET students to put into practice the …