Engineering Commons^™

The Positive Effects Of Study Abroad On Education, Brooke Semler

Honors Theses

Education, especially at the collegiate level, can be influenced in many ways. Traveling, especially in the form of study abroad allows individuals to experience different cultures firsthand and broaden their perspectives of the world. Study abroad and education have a very strong correlation. When examining all students that attended Western Michigan University from Summer of 2011 to the 2017-2018 school year, students who studied abroad have higher educational success than students who don’t. Most students who completed study abroad show a higher GPA after completing their study abroad course. Furthermore, students who studied abroad have a higher graduation rate than …

Interactive Virtual Scanning Electron Microscope Inspired By 3d Game-Design, Pnina Ari-Gur, Igor Lapsker, Tyler Bayne, Eric Allen Pietrowicz, Peter Thannhauser, Spencer Hoin, Hermanu Joko Nugroho

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

The scanning electron microscope (SEM) has evolved to become an indispensable tool for research and education in engineering, physics, nanotechnology, geosciences, materials science, biological sciences and other fields. However, training on a physical SEM is costly, time consuming, and often unavailable in economically disadvantaged areas. Advances in computer technology have made interactive three-dimensional (3D) virtual laboratory an effective tool for training in medicine and many engineering and technology fields. In the current work, in order to provide cost-effective hands-on training, a virtual 3D SEM was developed using the game development engine Unity 3D. It contains realistic 3D models of the …

Incorporating Virtual Reality Training In An Introductory Public Speaking Course, Kevin Kryston, Henry Goble, Allison Eden

Journal of Communication Pedagogy

This study presents the results of two studies using a virtual reality (VR) public-speaking training simulation as an instructional aid in a basic communication course. Results from the first study suggest that VR practice was associated with higher subsequent speech delivery grades in the course compared to no practice. However, VR practice did not reduce public speaking anxiety (PSA). In a follow-up study, VR practice was compared with other forms of lab-based practice including in front of a mirror and a recorded video session. All forms of lab practice (VR, mirror, or video) were associated with higher speech grades than …

Human-Robot Teaming Configurations: A Study Of Interpersonal Communication Perceptions And Affective Learning In Higher Education, Bryan Abendschein, Chad Edwards, Autumn P. Edwards, Varun Rijhwani, Jasmine Stahl

Journal of Communication Pedagogy

Technology encourages collaboration in creative ways in the classroom. Specifically, social robots may offer new opportunities for greater innovation in teaching. In this study, we combined the established literature on co-teaching teams with the developing field of machine actors used in education to investigate the impressions students had of different team configurations that included both a human and a robot. Participants saw one of three teams composed of a human and a social robot with different responsibilities present a short, prerecorded lecture (i.e., human as lead teacher-robot as teaching assistant, robot as lead teacher-human as teaching assistant, human and robot …

Stem Teacher Database, Veronica Buss

Honors Theses

The College of Engineering and Applied Sciences (CEAS) Recruitment web application provides access to recruitment information for the Manager of Recruitment and Outreach and those who also use the spreadsheet file with their current data. This database is a functional database for the WMU college of engineering and applied sciences’ recruiters to organize their data on STEM teachers from the feeder high schools of WMU. The app provides an interface for its users to filter and search the data they have compiled to create recruitment mailing reports. The main purpose of this app was to facilitate the retrieval and upkeep …

Engaging Student Patrons With Traditional And Experimental Technology, Scott Russell, Joshua Enos, James Lane, Roy Zimmer

Academic Leadership Academy

No abstract provided.

Human Behavior Modeling For Residential Energy Consumption, Mesfer Alrizq

Research and Creative Activities Poster Day

Electric utility companies are interested in load profile (electricity consumption) data for expansion planning. Conventional methods of collecting the load profile data, such as surveys and metering, are tedious and time consuming activities. Cumbersome data collection processes also pose barriers. We present an innovative behavior model for generating electricity consumption load profiles. The model, based on fuzzy logic and activity graphs, requires minimum consumer data and can be easily updated to adapt to changes in technology. We demonstrate the accuracy of our model against real world data.

Life Is A Lab: Developing A Communication Research Lab For Undergraduate And Graduate Education, Autumn P. Edwards, Chad Edwards, Patric R. Spence

Journal of Communication Pedagogy

Tips offered center on classroom discourse, curriculum choices, and potential assignments. In this article, we present tips for creating a thriving undergraduate and graduate communication research lab. Based on our experiences developing and co-directing the Communication and Social Robotics Labs (CSRLs), we offer 10 best practices for acquiring resources and recognition, building a strong lab community, and attaining faculty and student goals for scholarship and beyond. Our overarching approach is framed by Dewey’s (1916) pragmatist educational metaphysic, which stresses student- and subject-centered learning, enlarging experiences, and the co-construction of meaning and knowledge. Although our labs are focused on human-machine communication …

A Meta-Analysis Of Energy Savings From Lighting Programs In Michigan, Teryila Ephraim Amough

Dissertations

In order to fill the gap in aggregates savings, the challenges faced by electric utilities for the demand of lighting energy are addressed by lighting efficiency programs. The shrinking capacity and electrical grid reliability call for improved ways to evaluate energy saving programs with evaluation methods that are robust in determining the impact of lighting programs. This study employed meta-analysis as an evaluation method to determine energy savings, impact, emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG), pollutants, and health effects from lighting programs in Michigan. The findings of the study showed the programs impact in Hedges’ g of 0.36 for the overall …

Ceas E-News 09.12.2014, College Of Engineering And Applied Sciences

College of Engineering and Applied Sciences News

• 2014 Passport Day at the Parkview Campus Attended by More Than 350 Incoming Students
• Dr. Ala Al-Fuqaha Awarded $499,986 National Science Foundation Grant
• Dr. Steve Carr Awarded $400,000 National Science Foundation Grant
• Advanced Technology Summer Camp at WMU

Ceas E-News 08.15.2014, College Of Engineering And Applied Sciences

College of Engineering and Applied Sciences News

• Sunseeker Places 3rd at Formula Sun Grand Prix
• New WMU Aerospace Engineering Master’s Degree Program Takes Off This Fall
• Paper Technology Foundation Annual Meeting to Highlight 100% Job Placement and Record Starting Salaries for WMU Paper Engineering Graduates
• Homecoming, Job Fair and Engineering Expo

Ceas E-News 07.17.2014, College Of Engineering And Applied Sciences

College of Engineering and Applied Sciences News

• Last Competition for the 2010 Model Sunseeker in 2014 American Solar Challenge
• WMU Engineering Students Design Impact Sensor for Football Helmets to Detect Concussions

Ceas E-News 06.20.2014, College Of Engineering And Applied Sciences

College of Engineering and Applied Sciences News

• Transportation Research Center receives second $1.4 million installment of funding for research
• Civil and construction engineering students investigate sensing technologies
• Geomatics summer course offers fundamentals in surveying and advanced technologies
• Summer commencement
• ·

Ceas E-News 05.09.2014, College Of Engineering And Applied Sciences

College of Engineering and Applied Sciences News

• WMU Competes In International Aircraft Design Competition
• Kyle Croes Wins the James W. Barany Award for Student Excellence
• Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE) Paper Competition Award
• WMU Students Impress at PaperCon 2014
• WMU Civil and Construction Engineering Department Prepares Career-Ready Graduates
• Summer Camps 2014
• Graduate Poster Competition

Single Case Research Designs: An Effective And Efficient Methodology For Applied Aviation Research, Geoffrey R. Whitehurst

Dissertations

The purpose of this three-paper dissertation is to examine the potential of single case research designs (SCDs) as an appropriate and efficient experimental design for use in applied aviation research. In the current environment of dwindling resources, funding for experiments requiring large sample sizes, a normal requirement for between-group designs, is becoming difficult to find. However, the need to improve safety within the aviation industry is an ongoing requirement, especially as advances in technology continue have an impact on how the industry operates. SCDs are experimental designs that require very few participants and therefore have the potential to save time …

Leg-Up: Helping Youth Apply Engineering, Tycho K. Fredericks, Steven E. Butt

Academic Leadership Academy

Leg-Up is a program that was designed to encourage youth to understand and apply math and engineering concepts they are taught in school. This program immerses middle school students in real world problem solving; it allows students to select a problem they deem important, and with the aid of mentors, determine a solution via the scientific method.

"Elementary" Engineering Experiences, Steven E. Butt, Tycho K. Fredericks

Academic Leadership Academy

Through early exposure to engineering, this program attempts to open the minds of children to future exciting opportunities that are accessible to them if they are appropriately prepared in mathematics and science. The program consists of a two to four hour session in which students, parents, and teachers are walked through a sequence of hands-on activities in various locations within the CEAS building. In addition to immersing the students in engaging activities, time is also invested in helping students understand who engineers are and what engineers do. This includes describing the various engineering disciplines, and their workplaces.

A Recommended Program Of Related Instruction For Electrical Apprentices, Andrew C. Luff

Masters Theses

Chapter I

Introduction

The Role of Apprenticeship

The institution of apprenticeship has been an important educational process since the beginning of history. Centuries ago trade skills were passed on from father to son, and from master to novice through an association whereby the craftsman taught the novice the skills of his trade. Down through history apprenticeship has flourished either in one form or another, and today it is an important part of the industrial system. Apprenticeship has developed in accord with industrial progress.

In order to avoid confusion, it may be well at the outset to designate the meaning of …