Engineering Education Commons^™

Embedding Simulation Education Into The Engineering Management Body Of Knowledge, Andreas Tolk, Ghaith Rabadi, Donald N. Merino

Computational Modeling & Simulation Engineering Faculty Publications

The American Society for Engineering Management (ASEM) established a Body of Knowledge (BoK). As simulation is of growing interest to engineers in general and to engineering managers in particular, simulation is part of this documentation of domains of interest that characterise the profession. The basis for the Body of Knowledge comprises of established and accredited curricula and additional input from practitioners of the field. As it is essential to cover the basic topics and core competences as well as application specific domain knowledge, the simulation education for engineers is categorised into topics on simulation theory and simulation application.

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 …

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.

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.

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 …

A Comparison Of Instructional Delivery Methods Based On Student Evaluation Data, John Hackworth, Carol Considine, Vernon Lewis

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

Distance Education is an increasingly common educational delivery method. At Old Dominion University, all junior and senior level engineering technology courses are offered via distance education at least once every two years. A majority of courses in the distance education system at this university have three simultaneous delivery methods: on-campus, televised (receiving the course at an off-campus site via satellite video/audio), and internet-based video-streamed.

This paper explores the results of student course evaluation surveys for trends, in particular those trends which can be a result of the mode of delivery. Results of these surveys for 23 courses over a 4-year …

Ole Miss Engineer 2008

Ole Miss Engineer

No abstract provided.

Work In Progress -- Balancing Prescribed And Project-Based Experiences In Microfabrication Laboratories, Chang-Soo Kim, Steve Eugene Watkins

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Student education for microfabrication processes needs to integrate theoretical understanding with process understanding. Instructional challenges exist in designing effective laboratory experiences. The pedagogical issues include linking theoretical lecture concepts to cost-effective laboratories, tailoring the relative time between lectures and laboratories, and balancing the laboratory assignments between prescribed and project-based experiences. We describe the progressive implementations of microfabrication laboratory experiences in graduate courses. The first offering has no laboratory activity. The prescribed laboratory and project-based laboratory components were gradually incorporated. All laboratory experiences were team-based and utilized cost-effective facilities. The assessments indicate that students prefer significant laboratory experience and that learning …

Education Enhancement Using Visualization And Simulation Tools For Basic Circuit Theory Concepts, Jariwala Rajvi Prakashchandra

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

New generation web-technologies and supporting development tools have prompted opportunities for developing new methods of teaching and learning. Web-based visualization and simulation modules developed for ODU's ECE201 Circuit Theory course are presented in this thesis. Visualization and simulation methodology is used to make learning process more interactive and effective. Macromedia FLASH software, which has the extensive graphical animation capabilities, is used to develop visualization modules. Lab VIEW is a leading graphical development tool for science and engineering with a built-in functionality for simulation, data acquisition, instrument control, measurement analysis and data presentation. These capabilities are utilized to develop web-based simulation …

Product Focused Freeform Fabrication Education, Frank W. Liou, Ming-Chuan Leu

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Presented in this paper is our experience of teaching freeform fabrication to students at the Missouri University of Science and Technology, and to high school students and teachers. The emphasis of the curriculum is exposing students to rapid product development technologies with the goal of creating awareness to emerging career opportunities in CAD/CAM. Starting from solid modeling, principles of freeform fabrication, to applications of rapid prototyping and manufacturing in industry sponsored product development projects, students can learn in-depth freeform fabrication technologies. Interactive course content with hands-on experience for product development is the key towards the success of the program.

Why Do School-Leavers Study Engineering In The Technological University Dublin And How Do They Get There: A Report Of A Survey Of 390 First Year Engineering Students In The Technological University Dublin And A Summary Of The Data Collected Since 2003., Eddie Conlon, Kathleen Murray

Reports

This report sets out the findings of a survey of 389 first year engineering students who commenced studying in the Technological University Dublin (DIT) in September 2007. The questionnaire was completed online using WebCT.

The background information on students is taken from DIT records.This data is based on the records of 525 students who were attending DIT courses in October 2007.

How Accurate Is Students’ Self Assessment Of Computer Skills?, Michael A. Collura, Samuel Bogan Daniels

Engineering and Applied Science Education Faculty Publications

Self-evaluation by students is commonly used as a key element in program and course assessment plans. Such instruments are intended to provide crucial feedback for program improvement and thus play a significant role in closing our assessment loop. For many of the program outcomes, self-assessment by current students and graduates augments other, more objective measures. However, for some outcomes there are no practical means of obtaining objective assessment and we must rely on self-assessment. The heavy reliance on this metric begs the question “How accurate is student self-assessment?” This paper provides data from a second-semester engineering course in which students …

The Party’S Over: Sustaining Support Programs When The Funding Is Done, John Gardner, Pat Pyke, Cheryl Schrader, Janet M. Callahan, Amy Moll

Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

In the lifecycle of an engineering education grant, the phase where best practices are sustained and disseminated is perhaps the most crucial stage for maximizing impact. Yet this transition phase often receives the least attention as project team enthusiasm can wane, while funding tapers off, and faculty priorities are pulled in other directions. There are numerous obstacles associated with sustaining program changes, even those perceived as very valuable. Typical challenges are: What happens when the funding runs out? What grant-developed programs should be sustained by the university? Does the institution need to internally allocate resources in an annual budget large …

Apples And Oranges? A Proposed Research Design To Examine The Correspondence Between Two Measures Of Engineering Learning, Patrick Terenzini, Lisa Lattuca, Matthew Ohland, Russell Long

School of Engineering Education Faculty Publications

In 2004, ABET commissioned Engineering Change, a study of the impact of Engineering Criteria 2000 (EC2000) on the preparation of undergraduates for careers in engineering. One legacy of that study is a database of EC2000-specific self-reported student learning outcomes at 40 institutions, including precollege characteristics and engineering program outcomes for more than 4,300 graduates of the class of 2004. A second dataset, the Multiple-Institution Database for Investigating Engineering Longitudinal Development (MIDFIELD), compiles institutional data, including demographic and academic transcript records and Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) scores, from nine universities from 1987-2005. In this paper, we propose a design to combine …

Student Performance And Faculty Development In Scale Up Engineering Mechanics And Math Courses, Lisa Benson, William Moss, Sherrill Biggers, Scott Schiff, Mariss Orr, Matthew Ohland

School of Engineering Education Faculty Publications

Our research team is in their second year of implementing active and cooperative learning in second-year engineering mechanics and math courses using the Student-Centered Activities for Large Enrollment Undergraduate Programs (SCALE-UP) model. With this approach, large studio classes are taught with an emphasis on learning by guided inquiry instead of standard listening and note taking by students. The project focuses on the development and delivery of instructional material and documentation of student comprehension, performance and perceptions in Statics, Dynamics, and Multivariate Calculus courses at Clemson University. The project is also examining the benefit of integrating the content of the two …

Student Study Habits And Their Effectiveness In An Integrated Statics And Dynamics Class, Marisa Orr, Lisa Benson, Matthew Ohland, Sherrill Biggers

School of Engineering Education Faculty Publications

Integrated Statics and Dynamics is a required five-credit course that was offered for Mechanical Engineering students at Clemson University for the first time in Fall 2006. The large-enrollment course was taught using innovative active learning techniques and new course materials. To aid in the development of the course, 211 students were asked to self-report their study habits in an 8 question survey. A cluster analysis was used to identify three study habit profiles. Knowing how students allocate their time and the effectiveness of their strategies can promote more effective guidance for students who are struggling to learn the material while …

Enhancing Precalculus Curricula With E-Learning: Implementation And Assessment, Janet Callahan, Seung Youn Chyung, Joanna Guild, William Clement, Joe Guarino, Doug Bullock, Cheryl Schrader

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

During Fall semester of 2007, a semester-long, quasi-experimental study was conducted at Boise State University to investigate the effectiveness of a systematically sequenced and managed, self-paced e-learning activity on improving students’ academic performance and motivation. A total of 125 students enrolled in 3 different sections of a Precalculus class participated in the study. The e-learning activity was implemented in 2 of the 3 sections as a required homework assignment. Students enrolled in one of the 2 selected sections were all engineering majors. The 3^rd section was a control group that did not use the e-learning activity. A pre-test, measuring …

Engineering Project Laboratory Modules For An Introduction To Materials Course, Stacy Gleixner, Elliot Douglas, Olivia Graeve

Faculty Publications

The final results of curriculum development under an NSF, CCLI-EMD sponsored project, “Development of Project-Based Introductory to Materials Engineering Modules” (DUE # #0341633) is discussed. A multi-university team of faculty developed five lecture and three laboratory modules for use in Introductory to Materials courses. This course is required by most engineering programs in the U.S., with an annual enrollment of 50,000 students.1 This freshman/ sophomore class is an ideal place to excite students about their engineering majors and expose them to real world engineering problems. PRIME Modules, Project Based Resources for Introduction to Materials Engineering, utilize modern materials science and …

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

Reports to NSF

The National Center for Engineering and Technology Education is a collaborative network of scholars with backgrounds in technology education, engineering, and related fields. Our mission is to build capacity in technology education and to improve the understanding of the learning and teaching of high school students and teachers as they apply engineering design processes to technological problems.

Ole Miss Engineer 2008

Ole Miss Engineer

No abstract provided.

Integration Of Information Operations Theory Into The Corporate Air Force, Thomas R. Kettles Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to determine the desired end-state for company grade officers in terms of an information operations education. Specifically, an examination of company grade officer curricula from the pre-commissioning sources to the Squadron Officer College was performed. This assessment was then compared to the Air Force Institute of Technology Cyber Competency Areas Framework. Any areas that were missing from the current company grade officer curricula were identified and a proposed implementation plan was presented to correct these deficiencies. To aid in developing an implementation plan, redundancies between the two Squadron Officer College courses were identified. Furthermore, …

Resources: Staying In Touch - Gone Global, Todd R. Kelley

Publications

The article highlights two classroom activities that help classrooms communicate globally using communication technologies. They include the pen-pal/classroom exchange program and the online exchange program using web cams and videoconferencing. Moreover, it discusses how the cited communication technologies enhance learning as well as the challenges inherent in using them in a classroom setting.

Join The Mission, Design A Patch, Nathan Mentzer, Fay Mentzer, Krista Jones

Publications

The article presents a classroom activity designed for third grade and up that requires students to design their own mission patch. The activity references the patches developed and designed by the U.S. National Aeronautics & Space Administration. Moreover, the article discusses the design of the activity, the available resources, the evaluation process and interdisciplinary connections.

Design Activity: Students Designing Their Own Video Games, Steve Shumway

Publications

The article presents a school activity helping students to design their own computer video games. In the past, advanced programming using Java or C++ was used to design video games. At present, there are many free, easy-to-use software programs available to help elementary-age children create their own video games. The article suggests that teachers download a free version of this software and begin the tutorial.

Cognitive Processes Of Students Participating In Engineering-Focused Design Instruction, Todd R. Kelley

Publications

Since the publication of the Standards for Technological Literacy in 2000 (ITEA), there have been a number of new programs developed that are designed to teach pre-engineering. Project Lead the Way is one such program. Project Lead the Way boasts serving over 1250 schools in 44 states and teaching over 160,000 students (McVearry, 2003). Efforts are also being made to infuse engineering design into technology education programs. One example of this is the work of the National Center for Engineering and Technology Education (NCETE) partnering with high school technology educators in summer inservice workshops to help teachers develop activities and …

Analogical Reasoning In The Engineering Design Process And Technology Education Applications, Jenny Daugherty, Nathan Mentzer

Publications

This synthesis paper discusses the research exploring analogical reasoning, the role of analogies in the engineering design process, and educational applications for analogical reasoning. Researchers have discovered that analogical reasoning is often a fundamental cognitive tool in design problem solving. Regarding the possible role of analogical reasoning in the context of technology education; analogies may be a useful tool to develop student’s design skills, teach abstract or complex concepts, and build students’ analogical reasoning skills for general problem solving. The positive and negative educational implications of analogical reasoning being explored by researchers are also discussed.

Resources: Handheld Computing Devices, Cameron Denson

Publications

The article features a valuable resource to aid teachers in their effort to satisfy the need to implement modern instructional technology and their students' need to access green technology. It states that handheld computing devices are currently being widely used in many classrooms and technology savvy educators can manifest to the benefits of these data-collection systems. It believes that handheld units can offer students with an all-inclusive technological device that caters to all learners.

Engineering Student Outcomes For Grades 9 - 12, Vincent W. Childress, Craig Rhodes

Publications

The article focuses on a study by Dearing and Daughtry about postsecondary engineering education. The study used a modified Delphi technique that they conducted with technology teachers, technology teacher educators, and engineering educators to identify engineering outcomes for high school pre-engineering students. The purpose of the study was to identify those concepts that are necessary to teach high school students in order to prepare them for postsecondary engineering education, while preserving the mission of teaching technological literacy.