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CASE STUDY REVEALS SEVERAL BENEFITS INCLUDING DEVELOPMENT OF SOFT SKILLS FOR ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY STUDENTS AND ASSESSMENT OF SEVERAL TAC-ABET PROGRAM OUTCOMES

Introduction Accreditation of Engineering and Engineering Technology Programs is of prime importance for the graduates, employers, and the institutions. Accreditation is based on demonstration of successful achievement of essential skills by the graduates of the program. The program outcomes are defined by the TAC-ABET. Assessment of the predetermined measurable outcomes in a course by the instructor becomes a primary assessment. Assessment of most of the criteria described in the TAC-ABET can be carried out by identifying and selecting students’ assignments. Few of the criteria such as ability to engage in lifelong learning, ability to understand professional responsibilities, and respect to diversity of knowledge, need careful design of the assignments. Several engineering failure case studies have been developed by the Laboratory for Innovative Technology & Engineering Education (LITEE) of the Auburn University (AU), AL for implementation and dissemination. These provide an excellent tool to assess above mentioned criteria.

Accreditation In the US Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) 1 evaluates the quality, content, and success of the undergraduate engineering and engineering technology programs. Two commissions within ABET are called the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) and the Technology Accreditation Commission (TAC) for Engineering programs and Technology programs respectively. As a coordinator of the Electrical Engineering Technology program at the Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) 2, I had an opportunity to prepare and present the Electrical Engineering Technology (ELET) program for accreditation to the TAC- ABET evaluators’ team during fall 2004.

The program outcomes are described in the ‘Criteria for Engineering Technology Programs’ 3. An Engineering Technology program must demonstrate that graduates have:

(a) an appropriate mastery of the knowledge, techniques, skills and modern tools of their disciplines, (b) an ability to apply current knowledge and adapt to emerging applications of mathematics, science, engineering and technology, (c) an ability to conduct, analyze and interpret experiments and apply experimental results to improve processes, (d) an ability to apply creativity in the design of systems, components or processes appropriate to program objectives, (e) an ability to function effectively on teams, (f) an ability to identify, analyze and solve technical problems, (g) an ability to communicate effectively, (h) a recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in lifelong learning, (i) an ability to understand professional, ethical and social responsibilities,

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Ketkar, M. (2006, June), Case Study Reveals Several Benefits Including Development Of Soft Skills For Engineering Technology Students And Assessment Of Key Tac Abet Program Outcomes Paper presented at 2006 Annual Conference & Exposition, Chicago, Illinois. 10.18260/1-2--1043