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Session 3649

STUDENT LEARNING ASSESSMENT IN ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY PROGRAMS WITH A “GRADUATION EXAM”

Professor Kenneth Rennels, Professor Jack Zecher

Department of Mechanical Engineering Technology Purdue School of Engineering and Technology Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)

Abstract

The Technology Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (TAC/ABET) is now incorporating student learning assessment criteria for engineering technology degree program accreditation. The Department of Mechanical Engineering Technology at IUPUI has determined that a senior level “graduation exam” similar to the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) examination will be the optimal student outcomes assessment tool for its Mechanical Engineering Technology (MET) and Computer Integrated Manufacturing Technology (CIMT) degree programs.

This paper reports on the format of the graduation examination along with faculty experiences and insights of using a graduation examination as one of the assessment tools in an engineering technology program. Included in the discussion is how the graduation examination results are being used for course improvement and enhancement activities. The paper also includes a statistical analysis of the examination results in terms of correlation with overall grade point averages and time to degree completion.

Background

The Technology Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (TAC/ABET) recently revised the accreditation requirements for engineering technology programs1. The revised requirements are identified as Engineering Technology Criteria 2000 (ET2K). The ET2K criteria will continue the present policy of mandating the development and implementation of a continuous improvement plan. The ET2K criterion has added the requirement of “student outcomes assessment”. Each institution is left to determine the methods that it uses to demonstrate achievements for each of its programs. The Associate of Science and Bachelor of Science degree programs in Mechanical Engineering Technology (MET) and Computer Integrated Manufacturing Technology (CIMT) were reaccredited by TAC/ABET under the pre-ET2K criteria in 2000 for the maximum term of six years.

Fortunately, the Department of Mechanical Engineering Technology has already been developing student outcomes assessment methodologies under the guidance of a school Assessment Committee led by Professor Charlie Yokomoto and IUPUI Program Review and

“Proceedings of the 2003 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright © 2003, American Society for Engineering Education”

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Rennels, K. (2003, June), Student Learning Assessment In Engineering Technology Programs With A "Graduation Exam" Paper presented at 2003 Annual Conference, Nashville, Tennessee. 10.18260/1-2--11825