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Session 3453

Development of a Freshman Engineering Measurements and Analysis Course Integrated with Calculus-based Statistics

Jon H. Marvel, Charles R. Standridge Grand Valley State University

Introduction

As part of the freshman course sequence, a laboratory based introductory engineering measurements course is required of all engineering majors in the Padnos School of Engineering at Grand Valley State University. The course, which requires that the students have successfully completed Calculus I prior to enrolling, meets twice a week, once for two hours of lecture and once for a three-hour laboratory.

The course was developed around hypothetical “cases” that the students might encounter during their co-op assignments with the local industries. As an integral part of the undergraduate engineering degree, the Padnos School of Engineering requires that all students successfully complete three semesters of co-operative education with local industry. These cases introduce a problem that requires the students to make measurements in a laboratory situation using a variety of equipment commonly used in engineering environments. The students will analyze the measurement data to address specific questions posed in the case descriptions and submit their analysis in a formal written and/or oral report. This course was redesigned from an introductory engineering statistics course to an engineering measurements based course in order to provide motivation and a context as realistic as possible for data collection and the application of statistics.

During the lecture portion of the course, the current case and development of necessary theoretical background are introduced. Statistical tools and measurement techniques required to address the problem posed in the case are presented. Cooperative learning techniques are employed wherever they are appropriate to introduce the students to the equipment and techniques required in laboratory as well as to practice the statistical procedures required to address the problems.

The balance of this paper describes the arrangement and description of the cases, topics, and laboratory experiments integrated into the course design.

Course Overview

The objectives for this course are for students; 1) to be able to perform fundamental statistical analysis to data acquired from both engineering experimentation and supplied data sets; 2) to demonstrate an understanding of basic mechanical and electrical concepts needed to make

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

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Marvel, J., & Standridge, C. (2003, June), Development Of A Freshman Engineering Measurements And Analysis Course Integrated With Calculus Based Statistics Paper presented at 2003 Annual Conference, Nashville, Tennessee. 10.18260/1-2--12696