Gateway Experiences to Engineering Technology: Development of an Introductory Course
- Conference
- Location
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Vancouver, BC
- Publication Date
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June 26, 2011
- Start Date
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June 26, 2011
- End Date
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June 29, 2011
- ISSN
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2153-5965
- Conference Session
- Tagged Division
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Engineering Technology
- Page Count
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13
- Page Numbers
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22.735.1 - 22.735.13
- DOI
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10.18260/1-2--18016
- Permanent URL
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https://peer.asee.org/18016
- Download Count
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430
Paper Authors
Chad M. Laux Purdue University, West Lafayette
Dr. Chad Laux is an Assistant Professor in the Industrial Technology Department at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. He teaches courses in Lean manufacturing, and Six Sigma quality, Production planning among others. His research interests include quality management, Lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, and agriculture biotechnology systems. He is a Six Sigma BlackBelt from General Electric Co, Caterpillar Inc, and the American Society for Quality. He is also a Certified Senior Technology Manager from the Association of Technology, Management, and Applied Engineering. Dr. Laux received the Silvius-Wolansky Award for Outstanding Dissertation at Iowa State University, induction into Gamma Sigma Delta Honor Society of Agriculture and Epsilon Pi Tau Honor Society in Technology. Dr. Laux won the 2008 NAIT Conference Best Proceedings Paper. He is a member of the ASEE, ASQ, and ATMAE is also an active leader in the international arena by serving as a delegate for the United States for the creation for food quality management standards.
Abram Walton, Ph.D. Purdue University
Abram Walton, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor of Industrial Technology at Purdue University. Dr. Walton’s research efforts focus on impacting technology-sensitive industries by creating sustainable, lean business models through the development of emerging continuous improvement methodologies. Specifically, Dr. Walton’s unique systems-thinking approach to Leadership strategies for Lean, Healthcare, and Product Lifecycle Management has cultivated multi-disciplinary collaborations, generating research and scholarship on innovative organizational strategies and best practices for engineering and innovation initiatives.
Amy S. Van Epps
Purdue University, West Lafayette
orcid.org/0000-0002-5986-5952
Amy S. Van Epps is the Engineering Librarian, Coordinator of Instruction at the Seigesmund Library, Purdue University, West Lafayette. She is a graduate of Lafayette College (B.A., 1991), The Catholic University of America (M.S.L.S.,1994) and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (M.Eng, 2001). She is an active member of the Engineering Libraries Division of ASEE.
Kimberly Marie Deranek Nova Southeastern University
Darrel L. Sandall Purdue University
Darrel L. Sandall is an Assistant Professor for Organizational Leadership & Supervision at Purdue University. His discovery, learning, and engagement expertise and interests focus on how technology impacts innovation in the workplace. Specifically, Dr. Sandall researches how technology innovations can be applied to process improvement and Human Resource Development efforts to increase efficiency, effectiveness, and overall performance.
Before joining Purdue, Darrel was the Chief Skills Officer for SkillsNET Corporation, one of the top 500 fastest growing companies as recognized by Inc Magazine in 2006. As CSO, Darrel managed the research, development and implementation of the science surrounding SkillObject® development efforts and was involved with developing and implementing technology-based solutions for clients, including numerous multi-million dollar FFP, CPFF and T&M contracts for the U.S. Department of Defense. Darrel also directed the development and management of SkillsNET’s intellectual property portfolio, including co-inventing systems and methods covered by 13 patent applications.
In his career, he has worked over 10 years in the field of Industrial-Organizational Psychology and managed numerous national and global efforts that focused on optimizing the workforce for the client organizations in the commercial sector, government sector, and non-profit sector. He has worked with clients such as the U.S. Navy, U.S. Naval Reserves, U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Federal Aviation Administration, the General Services Administration, the Canadian Combined Forces, the European Union, Cisco Systems, M-i SWACO, IEEE, Alliant Techsystems (ATK), CitiFinancial Mortgage North America, Plateau Systems, CSRG, First Hawaiian Bank, the National Shipbuilding Research Program, the American Job Link Alliance, and numerous state governments.
In addition to his client focused efforts, Darrel has authored numerous peer refereed publications, scientific and technical reports, and white papers. Darrel holds a Ph.D. from Texas A&M University in Human Resource Development, a M.S. from the University of Illinois in Human Resource Development, and B.S. in Agricultural Leadership and Education from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln.
Rick L. Homkes Purdue University
Sarah E. Leach Purdue University, Statewide Technology
Sarah Leach is an Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering Technology. She is a registered professional engineer with over 15 years of industry experience as a product and development engineer. She teaches courses in materials, manufacturing processes, and mechanics for the Purdue Statewide Technology program in South Bend, IN.
Abstract
Gateway Experiences to Engineering Technology: Development of an Introductory CourseThe launch of a new Engineering Technology degree at Purdue University prompted inter-college collaboration from six different disciplines within the College of Technology. With aflexible curriculum designed to meet existing and future workforce needs, the program of studyincorporated a percentage of new and revised courses to deliver. One of the new courses was a‘gateway’ Introduction to Engineering Technology course designed to draw and retain bothtraditional and non-traditional students. In this course Engineering Technology (ET) is definedbased on the description of the skill set needed for the current and future economy. Through acase study approach, the blended curriculum is delivered as a holistic, intact approach totechnology systems.The course employs a reverse course-content-delivery design whereby students engage thetraditional lecture-based subject manner in a manner that is user friendly and encourages studentsto revisit lectures as their needs demand. Students work through a specific series of at-homeassignments, labeled simply as ‘read’, ‘watch’, ‘do’. These assignments build upon each other todevelop both depth and breadth through repeated exposure and analysis of core concepts relatedto the assigned module. For example, students would be assigned to read a chapter on Principlesof Engineering Computations followed by a 45-minute recorded lecture on EngineeringComputations. The lecture, based upon Advanced Technology Education foundations, wouldbuild upon the reading and help distill the reading material into more palatable andunderstandable context. Finally, students would complete the first half of a homeworkassignment that would later be used in class for discussion and a hands-on activity. Thissequence exposes students to subject matter in an iterative approach so as to repeatedly allowstudents the opportunity to experience expectation failure. Literature is replete with studiesshowing that when students experience expectation failure, followed by a time of thorough andinvestigative feedback loops, learning gains are increased almost fourfold, from 20-30% tonearly 80%. In addition, based upon student persistence theory, common student experiences todevelop a community of learners were developed for both ET content and also the social learningaspect of higher education. Problems of a technical, operational, and social nature are introducedand investigated within the course. Connections to the different academic disciplines of ET frommultiple departmental instructors are included and incorporated into the case study.
Laux, C. M., & Ph.D., A. W., & Van Epps, A. S., & Deranek, K. M., & Sandall, D. L., & Homkes, R. L., & Leach, S. E. (2011, June), Gateway Experiences to Engineering Technology: Development of an Introductory Course Paper presented at 2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Vancouver, BC. 10.18260/1-2--18016
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