National Trends in the Civil Engineering Major Design Experience

Tonya Lynn Nilsson; Kevin D. Hall; Ronald W. Welch

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Conference: 2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Publication Date: June 10, 2012
Start Date: June 10, 2012
End Date: June 13, 2012
ISSN: 2153-5965
Conference Session: The Teacher as Manager: Best Practices for Culminating Design Experiences
Tagged Division: Civil Engineering
Page Count: 15
Page Numbers: 25.967.1 - 25.967.15
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--21724
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/21724
Download Count: 395

Paper Authors

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Tonya Lynn Nilsson P.E. Santa Clara University

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Tonya Nilsson is a full-time lecturer in the Department of Civil Engineering at Santa Clara University. Previously, she was on the faculty at California State University, Chico where she was a tenured Associate Professor. Nilsson has a strong interest in engineering education and worked for seven years with ASCE’s ExCEED Teaching Workshops and served for four years on the national ASCE Committee on Faculty Development. She is also a member of SCU School of Engineering’s NSF “Engage” team.

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Kevin D. Hall University of Arkansas

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Ronald W. Welch University of Texas, Tyler

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Ron Welch, P.E., received his B.S. degree in engineering mechanics from the U.S. Military Academy in 1982. He received his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in civil engineering from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana in 1990 and 1999, respectively. He became the Dean of Engineering at the Citadel on July 1, 2011. Prior to his current position, he was the Department Head of Civil Engineering at the University of Texas, Tyler, from Jan. 2007 to June 2011, as well as having served in the Corps of Engineers for more than 24 years, including 11 years on the faculty at the U.S. Military Academy.

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Abstract

National Trends in the Civil Engineering Major Design ExperienceCivil Engineering Programs applying for ABET accreditation are required to describe their majordesign experience that prepares students for professional practice. What is a major designexperience and how is it evaluated? This paper presents the results of a survey of CivilEngineering Departments across the country to determine the type of major design experiencesthat exist. The survey identifies the common length of design experiences, types of projects,team or individual requirements, multi-discipline or not, grading methodologies, andprofessional skills instruction provided during the design experience. The paper does notevaluate or assess the effectiveness of any one method but rather attempts to provide acomprehensive look at the variations and possibilities within a major design experience.Department Chair Survey of Culminating Design Experience: 2011Note: Check if surf monkey can have attached files for attaching syllabi.Do you have a culminating design experience (senior design, capstone, etc.)?Yes NoIf no, you plan to implement a culminating design experience in:• • No plans to implement• • Within 1-2 years• • Within 3-4 years• • Within 5-6 years• • In 7+ years.Length of culminating design experience:• • 1 Quarter• • 2 Quarters• • 1 Semester• • 1 Academic Year• • More than 1 Academic YearHow many total academic credits are assigned to the culminating design experience?What is the typical hours/week expected of students working on an average culminating designexperience.How are student projects chosen/assigned (check all that apply):• • Faculty assign various projects• • Faculty assign one project all students teams complete• • Students Teams pick projects from pre-approved list.• • Students Teams pick their own projects from a pre-developed list or their own idea.• • Other: (is there another?)Where do project ideas come from, check all that apply and provide typical % of projects:• • Projects come from faculty interest and research• • Projects come from industry partners (i.e., external capstone evaluators, local ASCE branch, advisory board, etc.)• • Projects come from student ideas• • Projects come from university coordination• • Projects come from city engineers• •Project types include: (hmm… needs help) (Check all that apply)• • Practical Current real-world projects under construction• • Future real-world local projects• • Research based• • Service-learning• • Results in a physical product• • Multidisciplinary (define)• ⁃ # of different disciplines Formatted: Font: (Default) MS Mincho• ⁃ types of disciplines Formatted: Font: (Default) Times New• ⁃ student is expert in only one discipline but partners with other content experts Formatted: Font: (Default) MS Mincho• ⁃ student must show expertise in more than one area Formatted: Font: (Default) Times New Roman• • Other Formatted: Font: (Default) MS Mincho Formatted: Font: (Default) Times New RomanStudents work on teams of: Formatted: Font: (Default) MS Mincho0. • 12 Formatted: Font: (Default) Times New1. • 2-32. • 4-53. • 6+How are teams formed?0. • Students Self Pick1. • Faculty Assign2. • Using teaming software3. • Students select a discipline to focus on – Faculty assign to a team4. • Students identify a discipline to focus on and a student they want to work with and one they do not want to work with – faculty assign to a team5. • Using a learning styles index6. • Success in pre-requisite CE sub-discipline7. • Student preference statements8. • OtherStudent Guidance provided by:0. • Primarily by course manager (director)1. • Primarily by faculty mentor who is not course manager (director)2. • Primarily by industry mentor3. • Primarily by faculty mentor for each CE sub-discipine4. • Both faculty and industry mentorWhat specific instruction do you include in your culminating design experience, if any. This is whatyou actually spend time providing instruction on, not just assessing (Check all that apply):• • Project Management• • Teaming Skills/Leadership• • Design Process• • Problem-Solving• • Oral Communication• • Written Communication/Technical Writing• • Public Policy• • Asset Management• • Business practices• • Scheduling• • Technical Skills:• ⁃ Computational Skills Formatted: Font: (Default) MS Mincho• ⁃ Software Skills Formatted: Font: (Default) Times New• ⁃ Engineering Theory – required technical skill not covered elsewhere and needed for Formatted: Font: (Default) MS Mincho project (e.g., concrete tank design, composite design, etc.) Formatted: Font: (Default) Times New Roman• • Other: . Formatted: Font: (Default) MS Mincho Formatted: Font: (Default) Times NewWhat specific areas of the culminating design experience do you assess as part of the grade? Check all Romanthat apply and give % of grade.• • Project Management• • Teaming Skills/Leadership• • Design Process• • Problem-Solving• • Oral Communication - Presentation• • Written Communication/Technical Writing - Final Repor• • Public Policy• • Asset Management• • Business practices• • Meeting of timelines• • Technical Skills:• ⁃ Computational Skills Formatted: Font: (Default) MS Mincho• ⁃ Software Skills Formatted: Font: (Default) Times New• ⁃ Engineering Theory - required technical skill not covered elsewhere and needed for Formatted: Font: (Default) MS Mincho project (e.g., concrete tank design, composite design, etc.) Formatted: Font: (Default) Times New Roman• • Formatted: Font: (Default) MS Mincho• • Other: . Formatted: Font: (Default) Times New RomanWhat tool do you use to assess and what percentage of grade is each tool? (Check all that apply) – needother boxes… What about % of grade• • Peer assessment• ⁃ % of Grade With a rubric - Without a rubric Formatted: Font: (Default) MS Mincho• • Industry Evaluation Formatted: Font: (Default) Times New• ⁃ % of Grade With a rubric - Without a rubric Formatted: Font: (Default) MS Mincho• • Faculty Formatted: Font: (Default) Times New Roman• ⁃ % of Grade With a rubric - Without a rubric Formatted: Font: (Default) MS Mincho Formatted: Font: (Default) Times NewIf your students work on teams, do you assess each individual separately? Yes or No Roman How?Type of Institution:0. • Ph.D. granting1. • Undergraduate Only2. • Undergraduate and MastersType of Institurion:0. • Public1. • PrivateFaculty Involvement:0. • Size of Senior Class .0. • Number of Faculty involved in the culminating design experience .0. • Average number of projects per faculty member (if each team has a different project) . (maybe not necessary we just take average?) (Not sure what you mean by “if each team has a different project”1. • Number of industry partners involved (i.e., external capstone evaluators, local ASCE branch, advisory board, etc.)2. • Role of industry partners ((i.e., external capstone evaluators, local ASCE branch, advisory board, etc.) – mentor, evaluate design, evaluate presentation Formatted: Font: (Default) Times New Roman, 12 pt

Citation
Format

Nilsson, T. L., & Hall, K. D., & Welch, R. W. (2012, June), National Trends in the Civil Engineering Major Design Experience Paper presented at 2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, San Antonio, Texas. 10.18260/1-2--21724

TY  - CPAPER
AB  -               National Trends in the Civil Engineering Major Design                                   ExperienceCivil Engineering Programs applying for ABET accreditation are required to describe their majordesign experience that prepares students for professional practice. What is a major designexperience and how is it evaluated? This paper presents the results of a survey of CivilEngineering Departments across the country to determine the type of major design experiencesthat exist. The survey identifies the common length of design experiences, types of projects,team or individual requirements, multi-discipline or not, grading methodologies, andprofessional skills instruction provided during the design experience. The paper does notevaluate or assess the effectiveness of any one method but rather attempts to provide acomprehensive look at the variations and possibilities within a major design experience.Department Chair Survey of Culminating Design Experience: 2011Note: Check if surf monkey can have attached files for attaching syllabi.Do you have a culminating design experience (senior design, capstone, etc.)?Yes NoIf no, you plan to implement a culminating design experience in:• •     No plans to implement• •     Within 1-2 years• •     Within 3-4 years• •     Within 5-6 years• •     In 7+ years.Length of culminating design experience:• •    1 Quarter• •    2 Quarters• •    1 Semester• •    1 Academic Year• •    More than 1 Academic YearHow many total academic credits are assigned to the culminating design experience?What is the typical hours/week expected of students working on an average culminating designexperience.How are student projects chosen/assigned (check all that apply):• •   Faculty assign various projects• •   Faculty assign one project all students teams complete• •   Students Teams pick projects from pre-approved list.• •   Students Teams pick their own projects from a pre-developed list or their own idea.• •   Other:           (is there another?)Where do project ideas come from, check all that apply and provide typical % of projects:• •   Projects come from faculty interest and research• •   Projects come from industry partners (i.e., external capstone evaluators, local ASCE branch,      advisory board, etc.)• •   Projects come from student ideas• •   Projects come from university coordination• •   Projects come from city engineers• •Project types include: (hmm… needs help) (Check all that apply)• •     Practical Current real-world projects under construction• •     Future real-world local projects• •     Research based•   •   Service-learning•   •   Results in a physical product•   •   Multidisciplinary (define)•         ⁃    # of different disciplines                                                               Formatted: Font: (Default) MS Mincho•         ⁃    types of disciplines                                                                     Formatted: Font: (Default) Times New•         ⁃    student is expert in only one discipline but partners with other content experts         Formatted: Font: (Default) MS Mincho•         ⁃    student must show expertise in more than one area                                        Formatted: Font: (Default) Times New                                                                                                        Roman•   •   Other                                                                                           Formatted: Font: (Default) MS Mincho                                                                                                        Formatted: Font: (Default) Times New                                                                                                        RomanStudents work on teams of:                                                                              Formatted: Font: (Default) MS Mincho0. •   12                                                                                               Formatted: Font: (Default) Times New1. •   2-32. •   4-53. •   6+How are teams formed?0. •  Students Self Pick1. •  Faculty Assign2. •  Using teaming software3. •  Students select a discipline to focus on – Faculty assign to a team4. •  Students identify a discipline to focus on and a student they want to work with and one they do      not want to work with – faculty assign to a team5. •  Using a learning styles index6. •  Success in pre-requisite CE sub-discipline7. •  Student preference statements8. •  OtherStudent Guidance provided by:0. •   Primarily by course manager (director)1. •   Primarily by faculty mentor who is not course manager (director)2. •   Primarily by industry mentor3. •   Primarily by faculty mentor for each CE sub-discipine4. •   Both faculty and industry mentorWhat specific instruction do you include in your culminating design experience, if any. This is whatyou actually spend time providing instruction on, not just assessing (Check all that apply):•   •   Project Management•   •   Teaming Skills/Leadership•   •   Design Process•   •   Problem-Solving•   •   Oral Communication•   •   Written Communication/Technical Writing•   •   Public Policy•   •   Asset Management•   •   Business practices• •     Scheduling• •     Technical Skills:•         ⁃    Computational Skills                                                                       Formatted: Font: (Default) MS Mincho•         ⁃    Software Skills                                                                            Formatted: Font: (Default) Times New•         ⁃    Engineering Theory – required technical skill not covered elsewhere and needed for         Formatted: Font: (Default) MS Mincho               project (e.g., concrete tank design, composite design, etc.)                               Formatted: Font: (Default) Times New                                                                                                          Roman• •     Other:                                                                   .                        Formatted: Font: (Default) MS Mincho                                                                                                          Formatted: Font: (Default) Times NewWhat specific areas of the culminating design experience do you assess as part of the grade? Check all    Romanthat apply and give % of grade.•   •   Project Management•   •   Teaming Skills/Leadership•   •   Design Process•   •   Problem-Solving•   •   Oral Communication - Presentation•   •   Written Communication/Technical Writing - Final Repor•   •   Public Policy•   •   Asset Management•   •   Business practices•   •   Meeting of timelines•   •   Technical Skills:•         ⁃     Computational Skills                                                                      Formatted: Font: (Default) MS Mincho•         ⁃     Software Skills                                                                           Formatted: Font: (Default) Times New•         ⁃     Engineering Theory - required technical skill not covered elsewhere and needed for        Formatted: Font: (Default) MS Mincho                project (e.g., concrete tank design, composite design, etc.)                              Formatted: Font: (Default) Times New                                                                                                          Roman• •                                                                                                       Formatted: Font: (Default) MS Mincho• •     Other:                                                                    .                       Formatted: Font: (Default) Times New                                                                                                          RomanWhat tool do you use to assess and what percentage of grade is each tool? (Check all that apply) – needother boxes… What about % of grade• •    Peer assessment•        ⁃    % of Grade            With a rubric                 - Without a rubric                      Formatted: Font: (Default) MS Mincho• •    Industry Evaluation                                                                                Formatted: Font: (Default) Times New•        ⁃    % of Grade            With a rubric                 - Without a rubric                      Formatted: Font: (Default) MS Mincho• •    Faculty                                                                                            Formatted: Font: (Default) Times New                                                                                                          Roman•        ⁃    % of Grade            With a rubric                 - Without a rubric                      Formatted: Font: (Default) MS Mincho                                                                                                          Formatted: Font: (Default) Times NewIf your students work on teams, do you assess each individual separately?   Yes or No                     Roman      How?Type of Institution:0. •   Ph.D. granting1. •   Undergraduate Only2. •   Undergraduate and MastersType of Institurion:0. •   Public1. •   PrivateFaculty Involvement:0. •   Size of Senior Class          .0. •   Number of Faculty involved in the culminating design experience            .0. •   Average number of projects per faculty member (if each team has a different project)            . (maybe not necessary we just take average?) (Not sure what you mean by “if each team       has a different project”1. •   Number of industry partners involved (i.e., external capstone evaluators, local ASCE branch,       advisory board, etc.)2. •   Role of industry partners ((i.e., external capstone evaluators, local ASCE branch, advisory board,       etc.) – mentor, evaluate design, evaluate presentation                                                                                                            Formatted: Font: (Default) Times New                                                                                                            Roman, 12 pt
AU  - Tonya Lynn Nilsson P.E.
AU  - Kevin D. Hall
AU  - Ronald W. Welch
CY  - San Antonio, Texas
DA  - 2012/06/10
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - National Trends in the Civil Engineering Major Design Experience
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/21724
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--21724
ER  -