Conference Session

Beyond Individual Ethics: Engineering in Context

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Dean Nieusma, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Tagged Divisions

Liberal Education

.” Journal of Engineering Education. Vol. 94, No. 1, Pp. 103-120.4 Van der Poel, Ibo and Peter-Paul Verbeek, Guest Editors. 2006. Special Issue of Science, Technology, and Human Values on “Ethics and Engineering Design.” Vol. 31, No. 3 (May).5 E.g., Grasso, Domenico, Kara M. Callahan, and Sandra Doucett. 2004. “Defining Engineering Thought.” International Journal of Engineering Education. Vol. 20, No. 3, Pp. 412-415.6 Winner, Langdon. 1980. “Do Artefacts Have Politics?” Daedalus. Vol. 109, Pp. 121-36.7 Winner, Langdon. 1995. “Political Ergonomics.” In Richard Buchanan and Victor Margolin, Editors. Discovering Design. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Pp. 146-70.8 Ibid, p. 151.9 Ibid, p. 165.10 Ibid, p

Conference Session

Research in Multidisciplinary Education

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Carol Barry, University of Massachusetts-Lowell; Jacqueline Isaacs, Northeastern University

Tagged Divisions

Multidisciplinary Engineering

; and exploring economic and ethical issues associated with nanomanufacturing. Aprofessional development component was also designed into the 10 week research program,which has morphed over the past three years, based on evaluation of students at the end of theirsummer experience.REU ProgramThe NSF Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center for High-rate Nanomanufacturing (CHN)focuses on nanomanufacturing research is an equal partnership among three universities(Northeastern University, the University of Massachusetts Lowell (UML), and the University ofNew Hampshire) that are located about an hour’s drive apart. For the last three summers, theCenter has held a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program. The participantsspent 10 weeks

Conference Session

Student Engagement and Motivation

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Elizabeth Howard, Illinois Institute of Technology; Daniel Ferguson, Illinois Institute of Technology; Margaret Huyck, Illinois Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

roughly at the beginning, middle, and end of thesemester. Each Reflection assignment included seven to ten questions, and the three questionsused in the current analysis were: The Solution Question: Included on Reflection One, Question Six “Is there more than one way to solve the problem your [team] faces? What are other possible solutions? How do you know which one is best? Can you ever be completely sure that solution is the one that should be implemented?” The Ethics Question: Included on Reflection Three, Question Three “What other possible solutions are there to the ethical problem? Which solution to the ethical problem do you think is best and why? How confident are you in the solution

Conference Session

Learning to Communicate with Engineers and Non-Engineers

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Paul Ross, University of Wisconsin - Madison

Tagged Divisions

Liberal Education

guidelines for student portfolios have evolved over the last decade as moreprofessional attention has been given to the nature and purpose of a portfolio as part of studentwork in engineering. Key motivators that have improved professionalism in portfolios includeincreased attention to issues of accreditation and ethics and to the requirement of life-longlearning as a professional obligation. These elements of “portfolio thinking” usually reside wellwithin the bounds of engineering education. 1, 10, 12However, as the world becomes more complicated, knowledge and experience beyond thetechnical must be exhibited by an engineering professional. Increased awareness of theimportance of fields outside engineering – those academic subjects usually grouped

Conference Session

Unique Student Opportunities in BME

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Robert Linsenmeier, Northwestern University; Jean Alley, Vanderbilt University; Penny Hirsch, Northwestern University; Stacy Klein-Gardner; Julie Greenberg, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Mark Bourgeois, Northwestern University

Tagged Divisions

Biomedical

Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology (HST). She received a Ph.D. in Medical Engineering from the HST (1994). Dr. Greenberg’s interests include signal processing for hearing aids and cochlear implants, as well as research in bioengineering education.Mark Bourgeois, Northwestern University Mark Bourgeois is a PhD student in Philosophy at Loyola University Chicago as well as the Administrator of the Northwestern site of the VaNTH ERC. He teaches ethics in biomedical engineering courses at Northwestern and in the VaNTH summer REU program, as well as a dedicated course in ethics in regulation in the Northwestern School of Continuing Studies graduate program

Conference Session

Curriculum Development and Teaching Models in NRE

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Shih-Liang (Sid) Wang, North Carolina A&T State University

Tagged Divisions

Nuclear and Radiological

nuclearenergy to raise awareness of nuclear power and its related issues in security, safety, and nuclearenvironmental protection.Course modules are developed to supplement a required freshman engineering course GEEN 100Engineering Design and Ethics (Introduction to Engineering). The modules give an overview ofnuclear engineering to students to broaden their career options. Two new elective courses arebeing developed. An engineering elective is for engineering seniors on nuclear energy andnuclear engineering. It is intended to prepare students for the workforce and/or graduate studiesin the nuclear engineering field. The second elective is for all majors, and it will focus on energyfor America's future, covering nuclear energy among other alternatives

Conference Session

Issues in the Professional Practice of Faculty Members in Civil Engineering

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Andrea Welker, Villanova University; Frank Falcone, Villanova University

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

(CEE 4601) is a senior-level holistically-oriented course designed toexpose mature undergraduate students to a wide range of practical aspects in the profession ofengineering, including the following: Page 13.1004.2- An examination of self-abilities and interests- Leadership and management- Organizational structure and theory- Management of self- Management of others- Communications (verbal and written)- Teams, groups, and group thinking- Project management- Ethics in engineering- Marketing professional technical services- A global view of the emerging engineering marketplaceAn Examination of Self-abilities and InterestsFor

Conference Session

Assessment

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Olga Pierrakos, James Madison University; Maura Borrego, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; Jenny Lo, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

is the co-coodinator of the first semester engineering course at Virginia Tech, and her research interests include undergraduate research, curriculum development and engineering ethics instruction. Page 13.231.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2008 Assessing Students’ Learning Outcomes during Summer Undergraduate Research ExperiencesAbstractHighly promoted and funded by NSF and other agencies, undergraduate research experienceshave many benefits to students and also present a great opportunity for them to learn globallycompetitive skills. Having recruited 22 NSF REU sites

Conference Session

Issues of Cooperative Education I

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Olga Pierrakos, James Madison University; Maura Borrego, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; Jenny Lo, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Tagged Divisions

Cooperative & Experiential Education

at Virginia Tech. Dr. Lo is the co-coodinator of the first semester engineering course at Virginia Tech, and her research interests include undergraduate research, curriculum development and engineering ethics instruction. Page 13.993.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2008 Preliminary Findings from a Quantitative Study: What are Students Learning During Cooperative Education Experiences?AbstractSince most of our engineering students follow careers in industry, of particular importance ishow cooperative experiences help to make better engineers. Although cooperative experiencesare

Conference Session

FPD8 - Early Intervention & Retention

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Gretchen Hein, Michigan Technological University; Amber Kemppainen, Michigan Technological University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

topicscovered and the variety between them caused a great deal of discontinuity in the course material.Therefore, the new structure emphasizes subjects where engineering tools are used to solve ordisseminate the course material in modules that are interrelated and reinforced throughout thecourse. In the first course, three subject modules were created for this purpose: • Engineering Design and Analysis • Engineering Ethics • Engineering SustainabilityIn the first course, students will use engineering skills such as the problem solving method andstatistical analyses while completing design activities. They will analyze and communicate theirresults in a technical poster competition. The second course builds on previously learned skillswith the

Conference Session

Gender & Minority Issues in K-12 Engineering

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Adam Christensen, Georgia Institute of Technology; Willard Nott, American Society of Mechanical Engineers; Douglas Edwards, Westlake High School; Leann Yoder, Jets, Inc.; Christina Ho, Engineers Without Borders; Shannon Flanagan, Engineers Without Borders; Stephanie Hurd, JETS, Inc.; Marion Usselman, Georgia Institute of Technology; Donna Llewellyn, Georgia Institute of Technology; Jeffrey Rosen, Georgia Institute of Technology; Cathy Leslie, Engineers Without Borders; Samuel Graham, Georgia Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

-world reinforcementof sustainable engineering practices and promotes the education of ethically responsible andinternationally aware students. We postulate that this move away from competition-basedmotivations and towards community service will be particularly appealing to non-traditionalengineering students such as minorities and women.This paper will examine the case study of EWB-Westlake High School, the first ever high schoolEWB chapter, which was chartered in the Fall of 2006, and conducted a work trip to Tanzania inJuly, 2007. The program assessment surveys address which specific activities were effective andwhich need future refinement, and explore the impact that an engineering service learningprogram can have on the future goals of the

Conference Session

Professional Skills and the Workplace

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ashley Ater Kranov, Center for Teaching, Learning & Technology; Robert Olsen, Washington State University; Carl Hauser, Washington State University; Laura Girardeau, Washington State University

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

thesix professional skills to the ABET engineering criteria, engineering education in the US today is“falling far short of preparing engineering graduates for practicing—and leading—in a change-driven, knowledge-intensive, global society that will characterize the decades ahead.”3In Restructuring Engineering Education: A Focus on Change, the NSF recommends thatengineering courses include early and continued exposure to environmental, political and socialissues and their international and historical contexts, as well as legal and ethical implications ofengineering solutions.4 Oberst and Jones argue that engineers shape and are shaped by “theemerging realities of a truly global workforce. Engineers as a professional group are thuscanaries in the

Conference Session

New Trends in Engineering Management Education

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Zbigniew Pasek, University of Windsor

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Management

in-class discussions. The paperpresents a number of films that can be used for such analysis, indicating corresponding contentand other resources. Issues covered include creativity, entrepreneurship, organizational behavior,ethics, and others. The common ways of framing the film-based material to build relevant classexperience are also outlined.IntroductionWhen Edmund Phelps (Nobel 2006 in economics) recognized cinema as one of his learningtools, he probably was not expecting to inspire Italian management consultants to write a bookhow watching movies can help managers4. The story, after the book was published last year,made news in the Wall Street Journal15, indicating that perhaps watching feature films can be agood antidote for management

Conference Session

Innovation in Construction Engineering Education II

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Gouranga Banik, Southern Polytechnic State University

Tagged Divisions

Construction

construction profession since construction isconstruction under constraint like drawing and specification2. Increasingly, both contractors andengineers must supplement technical mastery with business and communication skills, and anunderstanding of the ethical and societal impact of technical solutions. Traditional constructionengineering and management undergraduate programs, at over 130 credit hours for a BS degree,are not set up to handle an increased liberal education component or radically different modes ofcurriculum delivery such as team-based or affective domain modalities. The ABET EngineeringCriteria 2000 attempts to address this issue in the accreditation process.1In 1994 ABET held a workshop on accreditation criteria with financial support

Conference Session

Student Engagement and Motivation

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Linda Vanasupa, California Polytechnic State University; Trevor Harding, California Polytechnic State University; William Hughes, California Polytechnic State University

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

in which it occurs13. In Figure 2, “mastery” is placed at the intersection of Page 13.1231.4cognitive and psychomotor development and “moral and ethical development” at theintersection of social and affective domains. When viewing the diagram, developmentallyadvancing in mastery or moral development would equate to moving along an axiscentered on the construct and coming out of the plane of the paper toward the viewer.The highest order of development for mastery would be self-directed learning orcognitive autonomy, akin to the construct that engineering educators call “life longlearning.” For moral and ethical development, a higher order of

Conference Session

Educating the Whole Engineer - Building Life Skills

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kate Thomes, University of Pittsburgh; Beth Bateman Newborg, University of Pittsburgh; Kate Joranson, University of Pittsburgh; Dan Budny, University of Pittsburgh; Steven Abramowitch, University of Pittsburgh; Carol Washburn, University of Pittsburgh; Carol Baker, University of Pittsburgh

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Libraries

. What engineers need to experience andknow, in addition to “hard” knowledge, is further explained by Shuman and Besterfield-Sacre as“process-oriented skills and awareness-oriented skills.”2 Process-oriented skills include“communication, teamwork, and the ability to recognize and resolve ethical dilemmas.”3 Theseskills are powerful when combined with awareness skills involving “understanding the impact ofglobal and social factors, knowledge of contemporary issues, and the ability to do lifelonglearning.”4 But what are the most effective ways of incorporating process and awareness-oriented practices into engineering curricula already crowded with necessary science, math, anddisciplinary courses? How can engineering schools, which must ensure that

Conference Session

Civil Engineering Teaching Part Three

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Norb Delatte, Cleveland State University

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

valuableinsights into associated technical, ethical, and professional issues. Lessons learned from failureshave substantially affected civil engineering practice. The history of development of practice inmany engineering disciplines is, in large part, the story of failures and of the changes tostandards and procedures made as the result of forensic analyses. In addition to technical issues,concepts such as professional and ethical responsibility are highlighted by the cases. Somespecific examples are presented.Introduction The requirements that civil engineering programs have to meet now, and will have tomeet in the future, are contained in a number of documents. These include the general andprogram specific Accreditation Board for Engineering and

Conference Session

Research in Multidisciplinary Education

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Gary Halada, State University of New York at Stony Brook; Mary Frame, State University of New York at Stony Brook; Chad Korach, State University of New York at Stony Brook; David Ferguson, State University of New York-Stony Brook

Tagged Divisions

Multidisciplinary Engineering

as well asemerging engineering fields suited to student interest. Likewise, it is essential to provide asocial, economic and ethical context to application of nanotechnology in manufacturing,medicine, and other contextual areas driving research and development. This provides a uniquechallenge and requires an approach which successfully integrates nanotechnology into currentacademic programs. Such an approach has the added benefit of enhancing student engagementand motivation. The result will be a better educated population of engineers, with anappreciation for the critical importance of nanoscale approaches to solving societal problems. b. Value of active/problem-based approachThere are many references regarding the value of problem

Conference Session

Capstone Design III

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Don Dekker, University of South Florida; Stephen Sundarrao, University of South Florida; Rajiv Dubey, University of South Florida

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

to compare the content of Capstone Design courses atdifferent colleges, or used by the instructor to develop and improve an existing course.Other Activities and Lectures:This listing is slightly different from the first one because some of these are student activities,while others are course lectures that are given to introduce the student to new topics or toreinforce and expand on topics. Other Activities: 1. Ethics 2. 3-D CAD Program: Pro-Engineer, Solidworks, or Catia 3. Teamwork Skills Lectures: 4. Resumes and Interviewing 5. Entrepreneurship 6. Patents and Licensing 7. Professionalism 8. Tolerances and Dimensions 9. Design for Safety 10

Conference Session

NSF Grantees Poster Session

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Norb Delatte, Cleveland State University; Paul Bosela, Cleveland State University; Rosemary Sutton, Cleveland State University; Joshua Bagaka's, Cleveland State University; William Beasley, Cleveland State University

management, ethics, and professionalism. The authors havedeveloped a number of failure case studies for classroom use. Pilot studies have been carried outover several semesters in order to assess the use of failure case studies in civil engineering andengineering mechanics courses. Prior results were presented at the 2007 ASEE annual meeting,and that paper provides much of the background behind the work.1 First, case study topics are linked to specific ABET general and civil engineeringprogram criteria.2 3 Case study presentations and reading assignments have been developed tobuild student knowledge. Students are given specific homework and examination problems thatrequire application of the case studies. ABET criterion 3 defines 11 program

Conference Session

Service - Learning Projects

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Heather Wright, Michigan Technological University; Linda Phillips, Michigan Technological University; James Mihelcic, Michigan Technological University

Tagged Divisions

Environmental Engineering

professionaland ethical responsibilities; (h) appreciating the impact of engineering solutions in a global andsocietal context; (i) engaging in life-long learning; and (j) understanding contemporary issues.These criteria, particularly 3h and 3j, were selected because of evidence from the Michigan Tech2006 graduating civil and environmental engineering student exit interviews that “ISD studentknowledge and recognition of these issues [Criteria 3h and 3j] far out-paced those of their peersin conventional senior design courses.” 9This paper only provides information on the first phase of the assessment program. Morerigorous assessment will begin in summer 2008. Survey data will be organized and analyzedusing SPSS, a statistical analysis and data management

Conference Session

Innovations in Computer Engineering Technology Curriculum

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Xuefu Zhou, University of Cincinnati

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

. Course DevelopmentA Curriculum Context and Course ObjectivesIn our ECET curriculum, there are a few existing courses pertaining to the computer securitycourse. They are Computer Networks, Wireless Communications and Networks, Computersecurity discussion may be involved those courses, and we believe that it will be much better tointroduce the security topics systematically in this course. This will allow students be aware thatsecurity is an integral part of computer and network applications. Besides the technical solutionto secure computer systems, topics related to social engineering such as ethics and laws can bediscussed in-depth as well.As an integral part of computer engineering technology program, the primary goal of this coursewas to

Conference Session

Sustainability and Environmental Issues

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kurt Rosentrater, USDA-ARS; Elif Kongar, University of Bridgeport

Tagged Divisions

Multidisciplinary Engineering

, either as individual topics,components, or units that can be used as specific learning modules, into existing coursework.In fact, many approaches have been found to be quite successful for augmenting engineering andtechnology instruction by inserting additional materials into mainstream instruction38.Addressing engineering ethics is a prime example of how specific topics can be infused intocurricula without adding additional courses. Some avenues that have been shown to work wellinclude integrating focused components (theory as well as case study analyses) into specifictechnical courses39-43, examining issues during technical problem solving in specific technicalcourses44, issues and topics for review during capstone experiences45-46, specific

Conference Session

Professional Development in Materials Engineering

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Katie Cadwell, University of Wisconsin - Madison; Wendy Crone, University of Wisconsin - Madison

Tagged Divisions

Materials

develop undergraduate-level training materials associatedwith the context of research. Topics covered include the scientific method, ethics in research,documentation and treatment of research data, publication practices, presentation of results, thestructure of the broader research community, the graduate school application process, effectivepresentations, and abstract writing. The “learning objects” (videos, readings, case studies, anddiscussion activities) we created have been used to introduce undergraduates to the conduct ofscience and engineering research. These resources have been tested in formal classroom andseminar venues, through an “Introduction to Engineering Research” course in our EngineeringPhysics bachelor’s degree program and a

Conference Session

Two Year College Tech Session II

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Warren Hill, Weber State University

Tagged Divisions

Two Year College Division

problems.In contrast in some areas such as those listed in Criterion 3, items g and i which deal withcommunications and the understanding of professional, ethical and social responsibilities, theIEM makes no differentiation between engineers, technologists or technicians. For all of thepeople in these three groups, they are expected to communicate clearly with others and toconduct his or her activities ethically. Thus to be in agreement with these accords in these twocategories, there would not need to be a change in Criterion 3 items g and i for either two year orfour year programs.Applied Science CriteriaThe 2008-2009 ASAC of TAC criteria3 differentiates between baccalaureate and associatedegree programs primarily in Criterion 3, Program Outcomes

Conference Session

Engineering for Nonengineers: Ideas & Results

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kathryn Neeley, University of Virginia; W. Bernard Carlson, University of Virginia; Sarah Pfatteicher, University of Wisconsin - Madison; Bruce Seely, Michigan Technological University; Douglass Klein, Union College; Ronald Miller, Colorado School of Mines

Tagged Divisions

Technological Literacy Constituent Committee

Science Foundation (NSF) sponsored and the NAE hosted a workshopaimed at developing successful models for technological literacy courses at the college level. Theapproach advocated in this paper arose in one of the breakout groups at that workshop.The name “Technology in Context” captures the central idea behind the approach: courses thatcombine specific engineering or scientific knowledge with an understanding of the historical,social, and ethical context in which the technology is arises and is implemented. Three keyfeatures define the approach: 1. Start with existing courses and modify them so that they explicitly pursue TL outcomes and help students develop TL traits. This aspect leverages existing faculty expertise and

Conference Session

Careers and Professional Development in BME

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Guruprasad Madhavan, State University of New York-Binghamton; Aimee Betker, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; Jennifer Flexman, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA; Barbara Oakley, Oakland University

Tagged Divisions

Biomedical

strategies for careergrowth and renewal, (3) leadership, innovation, and entrepreneurial development, and (4) social,ethical, and political stewardship in bioengineering. In this work, we describe our best practicesand outcomes in developing these student activity sessions. We also share our experiences onincorporating facets of this initiative into a sample bioengineering educational curriculum andpresent its relevance to visionary frameworks that include the Accreditation Board forEngineering and Technology’s Criterion 3, the National Academies’ Engineer of 2020 and theNational Science Foundation’s Strategic Plan.Introduction There is lively ongoing debate about the essential underpinnings of an engineeringeducation. With growing disparity

Conference Session

Innovations in ECE Education I

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Wookwon Lee, Gannon University; Fong Mak, Gannon University

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

managementplan, and test plan. Actual design and verification are conducted in a team environment usingmodern software and hardware tools. Ethics and legal issues are also discussed as part of thecourse. In the subsequent sections, details of the course are provided, as well as, evaluation ofcourse outcomes and students’ learning experience in this course.Course Objectives and TopicsIn our ECE graduate curriculum, the Engineering Project and Management is a core courseintended for the first-year graduate students. This course focuses on the skills required to managethe development of effective system architectures from concept through engineering design andproduction. The course objectives are i) to understand ethics and the common developmentprocess of

Conference Session

Computer Education Management Tools I

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Carole Goodson, University of Houston; Barbara Stewart, University of Houston; Susan Miertschin, University of Houston; Luces Faulkenberry, University of Houston

Tagged Divisions

Computers in Education

, legitimate, and ethical use in anacademic setting. Activities that once might have been considered “cheating” might now beconsidered demonstrations of the ability to collaborate, a skill highly valued in corporateAmerica. To investigate the tension that may exist, the authors report herein a summary ofbackground information from the literature and the results of a preliminary survey of students.According to the Center for Academic Integrity at Duke University, “three quarters of collegestudents confess to cheating at least once.”14 Students who participated in an exploratory surveyat the University of Houston reported the following questionable behaviors involving ICT. • “People not only use computers but cell phones, as well. Text messages are

Conference Session

Trends in Mechanical Engineering

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Aleksandra Vinogradov, Montana State University; Carolyn Plumb, Montana State University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

engineeringprofession. A freshman course “Introduction to Mechanical Engineering” has been developedwith the objective to address such topics as the necessity of good communication skills;professional ethics; the importance of innovation, critical thinking, team work, diversity, andlife-long learning. The effectiveness of addressing these issues in a freshman course incomparison with the traditional approach to teaching an introductory mechanical engineeringcourse has been assessed through a study involving student surveys administered in control andpilot class sections at the beginning and at the end of the course. The results of the studydemonstrate that the pilot group of students exposed to novel course materials acquiredenhanced understanding of the