Conference Session

Focus on High School Girls in Engineering

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mary Brake, Eastern Michigan University; Kaninka Bhatnagar, Eastern Michigan University

Tagged Divisions

Women in Engineering

girls. Both boys and girls indicated that their schoolswere giving somewhat gender biased messages in providing more support for boys toconsider technology majors but to a lesser extent than has been reported in the lastdecade.IntroductionA gender imbalance, favoring males has consistently been reported in the choice of engineeringand engineering technology majors in college.1,2 In recent years there has been a sharp decline inthe percentage of high school seniors and college freshmen who plan on majoring in engineering.From 8.6% in 1992, the numbers have plunged to 5.3% in 2003.3 In the academic year 2005 –2006 19.3% of the undergraduate engineering majors were women4 and only 10.4% of theengineering technology (ET) were women.5 But more than

Conference Session

Innovations to Curriculum and Program

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Angela Bielefeldt, University of Colorado at Boulder

Tagged Divisions

Environmental Engineering

AC 2008-2289: INCORPORATING ENERGY ISSUES INTO ENVIRONMENTALENGINEERINGAngela Bielefeldt, University of Colorado at Boulder Page 13.729.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2008 Incorporating Energy Issues into Environmental EngineeringAbstractNo single engineering discipline has integrated renewable and sustainable energy topics intotheir core curriculum. Environmental engineering programs may benefit from includingsustainable energy in their curriculum. Many students in a freshman-level introductoryEnvironmental Engineering (EVEN) course viewed EVEN as a potential major to studyrenewable energy, but many have since indicated that they plan to switch into

Conference Session

ERM Poster Session

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kevin Dahm, Rowan University; Roberta Harvey, Rowan University

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

learningconditions compatible with his/her learning style. The process begins by having students takethe Learning Connections Inventory (LCI). Responses to the LCI’s 28 statements about learningpreferences, using a 5-point scale ranging from Always to Never Ever, yield a profile of theextent to which an individual utilizes each of four types of patterned learning processes, listedbelow with some of the key preferences characterizing each pattern: • Sequence (organization, planning, order, structure) • Precision (information, details, knowing for the sake of knowing) • Technical Reasoning (hands-on learning, relevance, self-sufficiency) • Confluence (risk, innovation, alternative views, freedom from rules)All learners are

Conference Session

Innovations to Curriculum and Program

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Angela Bielefeldt, University of Colorado at Boulder

Tagged Divisions

Environmental Engineering

important to recognize cultural differences. Future studies will expand on thiswork by surveying more students and try to combine the quantitative responses to these surveyswith qualitative information that reflects cultural competency.AcknowledgmentsThe authors recognize Marie L. Miville for providing the MGUDS-S survey and scoring guide.This material is partially based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation underDepartment Level Reform Planning Grant No. 0431947. This material is also based on worksupported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. ESI-0227558, which funds the Page 13.345.11Center for the Advancement of

Conference Session

Civil Engineering Teaching Part One

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Michael Bronzini, George Mason University; Michael Casey, George Mason University

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

: ________ Interaction of the team with their Water Resources Consultant : ________ Team's success in fulfilling client's requirements: ________ Team's project tracking and comparison with original plan/schedule: ________ Comments: __________________________________________________________SOCIETAL Please evaluate the Societal Impact of the team's work. 5=highlyIMPACT effective/proficient, 1=very ineffective/not proficient Team consideration of sustainability in design, materials, & methods: __________ Team consideration of historical and cultural impact: __________ Comments

Conference Session

Assessment

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Michael Collura, University of New Haven; Samuel Daniels, University of New Haven

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

AC 2008-2439: HOW ACCURATE IS STUDENTS’ SELF-ASSESSMENT OFCOMPUTER SKILLS?Michael Collura, University of New HavenSamuel Daniels, University of New Haven Page 13.671.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2008 How Accurate is Students’ Self-Assessment of Computer Skills? AbstractSelf-evaluation by students is commonly used as a key element in program and courseassessment plans. Such instruments are intended to provide crucial feedback for programimprovement and thus play a significant role in closing our assessment loop. For many of theprogram outcomes, self-assessment by current students and graduates augments other

Conference Session

Educational Software

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Cameron Wright, University of Wyoming; Michael Morrow, University of Wisconsin - Madison; Mark Allie, University of Wisconsin - Madison; Thad Welch, Boise State University

Tagged Divisions

Computers in Education

, whichprovides exposure to engineering topics to interested and motivated high school sophomores fromaround the state. Only about 100 applicants are accepted each year for this program, now in its22nd year. The students live on the University campus for three weeks and learn about humanities,sciences, and engineering. A sequence of classes/demos is given by the ECE department, whichcovers a broad range of topics in digital systems. We plan to augment several of those lessons byusing the C6713 DSKs with winDSK6 software. In particular, audio special effects and a verybasic introduction to sampling are appropriate for this audience.We also conduct the Engineering Summer Program (ESP) for high school juniors. This program ismuch newer than HSI, is focused

Conference Session

Educating for Results: Tools used in Engineering Technology

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Recayi 'Reg' Pecen; Ayhan Zora; Faruk Yildiz, University of Northern Iowa

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

modeling using Simulink.Another research incorporating the use of multimedia tools into a reverse engineeringcourse has been presented by Madara Ogot3. The main goal of this study was to usemultimedia initiative for the students to learn how to use main tools, and use them inother academic activities beyond the reverse engineering class. Since, a classicmechanical engineering curriculum may not offer instructions of the use of multimediatools in the areas of computer illustration, animation, and image manipulation, thisexperience increased interest of the major students. Besides, instruction on the use ofthese tools was incorporated into a mechanical engineering course at Ruther Universitywhere it was planned to send out follow-up surveys at the

Conference Session

Emerging Issues in Engineering Education Research and Pedagogy

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ann McKenna, Northwestern University; Robert Linsenmeier, Northwestern University; Matthew Glucksberg, Northwestern University

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

of the research plan we are presently usingto study CADEX in the context of a senior level biomedical engineering design course.IntroductionSeveral recent reports stress that the competitive advantage of the U.S. lies in its role as a leaderin technological innovation1,2. These reports make statements such as “leadership in innovationis essential to U.S. prosperity and security”3 and “innovation will be the single most importantfactor in determining America’s success through the 21st century”1. These reports send aresounding message that engineering education in the U.S. needs to emphasize and developknowledge and skills that are essential to innovation in a rapidly evolving technological society.From an education standpoint, there are many

Conference Session

Trends in Engineering Education

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Lynette Osborne, The George Washington University

Tagged Divisions

Women in Engineering

culture was an unexpected, yet integral,finding of Holland and Eisenhart’s study (1990). They sought to understand why so few womenentered science, mathematics and engineering majors (SME) in college. The researchersconducted a longitudinal ethnographic study at two southern colleges, a predominantly blackuniversity, Bradford, and a predominantly white university, Southern University (bothpseudonyms) to examine why women tended to shy away from majors and occupations that areseen as traditionally male. Holland and Eisenhart studied 23 college women as they traversedthe complexities of undergraduate life. All the women in the sample were identified as highachievers at the inception of the study. About half the women planned to major in fields such

Conference Session

NSF Grantees Poster Session

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ronaldo Luna, Missouri University of Science & Technology; Richard Hall, Missouri University of Science & Technology; Michael Hilgers, Missouri University of Science & Technology; Ghulam Bham, Missouri University of Science & Technology; Richard Elgin, Missouri University of Science & Technology; Charles Morris, Missouri University of Science & Technology; Glenn Morrison, Missouri University of Science & Technology

them on top of maps withother civil information, such as roads, houses, and other structures to present the impact of theiranalysis on the public. The undergraduate course where development and implementation of thismodule will take place is CE 234 Water Resources Engineering.Transportation: This module will guide students through the process of evaluating highwaycorridor alternatives and will delve more deeply into the process by visualizing the differentalternatives in much more detail than what is possible without the use of GIS. Students willchoose the “best” alternative and prepare maps using GIS to present their selection to stakeholders such as the State (Missouri) Department of Transportation. At the planning stages of ahighway project

Conference Session

STEM Pipeline: Pre-College to Post-Baccalaureate

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Nancy Healy, Georgia Institute of Technology; Lynn Rathbun, Cornell University

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

. Project description & faculty/mentor contact info mailed to intern selections by site. April Selection process completed. Housing and travel arranged by site. Faculty & mentors begin discussions w/ interns -- recommend readings and online training. May Sites send interns program guidelines/schedule/expectations & online link to orientation and training. Sites review projects with faculty & mentors, ensures availability of equipment & supplies, reviews research plan & training requirements. Reviews mentor and NNIN REU program expectations. June Interns arrive and undergo

Conference Session

Accreditation and Assessment Concerns in Civil Engineering Education

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Nirmala Gnanapragasam, Seattle University; Katie Kuder, Seattle University; Dragovich Jefferey, Seattle University

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

for the examination because they are confident in their ability to pass the FE. Some students may expect their performance in the senior design course to be strong enough to counteract the impact of the 20% grade weighting given to the comprehensive examination. Finally, students may only study for the comprehensive examination if near to when they plan on taking the FE examination. Therefore, some students could prepare only in the fall, whereas others prepare only in the spring. Starting winter 2008, the authors have begun administering a questionnaire to the students to determine student preparedness prior to the comprehensive examination and the FE. The results will be analyzed for future work.Effect of

Conference Session

Mechanics of Materials

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Vince Prantil, Milwaukee School of Engineering; William Howard, East Carolina University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

for the importance of boundary conditions and analyzing a problem with more than one element type or mesh. • Students report a new found skepticism for the results of a single, preliminary finite element analysis.While this makes an admittedly modest dent in the list of finite element mistakes mostcommonly made, we feel it is a good place to start. The philosophy that we shouldaddress the problems that exist in preliminary instruction, is, we feel, well-founded. Tothis end, in a new curriculum revision to be implemented at the Milwaukee School ofEngineering in the fall quarter of 2008, there are plans to introduce a required secondcourse in finite element analysis. With an eye toward preparing students for the types ofanalysis

Conference Session

FPD2 - First-Year Advising and Transition

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Lisa Romkey, University of Toronto

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

(upper year student) and us allowed a more informal procedure to understanding material. The smaller sizes encouraged us to ask more questions and discuss the course material until we fully understood.” “Past students were able to provide helpful learning techniques, strategies for learning; learning with peers allowed one to work out complex concepts together, talk about them and share difficulties together to understand them.”However, some students found problems with the method, which will need to be considered forfuture planning and implementation. Some students cited that unprepared classmates impactedthe quality of the study group: “(the study groups) are mainly geared towards students having

Conference Session

Multidisciplinary Course Innovation I

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Andrew Thornton, Emerson Climate Technologies; Kyle Shipp, Kettering University; Tony Lin, Kettering University

Tagged Divisions

Multidisciplinary Engineering

can limit thecoverage of the course materials and thus clearly defined objectives are vital to ensuring thateach group gets the most out of the available time. According to Robert F. Mager, “Clearlydefined objectives can be used to provide students with the means to organize their own time andefforts toward accomplishment of those objectives3.” For this reason, it is important to set theobjectives for the team project early in the process and perform periodic checks to make sure theteam is meeting those objectives. All team members should make and agree on a plan at thebeginning of the project so everyone understands the expected outcomes for the group and whatthey will gain personally from the experience.The best way to measure adherence to

Conference Session

Mentoring

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Canan Bilen-Green, North Dakota State University; Anakaorn Khan, North Dakota State University; David Wells, North Dakota State University

Tagged Divisions

Women in Engineering

programming a vehicle they buildwith Legos to follow a path. They also use software on the internet to design a bridge. In one ofthe hands-on activities, girls use a computer to design their own pendants and watch them Page 13.888.5actually being made by a Computer Numerical Control machine in NDSU’s manufacturingprocesses lab. The pendants serve as a reminder to the participants as to what they learned withthe hope that it will have an influence on them in the future as they start making plans for theirown careers. In one of the field trips, the participants tour a local manufacturing company to seehow engineering translates into manufacturing. They

Conference Session

SE Curriculum and Course Management

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Arthur Pyster, Stevens Institute of Technology; Devanandham Henry, Stevens Institute of Technology; Richard Turner, Stevens Institute of Technology; Kahina Lasfer, Stevens Institute of Technology; Lawrence Bernstein, Stevens Institute of Technology; Kristen Baldwin, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition, Technology, Logistics)

Tagged Divisions

Software Engineering Constituent Committee

Software in the IEEE Computer Society DVP program.Kristen Baldwin, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition, Technology, Logistics) Kristen Baldwin is the Acting Director, Systems and Software Engineering in the Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Technology (DUSD(A&T)). She is the DoD focal point for all policy, practice, and procedural matters relating to systems and software engineering. Ms. Baldwin was named Deputy Director for Software Engineering and System Assurance in February 2007. Prior to OSD, Ms. Baldwin served as a Science and Technology Advisor in the Army’s Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans, and at

Conference Session

The Latest in Improving Learning in ChE Students

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

William Kelly, Villanova University

Tagged Divisions

Chemical Engineering

studentgroups to specify and design heat transfer equipment . The second part of the projectprovides an opportunity for the student groups to identify the need for a newtechnology/design involving heat transfer and to develop a plan as to how to develop the Page 13.448.3technology and ultimately market/implement the technology. For the purposes of thestudy conducted in the fall 2007, exam performances of the two sections were comparedagainst each other to assess the degree to which an increase in active learning promotesunderstanding and retention, and entrepreneurial tendencies were noted for individualstudents as they worked on this second part of the group

Conference Session

Anything New in Dynamics?

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Thomas Nordenholz, California Maritime Academy

Tagged Divisions

Mechanics

along the floor. It is possible to obtain s(t) using just the tangential acceleration. However, the calculations involved are complex,xiinvolving the solution of a differential equation where the forcing function is the data input (See Equation (1)). The Page 13.1054.16author has done this (obtaining accurate results) with a previous class but felt that the complexity of the calculationsmade the use of accelerometers seem very challenging and confusing for students. The use of the rate gyro shouldmake this much more straightforward; therefore the author is planning on doing this experiment with an upcomingclass.VI

Conference Session

FPD4 - Teaching Methods for First Year Students

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Michael Haungs, California Polytechnic State University; John Clements, California Polytechnic State University; David Janzen, California Polytechnic State University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

” question, and table 2 shows the fraction (expressed as an integralpercentage) that answered ‘yes’ to a given question.The results suggest that the students are broadly enthusiastic about Computer Science as a careeroption. Of the 31 students that took the final exam, 81% answered either 4 or 5 (on a scale of 1–5)in answer to the question, “What is your opinion of Computer Science as a career?” Additionally,77% answered either 4 or 5 in response to the question “Do you plan to continue as a computerscience major?” All thirty-one respondents indicated that they liked working with others in thecourse’s projects.On one hand, there’s no doubt that computer science remains intimidating. At the beginning ofthe class, 55% believed computer science to be

Conference Session

Fluid Mechanics Experiments and Laboratories

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

El-Sayed Aziz, Stevens Institute of Technology; Constantin Chassapis, Stevens Institute of Technology; Sven Esche, Stevens Institute of Technology; Sumei Dai, China University of Mining and Technology; Shanjun Xu, China University of Mining and Technology; Ruiqing Jia, China University of Mining and Technology

Tagged Divisions

Division Experimentation & Lab-Oriented Studies

making interactive distance educationa reality. In this paper, we have presented an online wind tunnel laboratory, which combines a Page 13.949.17virtual laboratory with a remote laboratory. Computer-based student laboratories provide a rangeof versatile tools that allow experiments to be performed and learning to be achieved moreefficiently than in a laboratory limited to the use of traditional instrumentation. The onlinelaboratory presented in this paper allows the students to explore the air flow patterns aroundvarious objects, and the associated virtual laboratory expands the scope of the remoteexperiments.In the future, we plan to extend the

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

Survey.References1 “Transforming America’s Scientific and Technological Infrastructure. Recommendations for Urgent Action,”Report on Reports II, Project Kaleidoscope, 2006. (http://www.pkal.org/documents/RepotonReports.pdf)2 Bok, D., “Our Underachieving Colleges,” Princeton University Press, 2006.3 “Educating the Engineer of 2020,” Report of the National Academy of Engineers, The National Academic Press,Washington, D.C., 2001. (http://www.nap.edu/books/0309096499/html)4 “Investing in America’s Future,” NSF Strategic Plan, FY 2006-2011, NSF 06-48, Sept. 2006.5 Shuman, L. J., Besterfield-Sacre, M, and McGourty, J., “The ABET “Professional Skills” – Can They Be Taught?Can They Be Assessed?” Journal of Engineering Education, Vol. 94, No. 1, 2005, pp. 41

Conference Session

Gender & Minority Issues in K-12 Engineering

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Marion Usselman, Georgia Institute of Technology; Jeff Davis, Georgia Institute of Technology; Jeff Rosen, Georgia Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

non-school-based teams had increased, however more must be doneto ensure that representation at the state tournament accurately reflects the balance of types ofteams participating in the program.Our plan for 2008 is to implement a policy that assigns an official “power rating” to each team,based on the type of team it is, the time it has available to practice, and it’s previous history andsuccess as a FLL team. The qualifying tournaments in the Atlanta area will then pit teams withsimilar power ratings against each other, with each tournament sending a proportional number ofteams to the state tournament. Outside of the metro Atlanta area, teams will be assigned totournaments geographically, to minimize travel time. This is our “NCAA

Conference Session

Global Engineering Education Initiatives

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Quamrul Mazumder, University of Michigan - Flint; Dhruba Baishya, University of Michigan - Flint

Tagged Divisions

International

higher education system such as quality assessment of university courses, a framework forstudents and academics exchange, and opportunities for changing the teaching/learningmethodologies. University of Minho’s Mechanical Engineering curricula have beencomprehensively formulated to meet these standards.ICT model used to prepare foreign students planning for engineering studies in France. Fewhighlights of this model include methods to train students to understand scientific presentationsthrough intensive listening comprehension. This model was achieved as a result of closecollaboration between experts in the fields of science, linguistics, intercultural relations andeducational ICT13.The Global Engineering Education Exchange Program14, initiated

Conference Session

Engineering Ethics I

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

George Catalano, State University of New York-Binghamton

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Ethics

bears a majorresponsibility for the deaths of over 1300 people and the destruction of hundreds ofthousands of homes and livelihoods in metro New Orleans. Page 13.799.8The reality of life in New Orleans today stands in contrast to the excitement generated bythe speech made by President Bush in Jackson Square in New Orleans President Bushpromised New Orleans would be at the center of the government's plan. "This great citywill rise again,"xiv Bush said. He outlined several initiatives that would provide tax breaksfor area businesses, along with federal funds for rebuilding roads and bridges damaged bythe storm and the flooding that followed. The

Conference Session

Enhancing Mechanics Instruction

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Phillip Cornwell, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Mechanics

in 20039. Thiscourse involves a “roving laboratory” for undergraduate students. Experiments in the rovinglaboratory are to be carried out in class, in two different on-campus facilities, and in the field.Experiments are used by the instructor to motivate each and every theoretical discussion in class,to teach students how to plan, conduct and interpret their own experiments, and to exposestudents to important emerging areas of experimental mechanics. Students are then required todesign and implement a vibration test. The original offering of this course only had 14 students,and it is not clear if this approach is scalable to larger classes.It is clear that experimental vibration analysis is an important tool for identifying dynamicproperties

Conference Session

Instructional Methods and Tools in BME

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ann Saterbak, Rice University; Tracy Volz, Rice University

Tagged Divisions

Biomedical

integrate written, oral and visualcommunication in existing science and engineering courses. Cain Project instructors assist withcourse planning, communication instruction, instructional materials, and the evaluation ofstudent work.The technical poster assignment was first implemented in 2001. At that time students producedone poster that was graded by the course instructor. In 2002 we began refining the assignmentand required students to submit a draft and a final poster, which were graded by the course Page 13.708.3instructor and the Cain Project instructor. Over the years we observed that many students werenot able to pull out the most

Conference Session

Influences on Female Interest in Pursuit of STEM Fields

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

James Concannon, University of Missouri, Columbia; Lloyd H. Barrow, University of Missouri

Tagged Divisions

Minorities in Engineering

-efficacyassesses individuals’ goal selection, career planning, and career problem-solving. Theyconcluded that: 1) minority students believed that engineering was working with ideas; 2)students who had over 4 years of engineering coursework had a statistically significant highercareer decision-making self-efficacy; 3) females rate engineering specialties more prestigiousthan men; 4) participants believed that engineering specialties in high demand (e.g. chemical,nuclear, and bioengineering) are most prestigious; 5) petroleum, materials, and chemicalengineering deal with micro-level things; 6) industrial, computer, mechanical and aerospaceengineering deals macro-level things; and 7) some engineering specialties are perceived to havea better path to

Conference Session

Assessment of K-12 Engineering Programs and Issues

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Petros Katsioloudis, Berea College

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

visualization problems. Philadelphia, PA: IEEE Computer Society. 2. Clark, C. A., & Mathews, B. (2000). Scientific and technical visualization: A new course offering that integrates mathematics, science and technology. Journal of Geometry and Graphics, 4(1), 89-98. 3. Clayton, M. J. (1997). Delphi: A technique to harness expert opinion for critical decision making tasks in education. Educational Psychology, 17(4), 373-386. 4. Delbecq, L., Van deVen, H, & Gustafson, H. (1975). Group Techniques for Program Planning: A Guide to Nominal Group and Delphi Processes. New York: Scott- Foresman. 5. Dwyer, F. M. (1978). Strategies for improving visual learning. State College