Framework Development with Successive Capstone Projects1. IntroductionThe undergraduate program at the Portland State University Department of Electrical andComputer Engineering (PSU ECE) includes a three-quarter capstone design sequence typicallytaken during the student's senior year. For the last three years, and a fourth currently ongoing attime of writing, a capstone project has been sponsored by the author's Wireless EnvironmentalSensing Technology (WEST) Lab. The purpose of these sponsored capstones are as follows: 1. In the short term, design a wireless sensor to solve a specific problem. 2. In the long term, converge at a more general-purpose hardware and software solution set with which to design future wireless
Paper ID #43290An In-Depth Examination of Assessment Methods for Capstone Projects—MeasuringSuccessKais Abdulmawjood, Texas A&M University at Qatar Mr. Kais Abdulmawjood is expected to complete his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering at Ontario Tech University in 2024. He received his Master of Science degree (MSc) in electrical engineering, electronics, and communication from Al-Mustansiriya University (Baghdad, Iraq) in 1998. His B.Sc. was in Electrical Engineering from Baghdad University (Baghdad, Iraq). Kais is currently a Manager for the laboratories of the Electrical and Computer Engineering program (ECEN) at
with real-world problems.Project-based learning focuses on creating projects that allow students to practice their technicaland professional skills on problems that embody those that they will work on and solve aftercompleting their degrees [5]. These types of experiences have been shown to help students byimproving their learning of the technical content, giving them freedom to explore their owndesigns and solutions while remaining relevant to their future career [6]. Many project-basedlearning experiences exist either in Capstone courses for students during their finalundergraduate year, or occasionally in Cornerstone courses, sometimes seen in first-yearengineering courses [7]. The ‘middle years’ of engineering programs often focus on
Paper ID #42283Tinkercad—Not Just for KidsProf. Branimir Pejcinovic, Portland State University Branimir Pejcinovic received his Ph.D. degree from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He is a Professor and former Associate Chair for Undergraduate Education at Portland State University, Electrical and Computer Engineering department. He has led department-wide changes in curriculum with emphasis on project- and lab-based instruction and learning. He was awarded the best paper award by the ECE division of ASEE in 2017 for his work on freshman engineering course development. His research interests are in the areas of
fix the deficiencies was not effective.While there are introductory level project-based courses in the first year, students do not haveenough technical background to make the projects technically challenging. While they may getsome teamwork experience from such courses, they usually only get very basic, if any, trainingin project management. This is why we decided to introduce our cornerstone courses in thesophomore year.We developed a two-quarter-long course sequence: one focused on design processes and anotheron project implementation [1-6]. We had two overarching goals: 1. Teach students design and project development well before senior Capstone projects. 2. Integrate various strands of electrical and computer engineering through
shared repository andhighlighted many of the practical and logistical issues that needed to be resolved as theSCHOLAR approach evolved [7].https://gitlab.msu.edu/CMSE/data_science_bridge_curriculumCase Study: Undergraduate Data Science CapstoneStarting in the spring of 2023, the SCHOLAR approach was integrated into the data sciencecapstone course at Michigan State University (MSU). Data science is a new undergraduate majorat MSU, with the first senior-level capstone design course offered in spring 2022. This coursetypically serves 60 students divided into 12 project teams working with community partners on avariety of real-life data science challenges. During the first year, it became apparent that studentsboth needed tutorials and resources for
1 (Highest priority) 52% 43% 7% 2 32% 33% 33% 3 (Lowest priority) 16% 23% 60%Overall, the perceptions of EA education in terms of quantity and quality remained consistentwith the previous year’s workshop. The workshop participants broadly saw a need to improvehow EA education is taught and to expand the number of universities teaching it, especiallywithin the curriculum at the undergraduate level.Enhancing the Classroom ExperienceThe workshop allocated considerable time to discuss the curricular teaching of EA. Here,curricular teaching includes courses, capstone projects, and independent studies with a focus
exposure and emphasis on ethical dimensions. Consequently,students may possess limited awareness and comprehension of ethical matters.Few approaches exist for integrating engineering ethics into the curriculum. These range fromstandalone courses specifically dedicated to ethics, integration within philosophy coursework, toopen discussions within capstone design classes, and modules infused into technical courses.Each approach carries its unique set of benefits and drawbacks. Regarding content, researchinginto engineering ethics entails an examination of ethical case studies. However, grasping thetheoretical foundations of ethics is crucial for comprehending diverse ethical perspectives.In the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at
Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Utah and he is an Associate Editor at the ACM Transactions on Privacy and Security. His research is centered around the security and privacy of cyber-physical systems using tools from control theory, optimization, and machine learning, with applications in power systems resilience.Dr. Hamed Nademi, California State University, San Marcos Dr. Hamed Nademi is an Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering at California State University-San Marcos (CSUSM). He worked as PI/Co-PI with industry-sponsored projects granted by New York State together with utility companies focusing on control solutions, autonomous digital power grids and transportation electrification. Dr
Paper ID #42197Introduction to Electrical Engineering: Empowering and Motivating Studentsthrough Laboratory-Focused TeachingDr. Ilya Mikhelson, Northwestern University Dr. Ilya Mikhelson is an Associate Professor of Instruction in Electrical and Computer Engineering at Northwestern University. His technical work focuses on signal processing and embedded systems. Besides teaching, Dr. Mikhelson has worked with dozens of students on independent projects, and has created 3 brand new, project-heavy courses in Electrical Engineering. He is constantly experimenting with pedagogical innovations, and is very passionate about