Collection

1997 Annual Conference

Authors

Anton Pintar

software in allundergraduate courses. The implementation of this policy was left to the individual facultymembers. Each faculty member of our department took a slightly different approach. Myprevious uses of computer projects in undergraduate courses involved the development ofFORTRAN programs for tasks such as the determination of the adiabatic flame temperature foran assigned compound. In 1990 I was assigned the responsibility of teaching the sophomoremass balance course. By that time, it was obvious that chemical engineers working in industry Page 2.436.1did very little computer programming but, instead, used computer software to

Collection

1997 Annual Conference

Authors

Leonard Sokoloff

Session 2259 Acoustical Radar Leonard Sokoloff DeVRY Technical InstituteVirtual Instrumentation is making a significant impact in today’s industry, education and research.DeVRY Technical Institute selected LabVIEW as an excellent representative of this technologyand is implementing LabVIEW into its curriculum at all DeVRY campuses in the United Statesand Canada.LabVIEW@ (Laboratory Virtual Instrument Engineering Workbench) a product of NationalInstruments@, is a software system that incorporates data acquisition, analysis and presentation,and

Collection

1997 Annual Conference

Authors

Thomas Lenox; Stephen J. Ressler; Robert J. O'Neill; C. Conley

use computers to reinforce the students’ understanding of physical behavior and engineering principles. Principle # 4. The undergraduate curriculum is not the place for “production” software training. Principle # 5. Spreadsheets are unsurpassed in their value and versatility as an engineering tool, a teaching tool, a developer of essential computer literacy, and an aid in developing orderly thinking and expression.The first four principles are not new. They have been advocated by discerning engineeringprofessionals since mainframe computers were first used for solving engineering problems in the1950's. Principle #5 was new. Why were spreadsheets

Collection

1997 Annual Conference

Authors

Samuel P. Clemence; Daniel J. McGinley

Reference Guide, ASFE• Standard Form: Subcontract Agreement for Drilling Services, ASFE• Standard Form: Agreement for Subcontract Laboratory Services, ASFE• Standard Form of Agreement for Preliminary Site Assessment Services, ASFE• Terms for Geotechnical Engineering Services, ASFEThe Issues in Professional Engineering Practice course materials have been requested by 128practicing engineers and 321 faculty in 252 engineering programs in the United States (as well as16 programs in ten foreign countries). In addition, 184 sets of the “course-in-a-box” referencelibrary have been provided to faculty in these engineer programs. The course has beenimplemented in part or whole by 178 engineering programs in this country. Of these, 48programs are

Collection

1997 Annual Conference

Authors

L.J. Bohmann; B.A. Mork; Noel Schulz

ExperienceJust as important as the lecture topics are the laboratory exercises used to illustrate them. It issuggested that 8 labs be offered in a 10-week quarter, or 13 in a 15-week semester. A simpleautomotive battery works well to delve into a discussion of new battery types and electricvehicles. A simple PV cell and an incandescent light can be used to learn about photovoltaiccharacteristics. Existing lab equipment can be used to work with transformers, dc machines, andac machines. Variable speed drives can be used in conjunction with existing machines. Brushlessdc motors are a good example bridging a switching power supply, dc machines, the use ofpermanent magnets, and ac machines.INITIAL IMPLEMENTATION AND RESULTS TO DATEThe new energy conversion

Collection

1997 Annual Conference

Authors

Barbara Olds

grading. Anindividual teacher may choose to grade the portfolios produced by students in his or her class, orthe teacher may work with others teaching the same class to “blind” rate portfolios either toassign grades or to determine proficiency and nonproficiency.ConclusionsIn addition to helping students develop as writers, portfolios can be a valuable way to improvetheir critical thinking skills as well as their ability to be self-reflective and self-critical. Portfolioscan also provide a rich assessment of growth over time. They allow students to share and learnfrom peer responses and provide faculty and students with one-on-one opportunities to discussthe specific strengths and weaknesses of student writing.Bibliography1. Courts, Patrick L

Collection

1997 Annual Conference

Authors

Thomas J. Cortina

to determine if the choice of introductoryprogramming language has any measurable effect on the learning ability of a typical student inthe introductory programming course taught at a typical engineering school. Initial analysisindicates that students learning Pascal or C++ (without the use of objects) for the first timeperformed marginally better than students that learned ADA95 or C. However, student surveysindicate that several constructs used in ADA95 and C caused these introductory students to havemore difficulty. By adjusting the presentation of these topics, the instructor can teach effectivelyin any of the four programming languages. This paper outlines the design and the results of theexperiment, and future work that can extend

Collection

1997 Annual Conference

Authors

Roland Jenison; Rebecca Sidler Kellogg

with instructions and safetywarnings. They are prompted to make appropriate observations as they proceed to disassemblethe product. The dissection takes two laboratory periods and the entire project requires approxi-mately three weeks. At the completion of the project a formal report is submitted by each teamthat summarizes what the students learned about their product and engineering design. Procedures and ObjectivesThe students are initially divided into teams of three to five members each. The teamwork expe-rience provides students with an opportunity to discover the advantages and disadvantages ofworking with others. Since collaboration will be a part of their future real world experience asthey pursue