Collection

2016 Rocky Mountain Section Conference

Authors

Dixon Y. Nielson

2016 ASEE Rocky Mountain Section Conference Teaching Ethics and Professionalism to Engineering Students: An Educational Dilemma Dixon Y. Nielson Utah State UniversityAbstractHiring managers have typically focused on GPA’s and technical competence in their attempt tohire the best possible applicants for engineering positions. Now, because there are severaltechnically well qualified graduates for each opening, hiring managers are increasing usinginterviews to focus on an applicant’s ability to effectively communicate, solve non-technicalproblems, and resolve ethical and professional issues. This

Collection

2016 Rocky Mountain Section Conference

Authors

Angela R. Bielefeldt; Daniel Knight; Christopher Swan; Nathan Canney

courses; over 1100 survey responses were received. Over 50% of therespondents taught students about professional practice issues and the societal impacts ofengineering and technology in one or more of their courses; only 12% did not include any topicsrelated to social or ethical issues in their courses. Faculty most commonly reported teachingthese topics in senior capstone design (41%); 30% also taught these issues in graduate levelcourses. The majority of the respondents felt that both undergraduate and graduate studenteducation on these issues was not adequate (67% and 80%, respectively).KeywordsEthics; societal impacts; sustainability.BackgroundThere is general consensus that engineers need to perform their duties in an ethical manner

Collection

2016 Rocky Mountain Section Conference

Authors

John M. Santiago; Jing Guo

solution (includes system, subsystem, andcomponent design and (5) design considerations when looking at the system from manyperspectives including thoughts about ethics, economics, reliability and safety.The rubric has proved useful to assess student outcomes and account for both system-levelthinking and technical merit such as the capstone projects briefly described in the next section. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2016 44 2016 ASEE Rocky Mountain Section ConferenceExamples of Student Deliverables to Assess System-Level ThinkingThe deliverables associated with the course emphasizes

Collection

2016 Rocky Mountain Section Conference

Authors

Susan M. Reynolds

promptwould also tie in other modes of evaluation and understanding.In the comprehension and evaluation mode, students performed a reading or viewed a video andsummarized key points, drew conclusions, and analyzed information. In the site analysis andevaluation mode, students were asked to visit a physical site (often a building on campus), andinterpret that site through drawings and discussion. In the professional mode, students reflectedon a wide range of professional skills, such as oral communication skills, written communicationskills, cost analysis, ethics, design priorities, decision methods, etc. Reflection prompts can alsobe categorized as exercise effectiveness. In this mode, the instructor directly asks the studentswhether or not specific

Collection

2016 Rocky Mountain Section Conference

Authors

Jeffrey S. Bates; Taylor D. Sparks

mathematical, scientific, and engineering knowledge to solve materials related problems • An ability to design and conduct experiments, characterize materials, and properly interpret data in order to understand materials behavior • An ability to select or design a materials based system, component or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints, such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health, and safety, manufacturability and sustainability • An ability to function on teams whose members have interdependent and complimentary skills • An ability to identify, formulate and solve materials-related

Collection

2016 Rocky Mountain Section Conference

Authors

Clifton B. Farnsworth; Evan Bingham; Justin E. Weidman

green structures. At the same time, however, there was also thiscounter feeling of anti-sustainable practices, such as with the destruction of environmental andcultural resources with the building of the three gorges dam, or even sloppy constructionpractices minimizing the cost effectiveness of true life cycle integration. Many of these providedfascinating case studies for discussion on ethics, environmental practices, and of coursesustainable construction. The development of the final project included a focus on people, planet,and profit, and that experience alone was a key part of the sustainability aspects of this course.Teamwork and LeadershipStudents worked in groups throughout the entire course. The group interaction and dynamicsallowed