Collection

2016 Rocky Mountain Section Conference

Authors

Susan M. Reynolds

2016 ASEE Rocky Mountain Section Conference Critical Thinking for Open-Ended Engineering Problems Through Written Reflection: A Case Study Susan M. Reynolds, PE, RA, LEED AP Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado School of MinesAbstractEngineering classes are frequently assessed with closed-ended, well-defined problems with a“correct” answer. Open-ended and more complex problems complement this approach, and candevelop an ability to synthesize and contextualize information, and to develop critical thinkingskills. Assessing open-ended problems can prove challenging, as traditional grading methods forclosed-ended problems

Collection

2016 Rocky Mountain Section Conference

Authors

Jason C. Ganley

experiments that illustrate principles in fluidic,thermal, and chemical systems. Students engage in two eight-hour laboratory work days eachweek. The course is designed to deliver experiential learning; students generate an experimentaldesign to achieve broad-based objectives, and perform extended experimental work with longlaboratory times. The active phase of learning that is naturally present in laboratory work isenhanced by providing latitude to the students in their experimental plans, and by allowing themto reflect on their lab experiences when repeating an early experiment at the end of the Session.KeywordsExperiential learning, unit operations laboratory.1. IntroductionThe curricula of most Chemical Engineering departments in the United

Collection

2016 Rocky Mountain Section Conference

Authors

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

’ responsibilities to society.5 These topics are required in some form in accreditedprograms given current ABET Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) and ComputingAccreditation Commission (CAC) requirements.6-7 However, a broad understanding of how andwhere engineering and computing students are taught to consider these issues, and whether ornot this education is adequate appears lacking. For example, recent modifications to the ABETEAC criteria specific for civil engineering programs seemed to reflect consensus that ethicseducation may have been insufficient.8 In order to provide greater clarity to understanding thescope of both micro- and macro- ethics education, a national study was conducted. © American Society for

Collection

2016 Rocky Mountain Section Conference

Authors

Dixon Y. Nielson

shortage of graduates, these managers would need to “sell” theircompany to prospective new hires. Conversely, if there is an abundance of graduates thesemanagers would likely be more selective. To help focus in on the approach used by hiringmanagers I decided to examined three data sources. 1. Personal ExperienceFirst, I reflected on personal experience as a former senior manager of an IT company. Typicallyour company received around 30 applications for each software or hardware opening we posted.My VP of Engineering would initially review and rank the resumes based on the candidates’education and experience. We then conducted phone interviews with the top 10 candidatesfocusing on their ability to think through both technical and non

Collection

2016 Rocky Mountain Section Conference

Authors

Jeffrey S. Bates; Taylor D. Sparks

class demonstrated that the students learned about innovation. Goal Outcome Think creatively The grades received on the first assignments were much lower than expected. Therefore, we made some modifications to the way we presented our expectations for each assignment. We did not decrease our expectations. We only changed the way we presented them so that students knew what we were looking for. As a result, student performance increased and their learning was reflected in their assignments. The final projects were very

Collection

2016 Rocky Mountain Section Conference

Authors

John M. Santiago; Jing Guo

82 2016 ASEE Rocky Mountain Section ConferenceIn a traditional classroom, the content would be delivered as lecture material. The instructormust reflect on what and how the face-to-face instruction was conducted and determined if it canbe implemented for online delivery by leveraging available e-learning technologies. The videosshould also include demonstrations or simulations by visualizing and applying the abstract mathand engineering ideas to real-world problems. Video recordings on the use of engineering toolssuch as Matlab/Simulink, Labview/Multisim, PhET and Algodoo software, can serve asexamples to demonstrate key concepts found in a particular course and developed for this firstcourse. The video instruction

Collection

2016 Rocky Mountain Section Conference

Authors

Dina Battaglia; Krishna Sampigethaya; Akhan Almagambetov; Mehran Andalibi; Tyrone Groh; Kaela Martin; Matt Pavlina; Sam Siewert; Anne Boettcher

allowed for self-reflection and assessment. Overall,student feedback about the assignment was positive. In general, students reported that theythought the subject was well designed for the course, but additional information at the beginningof the term about the assignment’s overall goal and end-product would have been helpful.4.7. Global Security and Intelligence CourseIn this junior-level social science course with 29 students, the research process was fullyscaffolded. The course design paralleled that of the three phases of the research process: findingliterature, writing a review of the literature that compares alternative explanations, and thentaking a position and defending it using logic and evidence based on the literature. In order