Conference Session

Innovative Assessment Techniques in Civil Engineering Courses

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Steven J. Burian, University of Utah; Shannon K Reynolds

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

by the authors. In thispaper, the module is described and its effectiveness is assessed using a new civil engineeringsustainability literacy questionnaire, quality of Envision application to the student project, andinstructor reflection. The module and the questionnaire are described in the next section followedby presentation of the results of the assessment.Module DescriptionThe sustainability module described herein builds on a previous set of sustainability curriculummodules by the lead author, which included a lesson on sustainability in the capstone designcourse. The lead author noted the need for increased application of sustainability knowledge andtechniques in the capstone design course to complement the overview lesson. This

Conference Session

Global Perspective and Experiential Learning in Civil Engineering

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jennifer Mueller PE P.E., Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology; Sue Niezgoda P.E., Gonzaga University

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

Education, “Experiential education is aphilosophy that informs many methodologies in which educators purposefully engage withlearners in direct experience and focused reflection in order to increase knowledge, developskills, clarify values, and develop people's capacity to contribute to their communities.”1 TheExperiential Learning Theory (ELT) highlights “experience” as a key role in the learningprocess.2 The ELT process is an integrated cycle of gaining knowledge through a ConcreteExperience (CE), upon which is the basis for Reflective Observation (RO), followed bygathering these reflections through Abstract Conceptualization (AC) to develop inferences andgenerate new experiences of Active Experimentation (AE).2

Conference Session

Innovative Assessment Techniques in Civil Engineering Courses

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Daniel Michael Dulaski P.E., Northeastern University

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

than the others,to make sure that the final product is of the quality that is expected. As a result, thosestudents should be getting higher grades than the others, if they are doing more work, andthat work is of a higher quality.In order to ensure that the students receive a grade that reflects their level of effort overthe entire semester, and not just the final product, the instructor in the transportationcapstone has turned the grading over to the students for the last three years.Instructors in the US have used peer grading and self-evaluation with varied success. Ageneral concern of this system is that grade boosting and reduction will take place,interfering with the objectivity of the evaluations. A study done by Kaufman, Fleder

Conference Session

Global Perspective and Experiential Learning in Civil Engineering

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ann E. Jeffers, University of Michigan; Paul A. Beata, University of Michigan; Beverly Ilse Strassmann, University of Michigan

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

. Page 24.94.1 c American Society for Engineering Education, 2014 A Qualitative Study to Assess the Learning Outcomes of a Civil Engineering Service Learning Project in BoliviaAbstractTo better understand the learning outcomes of engineering service learning projects carried outin an international setting, we performed an exploratory study to assess the learning outcomes ofa student-led project involving the design and construction of a pedestrian bridge in a village inrural Bolivia. The students kept reflective journals during their four-week stay in Bolivia. Wehave analyzed the journals from a phenomenological framework. The data suggests that thedesign experience stretched the students

Conference Session

Innovative Teaching Techniques in the Classroom

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jayne Marks, University of Pittsburgh; Kevin J. Ketchman, University of Pittsburgh; David R. Riley II, Pennsylvania State University, University Park; Lisa Riley Brown, Penn State University; Melissa M. Bilec, University of Pittsburgh

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

course in which students arechallenged to apply concepts of sustainability through tangible and appropriate projects carriedout with a partnering community/project. The Pennsylvania State University is a publicuniversity with 36,749 full time undergraduates and 6,418 graduate students. The flipped classwas of similar design and make-up, containing 12 students of mixed majors and years in school.Both classes were pilot programs for the National Energy Leadership Corps (NELC). TheNELC is a joint program under development at Penn State and UPitt and is designed to teachstudents about home energy efficiency and sustainability and empower them to conduct homeenergy assessments in their community. The design of the program reflects the need

Conference Session

Civil Engineering Division Poster Session

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kevin G. Sutterer, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

that geology would be onenatural science that would be a typical choice for civil engineers. Support for a third sciencebeyond physics and chemistry is also reflected in the civil engineering program-specific criteriafor ABET accreditation, which requires that civil engineering programs include at least one basicscience other than chemistry or physics.Context for Course DevelopmentThere are currently no geology faculty members at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (Rose-Hulman). However, the Department of Civil Engineering (CE Department) has always stronglyfelt CEE students should be able to learn geology as a science elective, and has thus worked hardto see that geology is available to students at least once each year. The institute has

Conference Session

Civil Engineering Division Poster Session

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Moses Kwame Tefe, Norwich University; Edwin R. Schmeckpeper, Norwich University

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

preparation. Thismeans when students register unselectively into two different classes that are going to be used toobserve the impact of a teaching technique and the method of assessment is to compare thegrades of students from the two settings, it is obvious that the results will not only reflect theimpact of the teaching technique, but will also be a reflection of the students inherentcapabilities. So if students in one of the classes are generally less endowed than students in thesecond class, the results of the experimentation will be skewed and not be a true reflection of theteaching technique being tested. MethodologyIn this study, the investigator is teaching a sophomore engineering survey class

Conference Session

Research Experience in Stormwater Management

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Vinod K. Lohani, Virginia Tech

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

. Page 24.571.5 4Weekly Reflection PapersAll REU fellows submitted weekly reflection papers using VT’s course management software(Scholar) and reflected on their weekly research, social and cultural experiences. These paperswere due by 10:00 p.m. on Thursday every week. The author reviewed these papers beforemeeting with the REU fellows at Friday seminars and answered questions.YouTube VideosREU fellows were divided into teams at the orientation session and were assigned to createYouTube videos (2-3 min) to document their research/social/cultural experiences. A YouTubecompetition was held at the concluding ceremony on the last day of the program. As of summer2013, we have 7 YouTube videos of our

Conference Session

Innovative Pedagogy and Assessment in Civil Engineering Education

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Brock E. Barry PE, U.S. Military Academy

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

my willingness to take a risk?Thus, the first hypothesis associated with this study is that by intentionally taking one’s self outof a comfort zone in front of students, an instructor will ultimately be more comfortable in theclassroom. Secondly, it is also suggested that the students associated with the course appreciateand respect the instructor’s attempt at using a non-traditional method of engineering instruction.Finally, an attempt will be made to determine if the use of poetry actually assisted with studentreinforcement of learned civil engineering concepts. The initial hypothesis will be addressedthrough self-reflection. The second and third hypothesis will be explored through analysis ofstudent-reported survey data.It should be noted

Conference Session

Innovative Assessment Techniques in Civil Engineering Courses

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Erik R. Wright P.E., United States Military Academy; Joseph P Hanus, U.S. Military Academy

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

Processing Active Reflective Understanding Sequential GlobalIt is the consideration of learning styles and the assessment associated with that considerationthat is the focus of this paper and presented in what follows. Page 24.787.5Learning Styles Survey Results and ApplicationThe learning styles survey was administered to the 51 students enrolled in CE390 in the fall of2012 prior to the first lesson of the semester. Students completed the survey using an onlineweb-based tool developed and made available by Dr. Richard Felder and Barbara Soloman at NCState University (http

Conference Session

Innovative Teaching Techniques in the Classroom

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

James L. Klosky P.E., U.S. Military Academy; Scott M. Katalenich, U.S. Military Academy; Berndt Spittka P.E., U.S. Military Academy; Seamus F. Freyne, Mississippi State University

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

-Minute Follies assignment is not totally autonomous; the student is not responsiblefor establishing the task or the assessment criteria. However, a key teacher/mentor task is movingour students toward being autonomous and in this assignment the students are given theflexibility to identity a topic for research, find resources, decide how best to teach others aboutthe topic in just a short time, and then reflect upon their performance once the presentation iscomplete.Mechanics of a Two-Minute Folly – Assignments and ClassroomThe Two-Minute Folly concept is simple; students are given a short, tightly enforced timewindow in which to educate their peers on a topic. For the authors, the general trend was that thetime window expanded for elective or

Conference Session

Civil Engineering Division Poster Session

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

James L. Hanson PE, California Polytechnic State University

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

reviews). Students were encouraged tomark manuscripts directly with comments and provide a separate summary of their review.Copies of the reviews were provided to the authors anonymously. The review from the instructorwas apparent as it was more thorough, generally more critical, and contained both familiarpenmanship and a numerical score for the draft paper. The authors had approximately 1 week tomodify their papers to incorporate changes recommended during the review process. Studentswere required to provide a brief response to reviewers (a point-by-point response was notrequired, simply a statement related to reflection on reviewer recommendations versusmodifications made to the paper). Final papers were due 1 day prior to the oral

Conference Session

Civil Engineering Division Poster Session

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Floraliza Bornilla Bornasal, Oregon State University; Shane A. Brown P.E., Oregon State University

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

textual resources (textbooks, course notes, and referential texts used inpractice) provide a means to compare the use of inscriptions across academic and workplacesettings. Past research and theoretical work point toward a connection between situated learningand visual representations, noting its role in providing social and material context to learning.This study adds to this literature by investigating the current use of inscriptions regarding aspecific concept (sight distance) utilized within transportation engineering education. Contentanalysis is utilized as a methodology in order to explore two issues regarding inscriptions:relative importance (as reflected by prevalence) of inscriptions within two different settings(practice and academia

Conference Session

BOK2 - Influencing Changes to the ABET Civil Engineering Program Criteria and Civil Engineering Curricula

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Allen C. Estes, California Polytechnic State University; Thomas A. Lenox , Dist.M.ASCE, F.ASEE, American Society of Civil Engineers

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

/accreditation committees and ASEE’s Civil Engineering Division. Page 24.931.1 c American Society for Engineering Education, 2014 New Civil Engineering Program Criteria: How the Sausage is Being MadeAbstractThe American Society of Civil Engineers organized the Civil Engineering Program Criteria TaskCommittee in October 2012 whose charge is to determine if the current ABET Civil EngineeringProgram Criteria (CEPC) should be changed to reflect one or more of the 24 outcomes of thesecond edition of the Civil Engineering Body of Knowledge published in 2008. After over a yearof conference calls and face to

Conference Session

Global Perspective and Experiential Learning in Civil Engineering

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

John E. Greenleaf P.E., Quinnipiac University; Emils Stires Schnore, Independent construction professional; Patrick M. Strenk P.E., Golder Associates, Inc.

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

thestudents are prepared to address the tasks and field issues presented them and ensure the studentssafely construct the project. When considering the reciprocity generated between students andDCPs, it is clear this this relationship is not only beneficial, but also something uniquelyprovided by the DCP alone. Domestic construction professionals can serve as a key ingredient,and this strong DCP-student relationship is the foundation for both a strong student-mentorpartnership and a successful project.Modeling Good Professional Practices:Since the service-learning project often serves as a model for the civil engineering andconstruction industries, it is also important that the project realistically reflect these careereventualities. However what is

Conference Session

Innovative Techniques in Structural Engineering Courses

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

James H. Hanson, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology; John Aidoo, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology; Kyle Kershaw P.E., Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology; Matthew D. Lovell P.E., Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology; Haaken Hagen-Atwell; Matthew James Ross, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

School Psychology Programs developed a task force to address issues with thepracticum.Practicums are common in a Master of Social Work program. Lee and Fortune (2013) conductedresearch on practicums in MSW programs in order to evaluate the importance of “thinking”activities in addition to “doing” activities. They concluded that student reflection is an importantpart of the learning process in a practicum, and that “school faculties can facilitate students’reflection by focusing on application of theories in practice situations” (p. 657).Several business programs require a practicum. At Stanford University, the Graduate School ofBusiness considers the practicum to be “a key element in the revamped program” for PublicManagement (Stanford

Conference Session

Innovative Assessment Techniques in Civil Engineering Courses

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mary Katherine Watson, The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina; Joshua Pelkey, AirWatch; Caroline R. Noyes, Georgia Institute of Technology; Michael Owen Rodgers, Georgia Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

knowledge structure, although they are usually very objective30.As a result, objective tests may be unsuitable for assessing sustainability knowledge because theydo not allow students to reflect on the inherently broad content and interrelated structure ofsustainability. Open-ended assessment methods, such as essays and presentations, are usualalternatives to objective tests that disclose more about knowledge structure, but are oftenaccompanied by subjective scoring rubrics that are difficult to apply30. In addition, studentinability to produce acceptable artifacts (e.g. reports or posters) may be mistaken for lack ofknowledge in the domain30. Consequently, traditional open-ended assessments may beunfeasible for broad and accurate sustainability

Conference Session

Raise the Bar – Visions for the Future, Bodies of Knowledge, and Accreditation Vicissitudes.

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Stuart G. Walesh P.E., S. G. Walesh Consulting

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

statesof completion, have raised awareness of BOKs and have provided lessons in how todevelop and implement them.Numerous volunteers worked long and hard to develop the NSPE mission-vision-values,produce the NAE report, and initiate BOK efforts in various engineering disciplines. TheNSPE EBOK effort benefitted from those earlier efforts. This reflects a lesson learned asa result of ASCE’s development of the CEBOK. That lesson was to stand respectfullyand thankfully on the shoulders of others. 2The Body of Knowledge ConceptA profession’s BOK is its common intellectual ground – it is shared by everyone in theprofession regardless of employment or engineering discipline. The EBOK, as used inthis paper, is defined as the depth and breadth of knowledge

Conference Session

BOK2 - Influencing Changes to the ABET Civil Engineering Program Criteria and Civil Engineering Curricula

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Donald D. Carpenter, Lawrence Technological University; John V. Tocco JD, Lawrence Technological University

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

Page 24.138.1 c American Society for Engineering Education, 2014 Adopting the BOK2 Student Outcomes: A Six Year RetrospectiveAbstractIn 2008, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) published the Civil Engineering Bodyof Knowledge, Second Edition (BOK2), reflecting ASCE’s vision of the skills and knowledgethe next generation of civil engineers must acquire. The Department of Civil Engineering atLawrence Technological University adopted the BOK2 that same year as part of its regularprogram review process. Faculty engaged in extensive debate on the prudence of adopting anew, more complex standard just two years before the ABET accreditation visit in 2010.However, the Department’s commitment to

Conference Session

Research Experience in Stormwater Management

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Aimee S. Navickis-Brasch, Gonzaga University; Noel E. Bormann P.E., Gonzaga University; Sue L. Niezgoda P.E., Gonzaga University; Matt Zarecor, Spokane County Stormwater Utility

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

stormwater plans generally include guidance for selecting, designing, and maintainingBMPs. Where a BMP is a structural or managerial practices used to meet NPDES requirementsby reducing stormwater pollutant loads and volumes7-8. BMP design guidance reflects generallyaccepted engineering practices and is customization for the specific regional conditionsincluding; pollutant concerns, terrain, hydrology, issues with receiving waters, and siteconditions9-10. The addition of a new or the modification of an existing BMP requires a study todemonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed BMP for meeting NPDES permit requirements.Such a study involves developing a quality assurance project plan (QAPP), that is approved bythe EPA and generally describes the

Conference Session

Innovative Pedagogy and Assessment in Civil Engineering Education

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Matthew W Roberts, University of Wisconsin, Platteville; Carol Haden, Magnolia Consulting, LLC; Michael K Thompson, University of Wisconsin, Platteville; Philip J. Parker P.E., University of Wisconsin, Platteville

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

-standing.24 This involves devoting instructional time to teaching students how to construct con-cept maps so that those used in assessment are reflective of what they know and understand ra-ther than how sophisticated they are at constructing a concept map overall.Concept mapping tasks can vary from having students create a map from scratch, to giving stu-dents skeleton maps with some concepts included, to providing a list of concepts and asking stu-dents to create a map from the list. Variations in scoring systems also exist. While some empha-size a more qualitative approach based on the overall morphology of the maps to indicate stu-dents understanding, other approaches are highly quantitative with detailed scoring systems in-volving counting of

Conference Session

Global Perspective and Experiential Learning in Civil Engineering

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Andrea L. Welker, Villanova University; Seri Park, Villanova University; Susan B. Mackey-Kallis, Villanova University

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

a university-wide survey at Villanova University indicated that a strong majorityof full-time faculty agree that internationalizing our curriculum will help students be moresuccessful after graduation (78% agree or strongly agree). Nearly 95% of faculty agree orstrongly agree that colleges and universities should prepare students for an increasinglyinterconnected world. However, a weaker majority (58% agree or strongly agree) believe thatglobal and international topics should be incorporated into all undergraduate programs. Thislatter issue likely reflects the specific needs of the professional colleges, such as Engineering,and science departments to develop a robust education plan that meets standards within technicaldisciplines. In the

Conference Session

Innovative Pedagogy and Assessment in Civil Engineering Education

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Norb Delatte P.E., Cleveland State University; Joshua Gisemba Bagaka's, Cleveland State University

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

engineers are painfully aware of the consequences for public health,safety, and welfare when the infrastructure does not get the attention it requires.”6 Civilengineers should be (p. 9) “managers of risk and uncertainty caused by natural events, accidents,and other threats.” 6There is considerable emphasis on the attributes for the Civil Engineer of 2025. By way ofexplanation (p. 10) “Attributes may be defined as desirable knowledge, skills, and attitudes…Attitudes reflect an individual’s values and determine how he or she perceives, interprets, andapproaches the world. Attitudes conducive to effective professional practice includecommitment, curiosity, honesty, integrity, objectivity, optimism, sensitivity, thoroughness, andtolerance.” 6 Ethical

Conference Session

Topics Related to Civil Engineering Curriculum

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Stephen P. Mattingly, University of Texas, Arlington; Yvette Pearson Weatherton, University of Texas, Arlington; Andrew P. Kruzic P.E., University of Texas, Arlington; Heather L. Frost; Ziaur Rahman, The University of Texas at Arlington

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

. Page 24.341.13AcknowledgementThis material is based upon work supported by the University of Texas at Arlington’s QualityEnhancement Plan Phase II and work performed by Yvette Weatherton while serving at theNational Science Foundation. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendationsexpressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of theNational Science Foundation.References1. Congressional Budget Office (2011). Spending and Funding for Highways2. Aschauer, David (1989). “Is Public Expenditure Productive?” Journal of Monetary Economics, 23(2), 177-200.3. Reid, R. (2008). “The Infrastructure Crisis.” Civil Engineering, 78(1), 40-65.4. Transforming Undergrad Education in Engineering, Phase I

Conference Session

Topics Related to Civil Engineering Curriculum

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jim Nelson, Brigham Young University; Erick Hollenbaugh; M. Brett Borup, Brigham Young University

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

that capstone canbe seen as a “rite of passage or luminal threshold through which participants change their statusfrom student to graduate. A capstone course should be a synthesis, reflection and integration,and a bridge or a real-world preparatory experience that focuses on the post-graduation future.”Academic RequirementsIn today’s world many professors and college graduates have observed that it takes more thantechnical expertise to be a successful professional. A wide range of nontechnical skills areessential: leadership, teamwork, problem solving, decision making, critical thinking,interpersonal communication, and management. These types of skills are often referred to as“soft skills.” To help students develop both soft and technical

Conference Session

Innovative Teaching Techniques in the Classroom

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ronald W. Welch, The Citadel; Kevin C. Bower PE, The Citadel; Kaitlin Marley, The Citadel; Ally Kindel Martin, The Citadel

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

; however, this data does not reflect the complete impact ofthe program. The attitudes of freshmen and sophomore students and the atmosphere of theengineering buildings at night has transformed. Before the introduction of the program, duringESP only junior and senior engineering cadets could be found in the engineering buildings.Often, these students were in computer labs working on lab reports, design projects, and otherhomework assignments. Now, freshmen, sophomore, junior, and senior cadets can be found inall rooms of the building. Throughout the duration of ESP, upperclassmen lead SI sessions forfreshmen and sophomore students. Interaction occurs among all students in each department.Students are focused, driven, and mastering content

Conference Session

Raise the Bar – Visions for the Future, Bodies of Knowledge, and Accreditation Vicissitudes.

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mark William Killgore PE, F.ASCE, D.WRE, American Society of Civil Engineers

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

may be part of thecompetitive edge of U.S. engineers.”Another area emphasized in the report is sustainability. It states “Engineering practices mustincorporate attention to sustainable technology, and engineers need to be educated to considerissues of sustainability in all aspects of design and manufacturing.”NAE’s subsequent publication Educating the Engineer of 2020: Adapting EngineeringEducation to the New Century11 produced a 58 page report supplemented with 11 additionalessays and papers. The report produced 14 recommendations as summarized below: 1. “The baccalaureate degree should be recognized as the “pre- engineering” degree or bachelor of arts in engineering degree, depending on the course content and reflecting the

Conference Session

Research Experience in Stormwater Management

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Walter McDonald, Virginia Tech; Randel L. Dymond, Virginia Tech; Vinod K. Lohani, Virginia Tech; Daniel S. Brogan, Virginia Tech; Debarati Basu, Virginia Tech

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

24.761.14finding, and conclusion or recommendations expressed in this paper are those of the author (s)and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.References[1] Clark, H., McDonald, W., Raamanathan, H., Brogan, D., Lohani, V.K., Dymond, R. (2013). “Investigating theResponse of the Stroubles Creek Watershed to Acute Toxicity Events via Real-Time Data Analysis.” 2013 NSFREU Proceedings. Blacksburg, VA, p. 15.[2] Rai, A., Brogan, D., Guest, A., and Lohani, V.K., (2013). “A LabVIEW Enabled Weather Monitoring SystemWith an Interactive Database.” 2013 NSF REU Proceedings. Blacksburg, VA, p. 15.[3] Martinez, M., Bradner, A., Brogan, D., Rogers, M., Delgoshaei, P., and Lohani, V.K., (2012). “Study andApplication of a Real-Time

Conference Session

Research Experience in Stormwater Management

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Walter McDonald, Virginia Tech; Randel L. Dymond, Virginia Tech; Vinod K. Lohani, Virginia Tech; Daniel S. Brogan, Virginia Tech; Richard Lee Clark Jr., Virginia Western Community College

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

conclusion or recommendations expressed in this paper are those of the author(s)and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.References[1] Delgoshaei, P., (2012). “Design and Implementation of a Real-Time Environmental Monitoring Lab withApplications in Sustainability Education.” Ph.D. Dissertation Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University,Blacksburg VA.[2] Dymond, R., Lohani, V.K., Brogan, D., and Martinez, M., (2013). “Integration of a Real-Time Water andWeather Monitoring System into a Hydrology Course.” Proc. 120th ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition.Atlanta, GA.[3] Lohani, V.K., Delgohaei, P., Green, C., (2009). “Integrating LabVIEW and Real-Time Monitoring intoEngineering Instruction.” Proc. 2009

Conference Session

Innovative Techniques in Structural Engineering Courses

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Matthew W. Roberts, University of Wisconsin, Platteville; Angela Marie Jones, University of Wisconsin, Platteville; Michael K. Thompson, University of Wisconsin, Platteville

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

grad-ing scheme is used in which students must demonstrate mastery of specific concepts to pass theclass. Mastery of additional outcomes beyond these specific concepts leads to a higher grade.This paper focusses on the outcomes-based grading used in the course and the students reactionsto the grading scheme.Results of preliminary assessment indicate that outcomes-based grading may create greater un-certainty in students regarding their final grades and can lead to the perception that final gradesdo not reflect their true knowledge of the material. Outcomes-based assessment can help stu-dents to better anticipate what they will be tested on, but a well-organized traditional “points-based” grading scheme can accomplish this just as