Conference Session

Cultivating Engineering Scholarship and Research Mindsets Among URM Students

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Sedig Salem Agili, Pennsylvania State University, Harrisburg; Aldo Morales, Pennsylvania State University, Harrisburg; Linda M. Null, Pennsylvania State University, Harrisburg; Janice E. Smith, Pennsylvania State University, Harrisburg; Sofia M. Vidalis, Pennsylvania State University, Harrisburg

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Minorities in Engineering

with reflections on how to successfully implement auniversity STEM scholarship program to attain the simultaneous goals of increasing STEMenrollment and increasing diversity in the STEM fields. In particular, this paper highlights thenecessity of strong and broad-based (peers, faculty, and industrial) mentors. Initial results areencouraging with regards to STEM scholarship student retention.1 IntroductionThe Executive Summary of “Rising Above the Gathering Storm: Energizing and EmployingAmerica for A Brighter Economic Future,” notes that “scientific and technological buildingblocks critical to our economic leadership are eroding at a time when many other nations aregathering strength”1. This, however, is not the first report that has spelled

Conference Session

Software and Programming

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Debra J. Mascaro, University of Utah; Stephen Mascaro, University of Utah

Tagged Divisions

Computers in Education

illustrates how the integration and synchronization of the course content isachieved. Quantitative metrics of the outcomes of the course are provided, including results fromstudent course evaluations, surveys, and exams. Results to date indicate an increase in bothprogramming competency and satisfaction with the learning experience.1. IntroductionWe have recently implemented an integrated, hands-on, project-based approach to instructingMechanical Engineering students in computer programming at the University of Utah. Our newcourse serves as an introduction to computer programming for freshmen in MechanicalEngineering, preparing students in particular for a sophomore-level Numerical Methods courseand a junior-level Mechatronics sequence. It is desired

Conference Session

Shaping the Future: Structured Mentoring for Today's Diverse Engineering Student Populations

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jessica Alyce Wilson, University of South Florida; Jonathan Elliot Gaines, University of South Florida; Deonte Cooper, Bulls-Eye

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Minorities in Engineering

andEydgahi (n.d.) approach this issue as it relates to curricula, by recognizing that non-STEM fields such as Social Sciences andHumanities “emphasize more on ‘soft skills’ and ‘social service’ and as such have naturally embraced ‘service-learning’” (p. 1). As aresult, integrating academic fields with “service-learning” that emphasizes, “‘technical’ and ‘scientific’ skills such asEngineering…[is] rare”33. Another difference in the definition of service learning provided through an evaluation of Jacoby (1996), who defines servicelearning as a “form of experiential education in which students engage in activities that address human and community needs togetherwith structured opportunities intentionally designed to promote student learning and

Conference Session

Studying Engineering Education Research & Institutions

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Corey Owen, University of Saskatchewan; Debora Rolfes, University of Saskatchewan

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods, Liberal Education/Engineering & Society

professional identity.1. Previous Research on Class SizeAs Johnson1 observes, there is not much agreement among researchers about what constitutes asmall and a large class: the number of students that comprises a small class varies from 132 to653, and large classes range from 54 students4 to 3505. While the disagreement about thenumber of students that comprise a large class is significant, the estimation of a small class isrelatively consistent: a small class usually has no more than 30 students6, or perhaps just a fewmore (there are a few exceptions, however, who regard small classes as having 35-39students5,7,8). Both professors and students feel the effects of additional students more stronglyin smaller classes than they do in larger classes. In a

Conference Session

Fifty Shades of Grey Literature

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Chelsea Leachman, Washington State University; Charles Pezeshki, Washington State University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Libraries

literacy toreinforce the need for life-long learning skills.IntroductionAn engineer’s ability to use the correct engineering standards and codes effectively “…canreduce manufacturing costs, create customer satisfaction, open new markets and vastly improvethe quality of products and services” [1]. To prepare students for professional practice universityengineering programs are responsible, as specified by ABET, to create “…a major designexperienced based on the knowledge and skills acquired in earlier course work and incorporatingappropriate engineering standards and multiple realistic constraints”[2]. Furthermore, standardsand technical reports were ranked as the most important types of information by corporateengineers in a survey by Waters

Conference Session

Construction Education Topics

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Edwin R. Schmeckpeper PE, Norwich University; John Edward Patterson, Norwich University; Michael Puddicombe, Norwich University; Daniel Amos Sagan AIA, Norwich University, School of Architecture and Art

Tagged Divisions

Construction

the energy balance portion of thecompetition. Shown in Figure 1, the Norwich ΔT90 house was named for the 90ºF differencebetween inside and outside temperatures that residents of Vermont experience each winter. Figure 1: Norwich University ΔT90 House at 2013 Solar Decathlon CompetitionAlthough due to the scoring rubric two other schools were officially listed as tied for first placein affordability, at $234,000, one of these two houses cost 39% more than the Norwich team’shouse and at $248,000, the other cost 48% more than Norwich team’s house. All other houses inthe 2013 Solar Decathlon competition cost more than $250 per square foot.3While this was the most affordable solar decathlon house in the history of the competition, basedupon

Conference Session

NSF Grantees’ Poster Session

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Joyce B. Main, Purdue University, West Lafayette; Catherine E. Brawner, Research Triangle Educational Consultants; Susan M Lord, University of San Diego; Catherine Mobley, Clemson University; Michelle M. Camacho, University of San Diego

Tagged Topics

Diversity, NSF Grantees Poster Session

experience a “transfer tax” burden in terms of the time andmoney lost when student lose credits as a result of their transitions.13RESEARCH QUESTIONSStudent veterans experience diverse pathways into and through higher education; the relevanceof their military experiences to their field of study in higher education is equally diverse. Fewstudies provided detailed insights into their educational experiences. The following researchquestions guide our qualitative investigation of the experiences and pathways of student veteransin engineering:1: Why do veterans pursue a Bachelor’s degree in engineering?2: How do military experiences shape student veterans’ educational experiences?3: What are the experiences of student veterans in engineering education?4

Conference Session

Fifty Shades of Grey Literature

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Chelsea Leachman, Washington State University; Jacob William Leachman, School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Washington State University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Libraries

engineering faculty are alsocompared. This provides a preliminary indication that contextualizing library instruction byinformation type increases the diversity of literature utilized by engineering students. The overallcredibility of citations utilized by students in their reports is likely to increase if this diversityincreases the use of grey literature and standards.IntroductionThe organization responsible for accrediting college and university engineering programs,ABET, specifies “incorporating appropriate engineering standards”[1] as a key criterion forcurriculum assessment. As a result, many engineering courses have made use of engineeringstandards an explicit outcome of course syllabi. The American Society of Mechanical Engineers(ASME

Conference Session

Aerospace Technical Session 3

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Christopher E Hartman, University of Maryland, Eastern Shore; Abhijit Nagchaudhuri, University of Maryland, Eastern Shore; Lei Zhang, University of Maryland, Eastern Shore; Abbas H Diab P.E., Research Assistant UMES

Tagged Divisions

Aerospace

, reflective observation,abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation framework of Kolb’s experiential learningparadigm. It is anticipated the paper will serve as a reference document for those experiencingsimilar issues with small UAV based aerial imaging efforts.Project based Interactive and Experiential LearningIn order to aid in the differentiation of learning activities Chi [1] proposed a taxonomy forclassification of active, constructive, interactive. Active learning activities have been defined asdoing something physically. Constructive learning activities include the overt actions ofhypothesis generation, explanation and elaboration, planning and prediction of outcomes, as wellas integration and synthesis of concepts. Cognitively

Conference Session

Potpourri

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Joseph Alan Nygate, Rochester Institute of Technology (CAST); Richard Cliver, Rochester Institute of Technology (CAST)

Tagged Divisions

Computing & Information Technology

]. Typically, we wouldwe would just read the introduction, examine the diagrams and review the conclusion. The mainbody of text was only read if clarifications or in-depth information was needed. Not only did thissave time but also, as most of our employers were not native speakers of English, focusing oninfographics and less on text reduced misunderstandings [1].After moving to academia, I found that students were unaware of the writing style that is used intoday’s high-paced industries. While many schools offer writing intensive programs [3] andsome guidance on the use of graphs and charts [4], students do not receive enough instruction onhow to develop and integrate infographics [12] within their documentation. This is particularlytrue of the many

Conference Session

Materials Division Technical Session 3

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Michelle M. Blum, Syracuse University; Katie D. Cadwell, Syracuse University; Julie M. Hasenwinkel, Syracuse University

Tagged Divisions

Materials

inspiring introduction, andcan be a clear illustration of how materials play a role in the world around them. It makesengineering both approachable and relevant. The science classes that high school students,college freshman and sophomores take typically present collections of theories and laws usingtechniques that do not foster creativity, experimentation and curiosity. As a result, studentsincreasingly fail to pursue careers in Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).For the past 10 years the number of high school seniors who plan on entering an engineeringcareer has dropped more than 35%.1 Additionally, attrition rates of engineering disciplines havebeen as high as 50%,2 and minority students have been shown to receive less than 8

Conference Session

Technical Session: Professional Development Opportunities for Students

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Natacha Depaola, Illinois Institute of Technology; Jamshid Mohammadi P.E., Illinois Institute of Technology; Paul R. Anderson, Illinois Institute of Technology; Eric M. Brey, Illinois Institute of Technology; Roberto Cammino, Illinois Institute of Technology; Bonnie Haferkamp, Illinois Institute of Technology; Fouad Teymour, Illinois Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Student

paper also describes the future direction in this initiative and the ongoingstrategies being implemented to measure the success of the portfolio project.ObjectivesThe objectives of the engineering portfolio at IIT are to:(1) Offer opportunities to students to compile a record of their accomplishments within theengineering distinctive education thematic activities, design their path to graduation with anenriched curriculum, and build on an open-ended self-guided career plan based on masteredskills and demonstrated achievements;(2) Provide potential employers with an extended resume with a more comprehensive record ofprofessional background of a new engineering graduate; and(3) Provide educators with an assessment tool for student learning

Conference Session

Civil Engineering Division Technical Session 4

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Allen L. Jones PE, South Dakota State University

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

Criteria 2000. TheSOs were reviewed by the faculty in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering(CEE) at SDSU as well as the department’s advisory board before being adopted by the program.SDSU’s Civil Engineering student outcomes “a” through “k” are adopted from ABET criterion Page 26.67.2three. During the fall semester of 2008, the CEE department faculty established the followingformal methodology for reviewing and revising student outcomes. In general terms, thefollowing outlines the Student Outcome Assessment Process (SDSU, 2009): 1. A metric or metrics will be established for a SO. 2. A threshold value will be established for

Conference Session

Research to Practice: STRAND 3 – Principles of K-12 Engineering Education and Practice

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Stephanie C. Vereen, University of Alabama; Allison D. Vereen, North Douglas Elementary, Douglas County School System

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

committee. In conjunction with the goals andinitiatives of the committee, they developed a survey to achieve the following objectives: 1. to determine the feasibility of teachers transitioning their classes into science labs if provided adequate resources for hands on labs and activities 2. assess the willingness for teachers to volunteer additional time after school and weekends if additional activities, such as Science Olympiad and robotics team, were created 3. assess teachers being open to pursuing additional education by way of an endorsement class in either math or science or taking the content specific GACE in order to help the school achieve the STEM school certificationThe objective of the survey was to evaluate

Conference Session

Microprocessor, Microcontrollers, and Embedded Systems Education

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Vicky Fang, Cedarville University; Sam L. SanGregory, Cedarville University; Clint Kohl, Cedarville University

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

teachingapproaches.For instance, in the paper “New Approach for Teaching a Microcontrollers System DesignCourse for Engineering Technology” [1], a project-based method is described. The class isinstructed to use the “Dragon 12 prototyping card” to implement a group of specified projects.The same group of projects is required of the whole class. Instructions on how to implementthose projects are also given to the class. The projects were carried out on pre-made prototypeboards not from scratch by the students.In the paper “Creating a Realistic Embedded System Design Experience for ComputerEngineers” [2], a student-designed project method is presented. The project design platform isagain a completed prototype board. Like all the projects that use prefabricated

Conference Session

Evaluation: Exploring the Impact of Summer Programs on K-12 Youth.

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Christine Burwell-Woo, Cañada College; Ray Lapuz, Canada College; Tracy Huang, Cañada College; Nicholas Langhoff, Canada College

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

matter knowledge of student participants is also discussed. The paper further highlightsbest practices that have been developed at the STEM Institute host college to assist otherinstitutions in developing a similar program to increase subject matter knowledge as well asinterest and self-efficacy in STEM.1. IntroductionIncreasingly publications describe our nation’s compelling need for “home-grown” STEMprofessionals while at the same time condemn the lack of preparedness of most graduates forthese jobs. Experts are also concerned that that the aging workforce and a reduced labor poolwill impact professionals available for the federal STEM workforce.1 Moreover, despite high

Conference Session

Make It!

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Sven G. Bilen, Pennsylvania State University, University Park; Timothy F. Wheeler, Pennsylvania State University, University Park; Randall G Bock, Pennsylvania State University, University Park

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Manufacturing

of the White House Office of Science and TechnologyPolicy said in a 2010 speech at the New York Hall of Science [1]: “After all, we wouldn’t teachkids how to play football by lecturing to them about football for years and years before allowingthem to play. And if education is about the ‘lighting of a flame not the filling of a pail’—weshould be putting the tools of discovery, invention and fabrication at the fingertips of everychild—inside and outside of the classroom.”The maker culture typically emphasizes “informal, networked, peer-led, and shared learningmotivated by fun and self-fulfillment.” [2] It has grown up outside of formal learning structures,but many educational institutions are now actively seeking ways to adopt this culture

Conference Session

Innovations in Upper-level Biomedical Engineering Courses

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Anton E. Bowden, Brigham Young University; Ruth Ochia P.E., Temple University; Dennis Lee Eggett, Brigham Young University

Tagged Divisions

Biomedical

respondentsaugmenting their primary textbook with additional material.Topics from Bone Mechanics, Soft Tissue Mechanics, Tissue Remodeling, and OrthopaedicBiomechanics were most highly represented among current biomechanics courses. BiofluidMechanics, Vascular Mechanics, Respiratory Mechanics, Medical Imaging & Mechanics, InjuryBiomechanics, and Biomedical Engineering Ethics were least represented. There was asignificant statistical correlation between the current research topics of the respondents and theincluded topics in their engineering biomechanics courses. In an open-response query in thesurvey, respondents identified three additional resources that would be most helpful in teachingtheir current biomechanics course: 1) a “better,” more unified

Conference Session

ECCD Innovative Teaching Applications

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ilya Y. Grinberg, Buffalo State College; Matin Meskin, University at Buffalo; Mohammed Safiuddin, University at Buffalo, SUNY

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

toperform Data Analysis. Confidentiality of the end users’ data is protected by mutual trust.Maintaining trust and security is paramount. Individual consumers are rightfullyconcerned about potential data breaches. Because users are typically unfamiliar withrigorous industry standards, utilization of such systems must be accompanied by adetailed explanation of the protocols in place that ensure data security, hence education(including consumer education) is an important part of any large-scale deployment3, 4.An intermediary known as a XMPP Service Broker is used to authorize access for users,applications, and devices to exchange information. Figure 1 represents this informationexchange. XMPP also provides built-in security, which includes encryption

Conference Session

NSF Grantees’ Poster Session

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ricardo Jose Morocz, Georgia Institute of Technology; Bryan D Levy, Georgia Institute of Technology; Craig R. Forest, Georgia Institute of Technology; Robert L. Nagel, James Madison University; Wendy C Newstetter, Georgia Institute of Technology; Kimberly Grau Talley P.E., Texas State University; Julie S Linsey, Georgia Institute of Technology

Tagged Topics

NSF Grantees Poster Session

identify best-practice approaches andguidelines for designing maker spaces, through discussions and interviews with leaders of makerspaces from educational institution around the country.IntroductionIt is essential that the 21st century engineer is creative and innovative in order to solve theproblems of the future 1, and these skills can be taught and nurtured2-4. This can be a challengedue to lack of resources and limited time available in engineering curriculums.Fostering the maker spaces environment may be one solution to cultivating creativity andinnovation in universities. Maker spaces can become a supplemental part of traditionalengineering education by offering a different way of learning. The benefits of maker spaces oneducation have been

Conference Session

Construction Project Delivery and Control

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

MaryEllen C. Nobe, Colorado State University; Rodolfo Valdes-Vasquez, Colorado State University

Tagged Divisions

Construction

sample of the students’ papers. The preliminary results provide insight intostudents’ evaluation of their success during their first semester, which is a critical semester instudents’ college careers.IntroductionProject Control is an interactive process in which actual performance is compared to plannedperformance with adjustment(s) being made to address identified deviations3.The project controlcycle has seven basic steps: (1) develop project plan, (2) establish benchmarks, (3) monitorproject performance, (4) identify deviations, (5) evaluate corrective options, (6) makeadjustment, and (7) document, report and evaluate4. When attempting to teach this projectcontrol cycle, the importance of ‘evaluate’ can be difficult to convey to students

Conference Session

Design in Engineering Education Division Poster Session

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jacqueline Ann Stagner P.Eng., University of Windsor; Jennifer L Johrendt, University of Windsor

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

curriculumand program development enables continuous improvement activities. The complete list ofCEAB GrAtts is provided here:1 Page 26.242.2 1. A knowledge base for engineering 2. Problem analysis 3. Investigation 4. Design 5. Use of engineering tools 6. Individual and teamwork 7. Communication skills 8. Professionalism 9. Impact of engineering on society and the environment 10. Ethics and equity 11. Economics and project management 12. Life-long learningAlthough students will develop all GrAtts throughout their undergraduate engineering programs,assessment of the attributes in the final year of the students’ programs provides

Conference Session

Two-year College Division: Authors Address Transfer Matters-Part I

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Carl Whitesel, Mesa Community College; Adam R. Carberry, Arizona State University

Tagged Divisions

Two Year College Division

strategiesintended to increase student interest, achievement and persistence in engineering are based onincreasing self-efficacy, which is a better predictor of those outcomes2,3.A logical starting point for examining this topic as it relates to community college students is toexamine the relationships between conceptual knowledge of DC circuit analysis with self-efficacy for circuit analysis. An instrument was created to measure the relationship betweenself-efficacy for and conceptual knowledge of DC circuit analysis. The instrument was a three-tiered concept-inventory that included: Tier 1: Multiple choice assessment of understanding related to a DC analysis concepts. Tier 2: Multiple choice question regarding subjects’ reasoning for

Conference Session

New Teaching Pedagogies: Methods and Assessments

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

James V. Canino, Trine University

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

order to ensure progress, future research on the flipped classroom should employcontrolled studies that objectively examine student performance throughout a semester, with bothtraditional and concept-inventors style problems."1 Therefore, this research study wasconstructed to satisfy this statement to the best of the author's ability.Study DesignTwo sections of thermodynamics were taught by the author during the same semester. Studentsin one section were taught using the flipped classroom pedagogy, while students in the secondsection were instructed using the Think-Pair-Share methodology. There were 20 students in theflipped section with class periods on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:00 am to 12:15 pm.Students in the flipped classroom watched

Conference Session

Computers in Education Engineering Division Poster Session

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

John C Nesbit, Simon Fraser University; Li Liu, Simon Fraser University ; Qing Liu, Simon Fraser University; Olusola O Adesope, Washington State University-Pullman

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Computers in Education

systems has never been greater.1 ITS have been developed for a wide range ofsubject domains (e.g., mathematics, physics, biology, medicine, reading, languages, andphilosophy) and for students in primary, secondary and postsecondary levels of education.Although most ITS have been developed by researchers and never deployed outside thelaboratory or the single university-level course for which they were designed, there are examplesof mature systems that have been deployed more widely and extensively evaluated.2, 3Like previous reviewers1, 4, 5 we have adopted a definition of ITS that emphasizes studentmodeling as an essential characteristic. We identify an ITS as any computer system that performsteaching or tutoring functions (e.g., selecting

Conference Session

Fundamental: Home, Parents, and Other Out-of-School Issues Related to K-12 and Pre-college Engineering Education

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jacob Inman, INSPIRE Institute for Pre-College Engineering Education; Monica E Cardella, Purdue University, West Lafayette

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

. Page 26.814.1 c American Society for Engineering Education, 2015 Gender Bias in the Purchase of STEM-Related Toys (Fundamental)IntroductionMotivationWhile there has been much research dedicated to the issue of underrepresentation of women inengineering fields and collegiate programs, the potential causal factors of this phenomenon havelargely been considered institutional and the result of unfair bias (both in employment andincome) against women in these technical positions [1]. However, other recent research indicatesnot institutional factors but resource availability as the primary source of workplacediscrimination against women in technical fields [2]. Among these resources is the developmentof

Conference Session

Fundamental: Metrics & Assessment for K-12 Engineering Education

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Cathy P. Lachapelle, Museum of Science; Yoonkyung Oh, Pennsylvania State University; Muhammad Faiz Shams, Museum of Science; Jonathan D Hertel, EiE/Museum of Science; Christine M Cunningham, Museum of Science

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

(EiE). Our goals were, and are, to (1) Increase children’sknowledge about engineering technology, and their skills in solving engineering problems; (2)Support teachers to improve their ability to teach engineering and technology; and (3) toadvocate for the inclusion of engineering in elementary schools1.Engineering is new in elementary school classrooms. Teachers and administrators want to know,before adopting new curricula, what evidence exists that it works. Does a curriculum helpstudents achieve a better understanding of the problems and processes of engineering? Does itsupport them to become more skilled in engineering and science practices as laid out by the NextGeneration Science Standards2? Does it contribute to students’ understanding

Conference Session

NSF Grantees’ Poster Session

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Firdous Saleheen, Temple University; Salvatore Giorgi, Temple University; Zachary Thomas Smith, Temple University; Joseph Picone, Temple University; Chang-Hee Won, Temple University

Tagged Topics

NSF Grantees Poster Session

dedicatedlaboratory spaces. The merits of our open laboratory approach include (1) individual, self-pacedlearning, (2) 24/7 accessibility, (3) personalized instructions for shy or more timid students in anon-threatening environment, and (4) increasing level of engagement. Because of theseadvantages, students who learn in an open lab environment will perform better than in atraditional closed lab. In this paper, we present the VOLTA software framework and discuss thepreliminary results of pre- and post-lab assessment. The ANOVA test on pre-test and post-testscores showed a p-value of 0.171 indicating a modest improvement in performance compared tostudents who took the same course taught using a traditional closed laboratory approach. Thisstudy suggests that

Conference Session

Continuing Professional Development Division Technical Session 3

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Gustavo Lopez, Universidad de Costa Rica; Francisco Cocozza, CITIC; Alexandra Martinez, Universidad de Costa Rica; Marcelo Jenkins, University of Costa Rica

Tagged Divisions

Continuing Professional Development

develop-ment unit at our university. Our design and implementation of the training course was assessedfrom three different points of view: the trainer’s, the trainee’s, and the manager’s. Our experi-ence might help educational institutions and college professors in designing and implementingsoftware testing training courses for industry.1. INTRODUCTIONSoftware testing is a critical activity in software engineering. It is estimated that the cost of soft-ware testing exceeds half of the total cost of development and maintenance16. Still, we are farfrom producing defect-free software. In order to achieve effective testing, testers need to havegood support from tools as well as sharp testing skills. The same goes for developers if they aredoing part

Conference Session

NSF Grantees’ Poster Session

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Srividya Kona Bansal, Arizona State University; Odesma Onika Dalrymple, University of San Diego; Ashraf Gaffar, Arizona State University

Tagged Topics

NSF Grantees Poster Session

applied in real engineer- ing learning environments to improve student learning and teaching. In this respect her two prominent research contributions are with: 1) artefact-inspired discovery–based pedagogy, i.e., learning activities where students’ exploration of STEM knowledge is self-directed and motivated by interactions or manip- ulations of artefacts; and 2) the development of faculty expertise in outcomes-based course design through the use of the Instructional Module Development (IMOD) system, a self-guided web-based training tool.Dr. Ashraf Gaffar, Arizona State University Ashraf Gaffar received his PhD in computer science with a focus on Human Computer Interaction (HCI), and works at ASU as Assistant