Collection

1999 Annual Conference

Authors

Howard A. Smolleck; Nadipuram Prasad; Barbara Powell; Bhargava Jayanti; Shakir Manshad; Sashadry Divakaria; Paul Arellanes

programs. The project is primarilyoriented toward two-year, community-college institutions and has involved the building of asmall consortium of such schools.The first module in the series to be completed and implemented, entitled Vector Vision, is nowin use in the author’s institution and in several two-year partner schools. Vector Vision providesinteractive instructional and problem-solving resources for introducing and reviewingfundamental vector and complex-number concepts for lower-division Engineering andTechnology students.The philosophy and objectives underlying the series of software programs (already discussed inprevious works) are briefly reviewed, with specific attention to the Vector Vision module. Theprimary goal of the present paper

Collection

1999 Annual Conference

Authors

David Phillips; C. Richard Helps

using most of the features available inmicrocontrollers. The unit interfaces to sensors, actuators, LCD displays and serial ports usingdifferent microcontroller architectures. The final data acquisition system can then be used forlater classes or projects or reprogrammed for other applications.1. Embedded Microcontrollers are an Important Topic in EET programsEmbedded controllers are found in many modern products ranging through consumerelectronics, cars, industrial control, medical systems and communication. They serve as theprimary intelligence for many products or as simple intelligent interfaces between systems.Microcontrollers are even replacing simple mechanical switches in many systems. A recentsurvey1 indicated that for every 75 million

Collection

1999 Annual Conference

Authors

Rafiqul Islam

methods and sophisticated simulation and designtechniques are adding to its real future growth2. According to the market projection there will beover half a billion wireless subscribers around the world by 20003. MTA-EMCI believes that thefield of wireless personal communications has the potential to grow strongly in the near futureall over the world with the greatest in the Asia/Pacific region where more than half of theworld’s population lives4.Worldwide, Local Multipoint Communications Systems (LMCS), known in the U.S. as LMDSis a fixed wireless broadband access technology in which signals are transmitted ina point to multipoint method. It can provide two-way voice, data, internet and video services.The advantages of this broadband wireless

Collection

1999 Annual Conference

Authors

Deborah B. Kaufman; Hugh Fuller; Richard M. Felder

Session 1430 Peer Ratings in Cooperative Learning Teams Deborah B. Kaufman, Richard M. Felder, Hugh Fuller North Carolina State UniversitySynopsisA universal concern about cooperative learning is the possible existence of “hitchhikers,” teammembers who fail to fulfill their team responsibilities but get the same high grade as their moreresponsible teammates. A common way to minimize hitchhiking is to use peer ratings to assessindividual performance of team members and to adjust the team project grade for individualteam members based on their average ratings. Peer ratings have potential

Collection

1999 Annual Conference

Authors

Lorraine Holub; G.V. Loganathan; Craig Moore; Bill Greenberg

; mathematical writing(http://www.fandm.edy/departments/mathematics) emphasizing clear explanations, unclutteredexpositions on the page, and well organized presentation; tutorials involving a significantnumber of drill problems with help on demand for students working in peer groups or on anindividual basis so that mistakes are fixed without any delay. A component that should be addedto the above list is a well-conceived set of hands-on experiments. It is well known that what youremember the most is what you have learned by doing. While that statement is readily accepted,the time constraint combined with the multidisciplinary nature of experiments (mini projects) isoften cited for not carrying it out as part of calculus class. At Virginia Tech, the

Collection

1999 Annual Conference

Authors

Hisham Alnajjar

Session 2532 Digital Signal Processing/Image Processing: Freshman to Senior Year Hisham Alnajjar Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering College of Engineering University of Hartford alnajjar@mail.hartford.eduAbstractA hands-on project course, which focuses on Digital Signal Processing (DSP) hardwareand applications through the use of standard kits, is introduced at the senior level. Sincethese DSP kits are important and relatively easy to interface, they can be used tointroduce first year students to the design and

Collection

1999 Annual Conference

Authors

Darrell C. Schroder; Charles D. Turner

work and interpret data c. Ability to design a system, component, or 3 2 design project, text problems process to meet desired needs d. Ability to function on multi disciplinary 2 1 class open to science majors, informal and teams formal team assignments, class exercises e. Ability to identify, formulate, and solve 3 2 textbook problems, local applications, special engineering problems assignments, f. Understanding of professional and ethical 2 2 current events, speaker, design problem responsibility situations, g. Ability to communicate

Collection

1999 Annual Conference

Authors

Susan M. Montgomery

fromWankat and Oreovicz’ book was assigned for each class period to ensure this preparation,although the assignment was not turned in. The rest of the class time was spent in small groupdiscussions or projects based on the assignment. Material from the National Effective Institute4was used liberally for class discussions. For the first class, for example, students completed theIndex of Learning Styles Questionnaire5 , based on Felder and Silverman’s Learning Stylesmodel, to start the discussion on learning styles.For many class periods a discussant with expertise in the area would also make a briefpresentation. Some examples: staff from the University’s Center for Research on Learning andTeaching discussed the Teaching Portfolio; the president of

Collection

1999 Annual Conference

Authors

Thomas G. Stanford; Donald Keating

effective technology generated by graduate engineers in industry and government service, which wasbrought forth through the needs-driven creative engineering method and responsible leadership of innovation andtechnology development.2Although the Bush plan has proven to be correct for excellence in scientific research and research-oriented graduateeducation at research universities to promote scientific progress, it is fundamentally in error for needs-drivencreative engineering development of the nation’s future technology and for professional-oriented graduateeducation of the nation’s graduate engineers in industry to promote technology progress. Based upon the findings ofthe U.S. Department of Defense study, “Project Hindsight,” innovative

Collection

1999 Annual Conference

Authors

Rhonda Moore; Ray Bachnak

the capabilities required for a specific design. Assuming complex projects, thenthe EDA system should be able to: • Perform electrical, mechanical, and manufacturing simulation in a concurrent design environment. • Perform system level design and simulation including virtual prototyping, hardware/software co-design, and high-level synthesis. • Support rapid prototyping. • Perform mixed-signal (analog and digital) design and simulation. • Analyze various design levels, from gates to whole systems. Page 4.225.2 • Provide a centralized database of files.Industry Design TrendsMany companies, including

Collection

1999 Annual Conference

Authors

Shreekanth A. Mandayam; John L. Schmalzel; Ravi Ramachandran

Session 2253 ENGINEERING PRINCIPLES OF AN ELECTRIC TOOTHBRUSH Ravi P. Ramachandran, John L. Schmalzel and Shreekanth A. Mandayam Department of Electrical Engineering Rowan University Glassboro, New Jersey 08028Abstract - The hallmark of the newly configured Rowan College of Engineering undergraduateprogram is the interdisciplinary, project oriented clinic sequence that spans 8 semesters. Thissequence is taken by all engineering students. In this paper, we specifically describe theinnovative efforts in the second semester of Freshman Clinic that is devoted to

Collection

1999 Annual Conference

Authors

Sue Schroeder; Patrick Daniel; Carole E. Goodson; Susan Miertschin

Session 1649 Experiences with Video Enhanced Collaborative Learning Carole Goodson, Susan Miertschin, Sue Schroeder, and Patrick Daniel University of HoustonAbstractAn ever-present problem with freshman-level courses is the diversity of student backgrounds.During the Spring 1998, a project was funded by the University to develop a differentinstructional approach which was later piloted in the first required Technical Mathematicscourse. The intent of the project was to address a wide diversity of student backgrounds andproblems associated with commuting

Collection

1999 Annual Conference

Authors

James Corbeil; Dale A. Wilson

of learners using a student-centered approach to teaching. The design,implementation, and quality of curricula are important if the mentor hopes to shift the controland ownership of the learning process to the learner and hence develop “self-growers”. Some ofthe teaching techniques include: problem-based learning, guided-discovery learning, appliedcritical thinking, structured self-reflective thought, journal writing, project work, andcooperative learning.The development of a cooperative learning environment is one of the aforementioned techniquesthat Process EducationTM has adopted to facilitate learning. Performing as groups helps to fosterskills associated with communication, teamwork, and assessment. Within each team, studentsassume

Collection

1999 Annual Conference

Authors

Rochelle Payne Ondracek

Session 2358 Multimedia Virtual Laboratories for Introductory Materials Science Courses Rochelle Payne Ondracek University of Nebraska - LincolnAbstract"More real-world examples" is a frequent comment from students on course evaluations for anintroductory materials science course at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL). Sincestudents who are exposed to actual case histories remember concepts better and are moreenthusiastic, we are developing virtual laboratory multimedia modules using MacromediaAuthorware. The goals of this project are to expose

Collection

1999 Annual Conference

Authors

Sheryl A. Sorby

. However,recent studies conducted at Michigan Technological University (MTU) indicate that merely work-ing with 3-D software does not improve the spatial abilities of students by a significant amountwhen compared to the gains achieved by activities associated with traditional graphics instruction(i.e., sketching, orthographic projection, isometric drawing, etc.). In the fall of 1998 a study wasconducted at MTU to ascertain whether a student’s level of spatial ability is related to their abilityto learn and use 3-D solid modeling software and/or 2-dimensional drafting software. In thisstudy, students were administered three different tests designed to assess their level of spatial abil-ity at the beginning of a computer aided drafting and design

Collection

1999 Annual Conference

Authors

Brian K. Jennison; Glenn S. Kohne

simulation software(Electronics Workbench). Each student is assigned a series of electronic circuit design projects thatare solved via either simulation (in Electronics Workbench) or with actual electronic hardware. Atypical design project treating a gated amplitude modulator is covered in detail in this paper. This Page 4.3.1two-semester course is unique in that the theoretical and practical circuit topics are integrated insequence and are team-taught by the co-authors (one with a systems-level perspective and the otherwith a practical circuit design perspective).II. Course DescriptionLoyola College in Maryland is a regional liberal arts

Collection

1999 Annual Conference

Authors

Thomas Walker; Jan Helge Bøhn

possibleprecaution has been taken to eliminate the possibility of a student’s grade being affected by asimple mistake during homework submission. It should be noted that the homework can besubmitted from any computer, anywhere, as long as it has Web access and a reasonably currentedition of Netscape or Internet Explorer.Project GradingThe course server handles the grading of all projects including accepting project submissions,grading, and posting results. The process involves having the students submit only source code,compiling that code, executing it, and comparing the project output with the output obtained bythe solution already existing on the server. Each project is tested with input data published withthe details of the assignment (published data

Collection

1999 Annual Conference

Authors

William B. Hudson; Donald M. Gruenbacher

CriteriaStudents in EECE 241 are evaluated using the following instruments: 4 One Hour Examinations 1 One Hour and Fifty Minute Final Examination 10 Collections of Course Notes 14 Recitations 1 Final Recitation Project 10 Electronic Homework ProblemsExaminationsExaminations in this course take a very traditional written approach. All students take theexamination at the same time. The exams require students to synthesize concepts and toanalyze circuits. The examinations are graded in a traditional labor-intensive manner.Course NotesAt random times during the semester student course notes for specific lectures were collectedand graded. The notes were evaluated for accuracy, neatness, proper form, and completeness.This

Collection

1999 Annual Conference

Authors

Gloria Rogers; Julia Williams

-Portfolio at Rose-HulmanInstitute of Technology, the faculty, administration, and students have confronted theseissues; the result is a web-based portfolio system that focuses on a student’s “best work”and requires a “reflective statement” in which a student demonstrates the relevance of thework to the learning outcomes objectives. This article outlines the stages of the RosE-Portfolio development from the initial concept to its testing through a Pilot Project andthe current status of the plan. In offering the results of the project thus far, the authorsoffer suggestions on how other institutions may gauge the appropriateness of a portfoliosystem to their own student learning outcome goals.IntroductionThe current interest in the use of portfolios

Collection

1999 Annual Conference

Authors

John, Jr. Lipscomb

Page 4.155.1represent other MET programs that are currently scrambling to get on the Web.The curricula of the sample were analyzed and twenty topic areas were identified as follows:Safety, Ethics, Sr. Project (Capstone), Engineering Economics, H.V.A.C., Thermodynamics(and heat transfer), Electronics (and instrumentation), Fluid Mechanics, Strength of Materials,Statics, Dynamics, Kinematics, Machine Design, Materials, CNC programing, Quality Control,Manufacturing (machining and manufacturing processes), Solid Modeling, CADD, andGraphics (manual). Within each curriculum, the number of hours devoted to each of thesetopics were counted and an average per program was calculated. This process yielded thepopularity of each topic.To define the breadth

Collection

1999 Annual Conference

Authors

W. D. Jemison; W. A. Hornfeck; J. F. Greco; I. I. Jouny

committee recognizes that the highly motivated student who is most interestedin a technical career may still pursue either electrical or computer engineering in equal ormore depth than with a single BS degree via appropriate selection of electives, honorsprojects, and/or independent research projects sponsored by the college. As anotheralternative, the students have the option of minoring in Computer Science orMathematics. The Computer Science minor will be discussed later in the paper.Finally, the committee believes that the combined BSECE degree will differentiateLafayette College from other institutions in a positive way. Thus, the committeeconcluded that the option of the combined BSECE degree program would best meet theneeds of both the

Collection

1999 Annual Conference

Authors

Raymond B. Landis

www.eweek.org www.nae.edu/cwe www.uh.edu/engines/Session 5. Tour of Engineering Facilities.Participants were divided into four groups and taken by tour guides to four locations on arotating basis (20 minutes each) to see facilities and learn about activities in four areas: 1)engineering student design competitions (e.g. mini baja, micro mouse, concrete canoe, aerodesign project); 2) research projects including opportunities for undergraduate research; 3)computing facilities; and 4) manufacturing and automated manufacturing facilities.Session 6. Engineering Case Study: The Solar Eagle Project.A slide presentation emphasizing the design tradeoffs that must be made to produce a "worldclass" solar-electric vehicle was made by the faculty adviser of

Collection

1999 Annual Conference

Authors

Michael D. Murphy; Daniel Jensen

projects foreach topic 20. In-class and take-home application quizzes were given to ensure internalizationand not merely an ability to follow directions. Students worked in teams of two which fostereddialogue and alleviated 90% of questions while professors roamed the lab answering questionsand posing new scenarios.3.0 AssessmentIn order to determine which course of study was most effective, several assessment metricsincluding student feedback, professor feedback, learning theory data, and topical coverage wereemployed.3.1 Assessment -- Student FeedbackSimply based on student feedback, both verbal and through course evaluations, the EM 290 2-D“Short Course” was by far, the lowest ranked methodology. The 3-D “Full Course” was a verypositive

Collection

1999 Annual Conference

Authors

Mohamed El-Faham; Ibrahim El-Mohr; Asser Zaky

thisrevolution… As a direct consequence of this new industrial revolution, we have astandard of welfare unequaled in history”2.There is much evidence that in the Arab world and other developing countries ingeneral there is a growing demand for electrical power and control engineers.Generation of electricity, its transmission and its distribution are of primary concern Page 4.30.1to all developing and rapidly industrializing countries. Since it is estimated that some80% of generated power is used to drive motors, machines, electrical drives andpower electronics form a very important part of electrical power engineering. Withelectrification projects forging ahead

Collection

1999 Annual Conference

Authors

Suzanne D. Bilbeisi; Camille F. DeYong

in the professional workplace. To addressthis need, three summer academies were held at Oklahoma State University. The primary goalof these academies was to introduce young women to the possibilities available to them withinthe professional fields of Engineering, Architecture and Technology.Needs Addressed and Project ObjectivesThe United States faces a shortfall in the number of engineers available to meet the needs of ourever increasing technological society in the 21st century. Atkinson observes that theemployment rate for scientists and engineers is increasing faster than total U.S. employment 1.Pool states that the number of jobs for scientists and engineers should grow at a rate of twotimes the rate of the rest of the economy2. To stay

Collection

1999 Annual Conference

Authors

Brian Manhire; Roman Z. Morawski; Andrzej Krasniewski

in theorganization of the education process and in the curriculum. The most significant changesinclude:- the number of courses to be taken each term has been reduced by integrating lectures, recitations, lab sessions and projects, formerly frequently existing as separately graded items;- the number of contact hours per week has been reduced, with the education becoming more dependent on self-study;- the percentage of elective courses in the curriculum has increased;- the percentage of humanities, social science, business and management, and language classes in the curriculum has increased.Moreover, in many institutions the design components of engineering courses related to hands-on experience have also increased at the expense of

Collection

1999 Annual Conference

Authors

Martin Bowe; Daniel Jensen

working on a reverse engineering /redesign project. During this half of the semester, 75% of the lectures now have asignificant hands-on component. The primary purpose of this paper is to report on theeffectiveness of this hands-on content. In addition, we will provide an overview of thedivision of the course into redesign and original design sections. The primaryassessment tool being used is a survey which students fill out after each lecture. Eachstudent survey took approximately a minute to complete and was designed todifferentiate between four things: 1) student’s interest in that lecture’s subject matter, 2)that day’s learning experience, 3) their ability to apply material covered that day and 4)their interest in exploring that lecture’s

Collection

1999 Annual Conference

Authors

David S. Kelley

course, students may be given an assignmentto design a floor plan for a residential building. Within this project, students may be givencriteria for the design and for the project as a whole. When the instructor evaluates the project,it is common to give a grade based on the design and the quality of the work. Occasionally,students are given the option to improve their grade on the assignment.A problem with the above approach to teaching is that it can allow some students to progresswithout meeting certain minimum standards. For an architectural project, a student may notproperly design a kitchen; for a mechanical drafting assignment, a student may not apply rules ofdimensioning correctly. Allowing students to progress without meeting standards

Collection

1999 Annual Conference

Authors

Robert E. Bruninga; Dave D. Myre

short design projects in support of the spacecraft design course. The course isorganized such that each spacecraft subsystem has its own lab module that consists of thefollowing: (1) pre-laboratory preparation and exercises, (2) practical “hands-on” laboratories and(3) continued demonstration of concepts via the electronic classroom.II. Practical LaboratoriesThe practical laboratories were developed and conducted in the fall of 1997 and 1998. There arethree primary areas explored in the laboratories: (1) Communications, (2) Electronic PowerSystems and (3) Thermal Control. Emphasis is placed on communications systems, as this is oneof the Navy’s primary space mission areas. The other laboratories discussed are the spacecraftelectronic power

Collection

1999 Annual Conference

Authors

Gregg L. Fiegel

that an average of 300 seatsare filled in geotechnical analysis and design courses each year.The geotechnical engineering program within the CEEN Department is directed by two full-timefaculty and by one part-time lecturer who practices geotechnical engineering in the San LuisObispo area. Each of the geotechnical courses are well supported by members of theprofessional community who serve as guest lecturers and participate in the development andevaluation of student design projects.2.2 Undergraduate InstructionThe faculty of the geotechnical engineering program believe that laboratory-based instruction isessential for aspiring civil and environmental engineers. Therefore, five of the ten geotechnicalengineering courses offered by the CEEN