Conference Session

Web Education: Delivery and Evaluation

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

Robert Freeman; Arturo Fuentes; Stephen Crown

students, however, would watch a portion of the movie Page 8.249.3 Figure 1. A tutorial movie used to walk students through the homework step by step.and stop to complete a small number of steps. If they had difficulties they would rewind themovie and review the instruction. Although students progressed through the materials at differentrates, almost all students were able to successfully complete the assignments without needing anyextra assistance.As students were able to progress through the material at a greater pace it was possible to addmore content to the course. With the addition of the instructional movies, several weeks of

Conference Session

Engineering Economy Frontiers

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

James Wilson; Kim Needy; Karen Bursic

programs)require that engineering programs demonstrate that their graduates have the ability to “identify,formulate, and solve engineering problems” and “understand the impact of engineering solutionsin a global and societal context.” [1] The engineer must therefore consider the economic impactof proposed engineering solutions.The integration of curriculum is a relatively new concept in engineering. Recently, there has beensignificant movement in engineering education towards integration of curriculum. In 1993,Bordogna, et. al. reviewed a number of studies and found a consistent theme suggesting thatintegration of curriculum was critical to improving undergraduate engineering education. Theystated, “A common theme in the studies is that

Conference Session

Introduction to Engineering: The Present State

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

Roger Maxwell; John Janecek; Jerry Kucirka; Jamal Ghorieshi

American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright © 2003, American Society for Engineering Educationwith their own profile. This is why we believe that students can be challenged by being bombardedor peppered with numerous facts, relationships, problem-solving tools, ideas, etc. instead of the(opposite) approach of measured attention to a relatively few, carefully delimited topics.Table 1. Characteristic Periods in the Evolution of Introducing Engineering, IE, Required of Freshman Engineering Majors (and Others) at Wilkes University Period (Year) A (1980–85) B (1986–93) C (1994–98) D (1999–2002) Introduction Technological

Conference Session

Teaching Design Through Projects

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

James Bowen

; Exposition Copyright © 2003, American Society for Engineering EducationCourse Description To meet the course objectives as outlined in the set of desirable attributes listed above,the technical course content is organized into three main units (Figure 1). Lectures focused ontwo of these units (MATLAB, Engineering Analysis). The balsa bridge construction unit isperformed as a hands-on experience by the students as they build, test, and rebuild their bridges.To create a competitive entry in the bridge competition, students must rely on knowledge fromall three of the course units (Figure 1). MATLAB Engineering Programming

Conference Session

Materials Curricula: Modeling & Math

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

S. Yarmolenko; J. Sankar; D. Pai; Juri Filatovs

research topics, werethe basis for more specialized topics. The materials involved were primarily composites(carbon/polymer, carbon/carbon, ceramic/ceramic) or monolithic ceramics. A project oncarbon/carbon materials is sketched below: Carbon-carbon composites (Figure 1) are an exceptional class of high-temperaturematerials that have low density and very high temperature capability. The purpose of the projectwas to study the microstructures of a carbon/carbon composite during its different processingstages towards carbonization. The primary focus is on the composite while it is post-cured,capturing cross-section images to analyze fiber volume fraction, which is an important parameteraffecting the composite’s mechanical properties. The

Conference Session

Issues in Computer Education

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

Ahmet Eskicioglu

. In this paper, we will discuss why multimedia should be employed as thecenterpiece for an emerging pattern of instruction. It can promote independent and cooperativelearning, improve performance of low achievers and special student populations, whileheightening interest in learning, writing and research.1. INTRODUCTIONAs this paper evaluates the effectiveness of multimedia in the learning process, we will start withan overview of what learning is. The nature of the human mind is one of the most challengingquestions that have puzzled the philosophers and scientists through the centuries. Learning is the“process of acquiring modifications in existing knowledge, skills, habits, or tendencies throughexperience, practice, or exercise.”1Until

Conference Session

Real-Time and Embedded Systems

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

Richard O'Brien; Jenelle Piepmeier

visualservoing, scale-model vehicle identification and control, and automated vehicle navigation.BackgroundControls educators have long worked to bridge the gap between the conceptual theory and thepractical implementation. Software environments such as MATLAB provide visualization toolssuch as graphs, displays, and animations that allow the student to develop engineering intuitionabout system behaviors under varying types of control and initial conditions. The Mathworkswebsite1 lists over 100 MATLAB-based controls textbooks including commonly used texts suchas Nise [1] and Ogata [2]. With the Control Systems Toolbox, MATLAB and Simulink are idealenvironments for the design and simulation of engineering control systems. However, recentliterature has

Conference Session

Student Teams and Active Learning

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

Helen Qammr; H. Michael Cheung; Edward Evans; Rex Ramsier; Francis Broadway

observations that provide evidence. This paper reports on an exploratory researchassessment project that concentrates on the assessment of student learning during anengineering design project through the use of reflective journals.II. Conceptual FrameworkThe conceptual framework for this exploratory study consists of four suppositions. Eachof these suppositions influences the purpose, design, and analysis of the study. 1. Epistemologically, the learner constructs knowledge. The meaning that is usually constructed is different between individuals and most often different from the intended meaning that the instructor, in this case, the authors, wishes the participants to make. 2. Metacognition involves personally preferred

Conference Session

Intro to Engineering: Not Just 1st Year Engineers

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

Hugh Jack; John Farris

tofabricate their designs. 1. IntroductionThe freshman year of our engineering program is mainly composed of non-engineeringfundamental courses. In addition, our freshman year is offered on a campus separatedfrom the engineering school. As a result there is a lack of contact between the freshmanclass and the engineering school in general. The faculty has observed some unfortunateeffects of the separation. Some students lose interest because they spend a year or longerbefore they attend classes on the engineering campus. They also lose the benefit ofassociating with upper class students and seeing the activities they are involved in. Thispaper addresses an approach to overcoming this problem by having freshman and juniorstudents work together on a

Conference Session

Multimedia Arena

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

Stephen Crown

facilitates simulation of the entire design process on the computer. The virtual world allowsstudents to thoroughly investigate the environment and develop appropriate design criteria basedon observations. It may also be used as a mechanism for simulating the implementation of designsand provides a platform for presenting designs in the public realm and receiving feedback. Thevirtual world can be easily accessed through a plug in on an Internet browser.A Roman world was created in VRML to create an environment for students to learn, explore,and present ideas. The world shown in Figure 1 consists of an enemy fortress and an encampmentcalled the training camp where forces are being built in preparation for a siege against the fortress.The enemy

Conference Session

Integration vs. Compartmentalization

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

W. Carlson

1 Toward a Philosophy of Engineering: The Role of Representation W. Bernard Carlson University of Virginia According to an old Chinese proverb, "If you want to feed a man, give hima fish. If you want him to be able to feed himself, teach him how to fish." Inengineering education today, we are doing a great job feeding our students vastamounts of information. Through mathematics courses, they learn how tocalculate, in computer courses they master the art of programming, and theycram facts and theories into their heads in their science classes. But are we

Conference Session

Raising the Bar and Body of Knowledge

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

James Nelson; Osama Abudayyeh; Edmund Tsang; Molly Williams

Synthesis Analysis Application Comprehension Knowledge Figure 1. Taxonomy of the Cognitive Process12, 13The process of engineering education is a cognitive process. Cognitive behaviors involve therecall of specific information, the application of that information, and the processes of analysisand decision making14. A taxonomy of the cognitive process is shown in Figure 1. Knowledgerequires the ability to recall that which has been communicated whereas comprehension requiresan understanding of that which has been communicated. Application requires the use of

Conference Session

Trends in Mechanical Engineering

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

Madara Ogot

Technology Age” multimedia tools by mechanicalengineering students has, however, lagged far behind their rate of development or theiruse in industry. Several specific areas can be identified: 1. Although mechanical engineering students now generate electronic illustrations for their reports and presentations, the tools they use are typically either inadequate (for example using the drawing tools in Microsoft Word®, primarily a word-processing tool, resulting in relatively poor images) or inappropriate (for example the use of Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software such as Pro/Engineer to create relatively simple 2-Dimensional illustrations). 2. Image generation hardware – scanners and cameras – have made

Conference Session

Issues in Computer Education

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

Jerome Eric Luczaj; Chia Han

instructor activities. This rich collection of activity data can be mined togain a better understanding of when and how learning occurs and what can be done to improve it.This paper will describe how the system will be incorporated into the learning environment andwhat benefits it will produce.1. IntroductionThe last several years have seen a growing trend among educators, accreditation agencies1, andpolicymakers to assure that educational programs can be assessed continuously based onobjectives and outcomes and further that assessment results be utilized to improve the programs Page 8.216.1in a systematic fashion. This new drive for higher

Conference Session

Programming and DSP Issues in Education

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

Michael Parten

complex and difficult task. However, the approach to the problem, which isapplicable to many other engineering problems, is manageable. The approach requires usingcircuit simulation software along with statistical analysis software and the necessary interfacebetween the two packages. The information below comes from this assignment to a group ofstudents. All of the figures come directly from student presentations.II Circuit SimulationA CMOS ring oscillator is shown in Figure 1. The transient response of the oscillator can besimulated using a number of different circuit simulation packages, in this case, PSPICE. TheMOS devices are represented by complex, nonlinear models. In this example, a level 3 modelwas used. The model coefficients for the

Conference Session

Program Delivery Methods & Technology

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

Kenneth Ragsdell; Halvard Nystrom

thisdilemma is to focus more on the theory and fundamental issues in each class. This forcesemployers to do some of the training that was performed within the engineering schools 1.Another approach is to find ways to provide the students more learning in less time through moreeffective and efficient engineering programs. One way to provide this higher level of learning isby using additional tools and methods. Simulation is a promising educational tool that mighthelp improve the learning environment.Another trend in engineering education is an increase in the diversity of the student body. Due toexplicit efforts to recruit underrepresented minorities into engineering, the needs for life-longlearning, and the increasing participation of non-traditional

Conference Session

Issues in Computer Education

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

M. Sharma

Session: 3420 (Computers in Education) A Study of Students’ Perceptions of Computer-Based Instruction in Introductory Thermodynamics Courses M.P. Sharma1, Edward E. Anderson2, and Roman Taraban3 1 Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering University of Wyoming Laramie, WY 82071-3295 sharma@uwyo.edu 2 Department of Mechanical Engineering Texas Tech University

Conference Session

Curriculum Development in Civil ET

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

Maher Murad

Copyright  2003, American Society for Engineering EducationA CET graduate with concentration in the area of transportation is likely to be involved in one ormore of the five major areas: planning, design (geometric and pavement), construction, operation,and maintenance. The current curriculum provides a foundation in all but the area of pavementdesign and management, especially maintenance. Filling this void is the motivation behinddeveloping the new elective.The road network in the United States is largely in place and the national highway system, inparticular interstate and principal arterial highways, is now complete. However, the physicalfacilities of this transportation system are aging and deteriorating. (1) For the state of Pennsylvania,a

Conference Session

Technology, Communication, & Ethics

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

C. Richard Helps; Stephen Renshaw

will keep them abreast of the latesttechnological trends which ultimately spells job security. Through such a learning environment, aspirit of ‘life-long learning’ will be developed and if such an attitude is coupled with such things ason-the-job training and company seminars, a professional in an IT field will remain to be avaluable asset for her company.5The independent learning environment has the potential to become an important tool for studentsand professionals to use to hone their technological skills and stay current in the evolving tech-world.Bibliography1. Schott, F., & Driscoll, M.P. On the architectonics of instructional theory, instructional design: International perspectives (Vol 1). 1997 Hillsdale, NJ:Erlbaum p.1362

Conference Session

Statistics in the CHE Curriculum

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

Jimmy Smart

method.Students gain experience in use of the method and can apply learned principles to optimizeoperation of other engineering equipment. Final results of this study does identify favoredpacking material and in what direction the optimum will reside for conditions of temperatureand scrubber liquor caustic concentration.Introduction. Evolutionary Operation (EVOP) is a statistical method developed forincrementally moving a dynamic process in the direction of some optimum operational point.The EVOP method [1] was introduced in the late 1950's as a field application technique forimprovement of existing industrial processes. In the University of Kentucky ChemicalEngineering undergraduate laboratory, students operate a carbon dioxide scrubber to gaintraining

Conference Session

What's New in Engineering Economy

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

Justin Chimka; Alisha Youngblood; Heather Nachtmann

; National Research Council, 1995), such as datacollection and estimation, provide the motivation for this research. The fact that an effectiveestimation curriculum does not currently exist has been acknowledged (Moore, 1997; Goyal, et al.1997) along with recognition of the challenge of developing effective estimation pedagogy(Goyal, et al, 1997). Until now, education-related engineering economy research has focused onsolution methodology and lacks an emphasis on data modeling and estimation.Our research goals are to understand engineering student estimation processes and developeducational materials to improve engineering estimation pedagogy. The research phases (asshown in Exhibit 1) include

Conference Session

Curricular Change Issues

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

Kathleen Harper; Robert J. Gustafson; John Merrill; John Demel; Richard Freuler

can opt for a different three quarter sequenceknown as Fundamentals of Engineering for Honors (or FEH). Students are required to select oneof these sequences. The following topics are in both sequences – engineering graphics andCADD, MATLAB, hands-on labs, and a ten-week design/build project.1 Teamwork is requiredfor the hands-on laboratory exercises and laboratory reports and for the design project.2 Studentsreceive instruction on project planning, management, and documentation. At the end of thedesign project, the teams must submit a formal written report and do an oral presentation withvisual aids. For the Honors students, the third course deals with programming and real-time dataacquisition and analysis. The physics and mathematics are

Conference Session

ASEE Multimedia Session

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

Nancy Gautier

need for academia to establish businesslinks was identified by a task force established by Harold “Red” Poling, Former CEO of FordMotor company and Chairman of the Business-Higher Education Forum, in 1997 with specificrecommendations for higher education institutions to follow in closing the gap that exists betweenthe needs of the work place and academic practices.1 The use of industry guest speakers is onesuch business link that can narrow that gap. Courses in the discipline in which guest speakershave been used are Programming, Information Management, and Systems Analysis and Design. Various means of assessing the students’ retention of material taught through alternativelearning methods will be discussed with the different approaches

Conference Session

Potpourri of Engineering Mathematics

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

Feodor Vainstein; Mark Rajai

Conference Session

Curriculum Development in Civil ET

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

Maher Murad

software in the Highway Surveying andDesign course. The course objectives and the design project components are presented anddiscussed. The experience gained from redesigning the course to include computer applications atvarious stages of a semester-long design project provides useful guidance to those consideringways to integrate design software into existing courses.IntroductionAccreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) outlines Civil EngineeringTechnology Program Criteria for accreditation. (1) One of the requirements of the new criteria isthat programs must demonstrate that graduates are capable of planning and preparing design andconstruction documents including engineering drawings. Other requirements call for graduates tobe

Conference Session

Student Issues - Present & Post Graduate

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

Michael Holcombe

in communicationsskills and meeting deadlines.Studies done at the University of Houston [1] show that the declining enrollment in theirprogram was directly linked to the student’s awareness that the program offerings did notmeet the local needs. The program was built on a “me too” philosophy, that is, itparalleled other successful programs of the “80”s. The market for their graduatesaturated after a few years because the area is mainly concerned with the petrochemicalindustries and process control. There is limited need for graduates whose knowledgebase is RF and other electronic fields.In addition to technical knowledge and skills, engineering technology graduates areexpected to have significant communication and persuasion skills (both

Conference Session

Energy Project and Laboratory Ideas

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

Lee Greguske; Justin Reese; Frederik Betz; Chad Weis; Michael Swedish; Glenn Wrate

Conference Session

Engineering Economy Frontiers

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

YongMi Kim; Jai Kang; Chan Park

computing platform in solving various engineeringeconomic decision problems. In this presentation, we demonstrate the general scheme ofdeveloping web-based engineering economy courseware, taking advantage of the Internet as wellas the well-known Excel computing platform.In this paper, we are proposing a new way of developing engineering economics course materialsbased on the Web. In doing so, we are developing a Java based on-line processor and linking toan Excel spreadsheet for more complex economic analysis. All major engineering economicsproblems will be classified into one of two categories: Category 1—simple calculation, which canbe accomplished by Java-Calculators; Category 2—requires extensive tabular presentation,suitable for Excel

Conference Session

Mentoring Women and Minorities

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

Patrick Dunfey; Julie Salisbury; Erik Rushton; Brian Gravel

Conference Session

Tricks of the Trade Inside the Classroom

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

Maher Murad; Jerry Samples

track positions. They are usuallysatisfied with their choice for reasons including less stress, more flexibility, their love and passionfor teaching, and the desire to put teaching first and research and service second. One notedpersonal benefit that most lecturers enjoy is the opportunity to devote more time to their homesand families, thereby improving their overall quality of life. (1)One faculty noted “I would rather be a yearly contracted employee knowing that my students aretruly learning and appreciating my sharing of knowledge, then worry about the deadline for mynext journal article”.(2) Some of the specific reasons reported for choosing lecturer positions arethe desire to interact with undergraduate students and influence