Conference Session

Civil Engineering in the Classroom

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Philip Parker, University of Wisconsin-Platteville

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

ClassroomAbstractThis paper will describe recent innovations in the Fluid Mechanics course (CE3300) at theUniversity of Wisconsin-Platteville. The innovations include learning activities and feedbackmechanisms. Specifically, the innovations are: “Challenge Problems”; in-class “physicalmodels”; a “Create-A-Lab” exercise; and an effective grading rubric for laboratory reports.Significant Learning ExperiencesIn “Creating Significant Learning Experiences” (Jossey-Bass Publishers, 2003) by L. Dee Fink,guidelines are provided to help instructors create significant learning experiences for theirstudents. The basis of Fink’s model is the concept of “integrated course design.” In anintegrated course, the Learning Goals, Teaching and Learning Activities, and Feedback

Conference Session

Physical Models and Other Interactive Tools

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Douglas Cleary, Rowan University

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

Concrete Design Course by Linking Theory and Physical TestingAbstractThe paper presents a model for improving reinforced concrete design courses by incorporatingphysical beam testing. This model was implemented in a course that did not have a laboratorycomponent. The beams tested were full-scale and demonstrated two flexural failures of varyingductility, a shear failure, and an anchorage failure. The beams were tested throughout thesemester as appropriate with the material that had been covered in the course. A reportingprocess was followed that required students to submit laboratory reports for each beam test,address comments received on each report, and submit a final report covering all four tests. Itwas found that the

Conference Session

Civil Engineering in the Classroom

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Yusuf Mehta, Rowan University

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

showed that a significant percentage of students (96 %) were actively engaged inteaching and learning, and found the class stimulating. felt that the laboratory complimented wellwith the courses. The comments (Table 3) clearly showed that the students perceived the classpositively. The students found the class to be challenging and liked the teaching style.Table 2. Student Evaluations (68 students over four courses). Student Scores (68 students) Question 1 5 2 3 4 (poor

Conference Session

A Serving Profession: Service Learning in Civil Engineering Education

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

James Hanson, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology; Robert Houghtalen, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology; Jesse Houghtalen, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology; Zachary Johnson, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology; Matthew Lovell, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology; Maria Van Houten, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

, construction methods, etc.• Develop a list of questions for the student team to use to initiate communication with the clientsince communication might not be as easy as with a domestic client. Therefore, the team will beable to maximize the productivity of their initial communication. Page 11.976.10Site Visit• Begin planning the visit right away. Ensure that passports are in order. Determine whethervisas are required. Research local customs and courtesies.• Plan the amount of soil needed to bring back into the US for laboratory testing. Then contactthe USDA at least 2 months in advance to determine the required permits and procedures tobring the

Conference Session

Physical Models and Other Interactive Tools

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ronald Welch, U.S. Military Academy; James Ledlie Klosky

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

Quantity Description/Clarification The old style bathroom scale works best. Standard Scale 1 laboratory scales can also be utilized with a book if necessary Ramp 1 Any improvised inclination worksHow It's Done: This is typically conducted on lesson one as a warm up. Simply pre-position the title “Amazing weight loss program” somewhere in the classroom with the scalenearby to get students curious. Have a student read off your weight while standing with thescale flat on the floor. Then, place the scale on the ramp, have the student read your weightagain, and

Conference Session

Progress on Raising the Bar

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Stephen Ressler, U.S. Military Academy

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

, ... general chemistry; B ...and at least one additional area of science, consistent with the program educational objectives; C proficiency in a minimum of four can apply knowledge of four technical recognized major civil engineering areas appropriate to civil engineering; areas; D the ability to conduct laboratory can conduct civil engineering experiments and to critically analyze experiments and analyze and interpret the and interpret data in more than one of resulting data

Conference Session

Where are We Going? The Future of Civil Engineering Education

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ronald Harichandran, Michigan State University

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

recruit young and idealistic minds interested in contributing toward solvingsome of society’s vital fundamental concerns. The prospect of using emerging technologies toaddress sustainable development has the definite potential of exciting undergraduate students. Several initiatives in this regard are already underway. Stanford University, for instance, isplanning to provide an innovative experience to students by establishing a residential program ina newly constructed “green” dormitory building. The building is expected to showcase sustain-able concepts related to energy, water systems, vehicle refueling, air quality, etc. and serve as a“live-in laboratory.” The new thrusts are driving curriculum reform. Several Big 10+ CEE departments

Conference Session

Feedback and IT: Improving Student Learning

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Matthew Roberts, University of Wisconsin-Platteville

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

and institutional support.Collaborative InquiryAs Austin and Baldwin state, “The image of the solitary scholar working alone in a li-brary carrel or laboratory is no more than a fond memory or historical artifact.”17 Just ascollaboration has become ubiquitous in scholarly research, it is important for educationalgoals as well. Collaboration can help to assess whether a desired instructional goal is be-ing met. It is especially important to use collaboration when the desired assessment fallsoutside the expertise of the instructor. Collaborative inquiry is also desirable to show thatteaching methods are effective. One instructor who had seen a dramatic improvement instudent performance was told by colleagues that his results were “interesting

Conference Session

Civil Engineering in the Classroom

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Waddah Akili, Iowa State University

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

applications and limitations oftechniques,” but the development of philosophies, methodologies, and skills is best served by thecase method. Cases are used to extend the learning experience beyond the classroom exercisesand laboratory experiments. Shapiro states that “the case method is built around the concepts ofmetaphors and simulation.” Each case is a metaphor for a selected set of problems or issues. Intheir analysis and discussions, students are expected to simulate the information processing anddecision-making skills of managers or engineers involved in the case. Cases require students toconsider multiple factors and to integrate information from various sources. Thus, cases, invarious forms, are one solution to the widening discrepancy between

Conference Session

The Senior Experience: Capstone and Beyond

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

John Niehaus, University of Cincinnati; Anant Kukreti, University of Cincinnati

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

Center duplicate a typical design office in a civilengineering firm. To assist teams during their planning sessions, the Center also has aconferencing area, complete with a 50 inch plasma screen Smart-Board. The CEE Departmentcoordinated with the CEE Alumni Advisory Board's Facilities and Equipment Committee toraise $65,000 ($55,000 in cash and $10,000 in pledges) to establish this self-contained designand production laboratory. The lab was dedicated on October 9, 2003 by UC President NancyZimpher. The equipment and software provided in the Center are: Page 11.1008.8 Hardware Software

Conference Session

Achieving the Civil Engineering Body of Knowlegde

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ronald Welch, U.S. Military Academy; Allen Estes, U.S. Military Academy; Fred Meyer, U.S. Military Academy

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

engineers. In fact, many engineers in a design shop relyon the newer graduates to show them how to use the newest software. The USMA graduateexceeds what is expected from the undergraduate experience in the BOK in the areas ofcommunication and leadership, largely due to the additional opportunities they have to practiceboth in realistic settings.The areas where USMA students fall short according to the initial assessment are in Outcomes 2(Experiments, Analyze and Interpret), 5 (Solve Engineering Problems), 12 (Specialized Area),and 9 (Lifelong Learning). The BOK expects that the undergraduate education will provideattainment of ability for outcomes 2 and 5. Most of the experiments that USMA studentsconduct are in a controlled laboratory environment