Conference Session

Knowing our Students, Part 1

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Reed Stevens, University of Washington; Daniel Amos, University of Washington; Andrew Jocuns, University of Washington; Lari Garrison, University of Washington

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

to this lack of understanding, as such we argue that students constructreasons for their expected future prosperity that if they work harder now, they deserve morelater.IntroductionIt seems a universal feature of human experience to tell stories about one’s place and direction inthe world. Research on storytelling has shown that this is as true of individuals as it is of nationstates.1 Given this range, we can assume that members of cultural groups of sizes betweenindividuals and nations will share common, if never identical, narratives. In this paper, we reporton a collection of common narratives that come from a distinctive student culture, that ofundergraduate engineering education in America.Our paper reports on two related beliefs that

Conference Session

Knowing our Students, Part 1

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Heidi Loshbaugh, Colorado School of Mines; Brittany Claar, Regis University

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

MotivationNationwide, need for U.S. engineering talent continues to grow, yet enrollment in and graduationfrom engineering institutions continues to decline. If engineering educators better understandhow students come to engage with their studies and chosen institutions as well as develop anidentity with the profession, engineering colleges can adjust institutional climates to encouragemore students to enroll in engineering studies and persist to completion.Methods and ParticipantsThe Center for the Advancement of Engineering Education (CAEE) is a study funded by theNational Science Foundation exploring the experience of undergraduate engineering studentswith the intended outcome of improving engineering education.1, 2, 3 The Academic PathwaysStudy (APS) is

Conference Session

Knowing our Students, Part 1

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jill Auerbach, Georgia Institute of Technology; Jonathan Gordon, Georgia Institute of Technology; Gary May, Georgia Institute of Technology; Cleon Davis, Georgia Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

graduate program of study. In addition to thepositive impact the SURE experience had on the decision to attend graduate school (93.5 percentof respondents), this research uses logistic regression techniques to illuminate other relevantfactors on graduate school attendance--such as attitudes about graduate school before SURE, theenvironment of the home institution, academic encouragement from others, and frequency ofcontact with SURE faculty and mentors after program completion.IntroductionDespite some gains in the representation of minorities in engineering and science fields, arelatively small number of underrepresented minorities (16% in 1999) graduated with degrees inthose fields.1 Although this figure represents a modest increase over the

Conference Session

Knowing our Students, Part 1

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Gary Lichtenstein, Stanford University; Heidi Loshbaugh, Colorado School of Mines; Brittany Claar, Colorado School of Mines; Tori Bailey, Stanford University; Sheri Sheppard, Stanford University

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

knowledge of engineering before they begin college.In addition (and possibly as a result), students’ intentions to major in engineering waiver, evenwhile they actively complete engineering requirements. Nearly all students in our sample wereentrepreneurial in seeking experiences within and outside of engineering to help them decide ontheir major. Implications of this research are that 1) attrition rates from engineering may beinflated, and 2) classroom, departmental, and institutional adjustments could increase retention ofstudents in engineering.Persistence in Engineering EducationFrom the era of Sputnik through to the present, concerns about preparing sufficient numbers ofengineers to meet the demands of industry and national security have gained

Conference Session

Knowing our Students, Part 1

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Dale Baker, Arizona State University; Stephen Krause, Arizona State University

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

greatertechnical self-efficacy than the females who graduate as engineers8.MethodologyThe method used to gather and analyze data was grounded in the descriptive study surveyapproach. The question posed was what technical and tinkering characteristics engineers deemedimportant and to what extent these characteristics corresponded to the ABET Criterion 3 a-klearning outcomes. To answer this question a volunteer sample of engineering faculty, students,and practicing engineers, who are members of ASEE, were recruited. They were asked torespond to two open-ended prompts on a survey in paper and pencil format and electronically.These prompts were; 1) List the characteristics of someone with good tinkering skills, and 2) Listthe characteristics of someone with

Conference Session

Knowing Our Students, Part 2

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ozgur Eris, Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering; Debbie Chachra, Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering; Helen Chen, Stanford University; Camelia Rosca, Boston College; Larry Ludlow, Boston College; Sheri Sheppard, Stanford University; Krista Donaldson, Stanford University

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

were not reported or included inthe analysis.Table 1 outlines the final set of PIE constructs and associated items (for a discussion on thedefinition and rationale of the constructs, see previous publication1). Internal consistency valuesfor multi-item constructs and item total correlations for those items are also reported based onthe fifth administration of the survey (fall 2005), which corresponds to the first semester orquarter, of the participants’ junior year in college. The internal consistency reliability value forConstruct 2d was not reported since those items were only administered during the secondadministration of the survey (spring 2004).Table 1. Fall 2005 PIE Survey Constructs, Items, Internal Consistency Reliabilities, and Item

Conference Session

Service Learning Courses

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Tao Hong, Purdue University; William Oakes, Purdue University; Susan Maller, Purdue University; Carla Zoltowski, Purdue University

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

undergraduate student teams into local community service multi-disciplinary service learning projects. Within EPICS program, teams of undergraduatesdesign, build, and deploy real systems to solve engineering-based problems for localcommunity service and education organizations 1 . It is now operating at 15 universitiesnationwide with over 1350 students participated 1 . Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology’s Engineering Criteria 2000(ABET, 1999) Criterion 3 2 Programs Outcomes and Assessment specifies outcomescollege graduates are expected to know and demonstrate from accredited engineeringprograms. The generality of Criterion 3 objectives require engineering programs to

Conference Session

Cognitive and Motivational Issues in Student Performance II

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Tuba Pinar Yildirim, University of Pittsburgh; Joel Townsend, University of Pittsburgh; Mary Besterfield-Sacre, University of Pittsburgh; Larry Shuman, University of Pittsburgh; Harvey Wolfe, University of Pittsburgh

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

percent observations. The former two are notfully capable of assessing higher levels of the cognitive and affective domains and can onlyexamine the outcome at a single point in time. Rather, in-depth assessment methods, such asbehavioral observation 1-4 are desirable because they enable us to investigate outcomes “inaction” and evaluate the individuals’ ability to function in the higher level learning domains;unfortunately, this assessment method requires considerable time and resources. To be aneffective method the evaluator must: determine the educational parameters involved and the timeperiod to be observed, conduct 100 percent observation of the environment and/or record it onaudio/video tape, and then transcribe the observations prior to

Conference Session

The Critical First Year in Engineering Education

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jamie Medoff, University of Maryland-Baltimore County; Anne Spence, University of Maryland-Baltimore County

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

form and handed in during the meetingto their graduate fellow. These activities were archived with the program coordinator andmade available to all the schools participating in the program.The TEPP program stood on it’s own in how it attracted a large amount of engineers andcomputer scientist. The College of Engineering and Information Technology (COE&IT)at the University of Maryland Baltimore County consists of the following engineeringprograms to include mechanical, chemical, computer and computer science. Thepercentage of engineers recruited in each year is seen in Table one below:Table 1: Percentage of Engineering and Computer Science fellows 2002-2006 TEPP Year Total Fellows Percentage of

Conference Session

ERM Potpourri II

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Shane Brown; Devlin Montfort; Kip Findley

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

. Page 12.1318.1Responses to Reviewer’s Comments:1. a) Portions of the paper have been rewritten and reorganized to make the paper easier to follow and to address specific reviewer comments. b) Additional sub-headings were included in the Results section to emphasize that in this study a well-defined methodology was a desired result. A summary conclusion was included to clarify key aspects of the paper.2. a) This comment did not require specific changes. b) This comment did not require specific changes. c) The paper was proofread again and grammatical and spelling issues were corrected. d) An abstract was provided at the beginning of the paper to indicate study outcomes. e

Conference Session

ERM Potpourri II

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mieke Schuurman, Pennsylvania State University; Dennis Gouran, Pennsylvania State University; Laura L. Pauley, Pennsylvania State University

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

. Page 12.273.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2007 Assessing Students' Oral Communication SkillsIntroductionMany reports have indicated that engineering graduates have poor communication skills.1, 2, 3, 4, 5,6 However, communication skills are often not the focus of those who teach engineering courses.Since the introduction of the new ABET criteria, many engineering programs have tried invarious ways to incorporate communication skills in their curricula.7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12Engineering students at The Pennsylvania State University are required to take a SpeechCommunication course as part of their general education requirements. Co-op and internshipevaluation and alumni survey data suggest that the current Speech

Conference Session

Using Technology to Enhance Teaching and Learning

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kyu Yon Lim, Pennsylvania State University; John Wise, Pennsylvania State University; Sarah Zappe, Pennsylvania State University; Roxanne Toto, Pennsylvania State University

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

Conference Session

Service Learning Courses

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Laura Lund, University of Pittsburgh; Dan Budny, University of Pittsburgh

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

characteristics such as force to open doors anddimensions of an entrance, as well as design and development of the website. The results of thisproject were approved for use and are currently available online. The students who participatedin these projects felt much more rewarded by their experiences than the other teams.In retrospect, the differences between these projects which may have contributed to the variedlevels of satisfaction experienced by the students included:1. The location of the community partner. Disability Resourses and Services was on campus whereas the Center for Creative Play required transportation by the course instructors or by public bus.2. Communication with the community partner was more clear and effective for the teams

Conference Session

Service Learning Courses

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Susan Maller, Purdue University; Tao Hong, Purdue University; William Oakes, Purdue University; Carla Zoltowski, Purdue University; Paul McDermott, University of Pennsylvania

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

engineeringundergraduates are matched with community service agencies that request technicalassistance. Within EPICS program, teams of undergraduates design, build, and deployreal systems to solve engineering-based problems for local community service andeducation organizations 1 . With a main objective to integrate engineering design withmeeting the needs of the local community through a multi-disciplinary service learningcurricular structure, EPICS programs are now operating at 15 universities nationwidewith over 1350 students participated on 140 teams 1 . Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology’s Engineering Criteria 2000 Page 12.1110.2(ABET, 1999

Conference Session

Student Teams And Project Based Learning / The Critical First Year in Engineering Education / Student Teams and Project-Based Learning

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Tamara Moore, University Of Minnesota; Heidi Diefes-Dux, Purdue University; P.K. Imbrie, Purdue University

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

Table 1. TheMEA was completed in a computer laboratory setting with the students working bothindividually and in teams of 3 to 4 students. The students had approximately twenty minutes todo the individual portion and one hour to complete the team portion of the MEA. The studentsbegin by reading the entire MEA individually. When students work this problem, the individualquestions require that the students think about the problem and provide the students time toorganize their thoughts before setting out to solve the problem with their team members. Thestudent teams then read the problem statement and develop the model for their procedure. Table 1. Tire Reliability MEA

Conference Session

Service Learning Courses

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Cher Cornett, East Tennessee State University

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

theworkplace.Recommendations given by our industry advisors are also supported by a recent poll on publicattitudes toward including service-learning as part of student’s educational experiences.1 In thispoll “the vast majority of Americans expect schools to provide students with the academic skillsthey need for success in life, …that success requires more than mastering basic academicsubjects.” They agree that schools have a clear responsibility to teach students how to use whatthey learn in the classroom for real-world projects and problems, and to teach habits of goodcitizenship and community involvement, leadership, and an ability to work with people differentfrom themselves. “They want service-learning in schools if it promotes self confidence andactive

Conference Session

Innovations in Teaching and Learning

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Monica Cardella, Center for the Advancement of Scholarships on Engineering Education (CASEE); Cynthia Atman, University of Washington

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

process coding scheme 2 was used to investigate the engineering students’ designbehavior, and identify relationships between mathematical thinking and engineering designbehavior.In both contexts the engineering students engaged in mathematical thinking throughout theirdesign processes. This paper presents: 1) a summary of the different mathematical thinkingactivities that the students engaged in during the capstone study, and 2) a summary of themathematical thinking activities the students engaged in during the laboratory based study, and3) some insights from the laboratory study into how the students engaged in mathematicalthinking during specific design activities.The results of this study provide insights into how engineering students actually

Conference Session

Cognitive and Motivational Issues in Student Performance II

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Victoria Robson, Virginia Tech; Vinod Lohani, Virginia Tech; Tanner Bateman, Virginia Tech

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

. SAT scores and programming concepts post-test scores were thebest predictors of course grade. The paper also presents results related to the impact of priorcollege experiences on engineering major retention rates.1. Background and PurposeA new Department of Engineering Education (EngE) was created within the College ofEngineering (COE) at Virginia Tech in May 2004 to improve engineering pedagogy. The EngEis responsible for conducting a year long freshman engineering program (also called GeneralEngineering (GE) program). Approximately, 1200 engineering freshmen join GE program everyyear. Another primary mission of the EngE department is to carry out rigorous research in thearea of engineering education and support the research agenda as

Conference Session

Innovations in Teaching and Learning

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Elizabeth Godfrey, University of Auckland; Gerard Rowe, University of Auckland

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

skills and creativity, Bloom’s Taxonomy9 has been used bymany authors and curriculum developers 10, 11, 6. Bloom’s six cognitive levels asillustrated in Table 1 have been found to be accessible and relevant for engineeringeducators formulating course learning objectives.Wankat and Oreovicz7 and later Felder and Brent11 recognised a tendency forassessment, particularly summative assessment, to focus on the lower levels. Bothemphasised that all assessment items should include examples and problems at eachlevel of Bloom’s Taxonomy so that students would gain the desired proficiencies,otherwise students would master only those skills on which they had been tested.The literature quoted, combined with a reasonably short search of the internet

Conference Session

New Models for Teaching and Learning

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Andrew Morozov, University of Washington; Deborah Kilgore, University of Washington; Cynthia Atman, University of Washington

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

learning outcomes that may be addressed in curriculumdevelopment and program planning.The exploratory study discussed here offers an in-depth look at how four expert engineersaddress a specific design task. Using a mixed methods approach to data analysis, we will (1)compare expert behavior to that of novices who participated in another study, and (2) begin todevelop a narrative theory of experts’ ways of thinking about and doing design. Verbal protocolanalysis has allowed us to use an existing coding scheme for making systematic comparisonsacross research studies that have generated relatively large datasets on design thinking anddoing4. This component of the current study contributes to our ongoing larger program of inquiryaimed at establishing

Conference Session

Student Diversity: attracting and retaining a diverse population of students

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Deborah Kilgore, University of Washington; Debbie Chachra, Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering; Heidi Loshbaugh, Colorado School of Mines; Janice McCain, Howard University; Marcus Jones, Howard University; Ken Yasuhara, University of Washington

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

argue thatproviding opportunities to foster contextual awareness and student engagement should result ingreater satisfaction for all students.BackgroundEducators, professionals and policy-makers alike recognize that contemporary engineering mustbe studied and practiced in context. The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) envisions an“Engineer of 2020” who demonstrates “dynamism, agility, resilience, and flexibility” to designfor an uncertain and rapidly changing world.1 Contextual conditions like a fragile globaleconomy, increased mobility of jobs and workers, rapid development of information andcommunication technologies, growing calls for social responsibility,2 and rising complexity ofengineered products3 all warrant engineering students

Conference Session

New Models for Teaching and Learning

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Llewellyn Mann, University of Queensland; Gloria Dall'Alba, University of Queensland; David Radcliffe, University of Queensland

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

engineering operations7. Thesepractitioners not only have to deal with sustainable design issues on a daily basis and so havemany experiences to draw upon, but are also generally more aware of the current trends and Page 12.1559.2applications of sustainable design in practice than other groups, such as engineering academics orpolicy makers.Specifically, the questions for the research were: 1. What are the variations in ways of experiencing ‘sustainable design’ among sustainable design practitioners? 2. What are the implications of this variation for the practice of sustainable design? 3. What are the implications of this variation for

Conference Session

New Models for Teaching and Learning

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Malgorzata Zywno, Ryerson University; Mary Frances Stewart

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

), and 65.5 for interactive screens (min. 9, max. 159). The average number of video clipsviewed was 14.8 (min. 3, max. 31). Table 1 shows time spent viewing different parts of themodule as percentage of the total time. Table 1: Time and Screen Activities Module Quiz Basics/ Math/ Video/ Interactive/ Time/Total Time/Total Module Module Module Module Time Time Time Time OVERALL Mean 0.703 0.297 0.361 0.105 0.119 0.185 Median 0.625 0.375 0.347 0.095

Conference Session

Knowing Our Students, Part 2

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mica Hutchison, Purdue University; Deborah Follman, Purdue University; George Bodner, Purdue University

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

learningenvironment, aimed at promoting positive efficacy beliefs, are suggested. Ultimately, thesemodifications hold promise for increasing diversity in engineering, improving studentsatisfaction and success, and increasing student retention.IntroductionIn recent years, there has been a growing call for colleges and universities to produce moreflexible, innovative engineering students.1-3 This call echoes the concerns of engineeringeducators who have recognized that the retention issues plaguing the field may be adverselyaffecting the diversity of the future engineering workforce. Aimed at improving the retention andsuccess of students in the field, research efforts have been focused on the choices, achievement,and interests of undergraduate engineering

Conference Session

New Models for Teaching and Learning

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Margherita Landucci, Liceo Artistico Statale; Fabio Garganego, Municipality of Venice

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

theprocess of learning chemistry, when students begin to “speak” the Language of Chemistryeffortlessly for the first time.Teachers experience had highlighted how the adoption of modern techniques such as links toreal, daily experiences, off site visits, or case studies achieved less significant results – interms of measuring students’ interests and active classroom participation – when applied tothe subject of chemistry in comparison with other subjects[1].The aim of the work was to investigate as whether or not the teaching-learning processspeeds up when students are provided with a previous mnemonic knowledge of chemicalformulae and to test the feasibility of associating old and well known natural languageconcepts with chemical concepts. The focus

Conference Session

Assessment and Evaluation in Engineering Education I

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

rebecca devasher, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology; Patrick Ferro, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology; Sudipa Mitra-Kirtley; David Mutchler, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology; shannon sexton, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology; Anneliese Watt, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology; Julia Williams, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

; Software Requirements and Specifications; Design forManufacturing (mechanical engineering); and General Chemistry for Engineering Students.While pen-based technologies allow us to enhance the visual dimension of a course (aninherently laudable goal), these technologies are their most powerful when they simultaneouslyfacilitate collaboration—between faculty and students, between students, and between one classand another. For this reason, our project work focuses on the assessment and evaluation of theimpact of a symbiosis of hardware (Tablet PCs) and software (DyKnow Vision)1 on teaching andlearning.Assessment has been developed at two levels for this project. One level of assessment is thedevelopment of classroom assessment techniques, or CATs

Conference Session

Using Technology to Enhance Teaching and Learning

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Alexander Haubold, Columbia University; John R. Kender, Columbia University

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

videos would benefit from similar editing, but due to their intended use in theclassroom environment, the cost and time effort are neither available nor justifiable. The ultimategoal of capturing presentation videos is to provide students with a means of reviewing theirperformance as opposed to creating professional films. For that reason, skilled camera operatorsare optional during recording. It is sufficient to set up a camera with a view of the stage where Page 12.985.4students present and presentation slides are projected. A separate fixed microphone installed onFigures 1-3: Split panorama view of classroom: (top left) View of classroom

Conference Session

Assessment and Evaluation in Engineering Education I

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Patrick Tebbe, Minnesota State University-Mankato; Stewart Ross, Minnesota State University-Mankato; Brian Weninger, Minnesota State University-Mankato; Sharon Kvamme, Minnesota State University-Mankato; Jess Boardman, Minnesota State University-Mankato

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

and assessment procedures are beingplanned and implemented. These procedures include textbook focus groups, a combination ofpre- and post-course concept inventories, periodic engagement surveys, and a concluding focusgroup “debriefing” with the students. This information is being correlated with performance onexaminations and will be compared to control case data from previous years.An educational consultant outside the department is being utilized in order to track data byindividual students through the Institutional Review Board.For this initial phase of research three questions have been focused on; 1) What is the mostappropriate and engaging format for the Scenario material?, 2) How can performance andengagement be measured for the grant

Conference Session

Assessment and Evaluation in Engineering Education II

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kirk Allen, Purdue University

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

assumes an under-lying ability influences an individual’sresponse to items. This ability is called a latent trait and symbolized θ. CTT is interested inperformance on the test as a whole, with the individual test items being summed to yield a totalscore (X, above). Item Response Theory (IRT), as the name implies, begins at the item level andis concerned with an examinee’s pattern of responses. This bottom-up vantage drives themethods and associated conclusions of IRT.In its simplest form, item response theory fits a logistic regression model to binary itemresponses with each examinee’s true score (θ) as the independent variable. The 1-parameterlogistic (1-PL) model accounts for varying item difficulties. Developer George Rasch, a

Conference Session

ERM Potpourri I

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Donald Visco, Tennessee Technological University; Saravanan Swaminathan, Tennessee Technological University; Lisa Zagumny, Tennessee Technological Univesity; Holly Anthony, Tennessee Technological University

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

despite unsubstantiated claims that they enhance learning.2Purpose and methodsThe purpose of our research was to determine and understand (1) what strategies students use todecide what to include in their self-constructed study guides, and (2) how the students used theirguides on the exam. As participants in institutions where “a publicly available system ofintelligibility” precedes us, we construct meaning within this pre-existing system.8 Hence,meaning is constructed rather than created because we are working/learning within alreadyexisting meanings and understandings. Students come to us with prior knowledge andexperiences and we, as teachers, work to facilitate their learning of new, different, or additionalinformation. One way for us to