Conference Session

Assessment and Curriculum Development

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Elizabeth Godfrey, University of Auckland; Rosalind Archer, University of Auckland; Paul Denny, University of Auckland; Margaret Hyland, University of Auckland; Chris Smaill, University of Auckland; Karl Stol, University of Auckland

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

changes enabled the fulfillment of “a strong desire to movestudents straight into the engineering way of thinking”. The changes made were seen asmatching well with international calls for engineering education curriculum reform. This in-house program is very rare in an international landscape where the majority of first-yearengineering courses, are taught as service courses by faculty from mathematics and sciencedepartments with one or two design or hands-on introduction-to-engineering coursesproviding a taste of “real” engineering. This paper charts the evolution of that program, itsstrengths, challenges, weaknesses and ongoing evaluations with particular reference toinnovations in delivery and assessment in the context of an integrated

Conference Session

Assessment and Curriculum Development

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Casey Canfield, Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering; Yevgeniya Zastavker, Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

AC 2009-1444: MATHEMATICS AND PHYSICS FACULTY CONCEPTIONS OFTEACHING IN A FIRST-YEAR INTEGRATED PROJECT-BASED ENGINEERINGCURRICULUMCasey Canfield, Franklin W. Olin College of EngineeringYevgeniya Zastavker, Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering Page 14.867.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2009 Mathematics and Physics Faculty Conceptions of Teaching in a First-Year Integrated Project-Based Engineering Curriculum Abstract This paper examines the experiences, perspectives, and concerns of mathematics and physics faculty involved in implementing a first-year integrated project-based engineering curriculum. Carried out at a

Conference Session

Learning as a Community

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Janet Meyer, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis; Patrick Gee, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis; Laura Masterson, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis

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First-Year Programs

AC 2009-1256: INTEGRATED LEARNING IN FRESHMAN ENGINEERING: THETHEMED LEARNING COMMUNITYJanet Meyer, Indiana University-Purdue University, IndianapolisPatrick Gee, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis Patrick Gee, MSME, is a Lecturer in the Purdue School of Engineering and Technology, IUPUI. He is also director of the Minority Engineering Advancement Program (MEAP). Patrick has both a B.S. and an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering.Laura Masterson, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis Laura Masterson is a joint advisor in the School of Engineering and Technology, IUPUI and University College at IUPUI. She has a B.S. degree from the University of Notre Dame and a Masters

Conference Session

Assessment and Curriculum Development

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Tom Bramald, Newcastle University; Sean Wilkinson, Newcastle University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

: Students who completed 24 months ago. 12: Students who completed 12 months ago. Table 4: Students responding to statements relating to their CIV1002 studies and resulting experiences 12 and 24 months after completing the module.Page 14.800.12Table 4 shows a majority of students feel that while CIV1002 is a well structured module, it hasnot formed an appropriate part of their studies. This sits awkwardly with the results shown inTable 3 and suggests that the module needs to make more effort to explain the importance ofsustainability in a civil engineering curriculum. A small majority of students agree that theyhave used material taught in CIV1002 in their C&CSE studies after

Conference Session

Assessment and Curriculum Development

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

David Hall, Louisiana Tech University; Stan Cronk, Louisiana Tech University; James Nelson, Louisiana Tech University; Patricia Brackin, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

Curriculum: “Living with the Lab”All engineering students at Louisiana Tech enroll in an integrated curriculum designed to Page 14.619.3incorporate many of the educational practices of the National Science Foundation EducationalCoalitions9. Students complete three engineering courses (ENGR 120, 121 and 122) which areimplemented as combined lecture / laboratory classes and which meet twice each week for tenweeks for 110 minutes per meeting, as shown in Table 1.Our freshman integrated curriculumincludes differential and integral calculus courses, basic chemistry lecture and laboratorycourses, and a calculus-based physics course; students also

Conference Session

Learning as a Community

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Timothy Hinds, Michigan State University; Thomas Wolff, Michigan State University; Neeraj Buch, Michigan State University; Amanda Idema, Michigan State University; Cynthia Helman, Michigan State University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

AC 2009-1922: INTEGRATING A FIRST-YEAR ENGINEERING PROGRAMWITH A LIVING-LEARNING COMMUNITYTimothy Hinds, Michigan State University TIMOTHY J. HINDS is an Academic Specialist in the Michigan State University College of Engineering Undergraduate Studies and Department of Mechanical Engineering. He is the lead instructor for the Cornerstone Engineering / Spartan Engineering program teaching courses in engineering design and modeling. He has also taught courses in machine design, manufacturing processes, mechanics, computational tools and international product design as well as graduate-level courses in engineering innovation and technology management. He has over 25 years of combined academic

Conference Session

Learning as a Community

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Robert Ricks, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale; Rhonda Kowalchuk, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale; John Nicklow, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale; Loen Graceson-Martin, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale; Lalit Gupta, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale; James Mathias, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale; Jale Tezcan, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale; Kathy Pericak-Spector, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

students’ persistence and success has received a great deal of attentionin the literature. According to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE)1, “Only 40-60percent of entering engineering students persist to an engineering degree, and women andminorities are at the low end of that range. These retention rates represent an unacceptablesystemic failure to support student learning in the field.” (p. 40).Noteworthy is that research has shown that predictors of retention change throughout the firsttwo years of an engineering program and predictors of graduation vary across universities.2Tinto’s3 Student Integration Theory posits that students enter university with varied backgroundcharacteristics and goal commitments which in turn influences their

Conference Session

Retention Tools and Programs

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jon Sticklen, Michigan State University; Thomas Wolff, Michigan State University; Wolfgang Bauer, Michigan State University; Daina Briedis, Michigan State University; Neeraj Buch, Michigan State University; Nathaniel Ehrlich, Michigan State University; John Courtney, Michigan State University; Ruth Heckman, Lansing Community College; Denise Fleming, Michigan State University; Louise Paquette, Lansing Community College; Renee Mickelson, Lansing Community College; Mark Urban-Lurain; Clifford Weil, Michigan State University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

; Mathematics Teacher Imperative and team leader of The Leadership Collaborative. He is a member of the Steering Committee for MSU’s PROM/SE (Promoting Rigorous Outcomes in Mathematics and Science Education) NSF grant.Daina Briedis, Michigan State University Daina Briedis is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science at Michigan State University. Dr. Briedis has been involved in several areas of education research including student retention, curriculum redesign, and the use of technology in the classroom. She is a co-PI on two NSF grants in the areas of integration of computation in engineering curricula and in developing comprehensive strategies to

Conference Session

The Ever-Changing Course

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Michael Gustafson, Duke University; Rebecca Simmons, Duke University; W. Neal Simmons, Duke University; Michael Ehrenfried, Kent Denver School; Tod Laursen, Duke University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

AC 2009-509: A HANDS-ON APPROACH TO COMPUTATIONAL METHODS INENGINEERINGMichael Gustafson, Duke University MICHAEL R. GUSTAFSON II is an Assistant Professor of the Practice in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Duke University. His research interests include linear and non-linear control systems as well as curriculum development. He received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Duke University.Rebecca Simmons, Duke University REBECCA SIMMONS is an Adjunct Assistant Professor with the Pratt School of Engineering at Duke University. Her research interests include computational modeling and experimental analysis of dynamic bubble systems. She received her Ph.D

Conference Session

Goal Specific First-Year Courses

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

James Lewis, University of Louisville; Jeffrey Hieb, University of Louisville; David Wheatley, University of Louisville

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

, their critical thinking skills. This case study evaluationrubric will need to include such things as the clarity, depth, relevance, logicalness, preciseness,and significance of the answer as well as the importance of each part.5.2 Follow through assessmentCritical thinking cannot be developed in a single course or at a single point in a student’seducational career. Mature critical thinking takes time to develop, it must be practiced, and itmust be practiced in many different domains. Exposure of incoming engineering students tocritical thinking both explicitly through formal definitions and models, and implicitly byexample is the first step towards an integrated approach to strengthening the development of

Conference Session

Potpourri

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Summer Dann Johnson, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge; John Scalzo, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge; Sarah Jones, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge; Kelly Rusch, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge; Warren Waggenspack, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

Success Although funding for the ERC was not directly sought at the time of writing the STEPgrant, the ERC and its team are an integral part of the first year program supported through theCollege and the STEP program.Assessment The overall goal of the STEP program is to increase the retention and subsequentlygraduation rates of the students in the college of engineering. To date, assessment of thefreshmen year program activities is composed of two facets. The first is direct input throughfocus groups with students and surveys of the participants. In addition to surveys, assessmenttechniques were investigated to determine the retention of the students in the college ofengineering, a STEM discipline and/or the university. These

Conference Session

Retention Tools and Programs

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Cindy Veenstra, Engineering education consultant; Gary D. Herrin, University of Michigan

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

engineering colleges reported their first-year retention rates associated with an integratedcurriculum versus traditional first-year program.15 The Ohio State University reported an 85-90% first-year retention rate for their integrated curriculum versus 70% for the control group. Atthe University of Alabama, the integrated first-year curriculum demonstrated a 20% higherretention than for their traditional program. The University of Florida showed a 10%improvement from 50 to 60%. Thus, first-year engineering retention rates are quite variable andsome engineering colleges have first-year retention rates close to 90%.The disparity of interest in engineering by gender continues as a major concern. TheUCLA/HERI Cooperative Institutional Research Program

Conference Session

First-Year Advising and Transition

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Maria Sanchez, California State University, Fresno; Ira Sorensen, California State University, Fresno; Walter Mizuno, California State University, Fresno; Satya Mahanty, California State University, Fresno

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

final design challenge. Due tothe fact that not all the classes involved in the competition are dedicated design coursesand the curriculum may vary from school to school, the competitions have tended toadopt the following guidelines: • mechatronics and robotics-based competitions, while very effective when integrated with an appropriate course, have suffered issues of insufficient technical preparation for this competition; • the competitions tend to focus on mechanics and materials aspects, such as limiting the power sources to purely mechanical with no electrical or chemical power available; • to keep the playing field level for economically-disadvantaged students, the total budget of the device is

Conference Session

Beyond the Engineering Classroom

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Matthew Traum, University of North Texas; Sharon Karackattu, University of North Texas

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

in Education Conference, San Juan, Puerto Rico, 1999.4. F. E. Weber, R. M. Bennett, J. H. Forrester, P. G. Klukken, J. R. Parsons, C. D. Pionke, W. Schleter, J. E. Seat, andJ. L. Yoder, “The ENGAGE Program: Results from Renovating the First Year Experience at the University ofTennessee,” presented at 30th ASEE/IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference, Kansas City, MO, 2000.5. D. Barrow, B. Bassichis, D. DeBlassie, L. Everett, P. Imbrie, and M. Whiteacre, “An Integrated FreshmanEngineering Curriculum, Why You Need It and How to Design It.”http://www.foundationcoalition.org/publications/journalpapers/fie95/3c12.pdf (accessed 11/28/07).6. J. Parker, D. Cordes, and Richardson J., “Engineering Design in the Freshman Year at the University of

Conference Session

The Ever-Changing Course

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Gretchen Hein, Michigan Technological University; Jean Kampe, Michigan Technological University; Amber Kemppainen, Michigan Technological University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

… One School at a Time. Penguin Books, New York, NY, 2006.14. Michigan Technological University Reading as Inquiry, http://www.hu.mtu.edu/SummerReading/, accessed: January 19, 2009.15. Central Asia Institute, “Pennies for Peace”, http://www.penniesforpeace.org/home.html, accessed: January 19, 2009.16. Creighton, L., “An Earth Friendly Curriculum,” PRISM, January 2003, pgs. 42-43.17. Kemppainen, A. J., Hein, G.L., Shonnard, D.R., “A First-Year Engineering Experience in Sustainable Design” Proceedings of the 2008 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference and Exposition. Pittsburgh, PA. June 22 – 25, 2008.18. Ashby, M., Shercliff, H., and Cebon, D., Materials: Engineering, Science, Processing and Design, Elsevier

Conference Session

The Ever-Changing Course

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Amy Thompson, University of New Haven; Jean Nocito-Gobel, University of New Haven

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

assessment shows students find this course dramatically improves their ability to work inteams. For instance, data from Section 04 for fall 2008 shows that 75% of students found thatthis course is “very useful” in learning attributes of an effective team member. 94% respondedthat is was “very useful” or “useful.” These results are based upon a sample of 16 responses froma class of 18 students.Implementation and ResultsThis research has led to curriculum changes that instructors are currently implementing.Instructors implemented new curriculum related to the bridge project during the fall 2008semester and instructors will begin implementing the other proposed curriculum changes in thespring and fall semesters of 2009. Instructors expect some

Conference Session

Goal Specific First-Year Courses

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Lesley Strawderman, Mississippi State University; Bill Elmore, Mississippi State University; Arash Salehi, Mississippi State University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

AC 2009-62: EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF FIRST-YEAR ENGINEERINGSTUDENT PERCEPTIONS ON STUDENT EFFICACYLesley Strawderman, Mississippi State University Lesley Strawderman is an assistant professor in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering. She conducts research in the area of human factors and ergonomics, specifically looking at the impact of large scale service systems on human use. She has received her IE degrees from Penn State and Kansas State Universities.Bill Elmore, Mississippi State University Bill Elmore is an Associate Professor and Associate Director in the Swalm School of Chemical Engineering. His research interests include K-12 and undergraduate education reform and

Conference Session

Beyond the Engineering Classroom

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Gary Bailey, North Carolina A&T State University; Cindy Waters, North Carolina A&T State University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

of general education. In particular, we argue for the positive value of ageneral education program centered on common foundation courses taken by all studentsat an institution. Even more particularly, we argue for the positive value of a foundationcourse, taken by all first- or second-year students, which introduces them to, and providesopportunities for them to practice, their critical, analytical, quantitative, and scientificreasoning skills. Most particularly, we argue for the positive value of such a course forundergraduate Engineering majors. In part one of our paper, we will correlate the goals,objectives, and curriculum of UNST 130 Analytical Reasoning, a general educationfoundation course at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical

Conference Session

Retention Tools and Programs

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Daina Briedis, Michigan State University; Neeraj Buch, Michigan State University; Jan Collins-Eaglin, Michigan State University; Nathaniel Ehrlich, Michigan State University; Denise Fleming, Michigan State University; Timothy Hinds, Michigan State University; Jon Sticklen, Michigan State University; Mark Urban-Lurain, Michigan State University; Thomas Wolff, Michigan State University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

AC 2009-864: CONNECTOR FACULTY: A FRIENDLY FACE FOR EARLYENGINEERING STUDENTSDaina Briedis, Michigan State University Dr. DAINA BRIEDIS is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science at Michigan State University. Dr. Briedis has been involved in several areas of education research including student retention, curriculum redesign, and the use of technology in the classroom. She is a co-PI on two NSF grants in the areas of integration of computation in engineering curricula and in developing comprehensive strategies to retain early engineering students. She is active nationally and internationally in engineering accreditation and is a Fellow of