Conference Session

First-year Programs Poster Session

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Clifford A. Whitfield, Ohio State University; Dustin W. West, Ohio State University; Lowell Toms P.E., Ohio State University; John A. Merrill, Ohio State University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

laboratory experiences for first year engineeringstudents that culminate in a quarter-long design-build project. The course sequences retain thetraditional material covered - engineering orientation, engineering graphics, and engineeringproblem solving with computer programming while offering several design-build project topics.One important objective for the first-year design projects, commonly called cornerstone projects,is to provide a team-based experience that includes all aspects of engineering design anddevelopment. This objective also includes successfully providing students with awareness of,and experience with, the iterative nature of design throughout the design cycle. The sequencesare one of the most innovative and successful of their

Conference Session

FPD VI: Presenting "All the Best" of the First-year Programs Division

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Lorelle A. Meadows, University of Michigan; Robin Fowler, University of Michigan; Elizabeth S. Hildinger, University of Michigan

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

measures of success for under-represented minority engineering students, including programs administered at the college levelthat include financial assistance, academic intervention, and graduate school preparation andadmission.These studies and resources all point to the need for a transition in engineering undergraduateeducation in the US from the traditional emphasis on the acquisition of technical knowledge tothe integration of innovative learning experiences that more accurately reflect current practiceand more effectively prepare students to meet these demands and to be successful practitioners1.Curricular settings that encourage cognitive and professional growth include hands-on learning,laboratory instruction, and authentic or relevant

Conference Session

First-year Programs Poster Session

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Daniel Knight, University of Colorado, Boulder; Beverly Louie, University of Colorado, Boulder; Jordan Michelle Hornback, University of Colorado at Boulder

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

lecturesettings, the laboratory environment has long been recognized as an effective way for students todevelop disciplinary knowledge through active learning; many engineers learned how theoreticalideas are translated into real-world practices through hands-on work with the equipment,techniques and testing used in their disciplines. Incorporating a design-build-test model can beviewed as an extension of these laboratory experiences. Through projects courses, students learnto channel their creative ideas by building projects that actually function. These projects coursescombine many different active learning strategies including open-ended, problem-based learning.[6]The FYEP course at the University of Colorado Boulder makes use of a team-based, design

Conference Session

FPD III: Innovation in Design in the First Year

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ann Saterbak, Rice University; Mark Embree, Rice University; Maria Oden, Rice University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

testing. For that work, she received an ASEE National Award, the Robert G. Quinn Award for Excellence in Laboratory Instruction. She has also implemented new pedagogical methods and teaching standards to broaden students’ problem solving skills, scientific and technological literacy through real-world prob- lems, problem- and project-based learning, and hands-on experiences. She also teaches Introduction to Engineering Design (ENGI 120) for the Rice Center for Engineering Leadership. In 2011, she won the George R. Brown Prize for Excellence in Teaching, the university’s highest teaching award.Dr. Mark Embree, Rice University Mark Embree is the Doerr Professor and Director of the Rice Center for Engineering Leadership, and

Conference Session

FPD XI: Tidbits and Cookies

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Thomas J. Vasko, Central Connecticut State University; Peter F. Baumann, Central Connecticut State University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

-technologycurricula start with an introductory course [6, 12, 14, 21, 25, 39, 40, 41, 43]. Improvements tothe introductory course have been proposed by including design topics early in the program toretain students’ interest [15, 16, 21, 24, 28, 43], offering laboratory instruction [3, 10, 14, 20], oremphasizing the development of problem-solving skills [1, 10, 15, 16, 24, 25, 39, 40, 41].Baylor University developed a further refinement of a problem-solving course through a self-paced subject-matter-mastery program [41].Our university also includes within its introductory course a culminating team design project toreinforce learned problem-solving principles and skill sets as an experiential-learningopportunity [2]. In many respects, this team-project effort

Conference Session

FPD VIII: Crossing Bridges and Easing Transitions into the First Year

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Amber Kemppainen, Michigan Technological University; Gretchen L. Hein, Michigan Technological University; Ruth Archer, Michigan Technological University; Meral Jackson, Michigan Technological University; Mary A. Fraley, Michigan Technological University; Crystal Lynn Payment, Michigan Technological University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

a short project evaluationwhich is summarized below.1. Overall ENG1101 ProjectAs shown in Table 2, the components used from ENG1001, were the initial research and projectmanagement, design construction, design pre-testing and testing, and the final report. Two of thethree instructors did require students complete an integrated design project ethical analysis. Theremaining instructor included engineering ethics via traditional case study analysis. The ethicsanalysis identified cultural and environmental concerns when utilizing wind energy based on a Page 25.129.7University of Massachusetts-Amherst Renewable Energy Resource Laboratory fact

Conference Session

FPD II: Hands-on Curriculum in the First Year

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Beverly K. Jaeger, Northeastern University; Susan F. Freeman, Northeastern University; Richard Whalen, Northeastern University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

emerging trend. Computing projects that are usedto control physical hardware were added to the Engineering Problem Solving and Computation course inorder to make strong connections to the many embedded computing applications used in students’everyday experience and in society in general. Moreover, witnessing computer instructions produce light,sound, and motion engages the students’ senses and provides the sort of immediate feedback essential forconstructive and memorable learning.In order to accomplish the goal of introducing hands-on laboratory experiences to over 600 students,Northeastern University teamed with the not-for-profit company Machine Science Incorporated toconduct a pilot study using a custom kit of electronic components in the

Conference Session

FPD II: Hands-on Curriculum in the First Year

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Stephen W. McKnight, Northeastern University; Michael E. Pelletier, Northern Essex Community College; Paula G. Leventman, Northeastern University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

AC 2012-3794: A FIRST-YEAR ”INTRODUCTION TO ENGINEERING”COURSE AT A COMMUNITY COLLEGE USING HANDS-ON MATLABEXPERIMENT CONTROLProf. Stephen W. McKnight, Northeastern University Stephen W. McKnight received a Ph.D. in solid state physics from the University of Maryland, College Park, in 1977 and had postdoctoral positions at Emory University and as National Research Council Fellow at the Naval Research Laboratory before joining the faculty in the Physics Department at North- eastern University in 1980. In 1988, he became an Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and in 2001 was promoted to Professor of electrical and computer engineering. He has published more than 50 refereed

Conference Session

FPD VIII: Crossing Bridges and Easing Transitions into the First Year

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Helen M. Doerr, Syracuse University; Jonas Bergman Arleback, Syracuse University; AnnMarie H. O'Neil, Syracuse University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

model thatis usable in a wide range of contexts. The central mathematical construct around which theinstructional sequence was organized is the understanding of average rate of change throughinterpreting, analyzing and predicting the behavior of linear and non-linear phenomena as theychange over time.The Model Development SequenceModel development sequences are structurally related tasks, beginning with a model elicitingactivity (MEA) and followed by model exploration activities and model application activities.These tasks are not step-by-step procedures (as often found in laboratory projects), but rather areopen-ended tasks that encourage students to express their own ideas about a situation and thenexplore and apply those ideas in other

Conference Session

FPD XI: Tidbits and Cookies

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jesse J. French, LeTourneau University; Paul R. Leiffer, LeTourneau University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

the future on the highlights of these handouts.) Page 25.1302.15 Appendix 4. Laboratory Activity SampleENGR1513 Fall 2011Engineering Lab #3 Dissection, Reverse Engineering, and RedesignBackground Dissection and Reverse Engineering are common components of the design process forworking engineers. In order to improve existing products or benchmark the state of the art,engineers often use dissection and reverse engineering. Dissection is the process of orderly disassembly of an object to its subcomponents.Implied in this process is that the engineer does not know exactly how the assembly

Conference Session

FPD X: Addressing Retention in the First Year

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Lizzie Y. Santiago, West Virginia University; Robin A.M. Hensel Ed.D., West Virginia University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

proposed steps. 4. Private Tutors Available for student in need of a one-one tutoring experience. 5. Out of Class Students are exposed to scientific and non- Page 25.538.8 Experiences engineering lectures and attend field trips, all activities outside the classroom. 6. Study Laboratory (also Students are required to attend the Engineering known as Study Lab) Learning Center for at least 2 hours a week to

Conference Session

First-year Programs Poster Session

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Deborah Worley, University of North Dakota; Jeremiah J. Neubert, University of North Dakota; Naima Kaabouch, University of North Dakota; Mohammad Khavanin, University of North Dakota

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

watching them completethe exercises has a positive effect8. Second, students do not feel that they had enough access tohelp. While they were encouraged to email the instructor with questions, this was not enough.These problems will be addressed by offering video chat sessions several times a week. Studentswill be required to attend a minimal number of these sessions. The video sessions will be used toanswer student questions and force them to think about their assignments. Page 25.897.9AcknowledgementThe authors would like to acknowledge the support of the National Science Foundation throughthe Course, Curriculum, and Laboratory Improvement

Conference Session

FPD V: Increasing Engagement and Motivation of First-year Students

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Angela Thompson P.E., University of Louisville; Patricia A. Ralston, University of Louisville; Jeffrey Lloyd Hieb, University of Louisville

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

courses. Several schools have adopted project-based or laboratory-basedapproaches to incorporate active learning. For example, the University of Florida converted theirlecture-based Introduction to Engineering course into a series of labs focusing on the variousdisciplines. They found that the active learning approach was preferable and saw significant increases inretention6. Other schools have taken similar approaches by having students participate in bothdiscipline-specific and multidisciplinary projects7,8,9. At North Carolina State University, student teamswere asked to conduct research about a particular discipline and give short (5-10 minute) presentationsto the rest of the class10. Additionally, students were required to attend at least

Conference Session

FPD X: Addressing Retention in the First Year

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Brian P. DeJong, Central Michigan University; Joseph Langenderfer, Central Michigan University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

course is taught round-robin-style with teaching blocks of electricalengineering (with a electrical professor), mechanical engineering (with a mechanical professor),engineering laboratories (with a technology professor), general engineering and two-weekrobotics project (with electrical or mechanical professor), and simultaneous two-week largeproject (with each professor). The mechanical and electrical blocks each include several single-day projects and labs, while the general engineering block includes upperclassman, studentgroup, and alumni speakers to better EGR120 students’ understanding of engineering both atCMICH and in the workforce.EGR120 has consistently drawn a relatively higher, and growing, enrollment each year (currently

Conference Session

FPD IV: Innovative Curriculum Elements of Successful First-year Courses

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Gregory Warren Bucks, Ohio Northern University; William C. Oakes, Purdue University, West Lafayette

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

can serve alarger number of students.Each team was given a budget of $50 that was also covered by funds for laboratory expenses.The students identified sensors, motors, and other materials that were ordered for the class. Thisallowed the greatest flexibility for the students but it created a number of logistical challengeswith purchasing such a wide array of items. On the next iteration, we would offer a list ofavailable materials that they could select from rather than having each team select their ownitems. This would simplify the ordering process. The list of items would include sensors (suchas pressure, proximity, motion, light, infrared, force, and flex), small lasers, motors, LED’s,holiday light strings, magnetic card readers

Conference Session

FPD XI: Tidbits and Cookies

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Peter Thomas Tkacik, University of North Carolina, Charlotte; Jae Hoon Lim, University of North Carolina, Charlotte; Patricia A. Tolley P.E., University of North Carolina, Charlotte; Kimberly Warren, University of North Carolina, Charlotte

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

an Assistant Professor of civil and environmental engineering with a specialty in geotechnical engineering. Her civil engineering research projects typically involve testing geosynthetic materials, as well as instrumenting and monitoring large-scale civil engineering structures constructed with geosynthetic inclusions to determine their performance behaviors in the field. Warren has more re- cently become involved in the educational research arena and is currently implementing classroom inno- vations in a core civil engineering undergraduate course to determine and assess the impact of interactive learning as part of a course, curriculum, and laboratory improvement grant