Conference Session

Measuring Success of Graduate Program Components

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Phillip Sanger, Western Carolina University; Ken Burbank, Western Carolina University

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

Scholarship of ApplicationAn important issue left unaddressed in Boyer’s work is who are these peers? Does engagedscholarship dictate a broader set of peer evaluators than other academics? The traditionalstandards of scholarly work are clear goals, adequate preparation, appropriate methods,significant results, effective presentation and reflective critique 4. Sandmann succinctly organizesthese standards into purpose, process and outcomes5. If the purpose of the scholarship ofengagement is economic growth, then the measurement of outcomes would include jobs created,markets opened, sales increased…the typical economic impact indicators and not in the domainof most engineering academics. For engineering faculty, the scholarship of application

Conference Session

Improving the Teaching Skills of Graduate Students

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mary Lynn Brannon, Pennsylvania State University; Sarah Zappe, Pennsylvania State University

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

and the accompanyingassignments. In addition, each course session is described below:Session 1, Getting Started: The Basics – The purpose of this session is to encourage the studentsto reflect on their prior experience as learners and consider how this will impact them in theirown teaching. The course opens with a discussion on how to prepare for the first day of class, abrainstorming activity on “what is an effective teacher,” and a discussion on “my biggest fears inteaching.” At the end of class students are asked to complete a questionnaire on the TAs’teaching responsibility, prior knowledge on teaching and background information. Students aregiven a reflection assignment that requires them to recall the most effective and least

Conference Session

Measuring Success of Graduate Program Components

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Wendy Crone, University of Wisconsin, Madison; Raelyn Rediske, University of Wisconsin, Madison; Steve Ackerman, University of Wisconsin, Madison; Sharon Dunwoody, University of Wisconsin, Madison

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

nonscientific audiences,” specifically policymakers and business leaders18. Warren, Weiss,Wolfe, Friedlander, and Lewenstein sum the message up by writing: “[a] cultural shift is under way,reflecting the higher stakes of research, and an increased recognition by scientists, stakeholders, andpolicymakers that (i) scientists need to get their message out, (ii) scientists need training to learn how todo so, and (iii) training should begin at the graduate level”19 . In a recent editorial in Science, AlanLeshner, the chief executive officer of the American Association for the Advancement of Science(AAAS), has echoed this call20. By offering training at the graduate level, one could conceivably reach allfuture scientists, and that effect would trickle up as

Conference Session

Educating Students for Professional Success

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Shekar Viswanathan, National University, San Diego; Howard Evans, National University, San Diego

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

, Page 14.666.8challenges them to reflect on their own qualities and competencies in relation to theeducational experience, and to move toward greater personal and professional development in 7their chosen area at the competitive global marketplace. This curriculum is also able toincrease the students' capacities as reflective practitioners. Students, who are highly aware oftheir roles in their professions, are able to assess and improve their effectiveness through thisapproach.The pedagogical approach followed in this program engages students as active participants intheir own learning, in interaction with others, in response to real world problems, and in waysthat parallel the process of fieldwork

Conference Session

Mentoring Graduate Students

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Linda Hirsch, New Jersey Institute of Technology; John Carpinelli, New Jersey Institute of Technology; Howard Kimmel, New Jersey Institute of Technology; Angelo Perna, New Jersey Institute of Technology; Kwabena Narh, New Jersey Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

studies and the obstacles students face in pursuing advanced degrees.Agreement is measured on a five-point scale where 1 indicates strong disagreement and 5indicates strong agreement. Most statements are phrased positively such that agreement isdesirable, but some statements are phrased negatively and disagreement is desirable. Forexample, one item states “The research requirements necessary to complete a graduate degreeare undesirable.” To score the entire survey, responses to the negatively phrased items are Page 14.872.3reversed so that higher average scores reflect more positive attitudes toward graduate studies.A pilot study was conducted to

Conference Session

Professional Graduate Education and Industry

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Donald Keating, University of South Carolina; Thomas Stanford, University of South Carolina; Norman Egbert, Rolls-Royce Corporation; Roger Olson, Rolls-Royce Corporation; Joseph Rencis, University of Arkansas; Eugene DeLoatch, Morgan State University; Mohammad Noori, North Carolina State University; Edward Sullivan, California Polytechnic State University; Joseph Tidwell, Arizona State University Polytechnic; Duane Dunlap, Purdue University; Stephen Tricamo, New Jersey Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

reflected in the strength and innovative capacity of the nation’s engineering infrastructure in industry for technology development and innovation. Recognizes the national imperative in winning the skills race and strengthening U.S. innovation through professional graduate engineering education specifically designed to unlock the creative, innovative and leadership potential of the U.S. graduate engineering workforce in America’s industry. Provides degreed engineers, employed in industry, a new type of world-class professional graduate education that is integrative with the engineer’s experience and on-going creative engineering work to improve the technological competitiveness of regional industry across the nation

Conference Session

Measuring Success of Graduate Program Components

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mysore Narayanan, Miami University

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

enhance students’ critical thinking capabilities. Page 14.253.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2009 Assessment of Engineering Education based on the Principles of Theodore Marchese Mysore Narayanan, Miami University, Ohio.AbstractAssessment is a process in which rich, usable, credible feedback from an act of teachingor curriculum comes to be reflected upon by an academic community, and then is actedon by that community, a department or college, within its commitment to get smarter andbetter at what it does (Marchese, 1997, page 93). All of which is to say, assessment ismore than data

Conference Session

Professional Graduate Education and Industry

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Norman Egbert, Rolls-Royce Corporation; Eugene DeLoatch, Morgan State University; Donald Keating, University of South Carolina

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

, Corporate Members Council, College Industry Partnership Division, and leaders fromindustry and universities across the country to define, develop, and implement a high-quality andcoherent system of postgraduate professional education for working engineering professionals in Page 14.1076.4industry, as a complement to the existing research base, that: reflects the modern process and systematic practice of engineering for the deliberate creation, development, and innovation of new needed technologies for the advancement of U.S. competitiveness, improvement of economic growth, national security, and quality of life provides

Conference Session

Graduate Student Experiences

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Soumya Srivastava, Mississippi State University; Adrienne Minerick, Mississippi State University; Anurag Srivastava, Mississippi State University; Noel Schulz, Mississippi State University

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

Colleges(NASULGC)3. Totally, 700 institutions responded to the survey. The results indicate that newenrollments at most of the U.S. institutions seem to be increasing, with respondents reportingmore increases than declines (although growth rate has declined). Twenty-two percent of theresponding institutions experiencing declines in international student enrollments cited rigorousvisa application processes and concerns over delays/denials as the major reason for the decline,followed by cost of tuition/fees at U.S. institutions and decisions to enroll in institutions within Page 14.788.2another country. Several educators believe the declines reflect

Conference Session

Professional Graduate Education and Industry

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Thomas Stanford, University of South Carolina; Donald Keating, University of South Carolina; Roger Olson, Rolls-Royce Corporation

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

for professional graduateengineering education that enables continued growth of graduate engineers in industry and governmentservice throughout their entire professional careers ─ from entry-level through the highest levels ofprofessional engineering leadership for innovation and creative practice. This model reflects the mannerby which practicing engineers recognize real-world needs, understand the issues involved, learn theexisting state-of-the art of technology through self-directed and experiential learning, identify andformulate realistic specifications required for effective solution, direct scientific research efforts to gain abetter understanding of phenomena involved, and actually create, develop, and innovate new ‘ideas

Conference Session

Mentoring Graduate Students

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Tonya Saddler, Northwestern University; Elizabeth Creamer, Virginia Tech

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

doctoral holders with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to be successful in thischanging environment12,13 . The preparation of doctoral students in research is one area said to be mismatched, withscholars contending that faculty members are still functioning as usual. That is, faculty membersare socializing (or cloning) doctoral students to be researchers like themselves14,15,1 . There isalso the assumption that doctoral students will assume faculty positions in programs and ininstitutions similar to the programs and institutions they were trained in11 . Another line ofresearch posits that doctoral students assist faculty members with research that further promotesthe faculty member’s research agenda but may not advance (or reflect

Conference Session

Measuring Success of Graduate Program Components

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Amanda O'Neill, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis; Jessica McCormick, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis; Matthew Steinkamp, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis; Patricia Fox, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis; Rachel Meyer, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis; Steven Brown, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis; Brandon Medcalf, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis; Nathaniel Greene, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

the classes, and returning materials (homework, quizzes, etc.) to the students.These results are a direct formative evaluation, which should be given adequate attention 4. Thisshows that students pleased with their instructors in most respects but would like to see atechnology available in the classroom to reflect advances in technology in commercial andindustrial settings.While respondents were asked about their “in the classroom” experience, it is understood thatthat is only one part of the interaction between the student and the University and that thestudent’s experience “in the office” is also important to gauge. In the office setting, respondentsrated instructors highest in caring about the students in their class. This shows that

Conference Session

Measuring Success of Graduate Program Components

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Lynita Newswander, Virginia Tech; Maura Borrego, Virginia Tech

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

institutionalizing change21-24. Theseinclude barriers to faculty, students, and administrators25. According to Gumport andSnydman26, the organization of universities is both programmatic and bureaucratic. As they seeit, “…universities and colleges both reflect and reconstitute classifications of knowledge and inso doing establish categories of expertise and knowledge worth knowing”26. The popularity of anew idea may also be at issue, as innovations that are well-liked are more likely to be Page 14.683.3 2integrated27. The first step to overcoming

Conference Session

Improving the Teaching Skills of Graduate Students

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Erin Crede, Virginia Tech; Maura Borrego, Virginia Tech

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

, while they are workingwith the freshman curriculum. Perhaps something could be arranged to have the students takethis during the second year, or encourage students to register for the course during the secondyear as well? Fellows appeared to have enjoyed the networking activities that were a constantcomponent of the freshman program. Requiring a course akin to Practicum would affordstudents more peer-networking and community building activities, as well as a source of externalformal feedback and evaluation. In order to accomplish programmatic changes that reflect these recommendations, a GTFprogram director should be assigned that would be accountable for implementation. This wouldalso serve as a point of contact for departments and

Conference Session

Mentoring Graduate Students

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Tony Mitchell, North Carolina State University; Robyn Fillinger, North Carolina State University; Marcia Williams, North Carolina A&T State University

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

were eligiblefor the grant and selected. Those not selected either were not US citizens or permanent residents,did not graduate from an undergraduate LSAMP program, or were not enrolled in the degreeprogram reflected in their official campus record. Nine of the 10 selected began their graduateprogram fall 2008; the 10th moved into a graduate program January 2009 after completing theundergraduate degree here at NC State.In addition to meeting NSF criteria for selection, our 10 initial BD Fellows are also quite diverse.Five are pursuing graduate degrees in mathematics, chemistry or statistics; and five are majoringin electrical, industrial, computer or civil engineering. Four are African American females, twoAfrican American males, two are

Conference Session

Mentoring Graduate Students

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Sorraya Khiewnavawongsa, Purdue University; Edie Schmidt, Purdue University

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

participate in. The third section related to advisor’s characteristics. Graduate students were asked torate the importance of mentoring characteristics. This section identified what characteristics ofadvisors were important to graduate students. Examples of characteristics were honest,supportive, knowledgeable, and warm. The fourth section was asking graduate students to ratethe importance of advisor’s attributes, along with their satisfaction. These attributes reflect howgraduate students recognize their advisor as a mentor. These attributes were separated into twogroups: external and internal attributes. While external attributes involve how students receivevarious assistances from advisor, internal attributes were more related to inner