Conference Session

Student Learning and Assessment I

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Michele Miller, Michigan Technological University; Anna Pereira, University of California, Berkeley; Benjamin Mitchell, Michigan Technological University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

engineering attitude survey (EAS1), inaddition to the MAT and PEQ1. In the following spring, students completed an altered attitudesurvey, EAS2, and the MAT. EAS1 was the Pittsburgh Freshmen Engineering AttitudeSurvey.15 EAS2 was a modified shorter version of EAS1. EAS1 questions with low correlation toMAT were removed. Six questions were added from a tinkering self-efficacy questionnaire tobetter capture differences in hands-on self-efficacy.16 In total the EAS2 was shortened to 35questions. Table 11 shows the attitude questions with the most significant differences betweenmale and female students. Note that the male student responses on average reflect moreconfidence in and enjoyment of hands-on activities

Conference Session

Active and Project-Based Learning

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

John S. Lamancusa, Pennsylvania State University, University Park; Laura L. Pauley, Pennsylvania State University, University Park

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

. In Fall 2010, the ranking ofdesign activities was done at the end of the intermediate design course. In the future, we plan toconduct this activity at the beginning and end of the course and assess differences in students’responses.4.1c Design SurveyThe self-efficacy design survey developed by Carberry et al.17 was used to measure students’self-concepts towards engineering design. Students are asked to evaluate their confidence,motivation, success, and anxiety in performing nine different design tasks. The question stemdirections state: “Rate your degree of confidence/motivation/success/anxiety in performing thefollowing tasks by recording a number from 0 to 100.” The tasks listed under each stem are:conduct engineering design, identify a

Conference Session

Outstanding Contributions: Mechanical Engineering Education

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Stephen R. Turns, Pennsylvania State University, University Park; Peggy Noel Van Meter, Pennsyvlania State University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

statics.21 The organization of knowledge is constructed at the time of learning and can beinfluenced by instruction8 and study behaviors.13 In fact, studies comparing the knowledgeorganization of successful and struggling students in postsecondary classrooms shows that moresuccessful students’ express an organizational structure that more closely resembles that ofexperts than do their less successful peers (e.g., Refs. 22, 23). These differences have beenassociated with performance on classroom assessments24 and problem solving measures.2 Taken together, this body of research suggests that one way in which an instructor couldimprove students’ problem solving is by helping students to develop a well-organized knowledgebase and showing