Conference Session

Multidisciplinary Curriculum Innovation

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Michael Ciaraldi, Worcester Polytechnic Institute; Eben Cobb, Worcester Polytechnic Institute; David Cyganski, Worcester Polytechnic Institute; Michael Demetriou; Greg Fischer; Michael Gennert, Worcester Polytechnic Institute; Fred Looft, Worcester Polytechnic Institute; William Michalson, Worcester Polytechnic Institute; Bradley Miller, Worcester Polytechnic Institute; Taskin Padir, Worcester Polytechnic Institute; Yiming Rong, Worcester Polytechnic Institute; Kenneth Stafford, Worcester Polytechnic Institute; Gretar Tryggvason, Worcester Polytechnic Institute; James Van de Ven, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Tagged Divisions

Multidisciplinary Engineering

pneumatic actuators, power transmission, materialsand static force analysis, controls and programmable embedded computer systems, systemintegration and robotic applications. Laboratory sessions consist of hands-on exercises andteam projects where students design and build mobile robots.RBE 2001. Unified Robotics I.First of a four-course sequence introducing foundational theory and practice of roboticsengineering from the fields of computer science, electrical engineering and mechanicalengineering. The focus of this course is the effective conversion of electrical power tomechanical power, and power transmission for purposes of locomotion, and of payloadmanipulation and delivery. Concepts of energy, power and kinematics will be applied.Concepts from

Conference Session

Graduate Student Experiences

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jin-Hwan Lee, Georgia Institute of Technology; Carla Purdy, University of Cincinnati; Ian Papautsky, University of Cincinnati

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

mentored teaching activities applied the conceptslearned in the PFF courses. The individualized mentored teaching experience included teachingundergraduate and graduate courses, giving talks at research seminars, and mentoring seniorprojects and REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) students in the Department ofElectrical and Computer Engineering at UC. Various methods of active learning, motivatingstudents, problem-based active laboratory learning, and peer tutoring were explored and appliedto mentor students. The paper also includes feedback from the PFF program coordinator and theacademic research mentor.I. IntroductionPreparing Future Faculty (PFF) is a national initiative to better prepare Ph.D., M.S., andpostdoctoral students to

Conference Session

Multidisciplinary Course Innovation

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Robert Rabb, United States Military Academy; Andrew Biaglow, United States Military Academy; David Chang, United States Military Academy

Tagged Divisions

Multidisciplinary Engineering

engineering curriculum necessitated incorporation of controls engineeringcoursework in their program of study. An existing dynamic modeling and controls courseexisted between two departments: electrical engineering and mechanical engineering. With theintroduction of chemical engineers in the course, the chemical engineering specific lessons aretaught by a chemical engineering instructor. This organizational structure is important, allowingthe multidisciplinary faculty team to synchronize their efforts, bringing their individual strengthsand resources together for the course to promote student learning. The instructors engage inmeaningful dialogue concerning their assignments, lesson preparations, laboratory exercises, andtheir results. The

Conference Session

Best Practices in IE Education

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Matthew Elam, Texas A&M University, Commerce; E. Delbert Horton, Texas A&M University, Commerce; Sukwon Kim, Texas A&M University, Commerce; Bob Wilkins, Texas A&M University, Commerce

Tagged Divisions

Industrial Engineering

mathematics instruction.ALEKS offered individualized mathematics tutoring that identified through assessmenttechnology a student's current knowledge and the material a student was ready to learn. The Pre-Calculus Engineering course also had laboratories and advising that included instruction in time-management principles. The laboratories conveyed that engineering was fun, promotedteamwork, and promoted building basic skill levels in laboratory report writing. The engineeringcourse taken concurrently with Calculus also included ALEKS as a major component.New Mexico State University implemented an Integrated Learning Community (ILC). ILC wasa cluster of first-year engineering students who were not Calculus-ready. These students tookthe same courses

Collection

2009 Pacific Southwest Section Meeting

Authors

Gordon W. Romney

that its teaching model is based on “one-course-per-month”, its students are largelyemployed in industry, and the instructors are “up to date” with current technology because themajority are simultaneously employed in the IT industry. The majority of the students, likewise,are IT professionals, bringing with them many advanced skills, and are highly motivated towardobtaining a degree in order to advance in their profession. At NU the BS IT Management (ITM)program offers classes both in-person and on-line. Specific challenges of the NU teaching model,as they apply to IT, are its accelerated pace, long instruction class periods, the lack of thetraditional laboratory experience and the increasing demand for on-line instruction. Thetransition of

Conference Session

NSF Grantees Poster Session

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Nathan Klingbeil, Wright State University; Kuldip Rattan, Wright State University; Michael Raymer, Wright State University; David Reynolds, Wright State University; Richard Mercer, Wright State University

Statistics at Wright State University. He is a Co-PI on WSU's National Model for Engineering Mathematics Education. He is active in curriculum reform, and has led an NSF supported effort to integrate Mathematica laboratory sessions into the freshman calculus sequence at Wright State University. Page 14.1265.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2009 The Wright State Model for Engineering Mathematics Education: A Nationwide Adoption, Assessment and EvaluationAbstract The inability of incoming students to advance past the traditional first-year calculussequence is a primary cause of attrition

Conference Session

Multidisciplinary Capstone Design Projects

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Sarel Lavy, Texas A&M University

Tagged Divisions

Multidisciplinary Engineering

has 235acute-care beds, and a 61-bed rehabilitation and skilled nursing facility. The hospital owns threerural hospitals and two long-term care facilities. This case study focuses on the AdministrationWing, which is part of the main building complex.Areas and Organizational StructureThe Administration Wing, built in 1991 with an area of approximately 63,000 sq-ft, is part of themain building complex and it houses offices, laboratories, education centers, and meeting rooms.The building is comprised of a basement and three floors. The Education Center of the hospital islocated in the basement of this building. The first floor, also known as the main floor, containsthe main hospital entrance, a gift shop, cafeteria and some offices. Laboratories

Conference Session

Design in Freshman and Sophomore Courses

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Thomas Schubert, University of San Diego; Frank Jacobitz, University of San Diego; Ernest Kim, University of San Diego

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

early usage of the design process by freshman students enrolled inan introduction to engineering class. In the following discussion, the introduction to engineeringcourse, the engineering design lecture coverage, and the initial associated laboratory activity aredescribed. The assessment of the laboratory activity is then presented and discussed. Finally, ananalysis of the design process structure, as used by the students, is provided.Introduction to Engineering CourseThe engineering design lecture material and associated laboratory activity assessed here are partof a Fall 2008 freshman-level Introduction to Engineering course (ENGR 101) at the Universityof San Diego (USD). The course meets each week for two one-hour lectures and one two

Conference Session

Global Engineering Education: Developments, Implementations

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ashraf Alkhairy, Alfaisal University; Leland Blank, Texas A&M University; Duane Boning, MIT; David Cardwell, University of Cambridge; W Craig Carter, MIT; Nick Collings, University of Cambridge; Allan Hayhurst, University of Cambridge; William Milne; Peter Robinson, University of Cambridge; Warren Seering, MIT; Kenneth Smith, MIT; Sallie Sheppard, Texas A&M University; Bill Stronge, University of Cambridge

Tagged Divisions

International

AC 2009-1182: COMPARISON OF INTERNATIONAL LEARNING OUTCOMESAND DEVELOPMENT OF ENGINEERING CURRICULAAshraf Alkhairy, Alfaisal University Ashraf Alkhairy, PhD is the Founding Dean of Engineering at Alfaisal University. He received the Bachelor's, Master's and PhD degrees in electrical engineering and computer science from MIT, where he worked as a research scientist. He has served on the faculty of King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, and was a visiting scientist at the Research Laboratory of Electronics at MIT and the Schlumberger Carbonate Research Center.Leland Blank, Texas A&M University Leland Blank, PhD, PE is currently Visiting Professor at Texas A&M University at

Conference Session

NSF Grantees Poster Session

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Hong Man, Stevens Institute of Technology

introductory course. A possible solution is to keep thesesubjects at a conceptual (or qualitative) level and allow students to visualize the physical effectsthrough lab exercises.Developing and maintaining a medical imaging laboratory is quite expensive, and it may requiremany specialized equipment and hazardous materials. Although many schools and programshave been offering some kind of lab exercises for this course, not many of them can actuallyafford and support a comprehensive laboratory that can cover all the aspects and modalities ofmedical imaging4,5.The objective of this CCLI Phase 1 Project is to develop a computer simulation labenvironment—SimuRad, that can help junior or senior undergraduate students from differentmajors to understand the

Conference Session

Distance and Web-Based Learning in Engineering Technology: Part I

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

B. Sridhara, Middle Tennessee State University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

-choice examination, and a studentsatisfaction survey, they have found out that web-based modules for instruction used inconjunction with a face-to-face lecture delivery mode resulted in higher levels of studentperformance and satisfaction. Fidan, et al8 have restructured their rapid prototyping class andtaught it as a web-enhanced course. Their students were able to prototype their parts through aremotely accessible rapid prototyping laboratory. The students were able to interact withstudents in Western Nevada College and prototype joint project parts. The authors of Reference8 have used D2L as their course management software and briefly described the usefulness of afew tools of D2L. The summary of Reference 8 indicates that that they were able

Conference Session

Novel Measurement Experiments

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Carmine Polito, Valparaiso University

Tagged Divisions

Instrumentation

in soils during seismic loading. While most frequently associated withcohesionless soils such as sands and silts and the dynamic loadings due to earthquakes, it hasbeen reported in many types of soils under both dynamic and static loadings.Liquefaction of soils in the field is evaluated either by in situ testing or by laboratory testing.Both liquefaction evaluation and parametric studies of the factors affecting liquefaction areperformed in the lab using cyclic triaxial tests.Cyclic triaxial tests are used to model the loads applied to a soil mass by an earthquake. Theliquefaction resistance of a soil is often measured in the laboratory using reconstituted specimenstested in cyclic triaxial tests. The specimen is formed within a latex

Conference Session

Educational Issues in Civil Engineering

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Anant Kukreti, University of Cincinnati

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

, 8:00 a.m. to noon, is devoted to welcome bythe Project Director, introductions, and presenting: general project schedule; alternative daymeeting format; weekly group leaders’ concept and responsibilities; biweekly reports andpresentations schedule; seminars and workshops; field trips; safety rules for use of the laboratoryfacilities; policies for use of office equipment and facilities; evaluations to be conducted; finalday presentations; and activities beyond the summer REU experience. Finally, the facultymentors(s) and GRAs give an overview of the three research projects to be executed. In theafternoon the students are taken to the laboratory facilities and are introduced to the labtechnicians and other graduate students working in the

Conference Session

Recruitment and Retention in Engineering Technology Programs

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Steve Wendel, Sinclair Community College; Walter Buchanan, Texas A&M University; Shep Anderson, Sinclair Community College; Robert Mott, University of Dayton; Gilah Pomeranz, Sinclair Community College

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

sophistication and interconnection. In this networked model, the traditional analysis, laboratory, and design components would be deeply interrelated: engineering knowledge remains central but is configured to include both technical and contextual knowledge; competencies of practice, laboratory, and design experiences are integrated into the whole, as are professionalism and ethics.”1 Page 14.900.2In addition, the merger of the two centers has provided the NCME the opportunity to expand notonly its scope, but also its mission. During its inception, the overarching goal of the NCME wasto provide curriculum materials and

Conference Session

New Trends in CHE Education I

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Adrienne Minerick, Mississippi State University; Keisha Walters, Mississippi State University; Bill Elmore, Mississippi State University; Rebecca Toghiani, Mississippi State University; Rafael Hernandez; Priscilla Hill, Mississippi State University; Hossein Toghiani, Mississippi State University; Todd French, Mississippi State University

Tagged Divisions

Chemical Engineering

laboratories and reactor design. His current research activities include engineering educational reform, enzyme-based catalytic reactions in micro-scale reactor systems, and bioengineering applied to renewable fuels and chemicals.Rebecca Toghiani, Mississippi State University Dr. Rebecca K. Toghiani is an Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering at MSU. She received the 1996 Dow Outstanding New Faculty Award and the 2005 Outstanding Teaching Award from the ASEE Southeastern Section. A Grisham Master Teacher at MSU, she is an inaugural member of the Bagley College of Engineering Academy of Distinguished Teachers. She has also been recognized at MSU with the 2001 Outstanding Faculty

Conference Session

Multidisciplinary and Project-based Experiences in Manufacturing

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Wayne Hung, Texas A&M University; Sriharsha Sundarram, Texas A&M University; Fatih Ozkeskin, University of Michigan; Mike Powers, Agilent Technologies; Juan Manriquez, Cideteq; Venkata Vasiraju, Texas A&M University

Tagged Divisions

Manufacturing

educational project. Some researchobjectives have been achieved by dividing an objective into manageable laboratory projects thatcan be completed by undergraduate students in a few weeks.The anodic dissolution µECM process effectively forms and shapes micro components from anyconductive material. Unlike classical ECM technology, the novel µECM utilizes very highfrequency pulses and proprietary electrode shapes/motions to remove materials at the micro ornano scales, and can mass-produce micro components with exceptional quality and surfaceintegrity. A theoretical model is developed which agrees with experimental data for 316Lstainless steel and copper beryllium alloy. The environmentally friendly technology showspromise as a high-resolution production

Conference Session

Manufacturing Education Curriculum

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Priya Manohar, Robert Morris University

Tagged Divisions

Manufacturing

practice.Manufacturing Engineering Track-Specific ABET Outcomes are: Engineeringgraduates have: (M1) proficiency in materials and manufacturing processes, understandthe influence of manufacturing processes on the behavior and properties of materials, and Page 14.134.6(M5) had laboratory experience, which enable them to measure manufacturing processvariables and make technical inference about the process.ABET outcome assessment for ENGR 2180 is shown in Figure 2. Figure 2: Class performance with respect to ABET outcomes. (The current benchmark for class performance is 80%).Most of the outcomes assessment criteria are being met except Outcome

Conference Session

Case Studies and Engineering Education Around the Globe

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Rafiqul Islam, Northwestern State University

Tagged Divisions

International

, we have two concentrationsnamely electronics and biomedical (newly added). In electronics we have two programsentitled Electronic Engineering Technology and Industrial Engineering Technology. Thestudents will have to take 22 hours allocated for biomedical concentration. This is theminimum number of hours required by the TAC of ABET for the concentration of anarea. The courses are biology, physiology, chemistry, medical instrumentation, digitalsignal processing and associated laboratories. The students need to take other corecourses such as digital communication, classical controls, advanced electronics,microcontroller, etc. As an elective they can take a wireless communication coursewhich is offered in the department. These courses will

Conference Session

Programs That Serve Industry and Academia

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Eugene Rutz, University of Cincinnati; Timothy Keener, University of Cincinnati

Tagged Divisions

Continuing Professional Development

Research (thesis) Course Delivery Traditional or Internet based Traditional classroom and delivery laboratories Tuition Common tuition rate applied; In / Out of state tuition; UGS employer tuition remission (full and/or partial) awards for mostCurriculumThe curriculum is structured to provide a foundation of advanced engineering topics whileallowing students flexibility to meet their specific educational objectives. The curriculumincludes: ≠ Program core courses taken by all Master of Engineering students ≠ Track required courses

Conference Session

NSF Grantees Poster Session

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Arlene Russell, University of California, Los Angeles; Patricia Carlson, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology; Warren Waggenspack, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge; Warren Hull, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge; william Monroe, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge; Chester Wilmot, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge

outstanding college chemistry teaching, and the UCLA Brian Copenhaver Award for Innovation for Teaching with Technology for the development and implementation of CPR.Patricia Carlson, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Patricia A. Carlson has taught a variety of professional writing courses at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and has held ten ASEE Summer Research Fellowships. She is on the editorial board of three professional publications for advanced educational technology and has served as a National Research Council Senior Fellow at the Air Force Human Resources Laboratory. Email: patricia.carlson@rose-hulman.eduWarren Waggenspack, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge Warren N

Collection

2009 Pacific Southwest Section Meeting

Authors

Richard K. Herz; Gregory E. Ogden

student, and a quiz section. In the quiz section, students mustrun experiments, analyze their data, and then check to see if they have an answer within anacceptable range. The Lab charges virtual $ for each experiment to teach students that theyshould not run experiments indiscriminately, and then awards them virtual $ for correct answers.The Budget Report records the history of each quiz. Students must turn in their data, analysiswork, and a copy of the Budget Report which contains an authentication code. These quizzesincorporate the features Pavia9 lists that should be exhibited by a laboratory simulation.It is interesting to observe a new group of students start to use the software in a computer lab.Doing homework in the Lab is much different

Collection

2009 Pacific Southwest Section Meeting

Authors

Stephen Beck; Joshua Brent; Thomas Brown; Agostino Cala; Eniko T. Enikov; Richard Lucio

395 Engineering 101: Peer Teaching with LEGO NXT Robotics Stephen Beck1, Joshua Brent1, Thomas Brown1, Agostino Cala1, Eniko T. Enikov2, Richard Lucio III1 1 Undergraduate Student Mentors; 2Faculty advisor Advanced Micro and Nano Systems Laboratory, Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, The University of ArizonaAbstractThe vast amount of knowledge and the multitude of disciplines encompassed by engineering canoften be intimidating and difficult, creating an educational barrier for beginning students. Thegoal of an

Conference Session

Integrating Computer-based Technology in the Civil Engineering Classroom

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ayhan Irfanoglu, Purdue University; Yating Chang, Purdue University

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

. Page 14.803.5The overseas trip to Istanbul, a city facing very high seismic risk2, provided opportunities to seehow earthquake engineering concepts were applied in practice. In particular, in accord with thematerial studied in the classroom, the group visited several construction and retrofit sitesincluding of a modern high-rise complex, several historic monumental structures, and asubmerged railroad tunnel (MarmaRay) connecting Asia and Europe at the bottom of theBosphorus Strait. Additionally, the students visited three research laboratories including anearthquake research laboratory of the host university (Istanbul Technical University), theMarmaRay tunnel material research laboratory, and a second earthquake research laboratory thatalso

Conference Session

Professional Practice and AEC Education

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mahmoud Alahmad, University of Nebraska, Lincoln; Jamie Tills, University of Nebraska, Lincoln; Steven Swanson, University of Nebraska, Lincoln

Tagged Divisions

Architectural

that houses both University of Nebraska – Lincoln’s College of Engineering andthe Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction and University ofNebraska at Omaha’s College of Information Science and Technology. The involvementof industry leaders will be a key component of the workshops.3.2.1 – The Peter Kiewit Institute and LearningExtensive research has proven that traditional lecturing that takes place in mostclassrooms is not as effective as other teaching methods11. It is not until the classroom isreplaced by a laboratory setting that fundamental concepts and theories of science andengineering allow students to apply and reinforce their knowledge12.The Peter Kiewit Institute takes into account various learning styles of

Conference Session

Service Learning Projects in Developing Countries

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jana Fattic, Western Kentucky University; Andrew Ernest, Western Kentucky University

Tagged Divisions

Environmental Engineering

AC 2009-1762: WATER ANALYSIS, TRAINING, EDUCATION, AND RESEARCHSERVICES: A "FARMER’S COOPERATIVE" MODEL FOR CAPACITYDEVELOPMENTJana Fattic, Western Kentucky University Jana Fattic is the Associate Director of the Center for Water Resource Studies and Operations Director of the WATERS Laboratory at Western Kentucky University. Ms. Fattic’s role as Associate Director of the Center includes budget development and project coordination of state and federal grants totaling over one million dollars annually. Ms. Fattic’s responsibilities include day-to day administration, budget and personnel management, quality assurance and quality control, and maintenance of certifications. She holds a Bachelor

Conference Session

Measuring Success of Graduate Program Components

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mysore Narayanan, Miami University

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

French Revolution.” Inother words, the input to the student is text-based and the output from the student is alsotext-based. This perceptual mode is referred to as Read mode. Page 14.253.4Kinesthetic (K)Some people learn only by doing. They need hands-on-training. Here one may want toquote the famous phrase: Practice Makes You Perfect. This last, final group prefers tolearn through experience. It could be laboratory experience, clinical experience,simulation, co-op experience, industrial internship experience, service-learningexperience, practical training experience, etc. This perceptual mode is referred to asKinesthetic mode.Hunter Boylan’s Research

Conference Session

Contemporary Issues in CHE Education

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Richard Zollars, Washington State University; Donald Orlich, Washington State University

Tagged Divisions

Chemical Engineering

category consists of a classroom/laboratory experiencewhere high school students are exposed to engineering with the expectation that these studentswill then be more likely to enroll in engineering. Typical examples are the “InspiresCurriculum”,9 “Engineering Concepts Curriculum Project”,10 the “Academy IntroductionMission”,11 and the “Texas Pre-Freshman Engineering Program”12. A program to address these issues was started in this department in 1993 with fundingfrom the National Science Foundation. The concept for this activity arose from a conversationamongst chemical engineering faculty members on what influenced them to major in engineering.Almost uniformly the conclusion was that it was an influential teacher at the 5th through 9th

Conference Session

New Research and Trends Related to Minorities in Engineering

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Joseph Monroe, North Carolina A&T State University; Narayanaswamy Radhakrishnan, North Carolina A&T State University; Bala Ram, North Carolina A&T State University; Stephanie Luster-Teasley, North Carolina A&T State University; Christopher Doss, North Carolina A&T State University

Tagged Divisions

Minorities in Engineering

), Energy &Environment, Modeling & Simulation, Sensors, and Transportation & Healthcare.Thanks to the efforts of Dr. Mary Juhas, Program Director for Diversity & Outreach atNational Science Foundation, each of the 105 minute tracks had a presentation from oneNational Science Foundation Division Director with responsibility for an area with somerelevance to the track. The participation of the Division Director was organized for themutual benefit of the workshop attendees and the Division Directors. The slides for mostof the presentations is available from the Workshop organizers at NCA&T.A laboratory tour and poster presentation to showcase the equipment andaccomplishments of several Historically Black Colleges (HBCUs) was

Conference Session

Curriculum in Civil Engineering Technology

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Andrew Rose, University of Pittsburgh, Johnstown

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

surface they may not use frequently.This may help prepare students for future conference room presentations where a quick sketch ona white board is needed. Figure 5 shows students presenting reinforced concrete design Page 14.717.5problems on a chalkboard. Figure 5. Student sketch on chalkboard used in problem solutionSketches of Laboratory Devices and Experimental SetupsAnother opportunity for students to practice hand sketching skills is in laboratory courses. Inmany cases, sketches may be too complex for hand sketching, and a digital photograph

Conference Session

Multidisciplinary Capstone Design Projects

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Josef Rojter, Victoria University of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Multidisciplinary Engineering

Profession andEducation chaired by Professor Johnson2 .The two semester-long materials science subject was taught to second year undergraduates inBuilding, Civil and Mechanical Engineering courses. The relative high pass and low attritionrates in this subject ensured its victim-hood subject when it was swapped in 2003 in thecourse curricula with a less performing first year subject. In 2006 the subject becameProblem-based learning (PBL) designated and was transferred back to the second year level.PBL designation significantly altered the course delivery. Initially the subject organizationwhich consisted of 2 hours of lectures for 2semesters supplemented by 1 hour tutorial perweek in the first semester and a 2 hour laboratory session per fortnight in