Conference Session

Assessment of Engineering Technology Programs

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Esteban Rodriguez-Marek, Eastern Washington University; Min-Sung Koh, Eastern Washington University; Claudio Talarico, Eastern Washington University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

any threshold, measurement or “number” attached to the criteria.Although at first instance this appears vague and loosely thought out, ABET purposely leavesenough space for programs to demonstrate creativity in their assessment methodology. Page 13.326.3Moreover, the necessity of including a continuous improvement component is made clear in nouncertain terms. Class assessment is only one component in the continuous improvement plan,but it is an important one, and is the only one addressed in this paper. More specifically, theintent is to operationalize the ABET criteria. In other words, variables are identified that allowexpressing

Collection

2008 Spring ASEE Middle Atlantic Section Conference

Authors

Richard B. Mindek

toexperiment with the program structure needed to control particular output devices. Student feedback todate suggests the availability of this platform, which encourages self-exploration, has had a very positiveimpact on student learning in a recently run graduate course. Plans for implementing an experientiallearning approach using an updated version of the same platform in the undergraduate engineeringcurriculum are also discussed.1.0 IntroductionA programmable logic controller (PLC) is a microprocessor-based control system used by industry tocommunicate with other process control components. It is used in process control for simple switchingtasks, proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control, complex data manipulation, arithmetic operations

Collection

2008 ASEE Zone 1 Conference

Authors

Richard B. Mindek

toexperiment with the program structure needed to control particular output devices. Student feedback todate suggests the availability of this platform, which encourages self-exploration, has had a very positiveimpact on student learning in a recently run graduate course. Plans for implementing an experientiallearning approach using an updated version of the same platform in the undergraduate engineeringcurriculum are also discussed.1.0 IntroductionA programmable logic controller (PLC) is a microprocessor-based control system used by industry tocommunicate with other process control components. It is used in process control for simple switchingtasks, proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control, complex data manipulation, arithmetic operations

Collection

2008 Northeast Section Meeting

Authors

Richard B. Mindek

toexperiment with the program structure needed to control particular output devices. Student feedback todate suggests the availability of this platform, which encourages self-exploration, has had a very positiveimpact on student learning in a recently run graduate course. Plans for implementing an experientiallearning approach using an updated version of the same platform in the undergraduate engineeringcurriculum are also discussed.1.0 IntroductionA programmable logic controller (PLC) is a microprocessor-based control system used by industry tocommunicate with other process control components. It is used in process control for simple switchingtasks, proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control, complex data manipulation, arithmetic operations

Conference Session

Faculty Attitudes and Perceptions

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Cathy Burack, Brandeis University; John Duffy, University of Massachusetts Lowell; Alan Melchior, Brandeis University; Eric Morgan, University of Massachusetts Lowell

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

than one course. Thirty-seven full-time engineering faculty members havetried service-learning at least once so far, just about half the faculty.Faculty were recruited via personal contacts and through workshops offered in the summer andfall of 2004. All engineering faculty were invited. The summer workshop was an all day affairwith presentations by Dwight Giles as well as community partners and breakout discussions;Dwight Giles is a well-known researcher in service-learning9 and was a consultant on the project.A second workshop was about 3 hours and focused on assessment, and again Dwight Gilespresented. A planning grant from NSF allowed faculty to develop S-L courses throughminigrants and graduate student support, and a part-time S-L

Conference Session

Developing Communication/Teamwork Skills in ChEs

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Joan Alabart, University Rovira i Virgili; Sibel Özgen, University Rovira i Virgili; Magda Medir, University Rovira i Virgili; Hans-Joerg Witt, Witt & Partner

Tagged Divisions

Chemical Engineering

same time (they do not know how to prioritize or are not prepared to make personalsacrifices); (c) are not used to studying and working at a constant pace and following a plan, (d)are relatively unaccustomed to learning by themselves, either particular contents from the first-year courses or specific skills such as necessary software programs, (e) are unused to dependingon others for obtaining a mark; etc. Certainly, it can be said that fourth-year students’ main taskis to facilitate first-year students’ change to new learning and work habits by influencing,motivating and inspiring them, that is, by demonstrating leadership competence.7The purpose of this paper is to describe the system of enabling and assessment processesimplemented in the

Conference Session

IFEES: The Globalization of Engineering Education

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Lueny Morell, Hewlett-Packard; Claudio Borri, Universita' di Firenze; Sarah Rajala, Mississippi State University; Bruno Laporte, World Bank; Maria M. Larrondo Petrie; Seeram Ramakrishna, National University of Singapore; Xavier Fouger, Dassault Systemes; Jose Carlos Quadrado; Adriana Garboan, Politechnica University of Bucharest; Duncan Fraser, University of Cape Town; Hans Hoyer, American Society for Engineering Education

Tagged Divisions

ASEE Global Programs

, training and employment issues all over the world. Prior to joining the Bank, he worked as an Advisor in the Ministry of Finance and Planning in Ivory Coast. He also worked in Page 13.506.1 the private sector, with Manufacturers Hanover Trust in Paris. He holds degrees in Business Administration from France and in Education Administration and Planning from Harvard in the USA.© American Society for Engineering Education, 2008Maria M. Larrondo Petrie, Florida Atlantic University María M. Larrondo Petrie, PhD is Professor and Associate Dean for Academic and International Affairs for the College of

Conference Session

Learning from Entrepreneurship Programs

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Karen Thornton, University of Maryland; Jacqueline Rogers, University of Maryland (Retired); Nathan Myers, University of Maryland; Monica Neukomm, University of Maryland

Tagged Divisions

Entrepreneurship & Engineering Innovation

are then required to take several developmental (pre-freshman, non-college)mathematics courses before they are allowed to take the math courses needed for their majors.The PGCC Program Director has found that many students do not prepare for the mathematicsentrance exam, or have a weak mathematics foundation, and thus are being placed intodevelopmental math courses – which increase the number of classes that must be taken at PGCC.Additionally, a review of scheduling plans late in the first year revealed that some students atPGCC who had a particular concern about passing required mathematics classes did not attemptthe classes, and instead, choose to fill their schedules with other classes. This strategy slowedtheir progress toward completing

Conference Session

Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma in Manufacturing Education 2

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Arlie Hall, University of Kentucky; Lawrence Holloway, University of Kentucky

Tagged Divisions

Manufacturing

Page 13.208.2 1further argued that these three steps constitute a “dynamic scientific process for acquiringknowledge”2.Dr. W. Edwards Deming, a colleague of Dr. Shewhart, made a significant addition to Shewhart’sthree step learning cycle by adding a vital fourth step, his “Act” step. Deming argued that hisfourth step in a given cycle of improvement should lead to a new operating standard3. TheShewhart and Deming well-known learning cycles, Plan-Do-Check (PDC) and Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA), respectively4, were developed and utilized as means to continuously improve thequality of military hardware during World Ward II. Dr. W. Edwards Deming introduced

Conference Session

Learning to Communicate with Engineers and Non-Engineers

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Laura Wilson, University of CIncinnati; Teresa Cook, University of Cincinnati; Jo Ann Thompson, University of Cincinnati; James Everly, University of Cincinnati

Tagged Divisions

Liberal Education

investigated the needs of a community, assembledinformation, developed and implemented technological projects, prepared business plans,presented their products to a professional audience, and wrote a final report. Sixty-percent ofthe grading rubric, depicted later in this paper, depended on interdisciplinary communication,oral presentations and report development, emphasizing the importance of writing and oral andvisual communication as a vital study and tool for effective application of technology. Each ofthese findings, presented as sections throughout the paper, had a part in creating a mid-level,writing-in-the-disciplines program at the University of Cincinnati’s College of AppliedScience.The sections include: • Building Relationships: Making

Conference Session

Programmatic Issues in Physics or Engineering Physics Programs

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Winston Jackson, California Institute of Technology; Jennifer Franck, California Institute of Technology; James Maloney, California Institute of Technology; Juan Pedro Ochoa-Ricoux, California Institute of Technology; Julian Rimoli, California Institute of Technology; Luz Rivas, California Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Physics & Physics

subsequently the instructors for college recommendation letters.4.3 Student SurveysStudent surveys provided an excellent opportunity to assess how each student felt about theprogram as a whole. Students were asked very pointed questions regarding the curriculum, theirunderstanding of the material presented in the course, quality of instruction, organization, etc.The comments regarding the physics course were exceptional. The comments from the studentscentered on the following themes: organization, instructor enthusiasm and involvement, andfinally curriculum assessment.The students really felt the course was organized and well planned. Some comments to this effectare listed below:“Well planned curriculum”“It was very well organized.”“The physics course

Conference Session

Use of Summer Research Programs in Civil Engineering Education

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Dennis Truax, Mississippi State University; Emma Seiler, Mississippi State University; Donna Reese, Mississippi State University

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

constructed small structures and tested them, until they failed. The competition centered on getting the best design for a bridge per the West Point Bridge Program. Transportation System Layout – The students were provided with a brief course on surveying for highway planning, design and construction. This involved an introduction to the equipment uses, both land based and remote imagery, for the collection of survey data for proposed roadway sites. They were presented with some trigonometry and geometry pertaining to roadway alignment and staking. The competition project was to load data into the computer-aided drafting (CAD) software and use it to accurately depict a plot layout. System

Conference Session

Research Infrastructure in STEM Disciplines

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Miguel Labrador, University of South Florida; Cesar Guerrero, University of South Florida; Rafael Perez, University of South Florida

Tagged Divisions

Minorities in Engineering

same rate as whites. In2003, the percentage of African Americans and Hispanics who completed ba3lor’s or higherdegrees were 18% and 10%, respectively, compared with 34% of whites1. The graduation ratefor African Americans and Hispanics in Engineering has remained at 11% over the last tenyears2. Underrepresented minority students are also less likely than other groups to be enrolled inresearch institutions and instead, a high percentage of them (47%) enrolled in 2-yr institutions.Regarding freshmen intentions to major in S&E1, shows that in 2004, although 9% of thestudents planned to major in engineering only 2%-5% had plans to major in Computer Science.At the graduate level, enrollment in S&E has declined since 2003 mainly as a

Conference Session

DELOS Best Paper Nominations

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Johnny Chang, National University; Ayman El Salim, National University; Ronald Uhlig, National University; Michelle Bright

Tagged Divisions

Division Experimentation & Lab-Oriented Studies

is more likelythat the work will be done in different Master’s Research Project classes, taught by differentinstructors at different times.At the writing of this paper there are five different cohorts of students currently working on theMaster of Science in Wireless Communications (MSWC) degree, and four of the five cohortswill work on their research projects at different times. Students have proven to be reasonablyadept at identifying interesting projects. But they have proved to be less adept at assessing howmuch time will be required to complete the research for their project despite the fact that they arerequired to develop a detailed project plan using Microsoft Project. Overestimating how muchwork they can complete in three months is

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Poster Session

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kevin Schmaltz, Western Kentucky University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

engineering department (the complete Department of Engineering mission statementis found at http://www.wku.edu/engineering/depmiss.php): …to produce, as its graduates, competent engineering practitioners…(who have) a foundation of basic science, mathematics, and engineering knowledge, combined with practical knowledge and experience in applying existing technology to contemporary problems. … Program curricula will be project- based. Students will have sufficient opportunity to engage in project activities to support development of a clear understanding of engineering practice… Page 13.1107.14A Professional Component Plan has been created for

Conference Session

Industrial Technology/Industrial Engineering Technology Forum

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kenneth Stier, Illinois State University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

major drivers of supply chain performance. 4. Forecast demand in a supply chain given historical demand data using time series methodologies. 5. Analyze demand forecasts to estimate forecast errors. 6. Develop an aggregate strategic plan. 7. Assess the role of information and technology systems in supply chain logistics. 8. Develop a conceptual model for maintaining supply chain relationships. 9. Analyze market distribution and procurement strategies, including e-commerce and auction based platforms. 10. Assess information networks and enterprise resource planning and execution systems. 11. Examine transportation infrastructures and regulations, warehousing, and packaging and materials handling. 12

Conference Session

Teams and Teamwork in Design I

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Keith Sheppard, Stevens Institute of Technology; Peter Dominick, Stevens Institute of Technology; Edward Blicharz, Stevens Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

individuals work together in the team to identify anddocument personal and team development goals. At the end of the semester a final peer-feedback questionnaire is used to assess team development and also to modulate an individualgroup project grade to reflect the contributions of the individual team members. Extension of theteaming thread into subsequent design courses is planned. In this paper, the experience andassessments from the freshman year part of the teaming thread are discussed. In particular, weprovide analysis of the relationships between prior teaming experiences and actual behavior asmeasured through peer and self-evaluation and provide inferences on how these can be used asassessment tools and for personal development.BackgroundThe

Conference Session

Innovations in Computer Engineering Technology Curriculum

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Nasser Alaraje, Michigan Technological University; Alaa E. Abdel-Hakim, Michigan Technological University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

AC 2008-1283: DEVELOPING A NEW COMPUTER ENGINEERINGTECHNOLOGY FOCUS AREA IN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGYPROGRAM: CURRICULUM ENHANCEMENTNasser Alaraje, Michigan Technological UniversityAlaa E. Abdel-Hakim, Michigan Technological University Page 13.387.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2008Developing a new Computer Engineering Technology Focus area in Electrical Engineering Technology Program: Curriculum EnhancementAbstractThe School of Technology (SoT) plans to be nationally recognized for programs advancingtechnological education through excellence in learning, discovery, and engagement. To achievethis result, the electrical engineering program as part of

Conference Session

Innovation in Construction Engineering Education I

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Amitabha Bandyopadhyay, State University of New York; Bala Veeramcheneni, State University of New York

Tagged Divisions

Construction

adisproportionately large positive impact on the regional economy. The paper willdocument the rational and process of economic impact analysis.Overview of the proposed Capital ImprovementThe planned $25 million capital improvement yearly to the South West Sewer District inSuffolk County will create jobs during both the construction phase and once the projectbecomes operational. Direct expenditures associated with the project will be injected intothe New York State economy and the Long Island economy in general and SuffolkCounty economy in specific and will undergo several rounds of re-spending so that theirultimate impact is a multiple of the original expenditure. This is the so called multiplieror ripple effect. Direct spending associated with such

Conference Session

Industry and Engineering Technology Partnerships

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Thomas Dobrowski, Purdue University-North Central

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

be involved in the formation ofthe program. Meaningful input into the curriculum from a wide variety of industry professionalswas thought to be a way to create a program that is relevant to today’s industry needs.The “Plan”The initial plan was to involve a wide variety of professionals who would typically hire or workwith our graduates. In addition, graduates from our current program, as well as similar programswould also be invited to participate. The Advisory Committee was devised of representativesfrom the following categories: • Commercial, Industrial, and Residential General Contracting • Commercial Subcontractors • Consulting Engineers • Government (County Building Commissioner, City Engineer) • Architectural

Conference Session

Embedded Computing

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Michael Holden, California Maritime Academy

Tagged Divisions

Computers in Education

teaching microcontrollers, as it combines a simpleprogram with the peripherals on the chip to create a compelling and useful example. Thestudents who completed the microcontroller portion of the class were in general excited aboutusing them in other projects such as their senior capstone project. Page 13.1275.10The approach of adding short microcontroller modules to existing lower-division classes wouldseem to be a good one, as it allows the students to gain useful skills without taking extra units.With the success of this class, plans are being made to incorporate microcontroller topics in theComputer Programming as well as the Circuit

Conference Session

Venturing Out: Service Learning, Study Abroad, and Criterion H

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

John Duffy, University of Massachusetts Lowell; Carol Barry, University Massachusetts Lowell; Linda Barrington, University of Massachusetts-Lowell; David Kazmer, University of Massachusetts-Lowell; William Moeller, University of Massachusetts Lowell; Cheryl West, University of Massachusetts Lowell

Tagged Divisions

Liberal Education

participation had significant positiveeffects on 11 outcome measures: academic performance (GPA, writing skills, critical thinkingskills), values (commitment to activism and to promoting racial understanding), self-efficacy,leadership (leadership activities, self-rated leadership ability, interpersonal skills), choice of aservice career, and plans to participate in service after college. “These findings directly replicatea number of recent studies using different samples and methodologies.”(p.ii) 5 They found thatS-L to be significantly better in 8 out of 11 measures than just service without the courseintegration and discovered “strong support for the notion that service learning should be includedin the student’s major field.”(p.iii)6.Eyler and

Conference Session

Continuous Improvement & Assessment of ET Programs

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jung Oh, Kansas State University-Salina; Beverlee Kissick, Kansas State University-Salina

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

Page 13.1243.2collaboration between faculty and librarians.2, 3 Association of College and Research Libraries(ACRL) information literacy web site presents many resources and ideas including variouscollaboration examples.4 ACRL points out carefully defined roles, comprehensive planning andshared leadership as requirement of successful collaboration.A faculty/librarian relationship at a regional university was formed among the library director,technical service librarian, chemistry professor and English professor. Two faculty members whoattended the American Association Higher Education (AAHE) conference in 2001 startedsharing what they learned from the conference with two librarians. This collaboration hasproduced fruitful outcomes in campus

Conference Session

Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Maura Borrego, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; Lynita Newswander, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

disincentive for interdisciplinary graduateeducation.I. IntroductionInterdisciplinary approaches are necessary for attacking the most critical technological andsocio-technological challenges facing the nation and the world today1-3. Students and theirtraining programs are recognized as central to increasing interdisciplinary research capacity.NSF’s strategic plan states, “Future generations of the U.S. science and engineering workforcewill need to collaborate across national boundaries and cultural backgrounds, as well as acrossdisciplines”3. IGERT, NSF’s $385 million investment in innovative graduate programs, “isintended to catalyze a cultural change in graduate education, for students, faculty, andinstitutions, by establishing innovative new models

Conference Session

The Impact of Engineering Disciplines

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Moshe Hartman, Retired; Harriet Hartman, Rowan University; Jennifer Kadlowec, Rowan University

Tagged Divisions

Women in Engineering

bioengineeringconcentration at a mid-Atlantic public university provides us the opportunity to begin to fill thisvacuum. At this university, on-going survey research enables us to compare the students enrolledin this new concentration to students in the more traditional engineering disciplines, perceptionof fit in engineering, engineering self-confidence, satisfaction with the program, expectationsfrom completion of the degree (what kind of job they expect to attain), plans for future educationand employment.Compared to the rest of the students, the bioengineering students tend to be quite confident inmany engineering-related competencies, but they are less confident in others, suggesting that thefield may be attracting some students not traditionally in the field

Conference Session

Industry Collaborations in Engineering Technology

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Wesley Stone, Western Carolina University; Larry Smith, Western Carolina University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

in)5 —approximately 0.1 mil in machining terms(Note: a typical human hair is on the order of 50 µm). The CMM’s CNC control is provided byZeiss software called Calypso, which provides the tools for developing and executing themeasurement plan. Figure 2: Pump housing and internal gearHaldex provided two hydraulic pump housing designs for analysis. The pumps are produced forheavy earth moving equipment, such as bull dozers, front-end loaders, etc. Figure 2 shows oneof the housings sitting next to one of the two internal gears that mesh inside the housing during Page 13.493.4operation. Measurement for the second pump

Conference Session

Sharing Best Practices

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Charles McIntyre, North Dakota State University

Tagged Divisions

Campus Representatives

Campus Rep, 2.) become familiar with the resources that are available forCampus Reps, and 3.) determine “who are the Campus Reps” withing the Section. Aftercompleting these tasks, the Section Chair can develop methods to measure the performance ofthe Campus Rep Program within the Section and then based on the findings or results of themeasures -- take corrective action and develop a plan of continuous improvement. Page 13.553.2What are the Responsibilities of a Campus Rep?There are two basic categories of Campus Rep responsibilities: 1.) “should do” and 2.) “mustdo.” An ASEE Campus Rep should perform some of the following activities:• Inform

Conference Session

International Division Poster Session

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mary McCormick, Tufts University; Chris Swan, Tufts University; Douglas Matson, Tufts University; David Gute, Tufts University; John Durant, Tufts University

Tagged Divisions

International

Male % of % of % of % of N N Total N Females Total Male Total Service- Learning 8 72.7 18.2 3 27.3 6.8 11 Non Service- Learning 13 39.4 29.5 20 60.6 45.5 33 Total N 21 23 44Logistics of Data CollectionSince there were both individual and group tests administered at different times, the testingprocess necessitated a well-planned sequence and effective execution. As the 44 participantsentered the study area, each person

Conference Session

Factors Affecting Minority Engineering Students

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Sherri Frizell, Prairie View A&M University; Felecia Nave, Prairie View A&M University

Tagged Divisions

Minorities in Engineering

notunique in that they have been the focus of prior studies on engineering persistence4-6,12-14.However, the findings of this study will contribute to our understanding of these issues forAfrican-American females. The SPE instrument was designed to measure a number of theaforementioned variables including participant demographics (e.g., ethnicity, gender,classification, etc.), initial commitment and preparation for studying engineering, the impact ofseveral factors on student persistence (e.g., course workload, institutional climate, academicadvising, finances, peer relationships, etc,), participation in academic and extra-curricularactivities, confidence in complete engineering degree program, and post graduation plans ofsubjects11.ResultsFactors

Conference Session

Methods & Techniques in Graduate Education

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Joy Colwell, Purdue University Calumet

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

laws, strategic planning, projectmanagement, quality, and supervisory skills. The School of Technology at this institutionencompasses seven diverse programs, including organizational leadership and supervision. TheMaster of Science in technology is, by design and necessity, cross disciplinary, to serve thediverse needs of the students in the school and in the field.This paper will review important issues in developing a master’s level degree in technology, andwill discuss the importance of considering the leadership and soft or conceptual skills areas forcurriculum. Furthermore, review of the federal statistics on job outlook for some higher levelpositions in engineering technology fields will be presented in support of the curriculum