Conference Session

Learning as a Community

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Timothy Hinds, Michigan State University; Thomas Wolff, Michigan State University; Neeraj Buch, Michigan State University; Amanda Idema, Michigan State University; Cynthia Helman, Michigan State University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

Programs at Michigan State University. In that role, she works with academic units, housing and residence life to create and sustain living-learning programs. She has worked in residence life in various capacities for over 25 years. Cindy is also an adjunct assistant professor in the higher education program at Michigan© American Society for Engineering Education, 2009 State and teaches courses in student affairs administration and higher education. She has been involved with several research projects related to student outcomes through participation in living-learning programs and faculty involvement in living-learning programs

Conference Session

Multidisciplinary Design in the Classroom

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jessica Brakora, University of Michigan; Brian Gilchrist, University of Michigan; James Holloway, University of Michigan; Nilton Renno, University of Michigan; Steven Skerlos, University of Michigan; Toby Teory, University of Michigan; Peter Washabaugh, University of Michigan; Daryl Weinert, University of Michigan

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

) a cornerstone course that serves to prepare the student in depth for his orher multi-semester design project, (3) a multi-semester, multidisciplinary DBT project, and (4)involvement in mentorship and/or leadership experiences. In total, there are 15 credit hoursrequired to earn the MD Minor. The reasons for these specific requirements and our experiencesin fitting this into the curriculum at Michigan’s College of Engineering will be presented.IntroductionOur engineering profession is finding increasing pressure to respond to urgent societal challengesof significant complexity in a world of increasing population, decreasing natural resources, andever growing concerns for environmental sustainability. Add to this, the growing availability of

Conference Session

Student Attitudes and Perceptions

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Barbara Masi, MIT

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

AC 2009-2312: ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL: IMPACT OF VARIEDFRESHMAN DESIGN EXPERIENCES ON ENGINEERING SELF EFFICACYBarbara Masi, MIT Dr. Barbara Masi is the Director of Education in the MIT School of Engineering. Page 14.933.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2009 One size does not fit all: Impact of varied freshman design experiences on engineering self-efficacyAbstractThis paper presents results of a two year pilot program in freshman design. Theprogram’s goal was to create a variety of project-based learning, or PBL, freshmanexperiences in design and complex problem solving as a means of energizing

Conference Session

NSF Grantees Poster Session

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Claire Komives, San Jose State University; Erik Fernandez, University of Virginia

AC 2009-2325: BIOENGINEERING EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS BANKClaire Komives, San Jose State UniversityErik Fernandez, University of Virginia Page 14.278.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2009 BIOENGINEERING EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS BANKAbstractThe BioEngineering Educational Materials Bank is a web repository of biological applicationsthat can be used in undergraduate chemical engineering courses. A Phase I Course, Curriculumand Laboratory Improvement project has been carried out including the development of thewebsite and beta testing in chemical engineering programs across the country. The presentationwill provide a description of the website, outcomes of the beta

Conference Session

Software Engineering Teaching Techniques

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Janusz Zalewski, Florida Gulf Coast University; Andrew Kornecki, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University; Jerzy Nogiec, Fermi National Accelerator Lab

Tagged Divisions

Software Engineering Constituent Committee

real-time applications, suchas sensor networks, flight control systems, accelerator control, road vehicle control, and others,are all distributed and for proper operation require very different programming techniques thantraditional systems. Typical software engineering curricula rarely include respectivemethodologies of software development for such systems. If they do, their courses mostlyconcentrate on the specification and design of software for distributed systems, but stop short ofincluding thorough treatment of implementation and testing issues. The current work builds upon previous experiences of the authors and involves projects inteaching software development for distributed real-time data acquisition and control systems,with

Conference Session

Design Methodology

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Marjan Eggermont, University of Calgary; Carla Gould, Ontario College of Art and Design; Casey Wong, Ontario College of Art and Design; Michael Helms, Georgia Institute of Technology; Djordje Zegarac, University of Calgary; Sean Gibbons, University of Montana; Carl Hastrich, Ontario College of Art and Design; Jeannette Yen, Georgia Institute of Technology; Bruce Hinds, Ontario College of Art and Design; Denise DeLuca, Biomimicry Institute; jessica ching, Ontario College of Art and Design

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

, skin like a lizard, and eyes like a moth? The future of engineering”1AbstractFour Universities collaborated on a biomimicry (a relatively new science that studies nature, itsmodels, systems, processes and elements and then imitates or takes creative inspiration fromthem to solve human problems sustainably2) design project. The universities provided studentsfrom freshman to PhD level with backgrounds in engineering, biology, industrial design and art.The students ran the project with support from professors, a non-for-profit institute, and abusiness client. This paper will describe biomimicry as it is being taught in a first year engineering designand communication course, how four of the participating universities

Conference Session

Frontiers in Engineering Management Education

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Lenisha Gandhi, IBM

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Management

demonstrate when managing a global team. Thefollowing diagram10 translates each competency into specific skills that would be used by aglobal leader. Identify the key skills in the global team and utilize them such that you get the most value from the project: ≠ Which area is the best match for these skills? ≠ By whom are these skills offered?≠ Manage the ≠ Understand & global resources Manage Value in manage the different effectively and an Ecosystem of specializations in the

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

of Nebraska. Building this alliancewill provide an additional element of proficiency that is essential to the students’practical understanding of systems in the built environment and interaction with industryprofessionals. The proposed project will develop a series of workshops and seminarsconsisting of demonstrations, lectures, hands-on activities, and construction site visitsconducted and attended by contractors, consultants, faculty, and students. This paper willpresent background information regarding the different learning styles of engineeringstudents, distribution of learning style surveys to AE students and electrical apprentices,and analysis of those results. Based on the analysis of the learning surveys, a descriptionabout how to

Conference Session

Assessment of K-12 Engineering Programs and Issues

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Taryn Bayles, University of Maryland, Baltimore County; Tania Monterastelli, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

strong aptitude in mathematics and science fields. Theprogram began as a strictly seminar series which addressed diverse topics such as plasmaphysics, stealth astrophysics and satellite reconnaissance. After two years the program evolvedto a hands-on project based learning program which emphasized the engineering design process.Each year the program focuses on a central theme and design project, around which a variety ofmini challenges are used to teach students about fundamental engineering concepts which relateto their design project. To date the YESS program has incorporated such projects as hot airballoons, mouse trap cars, renewable energy systems and hemodialysis devices. In addition totrying to increase student’s understanding of

Conference Session

Educating Students for Professional Success

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Hazem Tawfik, State University of New York; K. Shahrabi, State University of New York, College of Technology at Farmingdale; Beverly Kahn, Farmingdale State College - State University of New York

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

the areas of science, engineering technology andmanagement of technology with an opportunity to join an innovative Professional ScienceMaster’s (PSM) Degree program in “Advanced Engineering Technologies-Plus” designed toaddress current industrial needs. This high quality application oriented program will require atotal of 30 credit hours divided into four categories: 1) Core courses, 2) Major required courses,3) General elective courses and (4) Thesis or a project. The core courses are tailored to broadenthe students’ technical entrepreneurialship prospective and require a minimum of nine credithours in the areas of total quality management, financial engineering and technical/ legalcommunication with Technology Transfer applications. New and

Conference Session

Early Engineering Design Experiences

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

M. Reza Emami, University of Toronto

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

content-based instruction to project-based knowledge construction. Thepractical steps are detailed for a full-year design course at the sophomore level.1. IntroductionDesign has changed status from a formal course to a flagship stream. There has been a cleartransition in the engineering curricula from the traditional approach to the alternative paradigm.The former viewed design as a byproduct of engineering education that cannot occur without thesolid formation of engineering sciences1, whereas the latter argues that analytical knowledge isnot adequate for tackling real-life engineering problems, and that design can be viewed as ameans of learning engineering not a result of it. Capstone design courses are fruits of formerapproach. They have

Conference Session

NSF Grantees Poster Session

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Marilyn Barger, Hillsborough Community College; Phil Centonze, Positive Impact; Richard Gilbert, USF; Eric Roe, Hillsborough Community College; Bradley Jenkins, Saint Petersburg College; Karen Wosczyna-Birch, Connecticut College of Technology

Foundation through a grant to develop high school science and math curriculum content. He is currently working with D. L. Jamerson Elementary School to develop curriculum content for its Center for Math and Engineering. Dr. Gilbert has over 20 patents for biomedical equipment and protocols.Eric Roe, Hillsborough Community College ERIC A. ROE is the Director of FLATE, an NSF Regional Center of Excellence in Manufacturing Education. He received his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of South Florida (USF). During his time at USF, he has researched fluidized bed drying, been a consultant to the Citrus Industry, worked on Florida Department of Citrus research projects, and

Conference Session

NSF Grantees Poster Session

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ying Tang, Rowan University; Linda Head, Rowan University; Ravi Ramachandran, Rowan University; Lawrence Chatman, Camden County College

in this rapidly evolving area hinges critically on the availability of well-educatedengineers able to bridge the architectural and physical gaps in SoC design. This work is an ambitiouscollaborative effort by the faculty of the Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) department at RowanUniversity and the Engineering Science (ES) department at Camden County College (CCC) to integrate System-on-Chip (SoC) concepts across the curricula. More specifically, a curricular prototype is under developmentthat cuts across the artificial course boundaries and introduces SoC knowledge through vertically-integrated and problem-oriented laboratory experiments. Beginning with basic concepts, this approachimmerses students in actual system-design projects

Collection

2009 ASEE Midwest Section Conference

Authors

Viacheslav Adamchuk; Gwen Nugent; Bradley Barker; Neal Grandgenett

Science Foundation, the particular program described in this paperfocuses on middle school youth in non-formal learning environments. The program integrateseducational robotics, Global Positioning System (GPS) and geographic information system (GIS)technologies to provide educational experiences through summer camps, 4-H clubs andafterschool programs. The project’s impact was assessed in terms of: a) youth learning ofcomputer programming, mathematics, geospatial concepts, and engineering/robotics conceptsand b) youth attitudes and motivation towards STEM-related disciplines. An increase inrobotics/GPS/GIS learning questionnaire scores and a stronger self-efficacy in relevant STEMareas have been found through a set of project-related assessment

Conference Session

Sustainability in Engineering Curricula

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jess Everett, Rowan University; Peter Mark Jansson, Rowan University; Krishan Bhatia, Rowan University; Chris Moore, Rowan University; William Riddell, Rowan University; Chris Baralus, Rowan University

Tagged Divisions

Environmental Engineering

AC 2009-1436: ENERGY AUDITS AND SUSTAINABLE ENGINEERINGJess Everett, Rowan UniversityPeter Mark Jansson, Rowan UniversityKrishan Bhatia, Rowan UniversityWilliam Riddell, Rowan UniversityChris Moore, Rowan UniversityChris Baralus, Rowan University Page 14.533.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2009 Energy Audits and Sustainable EngineeringAbstractUndergraduate Engineering majors are introduced to Sustainable Engineering by conductingenergy audits at farms, office buildings, and industrial facilities. These projects provide realworld experiences where the students are called upon to use all their book knowledge, commonsense and resourcefulness to make a

Conference Session

Attracting Young Minds: Part II

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

J. Shelley, United States Air Force; Mickey Bowen, United States Air Force

Tagged Divisions

Minorities in Engineering

’ instructors with the support of a Title V grant inan attempt to recruit students from underrepresented groups into engineering. Aninnovative project-based format allows the students to discover the basic principles ofmechanical, electrical, and civil engineering while practicing trouble shooting,leadership, and project strategy. This paper discusses the details of the course, its “lectureon demand” style of instruction, the involvement of local industry, and the demographicsof the students enrolling in the class. In its second semester, the course can already claimsome accomplishments in preparing students for engineering undergraduate success.Introduction: This paper offers a ‘snapshot’ of demographic information and coursedevelopment for a

Conference Session

Women in Engineering Division Poster Session

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Elizabeth Cady, National Academy of Engineering; Norman Fortenberry, National Academy of Engineering; Catherine Didion, National Academy of Engineering; Karen Peterman, Goodman Research Group, Inc.

Tagged Divisions

Women in Engineering

AC 2009-252: INCREASING FEMALE ENGINEERING-DEGREE ATTAINMENTIN ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENTSElizabeth Cady, National Academy of EngineeringNorman Fortenberry, National Academy of EngineeringCatherine Didion, National Academy of EngineeringKaren Peterman, Goodman Research Group, Inc. Page 14.729.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2009 Increasing Female Engineering Degree Attainment in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering DepartmentsAbstractThe Engineering Equity Extension Service (EEES) project aims to increase the number ofwomen who graduate with baccalaureate degrees in engineering, with a specific focus on the

Collection

2009 Fall ASEE Middle Atlantic Section Conference

Authors

Muhammad M. Baig; Rafiqul Islam

necessary to develop hardware (both schematic circuits and physical circuits) and software programming and development for several types of microcontroller- based applications.In doing so we kept in view the main objectives to be that after having successfully completedthe course our EET students would be able:- a) To confidently & effectively select and use microcontrollers’ hardware in any of its stipulated roles and applications; b) To write source codes for the microcontroller-based projects / applications using both assembly language and high-level languages; c) To know how to use an assembler software to assemble (convert) an assembly code to an object code; d) To know how to use a compiler software

Conference Session

NSF Grantees Poster Session

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Robert Culbertson, Arizona State University; Michael Oehrtman, Arizona State University; Janice Meyer Thompson, Arizona State University; Josh Gardner, Arizona State University; Christopher Mehrens, Arizona State University; Dale Baker, Arizona State University; Stephen Krause, Arizona State University

, and mathematics in an NSF-funded Math-Science Partnership grant; serving as Director of the Master of Natural Science (Physics) program at ASU, including ASU’s Modeling Workshops and other summer courses; and leading a new summer research experience for forty math and science teachers project, funded by Science Foundation Arizona. He is also actively involved in a pilot project to provide a compact path to teaching certification for mainstream math and science majors. He has directed an NSF REU program in condensed matter physics, and he is actively involved in undergraduate education, including the teaching of the introductory courses for majors. His experience in teaching and expertise

Conference Session

Trends in Mechanical Engineering I

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Nidal Al-Masoud, Central Connecticut State University; Peter Baumann, Central Connecticut State University; Alfred Gates, Central Connecticut State University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

preparation for the first ABET evaluation visit. To assessprogram learning outcomes and program educational objectives, the department has adoptednumerous data collection and evaluation mechanisms. Courses at all levels of the curriculumhave been selected to collect data. Course-based Fundamentals of Engineering Exam style tests,lab-based courses, senior capstone design project, field practicum, employer and graduatesurveys and industrial advisory board feedback are utilized as assessment tools for both programlearning outcomes and program educational objectives. Detailed description of thecomprehensive assessment plan, its implementation, up-to-date results and plans for continuousimprovement are presented.IntroductionThe engineering program at

Conference Session

Exemplary Teacher and Counselor Professional Development

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kurt Becker, Utah State University; Jim Barta, Utah State University; Rebecca Monhardt, Utah State University

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

AC 2009-85: USING COMMUNITY ADVISORY PANELS (CAPS) FOR THEDEVELOPMENT OF A STEM PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT MODEL FORTEACHERS OF AMERICAN INDIAN STUDENTSKurt Becker, Utah State University Kurt Becker is the Department Head of the Engineering and Technology Education Department at Utah State University. He is currently the Co-Principal Investigator for the National Science Foundation (NSF) funded National Center for Engineering and Technology Education and Principal Investigator for the NSF funded project: Communities of Effective Practice: A professional STEM Development Partnership Model for Teachers of American Indian Students. His areas of research include adult learning cognition, engineering

Conference Session

Professional Practice and AEC Education

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mahmoud Alahmad, University of Nebraska, Lincoln; Patrick Wheeler, University of Nebraska, Omaha; Avery Schwer, University of Nebraska, Lincoln; Dale Tiller, University of Nebraska, Lincoln; Andrea Wilkerson, University of Nebraska, Lincoln; Joshua Eiden, University of Nebraska, Lincoln

Tagged Divisions

Architectural

AC 2009-1798: COLLABORATION WITH INDUSTRY TO PROMOTE ENERGYCONSERVATION AND EDUCATIONMahmoud Alahmad, University of Nebraska, LincolnPatrick Wheeler, University of Nebraska, OmahaAvery Schwer, University of Nebraska, LincolnDale Tiller, University of Nebraska, LincolnAndrea Wilkerson, University of Nebraska, LincolnJoshua Eiden, University of Nebraska, Lincoln Page 14.334.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2009 Collaboration with Industry to Promote Energy Conservation and EducationAbstractThe cooperation between academia and industry exposed Architectural Engineering studentsto a unique learning opportunity. The project

Collection

2009 Pacific Southwest Section Meeting

Authors

Gordon W. Romney

industry toward using Agile (“ease of movement”) techniques in programming andproject development has motivated the faculty at the National University (NU) School of Proceedings of the 2009 American Society for Engineering Education Pacific Southwest Regional Conference 482Engineering and Technology (SOET) to introduce agility into pedagogy. Agile Problem DrivenTeaching (Dey et.al., 2009) as used in teaching IT is described in this paper.1.1 The IT Industry Evolution Toward AgilityIt has been fascinating to watch the evolution of IT project management (PM) from the rigidstructure of the 60’s through the early 90’s to the triple

Conference Session

High-School Engineering Education

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mitchell Nathan, University of Wisconsin, Madison; Kyle Oliver, University of Wisconsin, Madison; Amy Prevost, University of Wisconsin, Madison; Natalie Tran, California State University, Bakersfield; Allen Phelps, University of Wisconsin, Madison

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

on students’ reasoning showed that they may invent effective strategies and representations for solving math problems, and these methods can serve as bridges for instruction. He is also exploring the embodied nature of students’ knowledge, as exhibited by gestures, and the mediating effects of action on conceptual knowledge. His studies of teachers' beliefs about the development of students' mathematical reasoning showed that content experts can show evidence of expert blind spot, which influences teachers’ expectations of what makes things difficult for their students. He is currently co-principal investigator for the AWAKEN Project (funded by NSF-EEP), which

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

“design under constraint”. And, in this creative process, as Simon Ramo notes, engineers use the ‘systems approach’. 12 In essence, the engineering ethic and mission for purposeful innovation and improvement of the human condition in bringing about effective solutions through planned, creative problem-solving and responsible leadership in deliberately conceptualizing, developing and innovating new and improved technology as solutions to real-world, meaningful needs of people and industry is the driving force of the creative practice of engineering for technology innovation. Basic research is often used to gain a better understanding of phenomena involved in the engineering project, but contrary to conventional wisdom, basic

Collection

2009 ASEE Midwest Section Conference

Authors

Christopher C. Ibeh

functionalized with projects. A 9.3 participants’satisfaction index indicates that course is desirable. IntroductionA paper entitled: “Nanocomposites Entrepreneurial Education” presented at SPE-ANTEC 20081,indicated CNCMM’s entrepreneurial education initiative and efforts to develop ananotechnology entrepreneurship three course series at Pittsburg State University. This paperdiscusses the second of this course series. The course focuses on product design anddevelopment with emphases on the entrepreneurial elements of team-based design,benchmarking for competiveness and cost-effectiveness, specifications, design optimization, on-time market entry, life cycle cost analysis [LCCA], data mining, patenting, safety

Collection

2009 Fall ASEE Middle Atlantic Section Conference

Authors

Sarai Hedges

June of 2008 and decided the scope of the project would focus on improving the assessment of ABET Criteria 3h (lifelong learning) and continuous improvement in accordance with the documented process. In Six Sigma process improvement, a process that works at a “Six Sigma Level” only has approximately 3.4 defects per million opportunities. This represents near perfection and is often not physically possible or financially desirable. The college’s process of assessing graduates’ abilities to recognize the need for and to engage in lifelong learning had a baseline defects per million opportunities (DPMO) of 625,000, which corresponds to a Sigma Level of 1.2. Using the evaluators’ ratings and Six Sigma tools, the team determined to improve the

Conference Session

Faculty and Program Exchanges: Internationalizing, Collaborations and Interactions

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Martin Grimheden, Royal Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

International

studentideas are brought to reality. Examples include the introduction of new undergraduate andgraduate courses in innovation engineering, close integration between project courses offered atPIEp partner universities, joint research projects, and workshops that allow entrepreneurs andcompanies to better utilize student ideas and projects.During the first years of PIEp, in the build-up phase, a large effort has been placed on creating aninternational network of ‘innovation friends’. The founders strongly believe that the ‘wheelshould not be invented again – rather that there is an obligation to search for, find, and gather allrelevant actors within this field, on a global arena. Within the rather limited network of partnersand friends established this

Conference Session

Laboratory Development in ECE Education

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mukul Shirvaikar, University of Texas, Tyler; Karthik Somaraju, University of Texas, Tyler

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

in ElectricalEngineering (BSEE) curriculum has a required course in microprocessors and the prerequisitesare courses in structured programming and digital systems. The laboratory procedures developedfor this course are aimed at meeting the learning objectives of this course including assemblylanguage programming, program debugging, serial communication, input/output devices,interrupts, interfacing, and direct memory access (DMA). The laboratory projects introducestudents to the host–target environment using an integrated development environment (IDE). Theplatform currently utilized is a Freescale Semiconductor 68HC11 board produced by AxiomManufacturing. The 68HC11 is a dated 8-bit architecture and has proved to be a robust platformto teach

Conference Session

Embedded System Design

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

matt gallagher, Vermont Technical College; Andre St. Denis, Vermont Technical College; John Murphy, Vermont Technical College

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

peripherals and a complexprocessor appear to serve the immediate needs of the introductory microprocessor course.Students who chose to use a microcontroller in a future project were forced to design circuitboards requiring fabrication and assembly at outside vendors at considerable cost; this tended todiscourage their use in our capstone projects course. We discuss our current introductory coursethat uses a MC9S08QG8/4 microcontroller from Freescale. It comes in a sixteen pin DIPpackage, has an internal clock and can be programmed using the same Codewarrior softwareIDE Freescale uses for all of its microcontrollers and can be programmed through aUSBSPYDER08∀interface. We developed a set of four simple input/output boards so studentscan exercise