Conference Session

Women in Engineering Division: Student Issues as Related to Culture

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Prashant Rajan, Iowa State University; Charles T. Armstrong, Purdue University, West Lafayette; Elizabeth J. O'Connor , Ketchum Change; Patrice Marie Buzzanell, Purdue University, West Lafayette; Rebecca L. Dohrman, Maryville University; Colleen Arendt, Fairfield University ; William C. Oakes, Purdue University, West Lafayette; Carla B. Zoltowski, Purdue University, West Lafayette

Tagged Divisions

Women in Engineering

supervisors as role models and mentors. Third,male engineers did not describe mentoring solely as an instrumental or task-focused exercise,7,8Engineers reported mentoring experiences in both relational and task-oriented terms and oftenemphasized the relational aspects and benefits to having a mentor. Overall, theiracknowledgement of mentoring while struggling to initially recall such experiences and lateremphasizing their feeling of being highly self motivated and autonomous reflected theautonomy-connectedness dialectic. In the following sections we briefly review the literature oncareers, career socialization and mentorship.BackgroundPrevious research on female engineers’ mentoring and career socialization discoursesA study focusing on the nature of

Conference Session

Computers in Education Engineering Division Poster Session

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Peter Goldsmith P.Eng., University of Calgary

Tagged Divisions

Computers in Education

. Page 26.1752.2Each module of this virtual laboratory focuses on explicit learner outcomes for a particularcourse. For example, the Planar Mechanisms module, which is the main focus of this paper, is forthe learning and assessment of concepts in a third-year mechanical engineering course on thekinematics and dynamics of mechanisms. The ‘Learning’ and ‘Teaching’ functions in theFLATLAB acronym reflect the student-centered and knowledge-centered components,respectively, of the ASK paradigm.While much of the current research on virtual learning environments focuses on immersive 3Denvironments 2 , FLATLAB takes advantage of the fact that many engineering systems have 2Drepresentations that learners can physically interact with through a 2D visuo

Conference Session

Materials Division Technical Session 1

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Nancy Ruzycki, University of Florida

Tagged Divisions

Materials

knowledge using the uniqueliteracy tools and language of the discipline2.The broader outcomes of disciplinary literacy practice are to build reflection and sense making instudents, bringing them conceptually forward from their novice understanding. The link between sensemaking, and conceptual understanding has a research history in engineering 6, and is explicitly linked forK12 science7,8. The purpose of infusing disciplinary literacy into engineering curriculum is to buildhabits of thinking, and to help students develop a deeper understanding of core content ideas. This alignswith development of expertise, as disciplinary literacy practices build towards effective communicationusing discipline specific content language9-15. The U.S. Accreditation

Conference Session

Computer-Based Tests, Problems, and Other Instructional Materials

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Dongdong Zhang, Prairie View A&M University; Xiaobo Peng, Prairie View A&M University; Bugrahan Yalvac, Texas A&M University; Deniz Eseryel, North Carolina State University; Uzair Nadeem, Prairie View A&M University; Atiq Islam, Prairie View A&M University; Deron Arceneaux, Prairie View A&M University

Tagged Divisions

Computers in Education

procedures and share themwith each other in groups. They provided feedback to each other’s screencasts and had theopportunity to reflect upon their own screencast design. Different from the traditional andteacher-centered instruction, students in the experimental section took the lead to create theirlearning materials and shared them with their peers. They developed the feelings of belongingand ownership as they created these screencasts. Students were actively involved in thescreencast-making process and motivated to learn. They also received timely feedback fromother students. Students learned from each other and taught each other. In this paper, we discussed the project activities and presented the preliminary results of thefirst

Conference Session

Multidisciplinary First-year Experiences

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Tanya Kunberger P.E., Florida Gulf Coast University; Chris Geiger, Florida Gulf Coast University

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Multidisciplinary Engineering

Introduce project!! template Choose Semester Research Initial References, PowerPoint Limitations or Bias in Individual reflection on Grand Group Discussion on

Conference Session

INDUSTRY DAY SESSION: CMC PANEL SESSION TWO

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mary K. Pilotte, Purdue University, West Lafayette; Rick I Zadoks, Caterpillar Inc.; Monica Farmer Cox, Purdue University, West Lafayette

Tagged Topics

Corporate Member Council

the so-called “six themes of Six Sigma”: genuine focus on the customer; data andfact driven management; processes are where the action is; proactive management; boundary-less collaboration; and drive for perfection-tolerate failure [1], this paper unpacks thecollaborative processes and perspectives by which this course was developed and continues toevolve and improve. Authors suggest that collaborative industry/academic efforts may benefitby reflecting upon their work product through the six themes of Six Sigma as an alternativeassessment framework to traditional academic assessment approaches.IntroductionSix Sigma – An improvement mindsetSix Sigma is a quality management system that swept the industrial sector in the 1990’s andbecame

Conference Session

College Industry Partnerships Division Technical Session 3

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mark Angolia, East Carolina University; John Pickard, East Carolina University; Leslie Pagliari, East Carolina University

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

College Industry Partnerships

reflection of the socioculturalinfluences that are a tenant of the Industry Fellow model. Even when using video technology forvirtual classes, it is difficult to replicate the personal interaction of a true face-to-face class.Table 3. Industry Fellow (IF) Impact on Learning Survey Question Original “Light”* Original “Heavy”* Replication Study IF material: comprehension 94% 91% 82% IF material: retention 94% 91% 76% All material: comprehension 94% 91% 82% All material: retention 94% 91% 70%* Original survey question

Conference Session

International Division Technical Session 8

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Nathan Daniel Manser, University of South Florida; Colleen Claire Naughton, University of South Florida; Matthew E Verbyla; Christine Prouty, University of South Florida; Kevin Orner, University of South Florida; James R. Mihelcic, University of South Florida

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

International

they were/are, their undergraduate education, which courses they tookand extracurricular organizations they participated in at the University of South Florida prior toservice, if and where they published their research in an academic journal, and their currentemployment.The second part of the survey had the alumni or student rank how each of the MIP elementssatisfied the four global competencies on a scale of one to five (one being not at all, two being alittle bit, three being somewhat, four being well, and five being very well). This part of the onlinesurvey was divided into three pages: pre-Peace Corps service (on campus), Peace Corps Service,and post Peace Corps service. This reflected the three stages of the MIP. The pre Peace

Conference Session

First-year Programs Division Technical Session 10: Paying Attention to Retention

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jeff Johnson, LeTourneau University; Alan D. Niemi, LeTourneau University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

significant difference PRE-STEP toPOST-STEP, qualitative data from this question indicate clear decision making in the reason toleave engineering, and finally, patterns from our study reflect others work in this area. Question: Rank the top ONE (1) to THREE (3) of the  following influences on your decision to change your major  from engineering to something else. 24.00% Uncertain of future career options 20.00% Initially majored in engineering due to parental 17.00% pressure and later decided it wasn't for me

Conference Session

Examining "Big" Data

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Issam Wajih Damaj, American University of Kuwait; Ashley Ater Kranov, Washington State University

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

context of the performance criteria. objectives and the sustainability outcomes as curriculum. university’s core themes related to improvability and Outcomes are (i.e., strategic and learning endurance are not The program may be contextualized in the goals). necessarily considered. developing performance curriculum and reflect the

Conference Session

Design in Engineering Education Division Poster Session

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Keith G. Sheppard, Stevens Institute of Technology (SES); Christos Christodoulatos, Stevens Institute of Technology (SES); Kate D. Abel, Stevens Institute of Technology (SES); Leslie R Brunell, Stevens Institute of Technology (SES); Sandra V. Furnbach P.E., Stevens Institute of Technology; Vikki Hazelwood, Stevens Institute of Technology (SES); Kishore Pochiraju, Stevens Institute of Technology (SES); Eirik Hole, Stevens Institute of Technology (SSE); Bruce McNair, Stevens Institute of Technology (SES); Thomas G. Lechler, Stevens Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

. Student and faculty assessment of the pilot to dateshow good progress made but challenges remaining. A significant feature of this initiative is itsgoal to scale the approach to all engineering programs at the university.  Introduction  Engineering educators are challenged to prepare their students with the knowledge andcompetencies that will support success both in the immediate post-graduation period and also asthe foundation for careers in the rapidly changing global environment in which these will bepursued. It is not sufficient to educate engineers just to be technically competent. Engineeringcurricula and the accreditation criteria for engineering programs have evolved to reflect thisreality by demanding that an array of non-technical and

Conference Session

Electrical and Computer Engineering Curriculum Design and Evaluation

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jeremy N. Thomas, DigiPen Institute of Technology; Christopher Theriault, DigiPen Institute of Technology; Charles Duba, DigiPen Institute of Technology; Lukas P van Ginneken, Digipen Institute of Technology; Nicholas James Rivera; Brian Michael Tugade, DigiPen Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

during the project.  Student-initiated research is relied upon for the student to progress through the project as well as for their own learning.  Require high levels of student initiative; students need to develop motivation and organization skills.  Open-ended outcomes: allowing the student the opportunity to choose, after appropriate research, an outcome that interests them.  Observational skills are identified as having a high priority, especially in the initial stages during identification of the problem.  Student reflection is important. They are encouraged to evaluate fully the outcomes they have achieved.  Rely on team-work.  Are often multiple terms in duration

Conference Session

Materials Division Technical Session 2

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kathleen Meehan, University of Glasgow; Robert H. Hadfield, University of Glasgow; Andrew Phillips

Tagged Divisions

Materials

for First Year Undergraduates that Connects the Electrical and Thermal Properties of MetalsAbstractThe undergraduate engineering programmes at the University of Glasgow were recently revisedto include a common core of classes in Year 1 and Year 2. Materials I, an introductory materialsscience course, is now taken by all Year 1 engineering students. The lectures in the course weremodified to include topics that are of interest to electronic and electrical engineering students,electrical and optical properties of materials. A hands-on laboratory experience has been developedto support student learning on electrical resistivity and thermal conductivity. The hands-onexperiment about optical reflectivity will be added to the

Conference Session

Flipped Classrooms in Mechanics

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Keri Ryan, University of Nevada, Reno; Adam Kirn, Univeristy of Nevada, Reno

Tagged Divisions

Mechanics

classroom (1 in Section 1 and 4 inSection 2) and students that perceived the flipped classroom took more of their time than atraditional approach (1 in Section 1 and 3 in Section 2).The rate of negative feedback was higher in Section 2 with the graduate student instructor. Asdiscussed above, Section 2 contained more high performers, which could indicate that Section 2was composed of more students that had achieved success under traditional learning techniques,and thus were resistant to the flipped classroom. Upon reflection, we believe that students in bothsections were similarly educated about the benefit of the flipped classroom at the beginning ofthe semester. However, a few students in Section 2 vocally expressed dislike of the approachafter

Conference Session

Construction Project Delivery and Control

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

David Wesley Martin, Central Washington University; Philip Warren Plugge, Central Washington University

Tagged Divisions

Construction

students to reconsider the values associated withcollaboration.Active LearningActive learning has been performed in several different forms to expose students to various Page 26.148.3subjects in construction. The idea of active learning was first established through the works ofKurt Lewin, John Dewey and Jean Piaget, where they defined experiential learning through“adaptive modes of concrete experiences and abstract conceptualizations and the modes of activeexperimentation and reflective observation characteristically resolved in different fields ofinquiry”9 . Kolb8 states that there are two main goals in the experiential learning or activelearning

Conference Session

Curriculum in Engineering Leadership Development

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Steven W. Klosterman, Northeastern University; Steven T. McGonagle, Northeastern University; Simon Pitts, Northeastern University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Leadership Development Division

engineering and technology.This paper describes how the program builds awareness of the broad characteristics of leadershipleading up to this exercise, enriching the understanding of how leadership emerges and evolves,as a blueprint of a best practice in a nationally recognized curriculum. Included is an overviewand structure of the leadership program and brief descriptions of the leadership topics taught inthe class, including supporting literature, and outcomes.2 The Assignment – Personal Case StudyThe purpose of the assignment is to give students the opportunity to analyze the leadershipapproach and philosophies of historic figures and reflect upon how their styles match andcontrast with what they’ve been taught in the classroom, and then share

Conference Session

Women in Engineering Division Poster Session

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Teresa J. Cutright, University of Akron; Lakiesha N. Williams, Mississippi State University; Linda T Coats; Debora F Rodrigues, University of Houston (CoE); Judit Eva Puskas; Frank "Fritz" J Claydon, University of Houston (CoE)

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Women in Engineering

process 13% 25% 11% Help with career path 0% 25% 7%Before the workshop, all of the participants knew how to define racism. However, 67% of theattendees did not know what a micro-aggression was. Surprisingly, none of the faculty listedpossible benefits of being proactive. Students listed that some people may be shy (22%), can't sit Page 26.565.10and do nothing (22%), you get to learn (11%) and can avoid potential problems before theyoccur (22%).Post session methods to increase participation were more concrete and reflected that sessionattendees did learn something (Table 4

Conference Session

Hands-on Active Learning

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mohammed Taqiuddin Taher, DeVry University, Addison; Ahmed S. Khan, DeVry University, Addison

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

strong tool for dealing with this problem.12 Simulation is a problem-solving exercise that is undertaken collaboratively and may besolved through a combination of character identification, shared decision making, investigativeinquiry, and reflective practice within a scenario context (Fisher, 2005). Although the importance Page 26.582.5of hands-on labs to the technology curriculum cannot be denied, Garcia (1995) cites severaladvantages of computer simulations compared to laboratory activities.13 First, there appear to beimportant pedagogical advantages of using computer simulations in the classroom. Second, thepurchase, maintenance, and

Conference Session

Diffusion and Adoption of Teaching Practices

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Xiang (Susie) Zhao, Alabama A&M University; Fayequa Majid, Alabama A&M University; V. Trent Montgomery, Alabama A&M University; Chance M Glenn Sr., Alabama A&M University; Juarine Stewart, Alabama A&M University

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

instructor reflection students Entry Data Implementation & Assessment Cycle Redesign Faculty the Course participants Collect Student Midterm Assessment Faculty,staff, and Midterm and instructor reflection

Conference Session

Community Engagement in Engineering Education Projects

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Howard L. Greene, Ohio State University; Paul E. Post, Ohio State University; Lisa Abrams, Ohio State University

Tagged Divisions

Community Engagement Division

evenanswering such questions at an HA event. The behavior that is being encouraged in HA is earlycareer ambassadorship, not the promotion of attendance at a particular university or career at aparticular employer. That being said, effective ambassadors reflect well on their institutions andemployers and there is likely some marketing or recruiting benefit to these institutions in theactivity. Page 26.611.4The HA program was piloted in 2013-14 with 28 participating schools (resulting in 24 visits) andrepeated in 2014-15 with 38 participating schools (21 visits completed at the time of thiswriting). The second year implementation was accompanied by one

Conference Session

Engineering Physics & Physics Division Technical Session 3

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Yu Gong, Purdue University; Tugba Yuksel, Purdue University; Alejandra J. Magana, Purdue University; Lynn A. Bryan, Purdue University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Physics & Physics

Engineering Senior CE_Se_03 Male Chemical Engineering Senior NE_Se_01 Male Nuclear Engineering SeniorData Analysis. Our data analysis process was an iterative one involving continualexamination and discussion. Interview data were analyzed using constant comparativemethods of analysis17. In the first phase of analysis, the students’ interview responses weretranscribed from both audio and video records. The research team looked for patterns instudents’ responses that reflected their subjective reasoning. Each of the first two authorsindividually identified and grouped distinct responses. The grouped categories were used tostructurally describe participants’ reflections on their learning

Conference Session

Assessment and Outcomes: ERM Roundtable

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Golnaz Arastoopour, University of Wisconsin, Madison; Naomi C. Chesler, University of Wisconsin, Madison; David Williamson Shaffer; Zachari Swiecki, University of Madison-Wisconsin

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

example, we have developed a first-year course in which students role- Page 26.679.5play as engineering interns and participate in two 8-week-long virtual internship programs [14].In one virtual internship, Nephrotex, students design a filtration membrane for a hemodialysismachine. In a second internship, RescuShell, students design an exoskeleton to assist rescueworkers. Throughout each internship, students interact with their team members and theirmentors via a chat program. Mentors guide them through the activities and occasionally ask themto reflect on their work in a digital engineering notebook. At the end of the course, studentspresent

Conference Session

Design as a Social Process: Teams and Organizations

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Joy M. Adams, University of Michigan; Mical D. DeGraaff, University of Michigan; Gail S Hohner, University of Michigan

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

integrate the feedback into their performance. As a result, we were not achievingour desired program outcomes: improved project-specific engineering design skills, professionalbehavior, and evidence of self-reflection. To address this, we have created and implemented anadditional avenue for peer-to-peer anonymized feedback: a qualitative survey utilizing codedcompetencies. The purpose of this research is to evaluate this qualitative instrument in terms ofoverall effectiveness. This paper outlines insights and trends noted in the first year ofimplementation.Context The Multidisciplinary Design Program is an academic program that provides studentsfrom across the university an opportunity to develop and refine their engineering skills byworking

Conference Session

Design Pedagogy

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jessica Asly Artiles, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Katherine E LeVine, Wellesley College

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

. Page 26.1455.2IntroductionThis paper lies at the intersections of two movements. The first, a realization for the untappedproblem-solving potential inherent in big, collaborative meetings of passionate people (mostcommonly seen in hackathons). The second, the realization that design thinking can extend muchfarther beyond the traditional product design engineering classroom and into the hands of ourcitizens in order to capacitate them as able problem-solvers in our community.To understand the first realization is to understand the hacker culture that has expanded acrossnations and disciplines. Originally used to describe someone who makes furniture with an axe,this makeshift nature reflected onto the first programming-oriented use of the word

Conference Session

Software Engineering Constituent Committee Technical Session 2

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Temesghen Kahsai , Carnegie Mellon University; Liam O'Reilly, Swansea University; Markus Roggenbach, Swansea University

Tagged Divisions

Software Engineering Constituent Committee

propositional logic are among the concepts underlying testing; • provides examples for data structures: testing tools need to represent graphs, the axioms of abstract data types such as a stack can guide testing; and • supports programming education in various aspects: students become better programmers as they o become tool literate; o learn about topics as testing and debugging presented as SECs; and o reflect on quality of source code as well as of programs.Such a positive view is supported, e.g., by McCauley and Jackson who write: “an early andconsistent emphasis on software engineering concepts creates a student culture that values theprinciples and practices of software engineering” 15. Also

Conference Session

Multidisciplinary Approaches for Enhancing Non-technical Skills

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Marissa H. Forbes, University of Colorado, Boulder; Angela R. Bielefeldt, University of Colorado, Boulder; Jacquelyn F. Sullivan, University of Colorado, Boulder

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Multidisciplinary Engineering

B is less a reflection ofhighly self-determinant engineering degrees and more a reflection of less curricular choice acrossthe board at this institution. This trend is perhaps not surprising considering that University B isa technically focused institution, with more than 90% of the school’s undergraduate populationenrolled in engineering degree programs.University CUniversity C is a private, Master’s University (large program) 11 with a 2013 undergraduateuniversity population of approximately 4,900 students and a full-time undergraduate engineeringpopulation of approximately 800 students. Page 26.1512.10Engineering degree program Choice

Conference Session

Assessment of Engineering Leadership Skills

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Doug Reeve P.Eng., University of Toronto; Cindy Rottmann, University of Toronto, ILead; Robin Sacks, University of Toronto

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Leadership Development Division

experienced than engineers in the country with a slightover-representation of chemical and mechanical engineers. The gender split reflects that ofCanadian engineering graduates over the past two decades. Please see Table 2 below for asummary of our demographic data.  T ABLE  2 :  S AMPLE  C HARACTERISTICS    Category Sub-Categories % of SampleSex Male 74 Female 26Age 20-29 43 30-39 33 40-49

Conference Session

New Engineering Educators Division Technical Session 1

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Donald P. Visco Jr., University of Akron; Dirk Schaefer, University of Bath

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

New Engineering Educators

navigate a course to geta good grade and look towards finding a position after graduation or move to graduate school.They have opted into the system that exists to graduate with an engineering degree.If put into a broader context, there are a number of additional reasons to reflect on the currentwidespread lack of professional pedagogical preparation of engineering faculty in the US and itspotential long-term ramifications if no corrective action is taken.It stands to reason that the prosperity and well-being of a nation can be linked to the education Page 26.1596.3and qualification of its population2,3. Therefore, parents as key stakeholders of

Conference Session

Research to Practice: STRAND 4 K-12 Engineering Resources: Best Practices in Curriculum Design (Part 2)

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Shashi S. Nambisan P.E., University of Tennessee, Knoxville; Jennifer Richards, University of Tennessee; Wenshu Li, The University of Tennessee

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

and one of the two peer mentors. Atthis time and submitted their completed unit plan lessons, reflections on their unit as well asways in which they refined or improved their unit after using it in the class. However, only fourof the teachers had utilized their lesson plans in their classes and evaluated them. The budget for the 2014-2015 program had direct costs of about $20,000. It was fundedprimarily through a grant from the US DOT to the STC at the Center for Transportation Research(CTR), a unit at the University of Tennessee. Figure 2 displays the logic model of the program. Page 26.1605.5 Table 1 Inquiry Learning 5 Es-Science

Conference Session

Shaping the Future: Structured Mentoring for Today's Diverse Engineering Student Populations

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Courtney S. Smith, Virginia Tech; Marie C. Paretti, Virginia Tech

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Minorities in Engineering

Page 26.1625.8coders then worked together to negotiate consensus definitions for the groupings such that eachgroup was finally characterized by its differences from other categories as well as the similaritiesamong quotations within the group.ResultsThe preliminary data analysis yielded three major aspects that seemed to dictate the meaning ofmentoring within each relationship: context, formation and tone (Table 1). Context reflects thegeneral scope of the relationship, including both its focus and the dynamic between mentor andmentor. Formation represents the way in which the relationship was initiated, and in someinstances how it was maintained. Finally, tone reflects the general attitude of the mentor thatformed the basis of the student