Conference Session

Learning to Communicate with Engineers and Non-Engineers

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Leslie Potter, Iowa State University; John Jackman, Iowa State University; K. Jo Min, Iowa State University; Matthew Search, Iowa State University

Tagged Divisions

Liberal Education

futurecommunication. This assessment step is a key part of the communication skill set.Given the recognized need to improve communication skills by the engineering educationcommunity as well as curriculum assessments of our industrial engineering (IE) program(described by Potter, et al.19), we have developed an innovative communication course to addressthe skills gap. In this paper, we describe the new course and present assessment results from thefirst offering of this course during the Fall 2007 semester, including skill assessment, self-efficacy data, and qualitative feedback from students. Examples of student work and assessmentprocesses are included. Finally, we describe short term changes to the course and long termimpact expectations.Course content

Conference Session

Programming for Engineering Students II

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jeremy Garrett, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; Thomas Walker, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Tagged Divisions

Computers in Education

opportunity asurvey was developed and implemented at the end of the spring 2007 semester. The surveyasked the students to answer a common set of questions, eight questions for each of the sixlanguages. Those questions included perceptions of relevance and perceptions of effects on self-confidence (also known as “self-efficacy”). The survey also asked the students whether, or not,they would recommend each programming language for use with future students. Although thesurveys were anonymous, standard demographic data was requested, and that has allowed simplecomparisons to be made not only between programming languages but also to compare theattitudes of women and minorities to those of white males (for this study, the responses ofwomen and minorities

Conference Session

Engineering in Middle Schools

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Juanita Jo Matkins, College of William and Mary; John A. McLaughlin, McLauglin Associates; Eugene Brown, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; Gail Hardinge, College of William and Mary; Nancy West, College of William and Mary; Robert Stiegler, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division; Kirk Jenne, Office of Naval Research

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

AC 2008-2810: EVALUATING A COMPREHENSIVE MIDDLE SCHOOLOUTREACH PROGRAM—THE RESULTSJuanita Jo Matkins, College of William and Mary Juanita Jo Matkins is an Assistant Professor of Science Education at the College of William and Mary. She was a K-12 teacher for 18 years, and the Virginia recipient of the 1995 Presidential Award for Excellence in Secondary Science Teaching. She has written and published several papers and reports on various issues in teacher education, including assessment, gender and multicultural issues in science education.John A. McLaughlin, McLauglin Associates John McLaughlin is a senior consultant in strategic planning, performance measurement, and program

Conference Session

Innovations in ECE Education I

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Gisele Ragusa, University of Southern California; Michael Khoo, University of Southern California; Ellis Meng, University of Southern California

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

Into Results: A Guide to Selecting the Right Performance Solutions. Atlanta, GA.: CEP Press. 17. Shuman, L. J., Besterfield-Sacre, M. and J. McGourty, 2005, “The ABET Professionals Skills – Can they be taught? Can they be assessed?” Journal of Engineering Education, Vol. 94, No. 1, pp. 41-56. 18. Hutchison, M.A., Follman, D. K., Sumpter, M., and Bodner, G. M. 2004. “Factors influencing the self-efficacy beliefs of first year engineering students.” Journal of Engineering Education. Vol. 101. 1. 39-47. Page 13.505.13Sample Concept Inventory Questions1) In the figure shown below, the upper arm is fixed in a

Conference Session

Focus on IE Course Design and Assessment

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Paul Kauffmann, East Carolina University; Cathy Hall, East Carolina University; Gene Dixon, East Carolina University; John Garner, East Carolina University

Tagged Divisions

Industrial Engineering

personality factors were explored in relation to time to degree. 9Data collected over a six-year period showed locus of control significantly contributed toobtaining an undergraduate degree in a timely manner. However, metacognitive skills, actionbehaviors related to academic success, and high school GPA were the three factors that emergedas predictors of college GPA. This research supported Borkowski’s 10, 11 model of academicachievement based on the dimensions of metacognition and affective factors. Metacognitioninvolves a knowledge of learning strategies and using these strategies in an effective andefficient manner. The affective component involves factors such as self-efficacy, motivation,and locus of control. Research supports the role of

Conference Session

Sustainable Design & Global Issues in ET

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jerome Tapper, Northeastern University; Francis Dibella, Northeastern University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

processmethodology that can provide a cost effective and the timely development of new products thatare particularly used in the five areas listed above. The entrepreneurial spirit is not new in theUnited States but the engineering student must be continually fortified with the understandingthat he/she can be the strongest agent in keeping their full employment for a lifetime inproductive engineering. By being the “boss” of a product development, even if themanufacturing of that product is done offshore, the engineering technology student will beproductive and enjoy a self-efficacy as a result of their entrepreneurship or entrepreneurship thatis virtually immune to globalization efforts by even the same management that employs them.TransportationThe

Conference Session

The Use of Computers in Teaching Mathematics

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Janet Callahan, Boise State University; Seung Youn Chyung, Boise State University; Joanna Guild, Boise State University; William Clement, Boise State University; Joe Guarino, Boise State University; Doug Bullock, Boise State University; Cheryl Schrader, Boise State University

Tagged Divisions

Mathematics

. Presently, e-learning is already deeply integrated into schoolcurricula to motivate students and facilitate learning. Numerous studies have revealed thebenefits of implementing self-paced e-learning strategies in traditional curricula for improvingcritical learning variables such as motivation, self-efficacy, goal-orientation, satisfaction, andpersistence.1 Especially, there has been a fair amount of acceptance and practice among thecommunity of science and engineering education community that traditional teaching can begreatly benefited by incorporating e-learning strategies.2-6 Leading academic organizations suchas the Sloan Consortium also advocate that incorporating online learning strategies into theengineering curricula can augment some of

Conference Session

Investigating Fuel Cells and Alternative Fuels in the Classroom and Lab

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Cortney Martin, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; Brandy Bratton, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; David Dillard, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; Michael Ellis, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; Maggie Bump, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

postdoctoral mentor. The self-contained nature of summer research projects often contribute to the sense of isolation that doesnot accurately reflect contemporary research. We propose changing the program paradigm froma traditional faculty-centered approach to a student-centered learning community approach.Empirical studies tell us that learning communities can increase student engagement overtraditional didactic models. Students are expected to develop a greater sense of ownership andthus enhanced self-efficacy with regard to their personal research and collaborative abilities. In Page 13.726.2addition to enabling students to have a rich research

Conference Session

Student Engagement and Motivation

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Linda Vanasupa, California Polytechnic State University; Trevor Harding, California Polytechnic State University; William Hughes, California Polytechnic State University

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

, self-assessment skills, andmoral reasoning. Finally, a documentary on alternative transportation called Energy:Power Shift was shown in class to activate a vision of the role students can personallyplay in contributing to society as engineers. This served the dual purpose of promotingunderstanding the broader context, and initiating systems thinking as it helped connectstudents to concepts that at first seem disconnected (e.g., public policy and engineeringdesign). Equipped with a broad contextual understanding of their responsibility as futureengineers, students began working on their solar water heater projects.The primary goal of the first project was to build a sense of mastery and self-efficacy. Asshown on the 4DDD, mastery strengthens

Conference Session

Focus on High School Girls in Engineering

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mary Brake, Eastern Michigan University; Kaninka Bhatnagar, Eastern Michigan University

Tagged Divisions

Women in Engineering

Education Statistics (2004). Trends in educational equity of girls & women: 2004, U.S.Department of Education. NCES 2005-016.7. PATT (1986). “What do girls and boys think of technology? Pupils’ attitudes towards technology”, PATTWorkshop report: March 6-11, 1986. Endhoven University of Technology, Netherlands.8. American Association of University Women (1991). “Shortchanging girls, shortchanging America: A nationwidepoll that assesses self-esteem, educational experiences, interest in math and science, and career aspirations of girlsand boys ages 9-15”, Washington DC: AAUW.9. Weiner, B., An attributional theory of achievement motivation and emotion, Psychological Review 92 (1985) (4),pp. 548–57310. Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise

Conference Session

Learning from Entrepreneurship Programs

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jeffrey Blessing, Milwaukee School of Engineering; Kristen Mekemson, Kern Family Foundation; David Pistrui, Illinois Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Entrepreneurship & Engineering Innovation

business.• Integrated and utilized outside expertise including professional service providers, universities and suppliers.• Evaluated and measured vendor/supplier performance and made appropriate changes.• Encouraged a problem solving mindset based on strong customer focus and spending time in the marketplace. Source: KEEN Industrial Lecture Series, IIT, Fall 2006-07 http://www.iit.edu/~entrepreneur/#keen This example illustrates how a manufacturing firm uses its ecosystem to leverage a growth and learning orientation. This orientation helps Phoenix Closures determine where, when and how to compete. Phoenix Closures has created a type of innovation radar that interacts with different parts of the internal and external

Conference Session

Collaborative & New Efforts in Engineering Education

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Fanyu Zeng, Indiana Wesleyan University

Tagged Divisions

International

their progress, building theirsense of self efficacy, encouraging goal setting behavior and a commitment to remaincompetitive in a global economy.2 The rapid changes in new global economy suggest thenecessity to routinely upgrade existing engineering curricula to reflect these changes, andeven send students abroad to experience different cultures and changes in businessworld.3 All the research firmly believe that there is no doubt that new ever changingglobal economy and multi-culture concepts have become key elements in anyengineering curriculum. In addition to that successful experience of American highereducation could be a great asset to Chinese engineering curriculum developmente.3, 4Based on these literature reviews engineering curricula

Conference Session

New Trends in ECE Education I

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Sandra Yost, University of Detroit Mercy; Mohan Krishnan, University of Detroit Mercy; Mark Paulik, University of Detroit Mercy

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

attempting tosolve a problem for which they had not yet been given any instruction to see what behaviors theyactually exhibited in such situations. These observations were also conducted pre- andpost-course.In the focus groups, students were asked questions that addressed four themes: • Strategies: What are some strategies you use when you need to learn new concepts or apply concepts to a new problem? • Self-Efficacy: What do you do when you get stuck on a homework problem or project? • Group Benefits: If you study with other students, describe how you interact with group members when you study. • Novel Problems: How well do you do when the homework problem looks completely different from problems the

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

Successful K-12 Programs for Girls & Minorities

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Patricia Tolley, University of North Carolina at Charlotte; Deborah Sharer, University of North Carolina at Charlotte; Anthony Brizendine, University of North Carolina at Charlotte; Michael Phillips, Department of Engineering Technology, University of North Carolina at Charlotte; Adam Harris

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

to complete it (r = .60, p < .01). Not surprisingly, studentswho planned to major in engineering/technology were much more likely to be confident in theirability to complete their degree (r = .71, p < .01). Table 3: Pearson Correlations for Students’ Perceptions of the NCJETS Clubs, Academic Self- Efficacy, and Attitudes toward Engineering/Engineering Technology Enjoy Interest Math Sci Understand Major Conf Contribute Enjoy 1 Interest .37** 1 Math .16** .16** 1 Science .18** .12* .40** 1 Understand .20** .39** .24** .30** 1 Major .13* .55** .16** .11 .45** 1

Conference Session

Engineering Student Involvement in K12 Programs

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jill Andrews, University of Michigan; Lorelle Meadows, University of Michigan; Joy Oguntebi, University of Michigan

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

13.510.15Measuring progress is the primary responsibility of the College’s resident experts in engineeringeducation evaluation, who routinely provide assistance and expertise to conceptualize, develop,and carry out evaluations of educational innovations. The plan developed for this partnershipemploys short-term and long-term surveys, anecdotal questions, participant and student tracking,and performance measurement. In addition, joint assessment strategies focus on evaluating theexperiences of all participating individuals as well as the operational effectiveness of theprogram. For the first year, partners are evaluating YPSD secondary students’, FacultyAffiliates’, and Teaching Fellows’ experiences in learning, teaching, and mentoring. Over time,the annual