Conference Session

Recruitment and Retention Matters in Engineering Technology

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Joseph A. Morgan, Texas A&M University; Jay R. Porter, Texas A&M University; Douglas William Twigge; John Block, Texas A&M University; Mickie Byrd

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

the senior VPs within the analog product divisionsaw this decline as an issue that needed to be addressed by his company. Based on a proposalsubmitted by EET, funding has been received to develop new educational project kits for highschool students that will challenge their abilities and interests while providing them valuableskills in engineering prototype development and testing. Two such projects have been initiatedand are currently being used in the outreach program of EET. One of these is Krisys; a smallform factor autonomous robot that is used for on-campus summer workshops2. The second is E-Clock™ shown in Figure 1 with the two students who designed and developed the project. E-Clock™ is a binary clock that is a low-cost embedded

Conference Session

Service as an Element of Education

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

William C. Oakes, Purdue University, West Lafayette; Pamela Dexter, Purdue University, West Lafayette; Jane Hunter, University of Arizona; James C. Baygents, University of Arizona; Michael Gerard Thompson

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

of theirlocal communities. A four day training session has been developed that introduces teachers toservice-learning, human-centered design, project management and other topics that enable themto manage and coach design teams. The training is designed to allow new teachers as well asexperienced teachers to participate with parallel sessions and active learning that capitalizes ondiscussions involving experienced teachers. A sample of the topics and schedule is shown inTable 1. The workshop is designed to introduce teachers to the skills and topics needed tomanage real design topics.A curriculum was created to provide a tangible, classroom-ready approach to meeting the goalsof the EPICS High program and the lessons plans are used during

Conference Session

Graduate Student Experience

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Stephanie Cutler, Virginia Tech; Walter Curtis Lee Jr., Virginia Tech; Lisa D. McNair, Virginia Tech

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies, Student

followed by implementation of the program prior to the Fall2011 semester. Lastly, we assessed the effectiveness of the program through a post-survey,designed to capture the reaction of the participants shortly after orientation, and a focus group,designed to provide more reflective feedback after the students completed most of their firstsemester in the program. Eight students attended the orientation. This paper will discuss the (1)analysis, (2) design, (3) development, (4) implementation, and (5) evaluation of an orientationprogram designed by graduate students specifically for new graduate students entering anengineering education doctoral program. There is minimal research on the transition from atraditional engineering program to engineering

Conference Session

ECE Curriculum Improvement

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Phillip A. Mlsna, Northern Arizona University; Niranjan Venkatraman, Northern Arizona University; Sheryl L. Howard, Northern Arizona University

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

design, and the capstone project ideally allowsthem to take an electrical engineering project from inception to completion. Material about culturaldiversity and global engagement was considered the realm of Liberal Studies, and, if not irrelevantto engineering, of minor importance.In the past decade, recognition of the importance of global learning, which encompasses culturaldiversity and global engagement, to the fields of engineering has grown significantly 1 . We live ina global economy. Today’s engineer is a global engineer; they will work for companies that have aglobal presence and may work overseas. Today’s engineer may work on projects whose teams spanthe globe, and will most likely have clients in multiple countries. Therefore, an

Conference Session

Systems Engineering Education and K-12

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Reid Bailey, University of Virginia; Joanne Bechta Dugan, University of Virginia; Alexandra Coso Strong, Georgia Institute of Technology; Matthew E. McFarland, University of Virginia

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Management, Industrial Engineering, Systems Engineering

associated with systems engineering.In particular, the LEP is an interdisciplinary program between Systems Engineering (SYS) andElectrical and Computer Engineering (ECE). Table 1 highlights how different, yetcomplementary, the two majors are. Table 1 Systems Engineering and Electrical and Computer Engineering Majors Systems Engineering Majors ECE MajorsThe Systems Engineering undergraduate The Electrical and Computer Engineeringdegree at East Central State University is undergraduate degrees at East Central Statefocused on applying systems thinking to University are focused on the analysis andprojects and programs that involve technology, design of ECE

Conference Session

Engineering and Public Policy II

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

David O. Kazmer, University of Massachusetts, Lowell; Katie Bardaro, PayScale, Inc.

Tagged Divisions

Engineering and Public Policy

andsolidarity. This concept of “social justice” suggests a very different allocation of resources acrosssocieties. The reason for the different suggested allocation of resources is that rates of return oninvestments in education decrease on the margin, meaning that rates of return decrease withincreasing levels of education and salary. Accordingly, global economic analyses [1-3] suggestthat global resources are more equitably distributed through the offering of lower levels ofeducation in poor countries rather than higher levels of education in rich countries. While someengineers may view such lines of inquiry as provocative, theories about the investment anddepreciation of human capital have become well developed and can provide useful

Conference Session

Using Computers, Software, and Writing to Improve Mathematical Understanding

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

John Schmeelk, Virginia Commonwealth University, Qatar

Tagged Divisions

Mathematics

. Then we obtain the familiar and very important 2 i 1result to many applications: the cosine of the angle between the two vectors, x and y,satisfies the equation, cos()=xy/( x y ). We know the maximum value for the cosineoccurs when the two vectors coincide, giving a value, cosine(0)=1. This is an importantobservation in edge detection and will later be explained. We now evaluate the values ofthe grey levels between neighboring pixel locations. This will be determined byintroducing the partial derivative formulas, f ( x, y) f ( x  x, y)  f ( x, y)  lim

Conference Session

Towards Global Competency for Engineering Education

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Vukica Jovanovic, Trine University; Thomas H. DeAgostino, Trine University; M. Brian Thomas P.E., Trine University; R. Thomas Trusty II, Trine University

Tagged Divisions

International

program usually takes about a year and a half. Thedevelopment process for a study abroad program is shown in Figure 1. Figure 1: Study abroad program development Page 25.490.3The development of the study abroad program starts with benchmarking programs at similarinstitutions. The process then defines the program’s requirements and content (cost, location, andduration), foreign university support, professional exposure through trips to companies andprofessional fairs, and how to attract students to enroll in the program. All these phases have thegoal of providing the best fit for the student body at the home institution

Conference Session

Ethical Cases and Curricula

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Matthew Russell Capelli, Virginia Tech; Estela Patron Moen, Virginia Tech; William N. Collins, Virginia Tech

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Ethics

.Principles suggested in previous literature are as follows2, 5, 6: 1. Engineers hold a responsibility that spans national, racial, cultural, social, and economic borders to promote the welfare of all humans. 2. Engineers have a responsibility to design products and technologies with a focus on sustainable development. 3. Engineers have a responsibility to ensure engineering is not employed as an instrument that further widens the gap between the rich and the poor.When applied to current challenges in international engineering ethics, these principles form abasis for an international code of ethics1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8: 1. Safety of the public – Ensuring the protection of “the public” in a complicated global context where a

Conference Session

Preparing Engineering Students for the Global Workplace

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Brian D. Koehler, North Carolina State University

Tagged Divisions

International

benefits are attaining a greater proficiency in a foreign language, gainingan appreciation for and understanding of other cultures, improving communication skills and theability to live and work effectively in another culture. 1 The effects are felt long after return.Ninety-five percent of “alumni” report that their international experience had a lasting impact ontheir world view and a majority said that it influenced their career path. Although the number ofstudents enrolled in international study has doubled over the past decade, only a small percent ofundergraduates nation-wide take advantage of this opportunity. 2 At NC State University over30% of all enrolled students are in the College of Engineering, however, a much smaller fractionof

Conference Session

Information Literacy in Context: Enabling Real World Problem Solving

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Adriana Popescu, Princeton University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Libraries

full range of services and resources that the librarycan draw upon to assist in the process of educating the global engineer.Defining Global CompetenceFrom reviewing the literature, it appears that while Global Competence is increasingly used todescribe attributes and skills desirable for all engineering graduates, the term is still consideredto be an “elusive concept”2. Parkinson identifies 13 attributes of global competence; to rank thetop five attributes of global competence, the author surveyed the attendees to the NSF Summit onthe Globalization held at the University of Rhode Island, Nov 5-6, 20083. The respondents of thesurvey identified the top 5 attributes of global competence as follows:1. Can appreciate other cultures.2. Are

Conference Session

Assessment and Accreditation in Engineering Management

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

David S. Cochran, Southern Methodist University and Meijo University; Makoto Kawada, Meijo University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Economy, Engineering Management, Industrial Engineering, Systems Engineering

theunderstanding gained during a system design and learning process.IntroductionCollective System Design (CSD) is an enterprise and manufacturing system design,implementation and management methodology. CSD is being developed in response toproblems that many enterprises face in implementing and sustaining the Toyota ProductionSystem, Lean and Lean-Six Sigma. Evidence in the application of lean as it is being taught andimplemented today is that “lean” is sustained in just five percent of the applications after threeyears [1, 2].The lessons learned in developing the CSD approach are the result of many years of systemsengineering, implementation and management experience. Enterprise and manufacturing systemdesign is an emerging discipline as it addresses the

Conference Session

NSF Grantees' Poster Session

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ying Tang, Rowan University; Sachin Shetty, Tennessee State University; Xiufang Chen, Rowan University

Tagged Topics

NSF Grantees Poster Session

sample game, Mystery of TrafficLights. The evaluation of its deployment in Digital I course at Rowan is also presented. Theassessment confirms the utility and usability of metacognitive tools in engineering design, andalso provides valuable insights for the iterative game refinementvn.INTRODUCTIONReading is a critical skill for students to perform well academically. However, many students arepoor readers, or have difficulty understanding expository texts [1]. The serious problems instudents’ comprehension ability pervade content areas like engineering. That is a reason that weoften hear from our students, “what does this problem ask?” when given a problem to solve. Thelack of understanding hinders our students to further apply knowledge, make

Conference Session

Going Viral: Effective Instructional Techniques in an Online Environment

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Norb Delatte, Cleveland State University

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

respects, however, the engineering feats (and certainly the engineers) of the new world are not nearly as well documented as those of the old.  Development of suspension bridges – the development of suspension bridges extends from Telford’s Menai Straits bridge and Roebling’s Brooklyn Bridge (and earlier Roebling bridge), in chapters 2 and 11 of The Innovators 1 on to Ammann’s George Washington Bridge and eventually to the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, in chapter 8 of Power, Speed, and Form2. Using stronger materials, bridges became longer and more structurally efficient. In the process, however, the defenses Roebling used against failure – diagonal stiffening stays, deck trusses, and mass – were

Conference Session

K-12 Teachers: PD, Implementation, and Beyond

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Yan Sun, Purdue University; Nikki Boots, Purdue University; Johannes Strobel, Purdue University, West Lafayette

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

perspectives furnished by (1) Rogers’s 40 diffusion of innovation model, (2) theConcerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM) 24, 26, 28, and (3) Dreyfus and Dreyfus’s skill acquisitionmodel 18, 19, the researchers of this study constructed an EEE adoption and expertise developmentmodel. The construction of the model was based on analyses of interview and survey data collectedfrom 2nd–4th grade elementary teachers who participated in the elementary engineering educationsummer academies offered by INSPIRE (Institute for P-12 Engineering Research and Leaning atPurdue University).Purpose and Research QuestionsThe purpose of this study was to construct an EEE adoption and expertise development model byinvestigating elementary teachers’ adoption and implementation

Conference Session

Understanding Our Students II

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mohammed E. Haque P.E., Texas A&M University

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

assembled the attendance records and final grades of 210 formerstudents over the course of three consecutive semesters (Fall, Spring, and Summer). In each ofthese semesters, course contents were divided into three segments, and at the end of eachsegment, students appeared a comprehensive test. Based on the performance of three tests(EXAM-1, -2 and -3) a student received the final grade. Student absences were thus monitoredas follows:Absence Group 1 = Number of absences in segment 1 (first day of semester to day of EXAM-1).Absence Group 1 = Number of absences in segment 2 (day after EXAM-1 to day of EXAM-2).Absence Group 3 = Number of absences in segment 3 (day after EXAM-2 to day of EXAM-3).Probabilistic Neural Net (PNN) based Genetic Algorithm

Conference Session

Adaptive and Supportive Learning Environments

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Eric C. Huang, Manhattan College

Tagged Divisions

Chemical Engineering, Minorities in Engineering

1b. For the sophomore class as a whole entity (i.e., mentees plus control group A),pairwise t-tests showed the responses between assessments were different (p < 10-3), indicating Page 25.499.3that self-perceived interaction levels between sophomores and upperclassmen increased foreveryone. However, comparing mentees with control indicated that the net changes were notstatistically different between the groups. Table 1a. Self-perceived interaction levels with juniors on a 1-5 scale, with a “5” indicating high interaction. First Second

Conference Session

Software Engineering Topics

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Sushil Acharya, Robert Morris University; Walter W. Schilling Jr., Milwaukee School of Engineering

Tagged Divisions

Software Engineering Constituent Committee

different institutions and their different approaches toteaching software verification, it is important to understand the differences in the institutions’profiles’ and activities. This section provides background information on the two programs’profiles in this article.Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE)The Milwaukee School of Engineering offers an accredited Bachelors of Science degree insoftware engineering, and has been accredited since 2002. As an institution, there is a strongemphasis on small class sizes (14:1 student to faculty ratio) and extensive laboratory experience.Students graduating from MSOE spend on average 600 hours in laboratories related to theirmajor. Institutionally, there is more square footage devoted to lab space than

Conference Session

Capstone Design I

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Walter W. Schilling Jr., Milwaukee School of Engineering

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

and design outputs.Design processes are the steps necessary to create design products. Design products are theitems created as a result of a design activity and include the resulting software, systems,materials, or objects. In a typical curriculum, the percent of material taught in each year willvary, as is shown in Figure 3. This, in general, represents the shift toward high Bloom level inlater courses. Page 25.501.3 Figure 1 Design Outcomes versus Educational Stage3Challenges of Assessing Design in an Exam SettingFor many aspects of engineering, the traditional exam setting is the perfect environment to assessstudent

Conference Session

Community Engagement in Engineering Education: Program Models

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Carrie-Ann Miller LCSW, State University of New York, Stony Brook

Tagged Divisions

Community Engagement Division

averages continue to rise. The College WISE Retention Rateand Graduation Rates compared to the University as a whole are also significantlyhigher. (Institutional Research 2011)WISE-GPA Cohort 3-18 Compared to University(Institutional Research Figure 1) Page 25.502.3WISE students have significantly higher SAT scores, grade point averages,retention rates and graduation rates compared to the university as a whole. WISEvs. University SAT Scores Cohort 2-18 (Institutional Research Figure 2) Page 25.502.4WISE First Yr. Retention Rate v. University 2003 - 2008 (Institutional Research 3)WISE

Conference Session

K-12 Teacher Professional Development

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kristin Sargianis, Museum of Science, Boston; Sharlene Yang, Museum of Science, Boston; Christine M. Cunningham, Museum of Science, Boston

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

United States. Because EiE units are meant to integrate with and allowstudents to apply their knowledge of a particular science topic, they are not designed to “standalone” in the curriculum—instead, they are meant to be taught in conjunction with a sciencetopic already present in the elementary classroom. While their specific content differs, all 20 EiEunits feature the same five-lesson structure and format, making it easier for educators toimplement multiple units with their students (see Table 1).Table 1. Five-Lesson Structure of all EiE Units Lesson Purpose Preparatory Lesson Introduce students to the broad concepts of technology and engineering. Lesson 1

Conference Session

Projects in Alternative Energy: Wind and Solar

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Elena V. Brewer, Erie Community College; Anthony P. Dalessio, Erie Community College

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

such as PV Watts calculator; Page 25.504.3work with GIS maps depicting landscape slopes or temperature levels; sizing of inverters, wires,disconnects, over-current protection devices (OCPDs) and other components of PV Systemaccording to NEC guidelines; and performing economic analysis of the PV system.Student progress is assessed based on the mixture of homework assignments, tests and finalgroup design project. The final project involves application of all learned steps and techniques todesign a viable PV System in a teamwork environment, production of project report, andpreparation of a 15-20 minute PowerPoint presentation. Table 1 presents

Conference Session

NSF Grantees' Poster Session

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Richard M. Bennett, University of Tennessee, Knoxville; William Schleter, University of Tennessee, Knoxville; Taimi Olsen, University of Tennessee, Knoxville; Stan Guffey, University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Tagged Topics

NSF Grantees Poster Session

, and has beenused since then. The late policy was also changed so that there was not a step-function at the duedate, but rather the penalty decreased linearly from 0% to 25% over the first 48 hours after thehomework was due. The penalty remained at 25% through the module, and then dropped to 50%after the module. Homework credit vs. time is shown graphically in Figure 1.Our basis for implementing the early homework completion bonus was an examination of whenstudents worked on their homework. We have a lecture on a topic, a recitation the next day, andpreviously had the homework due two days after the recitation. The thinking was that studentscould work on their homework after the lecture and recitation, and if they had questions therewas still

Conference Session

Current Issues in Construction Education

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ifte Choudhury, Texas A&M University

Tagged Divisions

Construction

, 2012 A Study of the Factors of Construction Time for Educational Projects in TexasAbstractStudies indicate that there is a relationship between project cost and construction time fordifferent construction markets. The purpose of this study is to validate the time-costrelationship model developed by Bromilow et al.1 in context with educational constructionprojects in Texas. The model was extended to include the magnitude of the projects in termsof gross floor area and project delivery methods to determine whether these variables alsohave an effect on project duration. Data related to 39 educational projects was obtained for thestudy. SPSS® program was for analysis of the data. The statistical technique used

Conference Session

FPD VII: Research on First-year Programs Part II

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jason Bazylak, University of Toronto; Susan McCahan, University of Toronto; Peter Eliot Weiss, University of Toronto

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

removing some of the obstacles for students Page 25.507.3struggling with the English language.Methodology – Service EnvironmentCourse lectures take place in a large 1750 seat theater that has been retrofitted to serve part-timeas a lecture hall (see Figure 1). There are two small and one large projection screens at the frontof the room along with an elevated stage and podium (see Figure 2).Figure 1 –View of two thirds of the studied course student populationFigure 2 – Reference view of the stage and projection screens, (not lecture capture view)The podium mounted teaching station consists of a Personal Computer (PC) and monitor running

Conference Session

Research Informing Teaching Practice I

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Sarah Jane Grigg, Clemson University; Lisa Benson, Clemson University

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

goals of this project include: (1) elucidate how firstyear engineering students utilize problem solving strategies, and (2) evaluate successful andunsuccessful problem solving strategies, as well as errors and misconceptions, in terms ofcognitive and metacognitive processes. Data collected from 36 students in Spring 2011 has beenanalyzed using a validated coding structure. The analysis identifies relevant events within well-structured word problems which had multiple possible ways of solving the problem but only onecorrect answer. To assess mental workload students experience as they solve problems, a taskload index (NASA-TLX) was administered after students completed each problem. The NASA-TLX is a survey with six subscales: three measuring

Conference Session

NSF Grantees' Poster Session

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Raymundo Arroyave, Texas A&M University; Miladin Radovic, Texas A&M University; Jefferey E. Froyd, Texas A&M University

Tagged Topics

NSF Grantees Poster Session

preliminary findings on effectiveness of this redesign.1 IntroductionFor thousands of years, discovery of new materials has fostered socio-economic progressthrough the development of new technologies. At the dawn of civilization, it was the discoveryof metal alloys what enabled the development of agricultural implements that dramaticallyincreased food production capabilities. Much later, the discovery of the solid-state transistor inthe 1940s enabled the dramatic scale up in computing power responsible for much of our currenteconomy and technological infrastructure. In recent years, the role of materials as technology-enablers has even become even more prominent. In fact, of the fourteen grand challenges forengineering recently identified by the

Conference Session

Electrical and Computer Poster Session

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Chris Smaill, University of Auckland; Gerard Rowe, University of Auckland

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

ample: most students finished withadequate time to spare. The students also appeared to take the test seriously: they spent most ofthe allocated time working on their answers. After marking, the test marks were released to thestudents but, in order to preserve the integrity of the test for future years, test scripts were notreleased. A mark histogram is provided in Fig.1.The mean mark for the test was 9.1 out of 22 (41%), and the pass rate was 32% (UoA regards amark of 50% or more as a pass). Nine percent of students scored a mark of 4 or lower, a markattainable by simply guessing all 22 multiple-choice questions. Although the students’ prioreducational experiences had given them far less exposure to the topic of electric fields, theelectric

Conference Session

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Education Technical Session

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

George E. Meyer, University of Nebraska, Lincoln; Kim Cluff, University of Nebraska, Lincoln; Jeyamkondan Subbiah P.E., University of Nebraska, Lincoln

Tagged Divisions

Biological & Agricultural

, NY) and Microsoft Office 365® have this feature, that are often used with popmail programs, such as Outlook (Microsoft, Seattle, WA) or Eudora (Qualcomm, San Diego,CA).Figure 1 shows the implementation of the system that was used for both classes. The first step atthe beginning of the semester was to obtain the class names list and their associated emailaddresses. These were stored in a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. LabVIEW has special functionsto invoke nodes to access the individual cells of a spreadsheet. Using the last names column, onethen could create a folder with individual student subfolders for each assignment. StandardEmail or BLACKBOARD provided a record of who submitted the assignment and at what timeit was submitted, relative to

Conference Session

Focus on Elementary

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ming-Chien Hsu, Purdue University, West Lafayette; Monica E. Cardella, Purdue University, West Lafayette; Senay Purzer, Purdue University, West Lafayette

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

post test.Key Words: design process, instrument developmentIntroduction Interest in introducing engineering concepts and teaching design as a process toelementary school aged children has continued to increase in recent years for a variety offactors. In some cases, stakeholders are concerned about students learning engineeringcontent for a competitive advantage in the global marketplace 1, 2. Other stakeholders areconcerned by a decline in students’ interest in pursuing engineering during and after college 3.Still others are interested in promoting elementary engineering instruction in order topromote engineering and technological literacy 4, 5. Recent studies have also providedevidence that learning engineering content, especially