Conference Session

Why Industry Says that our Engineering Students Cannot Write

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Scott Duncan, Valparaiso University; Mark M. Budnik, Valparaiso University; Jeffrey Will, Valparaiso University; Peter E. Johnson, Valparaiso University; Shahin S. Nudehi, Valparaiso University

Tagged Divisions

Liberal Education/Engineering & Society, Mechanical Engineering

asCriterion 3 identifies that students attain "an ability to communicate effectively" as a requiredprogram outcome3. Additionally, the importance of communication skills to the practicingengineer is predicted to remain important in the future. The National Academy of Engineering2004 report, "The engineer of 2020: visions of engineering in the new century"4, whendescribing the attributes of engineers in 2020 states that, "As always, good engineering willrequire good communication."Because technical communication skills are so vital to engineers, many studies have beencompleted to investigate the effectiveness of technical communication pedagogical methodsimplemented in engineering curriculums. These studies generally focus on two areas oftechnical

Collection

2001 Annual Conference

Authors

Edmund Tsang

believes Snow would recognize the challange of thereflection component of service-learning in engineering offers an opportunity forcollaboration between “The Two Cultures.” Service-learning requires the engineeringfaculty and students consider the gray areas which inevitably arise when dealing withsocial issues and incorporate them into problem-solving. However, the traditionalengineering curriculum emphasizes linear, black-and-white thinking with little room forpersonal introspection and reflection, and the engineering profession still lacks behind indiversity that is representative of the overall population. By training and temperment,most engineering faculty members feel uncomfortable leading reflection sessions. Thus,reflection in service

Conference Session

Accreditation and Outcomes-based Education

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jens Kabo, Chalmers University of Technology; Xiaofeng Tang, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; Dean Nieusma, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; John Currie, University of Sydney; Hu Wenlong, Beihang University; Caroline Baillie, University of Western Australia

Tagged Divisions

Liberal Education/Engineering & Society

engineering in NorthAmerica and elsewhere, and this emphasis is now represented in many countries’ accreditationrequirements for engineering programs.2 However, discussions about the role and place of “thesocial” in engineering education are nothing new. According to Leydens and Schneider,throughout the last century in the United States, there has been an ongoing culture-versus-utilitydebate around the role of humanities and social science (H&SS) content in engineeringeducation, with engineering faculty generally coming down on the side of utility.3 Despite early Page 25.1463.2calls for better integration of H&SS and “engineering” content

Conference Session

Innovations in Teaching Upper-Level Physics

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Greg Mowry, University of St. Thomas-St. Paul

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Physics & Physics

softwaresuch as ANSYS® and FEMLAB® for solving practical E&M problems. Preliminary results fromusing this pedagogy will be presented along with implementation attractors and detractors.IntroductionThe motivation for offering an integrated, inter-departmental applied undergraduate physics-engineering curriculum at UST is shaped by the goal of providing graduates with a practical skillset that is attractive and useful to prospective employers. Experience has shown that excellencein mastering E&M theory does not directly translate into competence with E&M metrology orlaboratory practices. Since a majority of the UST engineering and physics students that graduatego directly into the work force, these observations motivate several questions

Conference Session

CE Capstone: Innovations in Learning & Assessment

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Charlie Quagliana, University of WIsconsin-Madison; Jeffrey Russell, University of Wisconsin, Madison; Michael Doran, University of WIsconsin-Madison; Rod Hassett, University of WIsconsin-Madison; Greg Harrington, University of WIsconsin-Madison

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

cross-curricular collaboration developed and refined by faculty and mentors. Thefocus of this paper is to delineate and illustrate the evolution of the class resulting in positiveimpacts upon student outcomes and expectations.INTRODUCTIONInstilling an understanding of design and the design process are key aspects of preparing civilengineering students for professional practice. This is the focus of the Capstone Design class atthe University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering(CEE). The evolution of this curriculum has resulted in positive impacts upon student outcomesand expectations as well as helping the department to comply with ABET accreditation criteria.The ABET Civil Engineering (CE) Program criteria

Collection

2020 First-Year Engineering Experience

Authors

Danny Luecke; Austin James Allard, Turtle Mountain Community College; Michael Maloy Parker, Cankdeska Cikana Community College; Ann Vallie; Teri Ann Allery; Robert V. Pieri, North Dakota State University; Karl Haefner

Tagged Topics

Diversity

college added supplemental tutoringoptions and updated its math placement test to aid students who were affected by the switch. Figure 3: TMCC College Algebra Pass Rates Compared to College Algebra I and II.Cankdeska Cikana Community College:More fully described in our previous paper [3], CCCC has implemented Carnegie MathPathways as an alternative developmental course sequence that shortens the traditional algebrasequence. Carnegie has developed this evidence-based curriculum [6] in two strands, Statwayand Quantway, both of which seek to make mathematics more relevant to students’ educationgoals, career goals, and personal lives. Figure 4 below shows the three semesters of QuantwayCore meant to replace the year sequence of Introduction to

Conference Session

New Developments in Teaching Electromagnetics and Related Topics

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Robert H. Caverly, Villanova University

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

get an understanding of the material.This ‘return to hardware basics’ approach has been heavily utilized at Villanova University overthe last few years with a number of courses and independent student projects that illustrate thesereceive and transmit principles. This paper will build on a series of past papers in outlining thesenior level elective sequence as well as a series of high efficiency power amplifier projectsundertaken as independent studies. All of these experiences are suitable for undergraduatestudents and with some modification, could be useful in graduate level courses.Undergraduate Curriculum TrackDetails on the undergraduate track have been covered in detail in a previous work5 but will besummarized here for completeness

Conference Session

Engineering Technology Division (ETD) Technical Session 6

Collection

2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ravi C. Manimaran, Department Chair, Engineering Technology, Austin Peay State University; Ali Haider, Austin Peay State University

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology Division (ETD)

alumniwere involved in the CI process.Strategy 3: As part of the CI process, in spring and fall 2022, department faculty led by the mainauthor, performed a periodic review and revision of the course description, pre-requisite of allthe course offerings and the degree requirements in the three BS ET / ABET programs. Thepaperwork was processed and approved in Curriculog (University’s curriculum process) forimplementation effective fall 2023. The course / degree requirements review process resulted inthe BS in Manufacturing ET and BS in Mechanical ET programs to move ENGT 4150,Programmable Logic Controllers from an elective course to a required course effective fall 2022.In addition, BS in Mechanical ET program has been revised to include ENGT 4210

Conference Session

Innovative Assessment Techniques in Civil Engineering Courses

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mary Katherine Watson, The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina; Joshua Pelkey, AirWatch; Caroline R. Noyes, Georgia Institute of Technology; Michael Owen Rodgers, Georgia Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

student's perspective. in American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Annual Conference. 2012. San Antonio, TX.9. MacRae, J.D. Introducing elements of sustainability into formal and informal environmental engineering education. in American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Annual Conference & Exposition. 2011. Vancouver, BC.10. Mueller Price, J., et al. Integrating sustainability principles in undergraduate engineering curriculum: A home for environmentally responsible engineering. in American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Annual Conference. 2012. San Antonio, TX.11. Stasinopoulos, P., Whole System Design: An Integrated Approach to Sustainable Engineering. 2009

Conference Session

Undergraduate Peer Educators: Mentoring, Observing, Learning

Collection

2018 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Vanessa Svihla, University of New Mexico; Catherine Anne Hubka, University of New Mexico; Eva Chi, University of New Mexico

Tagged Topics

ASEE Board of Directors

Tagged Divisions

Liberal Education/Engineering & Society

curriculum redesign focused on incorporating content- based writing approaches. In the Department of English, Cat teaches in the Core Writing Program where her pedagogy incorporates creative writing workshops and collaborative writing.Prof. Eva Chi, University of New Mexico Eva Chi is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering Department at the University of New Mexico. The research in her lab is focused on understanding the dynamics and structures of macromolecular assemblies including proteins, polymers, and lipid membranes. Undergrad- uates, graduate students, and postdoctoral scholars are trained in a multidisciplinary environment, utilizing modern methodologies to address

Collection

2020 ASEE North Central Section conference

Authors

V. Dimitra Pyrialakou, West Virginia University; Kakan C Dey P.E., West Virginia University; David Martinelli, West Virginia University; John Deskins, West Virginia University; Julia Daisy Fraustino, West Virginia University ; L Christopher Plein, West Virginia University; Md Tawhidur Rahman, West Virginia University; Karen E Rambo-Hernandez, Texas A&M University; Abhik Roy, West Virginia University

researchdirections.2. The holistic engineering approachGrasso and Martinelli argued that pursuing the concept of the “unity of knowledge” will yield anew definition of engineering which is more fitting for the times ahead [2], [4], [5]. The unity ofknowledge is the integration of knowledge across disciplines to deal with complex problems.Many engineering curricula include general education requirements in the form of coursesoutside of the discipline. However, institutions rarely take the next step and offer connectionsamong these courses to integrate or “unify” students' learning.The engineering education community has embraced the idea of incorporating multi-disciplinaryand cross-disciplinary elements into the curriculum [6]. At the same time, in its Body

Conference Session

Mentoring Practices and Project Teams

Collection

2018 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ying Cao, Oregon State University; Christina Smith, Brown University; Benjamin David Lutz, Oregon State University; Milo Koretsky, Oregon State University

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

practice as well as exploring students’ conceptions of diversity and its importance within engineering fields.Dr. Milo Koretsky, Oregon State University Milo Koretsky is a Professor of Chemical Engineering at Oregon State University. He received his B.S. and M.S. degrees from UC San Diego and his Ph.D. from UC Berkeley, all in Chemical Engineering. He currently has research activity in areas related engineering education and is interested in integrating technology into effective educational practices and in promoting the use of higher-level cognitive skills in engineering problem solving. His research interests particularly focus on what prevents students from being able to integrate and extend the knowledge developed

Conference Session

International Division Technical Session 4 - Global South Engineering

Collection

2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ali Gordon, University of Central Florida; Sandra Sousa, University of Central Florida

equipped for careers in organizations with internationalinterests. Study abroad, however, is not practical for engineering or computer science students.even though they show similar interests as their peers in business, social sciences, and other liberalarts [2]. Curriculum complexity is the primary adversary. Consider an aerospace engineeringstudent in the undergraduate program. A course sequence of courses Calculus I, Calculus II,Calculus III, Differential Equations, Modeling Methods, Vibrations, Aerospace Design I, andAerospace Design II is reasonable. Missing one of the courses, however, delays the remainingcourses by a semester or two depending on course availability/frequency. Study abroad programsthat are a full semester in duration may not

Conference Session

Emerging Trends in Engineering Education Poster Session

Collection

2005 Annual Conference

Authors

Lawrence Carlson

) Page 10.1052.12. Modeling an existing part (testing comprehension)3. Creating a new part from scratch (application) Proceedings of the 2005 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright © 2005, American Society for Engineering EducationIn this paper, I discuss how these steps are implemented in a large-size, required first-yearengineering graphics course in the mechanical engineering curriculum. The third step isemphasized and illustrated through a unique rapid prototyping project in which students design anew body for a radio-controlled model car that is subsequently fabricated through the generouscontribution of

Conference Session

Novel Student Experiences in Chemical Engineering

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Milo Koretsky, Oregon State University; Samuel Alexander Mihelic, Oregon State University; Michael J. Prince, Bucknell University; Margot A. Vigeant, Bucknell University; Katharyn E. K. Nottis, Bucknell University

Tagged Divisions

Chemical Engineering

focus on what prevents students from being able to integrate and extend the knowledge developed in specific courses in the core curriculum to the more complex, authentic problems and projects they face as professionals. Dr. Koretsky is one of the founding members of the Center for Lifelong STEM Education Research at OSU.Mr. Samuel Alexander Mihelic, Oregon State University Samuel Mihelic is a research asistant in Dr. Yantasee’s lab in the Biomedical Engineering Department at Oregon Health and Science University. He received a B.S. in chemical engineering and a B.S. in mathematics from Oregon State University in 2014. He worked as an engineering education researcher with Dr. Koretsky at Oregon State University in 2013

Conference Session

Chemical Engineering in the Sophomore Year

Collection

2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Matheus Oliveira Cassol, University of British Columbia, Vancouver; Jonathan Verrett P.Eng., University of British Columbia, Vancouver

Tagged Divisions

Chemical Engineering

Paper ID #29424Evaluating a new second-year introduction to chemical engineering designcourse using concept mappingMatheus Oliveira Cassol, University of British Columbia, Vancouver Matheus is an undergraduate student in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at The University of British Columbia. His work focuses on improving engineering education using technol- ogy and innovative analysis methods. Matheus’ goal is to follow a research career, using engineering knowledge to move society towards a greener future.Dr. Jonathan Verrett, University of British Columbia, Vancouver Jonathan Verrett is an Instructor in

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Technical Session: Labs & Projects - New Opportunities

Collection

2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Dennis O'Connor, California State University, Chico

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

State University Chico in 2015 as an Assistant Professor. Dr O’Connor teaches a myriad of courses including: Dynamics, Materials, Thermodynamics, Machine Design, and Vibrations. In addition, he is the faculty advisor to both Chico State Rocketry and SAE Mini Baja student clubs. c American Society for Engineering Education, 2020Electric Ceiling Hoist: A Semester Project with Competing Forces to Enhance Student Learning in Machine DesignAbstractMechanical Engineering Design (i.e., Machine Design) is a pivotal course in any MechanicalEngineering or Mechatronic Engineering curriculum. This course marks the transition fromlearning fundamental mathematics and science to applying them for

Collection

2013 GSW

Authors

David H. K. Hoe

undertaken in Spring 2012 at our institution to determine the impact of varioustypes of peer interaction exercises on student learning in a Signals and Systems course. This is ajunior-level course in the electrical engineering curriculum, which provides foundationalmaterial for several senior-level classes. This paper is outlined as follows. First, a generalbackground of the Signals and Systems class is described followed by a description of thedifferent types of peer interaction exercises utilized in this study. Second, the methods ofassessment and an analysis of these results are given. The paper concludes with a summary anddiscussion of plans to further improve the use of peer interaction in-class exercises

Conference Session

Student Learning Techniques & Practices in Engineering Technology

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

David Hoffa, none; Steven Freeman, Iowa State University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

equally effective learning experience as thetraditional lab report format while requiring less of an instructor’s time for grading and freeingup a significant amount of students’ out-of-class study time for other assignments, would bebeneficial to instructors who choose to adopt it and to their students.Laboratory Reports in Industrial TechnologyMany industrial technology programs incorporate both a lecture component and a laboratorycomponent in order to help students increase their understanding of the curriculum. Felder andPeretti9 stated that “a basic tenet of learning theory is that people learn by doing, not by watchingand listening. Industrial technology accreditation requirements emphasize the importance oflaboratory experiences.18 While

Conference Session

Hands-on Laboratory and Design Experiences in Environmental Engineering

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Sandeep Sathyamoorthy, Tufts University; Linda Jarvin, Paris College of Art; Michael Hollis, U.S. Air Force Academy; John Anthony Christ, U.S. Air Force Academy; C. Andrew Ramsburg, Tufts University

Tagged Divisions

Environmental Engineering

of PBL. Instructional Science, 1997. 25(6): p. 387-408.13. Kolmos, A. and J.E. Holgaard, Responses to Problem Based and Project Organised Learning from Industry. International Journal of Engineering Education, 2010. 26(3): p. 573-583.14. Pan, W. and J. Allison, Exploring Project Based and Problem Based Learning in Environmental Building Education by Integrating Critical Thinking. International Journal of Engineering Education, 2010. 26(3): p. 547-553.15. Newstetter, W.C., Fostering integrative problem solving in biomedical engineering: The PBL approach. Annals of Biomedical Engineering, 2006. 34(2): p. 217-225.16. Yadav, A., et al., Problem-based Learning: Influence on Students' Learning in an Electrical

Collection

2011 Northeast Section Meeting

Authors

Buket D. Barkana; Nelson Ngoh; Allen Cook

The Learning and Teaching Experiences in a Graduate Level Stem Course for Teacher Educators Faculty Paper K-12 Education (Curriculum Integration) Buket D. Barkana1, Nelson Ngoh2, Allen Cook2 1 School of Engineering, Department of Electrical Engineering 2 School of Education University of Bridgeport, Bridgeport, CT 06604 E-mail: {bbarkana; ngoh; acook@bridgeport.edu}Abstract: It is essential that teachers understand the

Conference Session

Community Engagement Division Technical Session 1

Collection

2017 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jane M. Fraser, Colorado State University, Pueblo; Rebecca Medina, Boys & Girls Clubs of Pueblo County

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Community Engagement Division

they could integrate into an existing framework without a big commitment of time.Measures of impactThe Afterschool Alliance states that STEM programs have three types of benefits: improvedattitudes toward STEM fields and careers, increased STEM knowledge and skills, and higherlikelihood of graduation and pursuing a STEM career [2]. In their annual survey of a sample ofClub members, BGCA has only recently added questions that can measure these impacts, so wecannot document any effect of our activities over time, but the data do suggest that the BGCPCmembers have positive outcomes in these areas. The following data are for a sample of studentsfrom the specific Club targeted for our activities; not all those surveyed participated in events

Collection

2014 ASEE Zone 1 Conference

Authors

Tara Kulkarni

Proceedings of 2014 Zone 1 Conference of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE Zone 1) Service-Learning Projects in Environmental Engineering Courses: Models of Community Engagement Activities Tara Kulkarni, Member, ASEE institutions engaged in S-L. For example, the Service Center at Abstract—The curriculum for an introductory environmental the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) refers to S-Lengineering course was enhanced with the addition of Service- as “a pedagogy that involves the interaction of academicallyLearning (S-L) based

Conference Session

Division Experimentation & Lab-Oriented Studies: Electrical and Control Engineering

Collection

2016 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Oscar Ortiz, LeTourneau University; Paul R. Leiffer P.E., LeTourneau University

Tagged Divisions

Division Experimentation & Lab-Oriented Studies

learningexperience that would help us to evaluate (1) how well our junior engineering students couldapply the knowledge acquired in their freshman and sophomore engineering courses, (2) if theycould integrate this knowledge with what they were learning in the current Electronics course,(3) how to put it into practice when interfacing the Arduino microcontroller to practical analogcircuits and (4) if they could be challenged to seek to learn concepts from future engineeringcourses.For this purpose a Radio Controlled Race Car Project was selected as a semester-long project.The electronic project was divided into four distinguishable subsystems, 1) analog radio control,2) radio transmitter/receiver, 3) control unit, based on an Arduino microcontroller, and 4

Conference Session

Mechanical and Architectural Engineering Laboratories

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Anthony Toyama, Texas A&M University at Qatar; Reza Sadr, Texas A&M University at Qatar

Tagged Divisions

Division Experimentation & Lab-Oriented Studies

connection between the theory learned in class and actualapplication. In some Fluid Mechanics laboratory experiments are conducted using off-the-shelfeducational stations. Our approach is to integrate the Fluid Mechanics laboratory with industrialequipment and tools in order to allow students to engage their classroom based theoreticalknowledge in an industry-like setting. Junior level students design digital data acquisitionsystems in conjunction with more traditional physical sensors in order to accomplish theirlaboratory goals. Students will also apply commercially available software to design and conductan experiment in the laboratory. Students are required to conduct simulations for a real case flowfield using commercially available software

Conference Session

Capstone and Senior Design in Engineering Technology

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ivana Milanovic, University of Hartford; Tom Eppes, University of Hartford

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

EET have taken different approaches in the planning, organizing and exectuion of theirrespective capstone projects. The primary areas of contrast are: 1) project sourcing, 2) type, 3)interim feedback and evaluation, 4) final assessment, and 5) supplemental resources. Theapproaches used in each area have advantages and disadvantages that necessitate trade-offs andcareful management.It is anticipated that capstones will continue to evolve with the most likely areas of improvementbeing: 1) better preparation embedded into the curriculum prior to the capstone, 2) increased useof external judging panels, 3) integration of additional project management techniques, 4) greaterfocus on societal and ethical responsibilities, 5) use of web-based

Conference Session

Multidisciplinary Engineering Programs

Collection

2018 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Huihui H Wang, Jacksonville University; Lee Ann Jerome Clements, Jacksonville University; Cindy Leong; Misha M. Chalkley; Crandall Maines, Jacksonville University

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Multidisciplinary Engineering

Paper ID #22444Work in Progress: Co-curricular and Extra-curricular Experiences of NSF-supported ScholarsProf. Huihui Wang, Jacksonville University Dr. Huihui Wang, is an assistant professor and the Chair of the Engineering Department at Jacksonville University (JU). She is an advisor of the National Society of Professional Engineering (NSPE) at JU. She is the senior member of IEEE and the Vice Chair of IEEE Jacksonville Section. She is also the member of ASEE and ASME and FES. She has served as a technical program committee member and a reviewer for international conferences, journals as well as fellowships.Dr. Lee Ann

Conference Session

Civil Engineering Division - Is This Real? Reaching Students with Virtual and Augmented Reality

Collection

2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ayatollah Yehia, University of Virginia; Jacqueline Chao, University of Virginia; Connor Lyons, University of Virginia; Mehrdad Shafiei Dizaji, University of Virginia; Devin Harris, University of Virginia

environment.The integrated models can then be explored in an immersive environment using a variety ofinterfaces including mobile devices and in future studies, AR headsets, or even virtual realityheadsets. This study leverages mobile devices (i.e. smartphones and tablets) as theimplementation platform with a goal of providing an accessible alternative teaching methodtargeted towards filling or supplementing student knowledge or comprehension gaps andultimately improving student learning outcomes. To evaluate the tool functionality, the study firstleverages a technology acceptance model (TAM) test for the application’s perceived usefulness aswell as attitudinal reactions. Our study explores a case study within a third-year undergraduatestructural design

Conference Session

Pre-college Engineering Education Division Technical Session 11

Collection

2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Michael S. Rugh, Texas A&M University; Donald Joseph Beyette, Texas A&M University; Mary Margaret Capraro, Texas A&M University; Robert M. Capraro, Texas A&M University

Tagged Divisions

Pre-College Engineering Education

Education. Morgan, J. R., Moon, A. M., & Barroso, L. R. (2013). Engineering better projects. In R. M. Capraro, M. M. Capraro, & J. R. Morgan (Eds.), STEM project-based learning: An integrated science, Part of a DIME map and displayed textbook text technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) approach (2nd ed., pp. 29-39). Rotterdam, The Netherlands: Sense. Publishers.The DIME Map

Conference Session

Thermodynamics, Fluids and Heat Transfer II

Collection

2017 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Yeow Siow, University of Illinois, Chicago

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

tool to enhance student learningand performance. An important element in overcoming conceptual challenges, as oftenencountered in thermodynamics, is the self-guided process where students rely, and eventuallytrust, their cognitive resources to form a knowledge base.4 PBL, if implemented with care, canserve as a powerful way to enable self-reliance. Savage et al.5 investigated, and ascertained, theeffectiveness of PBL throughout the engineering curriculum, while cautioning that its successrequires that the project be relevant, not overly complex or resource intensive, and easy toimplement by the instructor.Many educators have integrated PBL, of varying capacity, in introductory thermodynamics,6-13including some projects that have been