benefit as well. Sooften the feedback from Industry Advisory Board members and from employer surveys is of theneed for students to have good communication skills. Effective communication skills, bothwritten and oral, are often the one of the most important criteria considered by constructionindustry employers. This is especially true for construction management graduate students whoare often working professionals themselves going to school part-time. These types of studentsare rising in their professional careers and need to be able to give quality presentations toprospective clients. The requirement that the students give oral presentations to the class givesthem the chance to practice their technical presentation skills. This type of
graduation they can excel in their chosen engineering discipline, - to introduce the rich heritage of science and engineering achievement of their community (at Tuskegee, this would include the examples of George Washington Carver and the Tuskegee Airmen), and - to support, develop, and nurture the careers of African American engineers in government, industry, and academia, so that they may provide continuing leadership in the future.This is not an easy list of objectives to maintain, particularly with limited resources. However,it remains critical that HBCUs maintain science and engineering excellence inside and outsidethe classroom.4 This commitment to
Topic Points Oral and Written Communication 327 Basic Computer skills (applications) 296 Graphics/Visualization 242 Problem Solving Strategies 220 Engineering Careers/Disciplines 188 Design Process and Project 177 Computer Programming 145 Data Collection and Analysis 137
that embraces the concept of “connected learning” where a skill is developed andreinforced over a longer period of time with respect to other elements of a student’s education.Thus students writing would be integrated into each course and be evaluated both for the contentand writing style common to the particular discipline.“Writing in the Discipline” is an extension of this approach. Recognizing that each disciplinehas specific needs that differ from others, “Writing in the Discipline” supports a deliberate,systematic plan to address the needs of a particular discipline. Clearly Engineering Technologygraduates will assume careers with different writing demands, styles, and formats than graduatesin criminal justice or education. The “Writing
revised curriculum is to help students understand the culture of engineeringwithin the university. Surveys of students show that many choose engineering because advisorssuggest their abilities in math and science make this an ideal career. Of course, abilities in mathand science do not necessarily guarantee success in engineering. Therefore, we decided that ourfirst assignment in the composition course should be one that allows students to discover theculture of engineering within the college. The first assignment asks students to analyze their ownreasons for choosing engineering. Once they have analyzed their own reasons and understandingof engineering, they are then directed to conduct fieldwork, by interviewing team memberswithin engineering
we as DSP educators draw our studentsis by no means new, accepting some degree of personal responsibility for “reaching out” tostudents that are years away from our university classrooms may be new to some. Some possibleforms of outreach may be mentoring, high school career connection days (answering questionssuch as… “What does a DSP engineer do?”), non-traditional course development, offeringcontinuing education courses, and software development, to name but a few.Today’s student is significantly different from the majority of DSP educators. Putting the “digitaldivide” aside, the “Nintendo generation” is largely• computer literate,• graphically oriented,• possesses refined hand-to-eye coordination, and• expects immediate feedback or
• Question 3: When you are writing for engineering courses, to what extent do you consciously employ strategies you learned in writing courses? 1. Never 2. Rarely 3. Sometimes 4. Frequently 5. Always No engineering faculty Engineering faculty in Averaged Year in writing sections writing sections score 1999 3.00 3.00 3.00 2000 3.61 3.57 3.59• Question 4: How do you think your proficiency as a writer will affect your career as an engineer? 1. Not at all
-efficacy is a person’s belief in their ability to do something(e.g. perform a task, or accomplish a goal).4,5 Self-efficacy has been linked to positive outcomesin the pursuit of careers in fields that are traditionally less populated by women than by men. Astudent’s belief in their ability to succeed in a field such as engineering is a major factor in theprobability of their success, because it has been demonstrated that students need to possess thewill, as well as the skills, to succeed in engineering.6Self-efficacy in engineering courses has been measured in several ways by using all-female ormixed-gender groups.4,6,7 Chemers et al.8 present evidence to support a theoretical model of thedirect and indirect effects of self-efficacy and optimism
of the course is to introduce chemical engineering students to the professionearly in their academic careers. The course includes content ranging from informationabout chemical engineering career opportunities to simple chemical engineeringcalculations. One component of the multi-faceted course is the discussion of pertinentcurrent events. The Gulf Coast Oil Spill was deemed the highest priority current eventand discussed during the Fall 2010 semester. It is also planned to be discussed during theSpring 2011 semester.For the oil spill assignment, CENG 0110 students were asked to develop a three minutepresentation focused on one of the following six topics: timeline, root causes, methodsfor control/containment, environmental impact, economic
construction workforce. Currently, he investigates the effect of a novel program to increase the retention of first-year undergraduate students enrolled in an engineering college. The program also aims at increas- ing engineering student success, enhancing the sense of community and belonging by the students, and improving the transfer of knowledge in the engineering disciplines. In order to succeed in his research endeavors, Dr. Grau frequently collaborates with social scientists and educators. Prior to his academic career, he worked for more than seven years both leading an engineering department and managing com- plex industrial projects in South and Central America, and Europe. He is a registered Industrial Engineer in
achievements for theperformance indicators, the capstone course assessment can be viewed as a significant indicatorfor the program assessment, as well. It is a best practice that the set of performance indicatorsand rubrics used for identifying the gaps and assessing the course should be developed incollaboration with the program faculty and stakeholders.References1. Henscheid, J. M., “Professing the disciplines: An analysis of senior seminars and capstone courses,” National Resource Center for the First Year Experience and Students in Transition, Monograph No. 30, Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina, 2000.2. Kerka, S., “Capstone experiences in career and technical education,” Practice Application Brief No16, Clearing house on Adult
481- occurs at the end of the Bachelor of Science degree in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. At this time, the mechanical engineering student should be preparing to enter the work force with the skills needed to further his or her career. These skills have been explained quite succinctly by ABET and do not need to be repeated. The student enters this capstone course knowing that the assignment given and the task undertaken is like nothing that they have encountered before. No longer are they talking to a faculty member, usually repeating information in order to obtain a grade. Here the stakes are much higher, being that they are real-world issues and can affect a company’s profits or losses. The issue of communication in this
mechatronics tothe packaging industry and to the US economy by publishing a hybrid-industry, packaging-oriented mechatronics competency model on the Career One Stop website. 1 ―The NationalCouncil on Competitiveness estimates that 100 million new jobs will be created in the 21stcentury at the intersection of disciplines rather than in individual disciplines‖ 2. The need formulti-disciplinary programs addressing the industry need for graduates who can be multi-taskoriented and understand the whole system is increasing as technology advances. A surveyconducted in Texas showed that, of all the annual job openings in Mechatronics relatedworkforce through 2012, sixty-four percent will come from the replacement of existing workers.2The same study showed the
instructional materials has reduced the demand for GTA support.Therefore, the application of the LiaB pedagogical approach to the circuits and electronicscourses for the ME students appeared to address the education and resource issues that arose asthe ECE department considered how to respond to the request from the ME department.Course ModificationsGiven the success of the LiaB courses in reinforcing the learning of the fundamental concepts incircuit theory and in establishing practical circuit construction and debugging skills in ourstudents early in their academic careers, we proposed a modification to the circuits andelectronics courses for the ME students that incorporated the LiaB pedagogical approach. Aftera review by the ME undergraduate
AC 2011-117: LEARNING ASSESSMENT IN A DESIGN-THROUGHOUT-THE-CURRICULUM PROGRAMNaomi C. Chesler, University of Wisconsin, Madison Naomi C. Chesler is an Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering with an affiliate appointment in Educational Psychology. Her research interests include vascular biomechanics, hemodynamics and cardiac function as well as the factors that motivate students to pursue and persist in engineering careers, with a focus on women and under-represented minorities.Christopher L Brace, University of WisconsinWillis J. Tompkins, University of Wisconsin, Madison Willis J. Tompkins received the B.S. and M.S. degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Maine at Orono in 1963 and 1965
Microscopy and Physical Properties MeasurementSystems.Graduate students and post-doctoral scholars have always been trained and mentored. Carefulplanning and grant-writing has enabled leveraging of this research work for deployment intocurricular education at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Beyond extending classroomlectures to hands-on participation opportunities and demonstrations in the authors‟ labs, thestudents have been afforded the opportunity to experiences a day of touring at a world-renownednational research lab as well as to explore career opportunities. Further, multi-level outreachactivities that have been successfully organized utilizing the lab‟s resources have benefited alarge number of the community and other
also skills related to problem solving, creative thinking andcommunication5-6, 10-11. The existing research studies also suggest integrating engineering intoscience and mathematics classrooms may benefit students’ learning in science and mathematics6,16 . Therefore, giving the importance of teaching engineering in K-12, such as to increase students’awareness of engineering as a career path, and to bridge science, mathematics, technology andother enabling subjects, it is imperative that K-12 students be given opportunities to practiceengineering in their formal education.Engineering Design The report, Engineering in K-12 Education6 suggested the first principle to teachengineering in K-12 is engineering design. Engineering design is the
, participates in various speaking engagements and demon- strations, and encouraging K-12 students to pursue careers in STEM fields. .Sherri S. Frizell, Prairie View A&M University Sherri S. Frizell is an Associate Professor in the Computer Science Department at Prairie View A&M University. Her research interests include educational technology, social computing, women issues in engineering, and gifted and talented African-Americans in STEM.Mary V Alfred, Texas A&M University Mary Alfred is Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Associate Professor of Adult Education and Human Resource Development. She researches and publishes in the area of teaching and learning among diverse populations.Dr. Fred Arthur Bonner II
the constraints that had to be overcome to make thisproject a reality. While the data set is small and results only preliminary, the outcome assessmentis promising.IntroductionThese engineering programs began in 2000 with the first EAC/ABET accredited graduatingclasses in Civil, Mechanical, and Electrical Engineering matriculating in 2004. The mission ofall three undergraduate-only programs is to deliver a project-based curriculum with a focus onpreparing graduates for careers as engineering practitioners. Hands-on project experiences areintegrated throughout each curriculum in order to build problem solving and team skills that willbe valuable to the graduates’ early career growth. In addition, all three programs are offeredjointly with
, providing people withmeaningful and sustaining careers while improving environmental quality.Community outreach activitiesGTECH has an extensive array of community programs that not only train local residents ingreen jobs, but also involve the community in beautifying their vacant lots. The UPitt teamconducts research on only a handful of GTECH sites, and when possible participates in thevolunteer days for those sites.Community programs created by GTECH are very dependant on the community. For pastprojects, community partners have included Green Teams (self-selected residents interested inneighborhood greening and sustainability), Student Conservation Association Students,Pittsburgh Cares volunteer groups, among others. The majority of community
andwomen, and a stronger civic ethic among students.14,15,16Students, particularly women and underrepresented groups, cite the ability to make a differencein society as one of the main reasons they choose careers in science and engineering.17 However,the impact engineers have on society is more commonly viewed from a corporate standpoint(for-profit companies develop products and technologies that positively impact society), and thusSTEM service-learning has traditionally been integrated from the corporate perspective; e.g.products to benefit society are designed as part of a course. Community-based service learningopportunities offer alternative ways for science and engineering students to become involved andmake a difference in their own
an approach to formative assessment in the classroom is hardly new (thisis essentially the “Minute Paper” assessment approach popularized by Angelo and Cross1) tothose who have been teaching, one has to take into consideration the amount of preparation thatthe typical graduate student receives in anticipation of an academic career – which is nonewhatsoever. They have little, if any, background in any pedagogical approaches or withlecturing experience; many are close to the point of being overwhelmed with the work involvedwith creating multiple new course preparations in their first year. The consideration of adding afeedback loop to the process is generally not on their minds, so the intervention of a seniorfaculty member in a mentoring
wholesystem. This requires the students to become literate in other areas of engineering so they caneffectively interact with their colleagues in the team, thus preparing them for real-world careerswhere team efforts are the norm. The ROV competition plays yet another important role inexposing students to ocean and marine engineering careers. In order to best realize these andother benefits it is important that the students be given the proper advice and oversight by theROV team’s faculty advisor. College students live in a different world than high school ormiddle school students and their advising needs are substantially different. Time management inparticular is an important issue with undergraduate engineers (who constitute the bulk of college
career at Eagle Engineering Corporation in Houston focusing on conceptual design of advanced spacecraft for human missions to the Moon and Mars. Ms. Guerra continued working on space exploration-oriented assignments at SAIC (Science Applications International Corporation) in support of NASA’s Johnson Space Center. Ms. Guerra earned a B.S in Aerospace Engineering and a B.A. in English from the University of Notre Dame. She received a Master of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. Her Master’s thesis, ”A Commonality Assessment of Lunar Surface Habitation”, was performed under a research grant from the Johnson Space Center. Ms. Guerra is also a contributing author to the
addition, engineering is often viewed as a male-oriented field4. Thus, changing the perceptions of teachers is crucial to encouraging more girlsand women to enter engineering fields. Simple professional development activities, such asresearching and presenting information about successful female engineers, can increase thelikelihood that teachers will view engineering as a career for women5. In addition, usingconsistent, positive messages about engineering and engineers will help change any negativeperceptions that teachers might bring to the classroom4.Outside the classroom, camps or other informal educational experiences can increase knowledgeof and intent to major in engineering. Ryerson Polytechnic University in Toronto has operatedseveral
with them as a warning system for high levels of carbon monoxide1. The canaryhas a more fragile respiratory system than humans; it is more sensitive to change in the quality ofair in an environment. When the canary would begin to struggle for breath, the miners took thisas a signal that there was a problem with the atmosphere in the mine. Lani Guinier, GeraldTorres and Susan Sturm have posited the idea that the metaphor of the Miner’s Canary is animportant metaphor for viewing the behavior of those in underrepresented minority groups ininstitutions or career fields and encourage faculty and administrators to look at the behavior ofunderrepresented minority groups within an institution as sensitive indicators to potentially toxicproblems2. By
theory teachers. Deans do not believe in us because they think that our classes are simple workshops, they do not see the importance of laboratory experiences in the development of students.”Another example is from a full professor describing the boundary of having students fromdifferent economical and educational status: “Having a group in which the level of academic preparation is very different, makes students to face problems such as not having the necessary knowledge and skills in math, language, working with tools or machinery, or just knowing the characteristic lingo of this engineering discipline. I have had students that decided to switch careers, because they think that engineering is not for them, while in
Engineering with an affiliate appointment in Educational Psychology. Her research interests include vascular biomechanics, hemodynamics and cardiac function as well as the factors that motivate students to pursue and persist in engineering careers, with a focus on women and under-represented minorities.Prof. David Williamson Shaffer, University of Wisconsin-Madison David Williamson Shaffer is a Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the Department of Educational Psychology and a Game Scientist at the Wisconsin Center for Education Research. Before coming to the University of Wisconsin, he was a teacher, teacher-trainer, curriculum developer, and game designer. Dr. Shaffer studies how new technologies change
the program. This paper discusses the challenges facedby mentors and lessons learned during the project implementation.IntroductionIt is clear that the U.S. has “struggled to persuade sufficient number of its citizens to pursue highlytechnical careers”1. Undergraduate science education in particular has faced many challenges in retainingstudents. However, a growing body of literature suggests that new pedagogical strategies and approachesmay help attract and retain a wider range of students by enhancing engagement2.For the past three years, the University of Houston has collaborated with Houston Community CollegeSystem and Texas A&M University at Corpus Christi as part of an NSF-CCLI grant program aimed atimproving the STEM education
Sciences, Agriculture, and Management were crucial to the finalproduct. This diversity became a core strength for the team. One student manger noted that: The main reason I joined the team was to work on an interdisciplinary project and learn from peers with different backgrounds than my own. I wanted to learn to communicate with engineers, architects, etc. and work in a collaborative environment. I treated this project as a job and I feel my peers during the two years did the same. There is no doubt in my mind that it has prepared me for my future career. Broader Societal Impacts Although it wasn’t necessarily obvious at first, everyone on the Solar Decathlon team cameto appreciate the significance of this project in terms of