Competency Across Multiple Required CoursesIntroductionIn four-year engineering programs, learning progressions, or strategic tracks that outlinestudents’ learning journeys throughout the program [1], are important for tracking students’competency development. These progressions are often informed by program educationalobjectives and can be used to develop formative assessment measures. Literature has defined thevalue of learning progressions in K–12 science and math education as well as how to designthem in these contexts [2, 3, 4]. However, there are limited examples in which these progressionshave been used as a strategic tool to support students’ competency development in post-secondary education, particularly engineering education [5]. We argue
to computational speeds have made it more powerful [1, 2].Machine learning (ML) generally refers to algorithms (e.g., linear regression, non-linearregression, random forest) that turn input data into output data, and in doing so, achieve AIgoals. ML algorithms typically require tens to hundreds of data points. Deep learning can beconsidered a part of ML, and both fit in the broader term of AI. Deep learning algorithms(e.g., neural networks) typically work on thousands of data points and are, as such, used in‘big data’ engineering applications.AI-powered technologies are becoming more prevalent in daily life and the workforce,making it crucial to understand and adapt to using new large language model (LLM) tools,such as Chat Generative Pre
1 University of MichiganAbstractThe University of Michigan Robotics program focuses on robotics as an embodied intelligence,where robots must sense, reason, act, and work with people to improve quality of life andproductivity equitably across society. ROB 204 is an introductory course for robotics majors thatprovides a foundation for designing robotic systems to address a user need with a sociotechnicalcontext. The course combines lectures, labs, and discussions to teach and reinforce learningobjectives in an equitable and experiential manner. In this paper, we present the lab procedures,required materials, and reflections that operationalize concepts from lecture. Labs collectivelyinclude hardware
returning from an international, short-term, community-engagement design project. They then participated in an in-person group reflective activity toidentify the difference between charity and justice mindsets, and they were given the option torevise their responses to the initial reflection (to re-reflect). Using qualitative analysis techniques,this study sought to determine: 1) whether participants demonstrated a charity or justice mindsetin the written responses and 2) whether the pedagogical technique is effective.Results indicate that participants demonstrate both charity and justice mindsets, and 64% ofparticipants (n=19) shift towards justice mindsets. Participants overwhelmingly affirm theusefulness of the activity (95%) and state that
completed a master’s program in Cognitive Science at SNU.ANNE LIPPERT, Prairie View A&M University ©American Society for Engineering Education, 2025 Work in Progress: Improving Engineering Students’ Writing Skills Through a Text Visualization ToolIntroductionDue to the importance of communication skills in the professional engineering field, engineeringcourses have incorporated writing and communication into their curricula [1]. Writing is amultifaceted process requiring critical thinking [2], creativity [3], and synthesis of ideas [4]. Forengineers in research careers, writing activates the cognitive and social processes, allowingstudents aiming for various engineering roles to contribute
appropriate intensities to targetedstudent cohorts.IntroductionThe Professional Development Platform for Engineering Technology (PDPET) is designed tofacilitate the transfer of the Engineering Technology (ET) Skill Sets requirement to facultyresponsible for technician preparation. Objectives to be addressed by PDPET include (1)developing and implementing online remote access to the degree program and its Curriculum;(2) creating a skills-focused interactive system with regional education and industry partners; (3)providing targeted skill professional development; and (4) building institutional capacity. WhenPDPET elements consider these requirements, their application among ET technician preparationprograms will create a broader skill impact on new
formechanical and civil engineering students at a 4-year public polytechnic university andengineering materials for mechanical engineering students at a 4-year R1 university. GAI toolswere asked to generate scores, overall reviews, suggestions, or improvement tips. We comparedthe evaluation scores and feedback of each student lab graded by instructors or graduate teachingassistants with those from GAI tools. The comparative analysis results will be discussed toanswer how the GAI tool’s evaluation results align with scores and feedback by instructor/TAsregarding accuracy and clarity.1. IntroductionLab education is essential in college engineering as it offers students hands-on experience withcritical technical skills, such as operating equipment
(administrator or faculty member) prescribes planactivities for students to see academic improvement. This structure applies a deficit-basedframework, common in many student success formulations, in which student challenges aretreated as problems to be solved, and problem-focused planning is applied [1, 2, 3]. While theremay be some benefit to these approaches, the deficit focus can increase feelings of shame andinferiority in struggling students, leading to a feeling of disconnectedness, disengagement, andfor many students, a breakdown in the student success system [4, 5, 6]. Not only can theseapproaches potentially harm students, but they can also be detrimental to student successprofessionals, who may develop a sense of paternalism in solving
various dimensions. It offers a structured approach to assessing theextent to which learning experiences align with key objectives in STEM education (NationalAcademy of Engineering and National Research Council, 2014). The rubric provides educatorswith actionable criteria to design and assess STEM curricula that are explicit, developmentallyappropriate, and differentiated to meet diverse learner needs. ● Rubric 1. STEM Literacy: STEM literacy emphasizes the integration of two or more STEM disciplines to foster an understanding of their roles in modern society and fundamental concepts. ● Rubric 2. 21st Century Competencies: Fostering 21st-century competencies involves the development of cognitive, interpersonal, and intrapersonal
foster dialogic discourse and enhance student engagement. The frameworkidentifies five different discursive move categories: setting the stage: baseline assessment,pushing to make thinking explicit, encouraging wider responses, talk organization, and modelingproblem solving. Each category is further divided into several observable and actionablesubcategories. Table 1 provides a comprehensive overview of Bansal’s teacher discourse moves.Table 1Codes for Teachers’ Dialogic Discursive Moves Category and its Description Subcategory Codes1. Setting the stage: Baseline assessment Eliciting experiences EIEx These moves: gauge understanding of pre-requisites by Gauging
Regions 1, 3, 4, and 5, likely benefiting from professional developmentprograms. However, teachers from Regions 3, 4, and 6 felt the least prepared to teach advancedenergy topics due to insufficient academic background, experience, and training. Over 90% ofteachers in Regions 1, 2, 3, and 6 cited resource shortages, while 73-100% of teachers in Regions1, 2, 3, and 4 reported a lack of detailed instructional materials as a major challenge inimplementing hands-on energy-focused STEM activities. Other challenges included timeconstraints, teacher shortages, and students’ lack of prior background. More than half ofresponding teachers lacked experience in developing energy-related curricula, and participationin training varied widely (60-99%) across
typically feminine may relate less to their engineering peers. Thus, the purposeof this full research paper is to examine the relationship between gender typicality andundergraduate women’s feelings of being included by their engineering classmates. This paperwill explore the following research questions: (1) What is the relationship between gendertypicality and women’s feelings of being included by female engineering peers? (2) What is therelationship between gender typicality and women’s feelings of being included by maleengineering peers? To address these questions, the paper will utilize quantitative survey datafrom a sample of approximately 420 undergraduate women of racially diverse backgrounds fromacross the U.S. who are studying engineering
teachers from non-CSbackgrounds to introduce CS experiences and instruction into their classrooms to increase Latinxparticipation in CS. The program presented computer science and pedagogical content alignedwith the state’s high school CS teacher standards. It also assisted teachers in navigating thechallenges of implementing CS teaching in diverse classrooms.To support these goals, CS4SA designed and developed a professional development program thatincluded instructional materials, workshops, tutoring, coding camps, and campus visits, whereteachers observed presentations about university CS degree programs, deepening theirunderstanding of CS applications and career pathways. The instructional materials includedbooks on computer programming [1
interesting outputof the engineering. The kit uses inexpensive components totaling about $26/robot USD (servos,origami, and an Arduino Nano) common in hobbyist communities so that learning how to usethese components can empower further exploration of actuated art. Our associated lesson planengages participants in the assembly and control of ANT and contextualizes it within a broaderoverview of robot system components and the use of origami in engineering. We successfully ranthe lesson as a 3-hour outreach workshop at a local arts organization.1 IntroductionThe emerging use of origami in robotics [1] is based on how it enables interesting relationshipsbetween 2D patterns and 3D structure, which is also the foundation of origami’s
engineering background is in advanced manufacturing and design. ©American Society for Engineering Education, 2025NSF REU Site: Undergraduate Research Experiences on Resilient and Sustainable Infrastructure Systems in Smart CiƟesAbstractThe NSF Division of Engineering EducaƟon and Centers-funded REU Site was developed to bringa cohort of students to a large R-1 university to expose students to the criƟcal role of civil andenvironmental engineers in serving society. Students parƟcipated in hands-on interdisciplinaryresearch with faculty teams exploring innovaƟons for Smart CiƟes. Associated cohortprogramming helped students to build basic research skills, to develop their career paths withemphasis on the
, diversity equity andinclusionIntroduction:Traditional engineering education has focused largely on teaching technical knowledge and skills with aheavy emphasis on theory, problem-solving, and math/science concepts. Of course, these are foundationalfor competency as an engineer, but as described in a report published by the National Academies ofEngineering, new engineering graduates lacked the skills to succeed professionally [1]. Though these newgraduates were technically capable, they struggled with communication, teamwork, and othernontechnical expectations of the career field that grew through the 1980s. In response to these challenges,the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) with support from various stakeholdersdeveloped
Scholarships for Co-Op Based Engineering EducationIntroductionThis paper presents a description of the third year of implementation of the Iron RangeEngineering STEM Scholars, funded by the NSF S-STEM award (Award #2221441). Thescholarship program includes financial support as well as additional mentorship support forscholarship recipients within the Iron Range Engineering (IRE) program. The paper outlines theformat of the scholarship program and a summary of the scholars and their experiences.Iron Range EngineeringIRE students complete lower-division coursework at community colleges around the nation [1].Students then join IRE for one semester, named Bell Academy, on campus; this semester isfocused on developing students’ professional
to their discipline, cultural capital, and (c) transforming the departmentalculture that has structurally marginalized URM students in the past. (Figure 1.)Figure 1 Logic Model for the S-STEM A.I.M.E program.Although the primary purpose of the AIME Scholar program is to provide financial support totalented URM and women who have unmet financial needs in ME and ECE, we recognize thatthere are other obstacles low income student’s face in an academic environment. To increase thelikelihood of equitable educational experiences for our AIME Scholars and to interrupt thecurrent policies, practices, and departmental culture that compromise learning opportunities,quality of mentorship, faculty advocacy, and participation in academic programs1 we
Indigenous theories: Giving back and Nation building, and Two-Eyed Seeing. Giving back and Nation building are concepts that encompass helping one’scommunity and working towards a tribe’s sovereignty. They are fundamental cultural values inIndigenous communities that direct members to contribute to their communities’ wellness, e.g.,[1] [2]. These values also support the persistence of Indigenous people in computer science andengineering (CS&E) by providing them with opportunities to employ their CS&E skills for thebenefit of their communities [2] [3]. Two-Eyed Seeing emphasizes the need to balancetraditional Indigenous knowledge with western disciplinary training [4], which providesopportunities to find strengths in both traditions and can
equally effective across modalitiesand benefit significantly from teacher-friendly resource design. This study contributes to theongoing evaluation of online and in-person PD, offering insights for designing impactfuleducational experiences. This work was funded by NSF’s Innovative Technology Experiencesfor Students and Teachers (ITEST).1. IntroductionProfessional development (PD) is an essential tool for equipping teachers with the knowledgeand skills necessary to foster student learning and engagement. With the rapid advancements intechnology and the increasing normalization of virtual meetings, online professionaldevelopment (OPD) [1], [2] has become a viable and often preferred alternative to traditionalin-person PD. OPD offers unique
could, in turn, be useful in understanding overall technical communication skills in furtherresearch.IntroductionThe subsequent sections of this paper will introduce the background of spatial andcommunication skills in the context of engineering and discuss research findings on theintersection between these two skillsets.Spatial Skills in EngineeringThere has been a significant body of research that suggests a relationship between strong spatialskills and overall success in engineering [1]-[6]. Further research has shown that spatial skillscan be correlated with success in the subjects of mathematics [7]-[9], physics [10], chemicalengineering [11], and areas of programming and computer science [12]-[15] Research has alsoshown differences in
nowcommonplace within undergraduate engineering programs, which often begin with a first-yeardesign course for engineering majors. This is consistent with Outcome 5 for students in the 2024-2025 ABET criteria, which asserts that students should develop “an ability to function effectivelyon a team whose members together provide leadership, create collaborative and inclusiveenvironment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives” (p. 6) [1]. There are severalreasons to promote team-based learning within design courses, including that it emulates realdesign practice [2]; increases satisfaction among students in the course [3]; and helps to retainstudents, including those underrepresented in engineering [4].An inherent part of working on a team is
completedthe course in AY 2023-2024, and 23 completed it in AY 2024-2025.Leadership Development Offerings for First-Year Engineering StudentsIowa State University (ISU)Engineering freshmen at ISU participate in a structured leadership program [1, 2] that beginswith an off-campus community-building retreat during the first week of classes. During the firstsemester, they take a weekly seminar course taught by upper-class scholars and meet with courseinstructors or TAs twice a month to discuss development goals. They also attend monthlynetworking events to build connections within the engineering community. In the secondsemester, students complete a service-learning team project of their choice, following a SixSigma process to apply problem-solving and
modeling. Resultsindicate that design-focused interventions significantly enhanced students’ sense of belonging,identity, and perceptions of cultural compatibility within engineering, compared to scaffolding-focused interventions. These findings underscore the importance of design-focused pedagogyand inform faculty interventions to support equity-centered teaching practices.Introduction and research purposeMuch faculty development work positions faculty as “resistant” to change [1, 2]. We argue thatthis is a problematic and unproductive stance when seeking to promote asset-oriented,emancipatory teaching approaches. While it is understandable that faculty developers and changeleaders might experience frustration in the face of pushback, treating
that involve spatial skills.IntroductionThere is a significant body of research that indicates a correlation between spatial ability andsuccess in STEM fields [1], [2]. Specific studies have determined correlations between spatialability and medical sciences [3], computer drafting [4], chemistry [5], and calculus [6]. Withinengineering, spatial ability has been correlated to academic performance, retention rates, andprofessional success[5], [7]. This correlation has led to an interest in developing and trainingspatial ability in engineering students.Over the years, several spatial ability training courses have been developed. Many of thesecourses offer spatial training as a supplemental or required aspect of intro-level engineeringcurriculum
methods are increasingly being discussed [1] - [3]. Some concernswith grades include being an ineffective way to provide constructive feedback and demotivatingstudents [4]. Alternative grading strategies, including specifications grading, are gainingpopularity in higher education. Benefits of alternative grading methods include reduced studenttext anxiety [5], increased student self-efficacy [6], [7], similar or higher learning outputs [8],and higher grades in a subsequent course [9]. Many examples of alternative grading methods inengineering courses have recently been reported [10] - [15].In specifications grading, student work is scored pass/fail according to whether the assignmentsubmission meets the provided requirements, and the final grade
partners. In addition to presenting their work, students developed scaled drawings,cost estimates, and a list of potential funding sources for their clients. Incorporated as part of alarger curriculum redesign, there were three objectives for the course: (1) to improve students’design thinking skills, (2) to attract and retain students to the program, and (3) to engage studentswith the community in their adopted city.Though the course enrollment has grown from 5 (2022) to 8 (2023 and 2024) to 14 students(2025), the relatively small numbers mean that formal data was not collected during the firstthree years the course was offered; rather, we’ve iterated the course design based on informalobservations made each year by the course faculty. These
illuminating the values and challenges of emerging technologylike automated driving from societal, economical, and environmental points of views.In addition, many industry employers place a great deal of weight on them when deciding who tointerview and hire, and universities demonstrate the value they place on them by providing spacefor teams to work and time for faculty to serve as advisors. Universities may also consciously andintentionally incorporate them into students’ educational experiences in a variety of ways,depending on the specifics of the team and the project. Such efforts have been documented for theSAE/GM AutoDrive Challenge [1, 2] as well as for other competitions in which a larger numberof universities participate. Such competitions
enroll in their desired courses. An improved scheduling process wouldstreamline operations, allowing students to register for the courses they need while reducing theburden on faculty and staff, who often find themselves resolving issues at the last minute.The following performance metrics were identified to measure the process’s effectiveness: 1. Number of students unable to register for courses the week before first day of class, potentially delaying their graduation. 3 2. Number of scheduling issues identified the week before first day of class. 3. Number of unresolved issues on the first day of class. 4. Time schedulers must spend in scheduling and resolving problems.In previous
students receives initial training in cybersecurity togenerate awareness and include it as part of the considerations for all projects. Then, one of thestudent teams is selected to develop a project with a central security problem. We surveyed thestudents at the end of the capstone design sequence and used qualitative analysis methods to obtaininsights into the interventions' impact. This study intends to evaluate the impact of cybersecurityinterventions in capstone design projects, aiming at student learning outcomes and the efficacy ofan academic-military alliance. The two research questions we intended to respond to are: 1. How much would you estimate you knew about cybersecurity before starting your Capstone Project Labs I & II