Conference Session

Engineering Education in Africa, Asia and the Mid-East Region

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Waddah Akili, Iowa State University

Tagged Divisions

International

AC 2009-998: ON THE NEED TO CHANGE CLASSROOM PRACTICES IN THEARAB STATES: TRENDS, OPPORTUNITIES, AND FUTURE PLANSWaddah Akili, Iowa State University Page 14.930.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2009 On the Need to Change Classroom Practices in the Arab States: Trends, Opportunities, and Future PlansIntroductionThis paper is a follow up to prior papers by the author on engineering education reform in theArab Region of the Persian Gulf (Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Qatar,and the Sultanate of Oman), addressing some vital issues that have been either neglected or havenot been sufficiently addressed.(1-7) The purpose

Conference Session

Design in the ECE Curriculum

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Bruce Dunne, Grand Valley State University; Chirag Parikh, Grand Valley State University; Andrew Sterian, Grand Valley State University

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

using theAltera ATmega324P microcontroller1 for the purposes of controlling a mobile robot.These labs begin with basic motion and peripheral control and eventually lead to the Page 14.809.2implementation of a PID control system for predictable motion. The final designchallenge is to attempt to autonomously navigate the robot successfully through ourmodel of the Firefighting Robot Challenge maze2, as seen below in Figure 1. Figure 1: Robot Competition MazeIn order to program their robot to achieve the autonomous navigation, the studentsprogress through the following learning units:• presentation of the architecture and

Conference Session

Distance and Web-Based Learning in Engineering Technology: Part I

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

B. Sridhara, Middle Tennessee State University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

instruction in ET courses such as statics, dynamics,thermodynamics, strength of materials, vibration, design of machine elements and fluid powerdue to the math and/or lab component involved in these courses. In the last ten years he hastaught the above mentioned courses using CourseInfo (BlackBoard)1 ,2, 3 and WebCT.4,5 WebCTwas a major improvement over CourseInfo as it offered several new and efficient tools fordeveloping our ET course sites. The file management system was very useful particularly in ourcomputer-assisted design/drafting (CADD) classes where it was necessary to downloadapproximately a hundred student submissions (files) for each assignment. Other instructors inour ET department are teaching engineering economy, operations management

Conference Session

Advanced Materials Education

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Somnath Chattopadhyay, Pennsylvania State University

Tagged Divisions

Materials

underwind, tornado and earthquake loads. We also want it to be cheap because so muchmaterial is being used and the cost adds up.Beams of one kind or the other are used in the buildings. The most important ones arethe floor joists which are loaded primarily in bending. If we consider a beam ofrectangular cross section of width ‘b’ and height ‘d’, the second moment of area of thecross section, I is: bd 3 I (1) 12For an applied bending moment M, the bending stress on the outer fiber located at adistance ym from the neutral axis of the beam (which is neither in tension or compression)is given by, Mym M

Conference Session

Workplace Concerns, Realities, and Intangibles

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Craig Gunn, Michigan State University

Tagged Divisions

Cooperative & Experiential Education

, Economic Analysis, Recommendation for Action Tools: EES.Powerpoint ME 391 – Mechanical Engineering Analysis ME 412 – Heat Transfer Reading, thinking, and teamwork Design Project Documentation: Tools: Matlab Formal Report (1 @ 10 pp. + App., Individual) Memo Reports ( X @ 2 - 5 pages App., Individual) Tools: MS Word

Conference Session

Instrumentation and Controls Laboratories

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Oscar Ortiz, LeTourneau University; Paul Leiffer, LeTouneau University

Tagged Divisions

Division Experimentation & Lab-Oriented Studies

transistors, MOSFETs, SCR’s Diacs, Triacs, and optoelectronic devices.Project-based learning develops the ability of the students to work in interdisciplinaryteams. Projects carried out by interdisciplinary teams are not only an expectation ofindustry but also have become a required outcome of the ABET engineering criteria. Aseries of curriculum tools have been developed at our school to ensure that students willhave a measure of success in project team work [1] Project-based learning is aninstructional method that demands from the student acquisition of critical knowledge,problem solving proficiency, self-directed learning strategies, and team participationskills [2]During the 2007 fall semester the students studied and implemented FM transmitters

Conference Session

Assessment and Continuous Improvement in Engineering Technology: Part II

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Nripendra Sarker, Prairie View A&M University; Mohan Ketkar, Prairie View A&M University; Cajetan Akujuobi, Prairie View A&M University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

(2008-09) is Program EducationalObjectives. ABET defines Program Educational Objectives as1: Program educational objectives are broad statements that describe the career and professional accomplishments that the program is preparing graduates to achieve.In the process of assessing the achievement of program objectives, ABET assesses the level ofachievement of each program objective including involvement of various constituents supportingthe program. Based on the above broad statement, a number of specific educational programobjectives were developed as shown in Figure 1. Program Objective 1 Produce graduates who will have successful careers in Computer Engineering Technology and related fields

Conference Session

NSF Grantees Poster Session

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Musa Jouaneh, University of Rhode Island; William Palm, University of Rhode Island

development of two experimental setups. These setupsare: a DC motor with tachometer, and a temperature measurement system. The kits are plannedto be initially tested in two mechanical engineering courses in the Spring 2009 semester.IntroductionMost Mechanical Engineering curricula include courses in system dynamics, controls,mechatronics, and vibrations. At most schools, these courses do not have a laboratorycomponent. Even at schools that have such a component, laboratory access is often limited. Weneed to supplement the course lectures with experiential learning. Providing engaging laboratoryexperience is one of several challenges to effective undergraduate education in STEM disciplinesas reported by The National Research Council (NRC) [1].To make

Conference Session

Frontiers in Engineering Economy

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Robert Lundquist, Ohio State University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Economy

the asset must be determined. Next therecovery period is used to determine the correct column in the MACRS percentage table.Finally the percentage from that table corresponding to the recovery year of interest ismultiplied by the basis of the asset to find the amount of the depreciation for that year.1. HistoryBefore ACRS the IRS published guidelines for acceptable asset lives for tax purposescalled Asset Depreciation Ranges or ADRs. The depreciation method could be chosenfrom any of the commonly used accounting methods, straight line, sum of years digitsand declining balance using 150%, 175% and 200%. In most cases the company waspermitted to switch one time from any of these methods to any other. Salvage valueswere also somewhat arbitrary

Conference Session

Embedded Computing

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Michael Holden, California Maritime Academy

Tagged Divisions

Computers in Education

, and the Measurement Systems Laboratory.These three courses were chosen because the existing material supports the microcontrollertopics to be added. They are also taught by the author, which simplifies changing the curriculuminitially. Table 1 shows the course titles, microcontroller topics added, and the semester studentstraditionally take the course.Table 1: Courses and Topics Semester Course Topics Fall Sophomore Computer Programming (MATLAB) Introduction to C Spring Sophomore Circuits Lab Peripherals and hardware Fall Junior Measurement Systems Lab DAQ ApplicationThe computer programming class focuses on

Conference Session

Project-Based Learning in ECE Education

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Joseph Hoffbeck, University of Portland

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

and transmit signals simultaneously, andoperates in real-time. The USRP is open source, and so all the design files are freely available.An overview article about the USRP is available9 and an article describing how to use the USRPto listen to FM radio has been published10. The USRP, which was designed by Matt Ettus, canbe purchased from Ettus Research11. Figure 1. The USRP with the Cover On (left) and Off (right).Although the USRP can be used by itself for a few applications, RF signals are usually interfacedto the USRP using daughterboards which plug into sockets on the USRP and are also availablefrom Ettus Research. The USRP can accommodate up to two receive daughterboards and twotransmit daughterboards as shown in Figure 2

Conference Session

LABVIEW-Based Experiments and Robotics Laboratory

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jason Yao, East Carolina University; Edwin Bartlett, East Orthopedics

Tagged Divisions

Division Experimentation & Lab-Oriented Studies

project assessment, then discusses the successes and lessons learnt from thiscapstone experience, and reveals the importance of the partnership among the engineering department andthe other two parties involved. II. PROJECT DESCRIPTIONOverview of the Project:When administrating orthopedic injections, good injection techniques often afford the highest rate ofsuccess.[1] Among these techniques, proper needle tip locations play a critical role. Experiencedorthopedists usually are able to ensure the needle tip in the desired joint cavity by intuitively pointing thesyringe in an appropriate way and occasionally pressing the syringe plunger to test the difficulty ofinjection. However, pointing the needle tip to

Conference Session

Modeling Student Data

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mark Urban-Lurain, Michigan State University; Jon Sticklen, Michigan State University; Daina Briedis, Michigan State University; Neeraj Buch, Michigan State University; Thomas Wolff, Michigan State University

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

, introduces SEM and the modelswe are evaluating and discusses the data collection, management and analysis we areimplementing to track the various components of the project. The methods are appropriate forother in situ studies of educational interventions.Overview of EEESEEES targets two groups of students who are at-risk for leaving engineering: 1) students who areacademically capable of completing an engineering degree but perceive the educationenvironment of early engineering as being unsupportive and not engaging 2-4; and 2) studentswho struggle with core prerequisite courses, mainly calculus and physics. Analysis of our paststudent retention patterns show that grades in these core courses are the best predictors of futureadmission to Engineering

Conference Session

Improving the Teaching Skills of Graduate Students

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Elaine Crocker, Memorial University of Newfoundland; Ramachandran Venkatesan, Memorial University of Newfoundland; Steven Shorlin, Memorial University of Newfoundland; Nabil Dawood, Memorial University of Newfoundland

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

University of Victoria, and the University of Western Ontario also offer suchopportunities2.Wulff and Austin (2004) argue that graduate teaching assistants should be given avariety of teaching assignments as part of a systematic process3. This is possible within theTOGA model.Evolution of ModelThe original model for TOGA that was piloted throughout our university from 2005 - 2007encompassed three main categories of teaching assignments for graduate student teachingassistants (TAs). Teaching assistants at level 1 were considered to be beginning or novice TAswho would not provide much direct instruction to undergraduate students. At level 2, a graduateteaching assistant would be more involved in providing instructional support to undergraduatestudents

Conference Session

Projects and Problems in First-Year Courses

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Vinod Lohani, Virginia Tech; Ganesh Balasubramanian, Virginia Tech; Ishwar Puri, Virginia Tech; Scott Case, Virginia Tech; Roop Mahajan, Virginia Tech

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

within ESM DepartmentThe ESM department has 23 faculty members and 123 undergraduate students from sophomoreto senior levels. The relatively small size of this department makes it an excellent venue forexamining the effectiveness of the instructional options like the nanotechnology option proposedin this paper. Figure 1 shows a list of experiences/courses students will undergo as part of theproposed nanotechnology option within the ESM department. All engineering freshmen areintroduced to basic fundamentals of nanotechnology to begin the spiral curriculum experiences.In addition to repeating basic nanotechnology concepts, students will be introduced to thesocietal and ethical aspects of this emerging technology at the next level of learning

Conference Session

Curricular Issues in Computer-Oriented Programs

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Reza Sanati-Mehrizy, Utah Valley State College; Floyd Wilkes, Utah Valley University; Afsaneh Minaie, Utah Valley University

Tagged Divisions

Information Systems

hypothesis was that understanding these latter models would be easier for students ifthey saw the same database example presented in all these three models. As a test of thispremise, one of the authors gave students in a database class the assignment ofimplementing a database problem in the three models. Students who participated wereasked to report their experiences from completing the assignment. The results obtainedfrom the students are evaluated and reported in this paper.KeywordsDatabase Design, Relational databases, Object-Relational databases, Object-Orienteddatabases.1. IntroductionIn a previous paper1, the authors discussed a perceived difficulty that students havelearning the features, capabilities, and uses of the three major database

Conference Session

Attitudes, Self-Confidence, and Self-Efficacy of Women Engineering Students

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Holly Matusovich, Virginia Tech; Ruth Streveler, Purdue University; Ronald Miller, Colorado School of Mines; Barbara Olds, Colorado School of Mines

Tagged Divisions

Women in Engineering

engineering degrees, this research shows how students negotiate the choice process.This research focuses on ability beliefs which have been shown to be important in careerdecision-making processes particularly in STEM fields. 1-5 In particular, this study shows howtwo female participants, who, despite earning excellent grades, have recurring doubts about theirengineering-related ability and negotiate the path to persistence by adjusting their definitions ofwhat it means to be successful as an engineer. This current study builds on and expands a previous study 6 by examining an additional sixparticipants and focusing on similar research questions. Since qualitative research can be used togeneralize to a theory 7, increasing participant numbers

Conference Session

New Learning Paradigms I

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Margaret Huyck, Illinois Institute of Technology; Kristin Bryant, Illinois Institute of Technology; Daniel Ferguson, Ohio Northern University

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

AC 2009-1032: THE IMPACT OF REFLECTIONS IN SERVICE LEARNING ANDOTHER UNDERGRADUATE TEAM PROJECT LEARNINGMargaret Huyck, Illinois Institute of Technology Margaret Huyck is Professor in the Institute of Psychology, Illinois Institute of Technology. Her areas of expertise include adult development and program evaluation. She has been working with the IPRO Program at IIT for many years. She was a co-PI on an NSF CCLI-1 grant for adapting an EPICS Service Learning Pathway at IIT; and is the PI for a collaborative project funded with an NSF CCLI-2 grant to measure and identify best practices in multidisciplinary teamwork and awareness of ethical issues.Kristin Bryant, Illinois Institute of Technology

Conference Session

Curriculum Development and Teaching Models in NRE

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Dimitri Tamalis, Florida Memorial University; Sheldon Landsberger, University of Texas, Austin; Steven Biegalski, University of Texas, Austin; Vanessa Sanders, Florida Memorial University; Chanika Symister, Florida Memorial University; Rose Stiffin, Florida Memorial University

Tagged Divisions

Nuclear and Radiological

supply according to Figure 1 Fig. 1. Experimental Setup LND Neutron Timer - Counter Fission Chamber Amplifier NIM Power Pre-Amp Supply Page 14.603.3 SCA HV power supplyBackground counts and counts

Conference Session

Topics in Engineering Ethics IV

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Salvatore Marsico, Pennsylvania State University, Wilkes-Barre

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Ethics

consequently recorded as final actions.Licensing StatutesIn some instances, such as Alabama, a distinction is made between graduates from accreditedand nonaccredited institutions.: “ 1. Graduation in an approved engineering curriculum plus four years experience…. 2. Graduation in an unapproved engineering curriculum plus six years experience….10Whereas, other states require: “(i) graduation from an approved engineering curriculum of fouror more years.11 Each jurisdiction exercises autonomy and works with the registration boards todevelop statutes which meet their specific needs and make provisions for those coming fromother jurisdictions to either practice permanently or temporarily: “(A) The state board of registration for

Conference Session

Integrating Computer-based Technology in the Civil Engineering Classroom

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ayhan Irfanoglu, Purdue University; Yating Chang, Purdue University

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

”, has been deemedsuccessful. It is hoped that it could be offered in a similar format in Spring 2010.IntroductionAs highlighted in “The Engineer of 20202: Visions of Engineering in the New Century”1, naturaldisasters can still have serious impacts on society. Of these disasters, earthquakes provide aunique challenge due to the fact that there is limited ability to forecast the level of damage futureevents would deliver to built-environment. The low frequency but high consequence nature ofmajor urban area earthquakes requires sharing of technical and societal experience at global levelto understand the processes involved and to develop successful engineering designs as well asorganizational understanding to minimize risk in urban areas. True to

Conference Session

Measuring Success of Graduate Program Components

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Amanda O'Neill, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis; Jessica McCormick, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis; Matthew Steinkamp, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis; Patricia Fox, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis; Rachel Meyer, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis; Steven Brown, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis; Brandon Medcalf, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis; Nathaniel Greene, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

engineering and technology education. The researchers seek to determinein what areas the quality of an education can be improved. The information gathered ultimatelywill not only benefit the researchers as they continue their education, but the school, faculty, andinstitution.Method of Data Collection Page 14.1254.6Data was collected through a survey administered directly to all interested undergraduate andgraduate students of the School of Engineering and Technology, regardless of major, by theresearches on a voluntary basis, 330 students chose to participate. Appendix 1 contains acomprehensive list of all degrees offered by the School. The survey

Conference Session

Gender and Minority Issues in K-12 Engineering

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Siddika Guzey, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities; Tamara Moore, University of Minnesota; Gillian Roehrig, University of Minnesota

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

design process –ask, imagine, plan, create, test,improve (adapted from Boston Museum of Science). First, the students watched short video clipsthat explored civil engineering as a career. Then, they discussed different types of civilengineering projects found in their community and how to become a civil engineer. There weretwo purposes in this: (1) to help the students connect the content of the curriculum to theireveryday lives, and (2) to encourage the students to consider engineering as a career. Followingthese introductory activities, students engaged in deep discussions about the 35W bridgecollapse. This context connects activities in the Summer 2008 program and to the curriculum inthe after-school program in Fall 2008. During the summer

Conference Session

Tablet and Portable PCs for Education

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

David Bowman, Clemson University; Lisa Benson, Clemson University

Tagged Divisions

Computers in Education

) were made. Betweenobservations, instructors guided the students and answered their questions as they workedthrough the problems. The problems that students were assigned in this study pertained toenergy efficiency. Assignments were graded using a rubric based on formatting (proper header,neatness, etc), appropriate problem-solving strategies, proper use of equations, variables andunits, and correctness. Grades on these assignments were compared for the students working onpaper and on Tablet PCs.A 40-item motivation and attitude survey7 was administered to the students after theexperimental class sessions. This survey measures four aspects of motivation: 1. Value of being an engineering student 2. Value of becoming an engineer 3

Conference Session

Infusing Engineering Content Through Curricular Innovation

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Emily Wischow, Purdue University; Lynn Bryan, Purdue University; George Bodner, Purdue University

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

goals: to determine the effectiveness of aprofessional development program in achieving its goals (for example, bringing aboutpedagogical or content reform), and to ascertain teacher reactions to a professional developmentprogram. Since the study described here uses documents (specifically lesson plans) to evaluateprofessional development, the use of documents will be the focus of the descriptions.Many studies have utilized surveys and quantitative feedback measures to ascertain teacherresponses to and development from professional development programs. However, Lewthwaitepoints out that although surveys can monitor change, they may not capture the nature of thechange and development.1 In the case of our study, a mixed-methods approach may

Conference Session

Novel Measurement Experiments

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Carmine Polito, Valparaiso University

Tagged Divisions

Instrumentation

: Page 14.173.3 Figure 1: Cyclic Resistance Curve (after Mulilis, Chan and Seed1)1. Several cyclic triaxial tests are performed at different cyclic stress ratios (CSRs). The cyclic stress ratio is the ratio of the applied shearing stress to the effective confining stress. In a cyclic triaxial test, the applied shearing stress is one-half of the applied deviator stress. Therefore the cyclic stress ratio is simply the ratio of the applied deviator stress to twice the initial effective confining stress.2. The CSR applied in each test is then plotted against the number of cycles of deviator stress required to cause liquefaction in that test. This process is repeated for several cyclic stress ratios and a cyclic resistance

Conference Session

Student Attitudes and Perceptions

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Holly Matusovich, Virginia Tech; Ruth Streveler, Purdue University; Ronald Miller, Colorado School of Mines; Barbara Olds, Colorado School of Mines

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

).Introduction We often assume that graduating engineering students readily envision what it means to be anengineer and what type of work they will be doing as engineers in the future. How can we knowif this is true? This research begins to answer these questions by aiming to understandundergraduate engineering students’ perceptions of themselves as engineers in the future as wellas by considering how these perceptions shape their choice to become engineers. Why mightthis matter? Our justification for this research is the need to understand, from the student perspective, thechoice to become an engineer. Developing this understanding is key to answering recent calls 1-5to increase the number and diversity of engineering graduates and change the way

Conference Session

Critical issues in IT and IET: Focus Group

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Susan Scachitti, Purdue University, Calumet; Juan Salinas, Purdue University, Calumet; Deepthi Karanam, Purdue University, Calumet

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

when difficult and abstract models are studied.” (1)Simulation is being increasingly recognized as a useful and practical technique, especially ingiving a realistic view of the system under study. Different scenarios can be analyzed in order toinvestigate which configuration is the best to meet the objective. (2) Traditional theoreticalteaching methods teach engineering technology students the basics for problem solving. Whenused accordingly, simulation can enhance a student’s problem solving skills. For this reason,experience with discrete event process simulation software, often associated with the IndustrialEngineering Technology (IET) or Manufacturing Engineering Technology (MfET) disciplines,provides graduates with a unique and marketable

Conference Session

Manufacturing Education Curriculum

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kenneth Stier, Illinois State University

Tagged Divisions

Manufacturing

shows atwo dimensional computer-aided design drawing of the retailer station drawn in AutoCADsoftware. The drawing was plotted on an ANSI D- 22 x 34 in. (landscape layout) size paper andthen laminated. There is one laminated retailer layout for each of the groups that play the beergame in class. One player in each group is assigned to the retailer stage to role play this supplychain partner. The end customer is the retailer’s customer and is the source for the orders of beerat the retailer station. Once the retailer fills the end customer’s order, s/he sends another order tothe wholesaler.Figure 1. Drawing of the retailer station. The wholesaler is the retailer’s supplier and therefore is the next partner in the supplychain layout of

Conference Session

Teams and Teamwork in Design I

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Xiaobo Peng, Prairie View A&M University; Katie Grantham Lough, Missouri University of Science and Technology; Benjamin Dow, Missouri University of Science and Technology

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

students from bothuniversities. The projects were funded by GM Foundation through PACE program (Partners forthe Advancement of Collaborative Engineering Education), which is a consortium established byGM, EDS, Sun Microsystems, Siemens PLM Solutions, HP, Autodesk, and their globaloperations. Page 14.1127.2The objectives of the collaboration projects are:1. To teach students the necessary skills and technologies of conducting collaborativeengineering design in a distributed environment through experiential learning;2. To teach students to design system, components, and processes through real-life problems;3. To develop students the teamwork and