Conference Session

Design in the ECE Curriculum

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

L. Brent Jenkins, Southern Polytechnic State University

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

1.2A 10V ref ref (a) (b)Figure 13: Incorrect and Correct Approaches for Dealing with Current Sources in Nodal AnalysisProactive StrategyRemind students that nodal analysis is really an enhanced version of Kirchhoff's Current Law. Notethat since each equation represents the sum of the currents leaving its respective node, each of its termsmust either be a current or a "V over R" term. Distribute the flowchart in Figure 14 to integrate thethree sub-methods of nodal analysis into a coherent whole. Encourage students to develop a "sense"that writing a nodal equation through a voltage source is

Conference Session

Curriculum in Electrical Engineering Technology

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kati Wilson, Texas A&M University; Ana Elisa Goulart, Texas A&M University; Wei Zhan, Texas A&M University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

equipmentneeded for the experiments and their network setup. Some feedback from our students is alsopresented. Section 4 presents additional laboratory experiments that are being adopted in a moreadvanced telecommunications class (ENTC 345). Finally, we conclude this paper by evaluatingthis VoIP initiative and discussing future plans to keep integrating VoIP into our curriculum.2 – Moving towards IP-based communicationsThe environment where this VoIP initiative is taking place is the Electronics andTelecommunications Engineering Technology program at Texas A&M. This four-yearengineering program offers several courses on telecommunication networks. One of them is aclass on Local and Metropolitan Area Networks (ENTC 315), which is a required class to

Conference Session

Teaching Mechanics of Materials and General Mechanics Education

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Bridget Wadzuk, Villanova University; David Dinehart, Villanova University; Edward Glynn, Villanova University; Shawn Gross, Villanova University; Frank Hampton, Villanova University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanics

premise is builtaround a prioritized list of topics (each linked to an associated student learning outcome) that areutilized in upper level courses or in the practice of civil engineering. The steps involved indeveloping a BOK are: 1. Development of an all inclusive topic list containing topicstraditionally taught as well as those that have been considered supplemental, 2. Development of amechanism for all faculty to provide input on each topic, 3. Synthesis and evaluation of the datacollected, 4. Creation of the prioritized topic list to be included in the curriculum, 5. Parsing ofthe BOK into logistical modules, and 6. Development of course format, sequence, and content tobest fit the BOK. An example of the BOK methodology applied to a

Conference Session

Faculty and Program Exchanges: Internationalizing, Collaborations and Interactions

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Fanyu Zeng, Indiana Wesleyan University; Chao Liu, Southeast University; Xiaodong Zhang, Southeast University

Tagged Divisions

International

Student Learning OutcomesAbstractThis paper presents an initiative of an engineering curriculum enhancement and an example ofcollaborative junior student’s project development, based on the enhanced curriculum. The maingoal of this research is to integrate the best practices from the American engineering educationprograms into existing engineering curriculum, and to study the effectiveness of theenhancement, made up of a number of new focus areas in critical thinking and practical problemsolving.The research is carried out to study the feasibility and effectiveness of newly designed projectcollaborations between an American professor and a Chinese student, involved in a juniorproject. American professor helps to integrate successful American

Conference Session

Assessment and Curriculum Development

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

David Hall, Louisiana Tech University; Stan Cronk, Louisiana Tech University; James Nelson, Louisiana Tech University; Patricia Brackin, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

Curriculum: “Living with the Lab”All engineering students at Louisiana Tech enroll in an integrated curriculum designed to Page 14.619.3incorporate many of the educational practices of the National Science Foundation EducationalCoalitions9. Students complete three engineering courses (ENGR 120, 121 and 122) which areimplemented as combined lecture / laboratory classes and which meet twice each week for tenweeks for 110 minutes per meeting, as shown in Table 1.Our freshman integrated curriculumincludes differential and integral calculus courses, basic chemistry lecture and laboratorycourses, and a calculus-based physics course; students also

Conference Session

Computational Tools and Simulation I

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Nabil Lehlou, University of Arkansas; Nebil Buyurgan, University of Arkansas; Justin Chimka, University of Arkansas

Tagged Divisions

Computers in Education

AC 2009-1519: AN ON-LINE RFID LABORATORY LEARNING ENVIRONMENTAND THE ASSESSMENT OF ITS USERS’ EDUCATIONNabil Lehlou, University of ArkansasNebil Buyurgan, University of ArkansasJustin Chimka, University of Arkansas Page 14.209.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2009 An Online RFID Laboratory Learning Environment and the Assessment of its User’s EducationAbstractDue to the increasing demand for RFID expertise and the existence of a knowledge gap betweenindustry and academia in this domain, work has been stimulated to help spread understanding inthis field and bridge the gap between theoretical examinations and industrial practices

Conference Session

Innovative and Nontraditional Curriculum in IT/IET

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

David Hata, Portland Community College; James Dockendorf, Normandale Community College

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

andapplying their RF knowledge the manufacture of integrated circuits and othersilicon-based products.Normandale Community College has created a new course entitled NANO 2295Advanced Plasma Processing. This course was first offered during Springsemester of 2008 and had an enrollment of 8 students. The course was modeledafter PCC’s MT 240 RF Plasma Systems course.Faculty EnhancementFinally, this project will provide faculty training in plasma technology andplasma-aided manufacturing. Three faculty enhancement workshops forcommunity college faculty will be held during 2008 and 2009. A two-day basicplasma technology workshops, which focuses on basic plasma physics and RF

Collection

2009 Pacific Southwest Section Meeting

Authors

James Helbling

472 INTEGRATING DESIGN APPLICATION AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS INTO SENIOR DESIGN COURSES James Helbling, Department of Aeronautical Engineering Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Prescott, AZThis paper recounts the evolution of a capstone senior design course taught at Embry-RiddleAeronautical University in Prescott, Arizona. It will discuss the development of the applicationbased learning objectives and the integration of a technical communication component into thecourse in question, and the challenges and negotiations involved in successfully implementingthese

Conference Session

Learning as a Community

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Timothy Hinds, Michigan State University; Thomas Wolff, Michigan State University; Neeraj Buch, Michigan State University; Amanda Idema, Michigan State University; Cynthia Helman, Michigan State University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

AC 2009-1922: INTEGRATING A FIRST-YEAR ENGINEERING PROGRAMWITH A LIVING-LEARNING COMMUNITYTimothy Hinds, Michigan State University TIMOTHY J. HINDS is an Academic Specialist in the Michigan State University College of Engineering Undergraduate Studies and Department of Mechanical Engineering. He is the lead instructor for the Cornerstone Engineering / Spartan Engineering program teaching courses in engineering design and modeling. He has also taught courses in machine design, manufacturing processes, mechanics, computational tools and international product design as well as graduate-level courses in engineering innovation and technology management. He has over 25 years of combined academic

Collection

2009 Spring ASEE Middle Atlantic Section Conference

Authors

Josh Wyrick; Catherine Booth

comparable multi-disciplinaryexperiments, (3) provide experiments that have relevance to real-world engineering issues, and(4) incorporate sustainable engineering topics into the curriculum while instilling a sense ofglobal responsibility in first-year engineers.Bibliography1. ASEE, http://www.asee.org/about/Sustainable_Development.cfm2. Woodruff, P. (2006). Educating Engineers to Create a Sustainable Future. Journal of Environmental Engineering,132 (4).3. Sukumaran, B., K. Jahan, D. Dorland, J. Everett, J. Kadlowec, Z. Gephardt, and S. Chin (2006). EngineeringClinics: An Integration of Research into the Undergraduate Curriculum. Council on Undergraduate ResearchQuarterly, 26(3), p.115-121.4. Thames & Kosmos, http://www.thamesandkosmos.com

Collection

2009 Northeast Section Meeting

Authors

Josh Wyrick; Catherine Booth

real-world engineering issues, and(4) incorporate sustainable engineering topics into the curriculum while instilling a sense ofglobal responsibility in first-year engineers.Bibliography1. ASEE, http://www.asee.org/about/Sustainable_Development.cfm2. Woodruff, P. (2006). Educating Engineers to Create a Sustainable Future. Journal of Environmental Engineering,132 (4).3. Sukumaran, B., K. Jahan, D. Dorland, J. Everett, J. Kadlowec, Z. Gephardt, and S. Chin (2006). EngineeringClinics: An Integration of Research into the Undergraduate Curriculum. Council on Undergraduate ResearchQuarterly, 26(3), p.115-121.4. Thames & Kosmos, http://www.thamesandkosmos.com/products/wp/wp.html5. Bakrania, S., K. Bhatia, W. Riddell, L. Weiss. (2009). Wind

Conference Session

Entrepreneurship Education: Crossdisciplinary Programs

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

sasikumar naidu, University of Tennessee; Prasanna Venkateswara Rao, University of Tennessee, Knoxville; Paul Frymier, University of Tennessee, Knoxville; Spivey Douglas, University of Tennessee, Knoxville; Gary Smith, University of Tennessee, Knoxville; Masood Parang, University of Tennessee, Knoxville; Rapinder Sawhney, University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Tagged Divisions

Entrepreneurship & Engineering Innovation

of students studying both engineering and business, and to direct those skillsto product development. The intent was not merely to allow students to receive twograduate degrees in a compressed time frame, but to tightly integrate the two degrees sothat multidisciplinary student teams would be able to develop an industrial product all theway from concept to market. The students obtained a Master of Business Administration[MBA] degree and a Master of Science [MS] degree in an engineering discipline in 23months. The students worked in teams and were expected to have developed a concept, abusiness plan, a marketing plan and a prototype for a marketable product by completionof the program.Development of two new graduate courses: ≠ Product

Conference Session

IT-based Instructional Technologies

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Peng Li, East Carolina University

Tagged Divisions

Information Systems

. Thedecentralized virtual lab can provide 24x7 availability because a student does not need to shareany equipment with others. Virtualization technology has helped improve and will continuehelping enhance distance learning through remote labs.AcknowledgmentsThis project is part of the ongoing effort to integrate virtualization technology into ourcurriculum. I would like to extend thanks to Dr. Tijjani Mohammed, Dr. Phil Lunsford, Dr.Chengcheng Li, and Mr. Lee Toderick for their help and support.Bibliography1. P. Li, P. Lunsford, T. Mohammed, L. Toderick, and C. Li, “Using Virtual Machine Technology in an Undergraduate Intrusion Detection Lab”, Proceedings of 2007 ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, June, 2007.2. P. Li, T

Conference Session

Design in Freshman and Sophomore Courses

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Thomas Schubert, University of San Diego; Frank Jacobitz, University of San Diego; Ernest Kim, University of San Diego

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

AC 2009-1520: THE ENGINEERING DESIGN PROCESS: AN ASSESSMENT OFSTUDENT PERCEPTIONS AND LEARNING AT THE FRESHMAN LEVELThomas Schubert, University of San Diego Thomas F. Schubert, Jr. received his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering from the University of California, Irvine, Irvine CA in 1968, 1969 and 1972 respectively. He is currently a Professor of electrical engineering at the University of San Diego, San Diego, CA and came there as a founding member of the engineering faculty in 1987. He previously served on the electrical engineering faculty at the University of Portland, Portland OR and Portland State University, Portland OR and on the engineering staff at Hughes Aircraft

Conference Session

Industry Collaborations in Engineering Technology

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Phillip Sanger, Western Carolina University; Chip Ferguson, Western Carolina University; Wesley Stone, Western Carolina University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

capstone projectwhich is pursued in teams and addresses specific products to improve healthcare and aging-in-place and products that improve the lives of persons with disabilities. These needs wereidentified by healthcare professionals in focus group discussions. The teams are mentoredthroughout the development process by the professionals that initiated the need. The role of theseprofessionals is that of an active and vital voice of the customer fully integrated in thedevelopment process. Over the past three years sixty students have followed the senior capstonecourse sequence and six patentable products have been created.BackgroundIn 2004, the Council on Competitiveness issued its final report on the National InnovationInitiative called

Conference Session

Issues and Direction in ET Education and Administration: Part II

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

David Spang, Burlington County College; Vladimir Genis, Drexel University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

, ability toset priorities, understanding of the business fundamentals, and creativity and innovation.The importance of non-technical skills in a technical curriculum is something that has beenconsidered by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), in both itsEngineering Technology and Engineering accreditation standards. ABET currently requires non-technical skill sets that include: an ability to function effectively on teams; an ability tocommunicate effectively; a recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in lifelonglearning; an ability to understand professional, ethical and social responsibilities; a respect fordiversity and a knowledge of contemporary professional, societal and global issues; and acommitment

Conference Session

BME Curriculum Development

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Regina Nelson, University of Wisconsin, Madison; Naomi Chesler, University of Wisconsin, Madison

Tagged Divisions

Biomedical

AC 2009-1366: CONSIDERING THE MATHEMATICAL APPROACH ANDCOURSE-CONTENT STRUCTURE WHEN TEACHING PHYSIOLOGY TOBIOMEDICAL ENGINEERSRegina Nelson, University of Wisconsin, Madison Regina Nelson is a doctoral student in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She received an M.Ed. in Special Education from the University of Pittsburgh and an M.S. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her research focuses on teaching methods and assessment of learning outcomes related to the physiology sub-curriculum in biomedical engineering education.Naomi Chesler, University of Wisconsin, Madison Naomi Chesler is an Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering at

Conference Session

New Learning Paradigms I

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Warren Hull, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge; Warren Waggenspack, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge; Lillian B Bowles, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge; David Bowles, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge; Tiffany Walter Choplin, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

. This core groupof eleven faculty members prepared for a leadership role in the communication project byattending a CxC-sponsored Faculty Institute during the summer of 2005. The engineering teamreceived a comprehensive orientation to the campus-wide CxC program and explored how theirparticipation could lead to the integration of communication goals in the COE curriculum. Theyworked on their individual syllabi, as well as college-wide plans for a COE CommunicationStudio. They shared their ideas about an engineering graduate’s need for communication skillsand their newly-revised syllabi with faculty members representing all colleges, who provided aninterdisciplinary audience for their perspectives. In many cases, the necessary communication

Conference Session

BME Curriculum Development

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Sonya Seif-Naraghi, University of California, San Diego

Tagged Divisions

Biomedical

customlearned and recording the most uncomfortable moment or a success story for the week. A Page 14.431.5course description of an example class is provided in Appendix C. This is a suggestedoutline for a course in any university.Student TestimonialThere is a relative dearth of examples of students who have successfully completed asemester of study abroad and still graduated on time; this is a testimonial from onestudent who did: “My semester abroad was excellent. I went through all the standard phases – infatuation, homesickness, rebound, and integration. I know how exciting it can be to live somewhere new, how frustrating and exhausting

Conference Session

Programs That Serve Industry and Academia

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Zhili (Jerry) Gao, North Dakota State University; Zhi GE, North Dakota State University; Charles McIntyre, North Dakota State University

Tagged Divisions

Continuing Professional Development

withthe Master program. An online program allows nontraditional students to take classes at theirconvenience while retaining their full-time jobs and maintaining their commitments to familyand community. Among a set of courses required by curriculum, construction estimating was oneof the most challenging courses for online delivery due to its complexity, hands-on approach oflearning, and group work requirements. This paper reports the process, results, and lessons Page 14.453.2learned from developing and delivering an online construction estimating course during summerand fall semesters in 2008.StartupDuring the 2008 spring semester, the Department

Conference Session

Improving Mechanics & Structural Modeling Courses

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Pramod Chaphalkar, Grand Valley State University; Shirley Fleischmann, Grand Valley State University; Janice Pawloski, Grand Valley State University; Hugh Jack, Grand Valley State University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

the capstone seniorprojects and after the entire three-semester co-op experience is completed. In this scenario EGR409 loses its impact because it is too late in the curriculum. The present sequence is thereforeless beneficial to the students in terms of co-op experience and the senior project.InputsA survey of the employers and input gathered from discussions with them indicated that theywanted students to be better prepared with, among other things, a grasp of solid mechanics andwith a broader background in machine elements before they go for the first co-op. An ability toselect basic off-the-shelf machine components was also desirable. .Many employers also indicated that they wanted students to be familiar with the FEA tools andshould be

Conference Session

Research and Education in Radiation and Radiologic

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mitchell Pryor; Sheldon Landsberger

Tagged Divisions

Nuclear and Radiological

and equipment grants to formalize a curriculaaround the captured knowledge. Akbar and Dutta12 address the balance that must be foundbetween research and education that is complicated by the inclusion of both government andindustrial labs. They conclude there is a “synergistic benefit of such an approach and reinforce aprevalent belief that innovation in research can help enrich education.” Finally Newberry13developed a missile system design graduate curriculum that strove to balance scientificdevelopment and robust design. He emphasized that “Design and judgment are the essence ofengineering; they are the primary factors that differentiate engineering from science.” This is alesson that should not be forgotten even as we work hard to advance

Conference Session

Manufacturing Education Curriculum

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kenneth Stier, Illinois State University

Tagged Divisions

Manufacturing

expense to companies3. It stands to reason that supply chain managementhas become an area that companies are giving much more attention and are integrating into everyfacet of their business. As companies went global with their sourcing programs over the years,procurement became a strategic function within successful organizations4. It has becomeimportant for students in engineering and technology programs to become familiar with theconcepts of supply chain management, forecasting, inventory control and continuousimprovement. This paper will describe how effective supply chain strategies using inventory control canhelp companies become more competitive in the global marketplace. The author will explain amanual simulation that is used in his

Conference Session

Curriculum in Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology: Part I

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Muhammad Hasan, Texas A&M University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

incorporated seamlessly into a design that can be implemented onFPGAs. As such, a course needs to be developed encompassing microcontroller architecture,digital system design and implementation on FPGAs using VHDL. This paper describes thedevelopment of such a course with a case study of microprocessor design and implementation.The discussions also extend to incorporating an IP core processor in a system design that targetsFPGAs.IntroductionOne of the major objectives of curriculum development is to enhance students’ learning1. Thefactors that support this objective has been identified in1 and in several other studies as: a)allowing students to be empowered, informed, and responsive learners who can assume ameaningful role in the society; b) providing

Conference Session

Multidisciplinary Curriculum Innovation

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Michael Ciaraldi, Worcester Polytechnic Institute; Eben Cobb, Worcester Polytechnic Institute; David Cyganski, Worcester Polytechnic Institute; Michael Demetriou; Greg Fischer; Michael Gennert, Worcester Polytechnic Institute; Fred Looft, Worcester Polytechnic Institute; William Michalson, Worcester Polytechnic Institute; Bradley Miller, Worcester Polytechnic Institute; Taskin Padir, Worcester Polytechnic Institute; Yiming Rong, Worcester Polytechnic Institute; Kenneth Stafford, Worcester Polytechnic Institute; Gretar Tryggvason, Worcester Polytechnic Institute; James Van de Ven, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Tagged Divisions

Multidisciplinary Engineering

, involving faculty from the departments ofComputer Science (CS), Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) and MechanicalEngineering (ME) and was designed top-down, starting with goals and objectives. Recognizingthat it is impossible to include a comprehensive course of study equivalent to a BS in CS, ECE,and ME in a 4-year degree, the new RBE program provides a solid foundation in each, withapplications drawn from Robotics. In keeping with WPI’s educational approach, the curriculumengages students early and often in creative hands-on projects.The core of the program consists of five new courses: an entry-level course and four “unifiedrobotics” courses based on a “spiral curriculum” philosophy, where the students are engaged inincreasingly complex

Conference Session

BME Curriculum Development

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Aura Gimm, Duke University

Tagged Divisions

Biomedical

carry specific stimulating molecules and addressingmolecules, are taken up by targeted immune cells, triggering an increased and more specificimmune response1. Although nanoscience promises major benefits for health and may makepossible a wealth of new technologies, there have also been concerns about possible harmfuleffects of nanomaterials on health2-3.The emerging field of nanoscale science and engineering provides tremendous potential to allowscientists and engineers to improve existing products or to enable completely new applications.In order to realize this potential, the workforce needs to be trained and educated in theinterdisciplinary fields that provide the intellectual foundation for nanotechnology4. For thisreason, there is a large

Conference Session

Classroom Engagement

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Keith Holbert, Arizona State University

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

teaching heat and mass transfer,” Proc. 2000 ASEE Annual Conference, St. Louis, MO.36. J.L. Barrott, “Why should cases be integrated into the engineering technology curriculum?,” Proc. 2001 ASEE Annual Conference, Albuquerque, NM.37. B.S. Motlagh, A. Rahrooh, N. Safai, “Redefining engineering education methods using new technologies,” Proc. 2002 ASEE Annual Conference, Montreal, Canada.38. R.P. Hesketh, S. Farrell, C.S. Slater, “The role of experiments in inductive learning,” Proc. 2002 ASEE Annual Conference, Montreal, Canada.39. M. Alley, H. Robertshaw, “Rethinking the design of presentation slides,” Proc. 2003 ASEE Annual Conference, Nashville, TN.40. A.M. Eskicioglu, D. Kopec, “The ideal multimedia-enabled

Conference Session

Innovative Methods to Teach Engineering to URMs

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Wei Zheng, Jackson State University; Gordon Skelton, Jackson State University; HuiRu Shih, Jackson State University; Evelyn Leggette, Jackson State University; Tzusheng Pei, Jackson State University

Tagged Divisions

Minorities in Engineering

AC 2009-1201: NURTURE MOTIVATED, CONFIDENT, AND STRATEGICLEARNERS IN ENGINEERING THROUGH COGNITIVE ANDPSYCHOLOGICAL INSTRUCTION FOR AN ENTRY-LEVEL COURSEWei Zheng, Jackson State University Dr. Wei Zheng is an Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering at Jackson State University. He received his Ph.D. degree in Civil Engineering from University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2001 and has over 10-year industrial experience. Since becoming a faculty member at JSU in 2005, he has made continuous efforts to integrate emerging technologies and cognitive skill development into engineering curriculum. He serves as a freshmen advisor for the First Year Experience Program at JSU and is the Principle Investigator for

Conference Session

Engineering Ethics V

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Tammy VanDeGrift, University of Portland; Donald Chinn, University of Washington, Tacoma

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Ethics

predict effectiveness. Bailey and Stefaniak3used surveys, interviews, and focus groups to determine what employers in the IT industry valued asimportant non-technical skills for employees. They identified both soft skills and business skillsmentioned by the 325 IT professionals surveyed. A panel at the ACM Conference in 1978 presented skillsets of what industry looks for in new hires – among these skills are math ability, software developmentknowledge, problem-solving, team skills, initiative, diversity, and versatility14.Several resources exist for teaching issues of professionalism and ethics. Among these are exercisescompiled by the working group on integrating professionalism into the curriculum11. An exercise aboutresearching types of

Conference Session

Innovative Curriculum and Practices in Engineering Technology

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Gary Mullett, Springfield Technical Community College

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

of students and a nation-wide declining demand forelectronics technicians. As Moore’s Law continues to impact and transform the electronics fieldone wonders what skills will be needed by electronics technicians by the middle of the nextdecade (2015) and beyond or if there will be any demand for students that have the typical skillsets of electronics technician graduates of this decade. Recently, within the faculty ranksteaching in this area, there has been more discussion about the future and an increasing sense ofurgency that curriculum change is needed or there will be an ever increasing disconnect betweenwhat skills business and industry desire and what is being taught in typical ET associate degreeprograms. Many forward looking faculty