Conference Session

Curriculum Development and Multidisciplinary Instruction

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Catherine Skokan, Colorado School of Mines; Ravel F. Ammerman, Colorado School of Mines; William Hoff, Colorado School of Mines

Tagged Divisions

Multidisciplinary Engineering

handwriting, helpful explanations, and the many illustrative examples that he doesin class. The other two instructors for the remaining sections were a Teaching Professor and anadjunct. These sections contained about 60 students each as well.The three main tasks in this project completed were: 1. The initial planning stage was done over the summer, 2011 by the PIs. At this time we refined the plan for delivering the hybrid course, and developed the methods for taking and posting the videos. We used Blackboard for hosting the videos, as this allowed us to restrict access to the videos to the students enrolled in the “hybrid” section only. 2. The effort during the fall semester was to tape the lectures and post them online. We

Conference Session

Innovative IE Curricula

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

David Paul Sly, Iowa State University; Daniel P Bumblauskas, University of Missouri Harvard University; Adam R Carberry, Arizona State University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Economy, Engineering Management, Industrial Engineering

engineering students enrolled in the sales engineering courses between the Fall 2010and Fall 2012 semester were surveyed both at the beginning and end of the semester (N = 33).An instrument was developed for this study to specifically assess demographics, beliefs, andtechnical sales skills taught in the course (Appendix I). Student beliefs were specifically utilizedbecause only the individual can truly express their own attitudes, emotions, and internal stateswithin a specific domain6. The beliefs portion of the survey included six items rated from low tohigh on a scale from 1 to 10. A pre-post analysis of item means was undertaken for these items.The sales skill items were designed around the sales minor and the course content providinginitial

Conference Session

Integrating Curriculum and Labs in Engineering Technology Programs

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Craig A Chin, Southern Polytechnic State University; Leigh Sharma, Southern Polytechnic College of Engr and Engr Tech; Garth V Crosby, Southern Illinois University Carbondale

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

a two course series in data communications. A bottom-up approach isutilized in this series, with topics relevant to the lower layers of the TCP/IP protocol suite(physical and data link) being examined in ECET 3400 and topics relevant to the upper layers(network, transport and application) being examined in ECET 4820. Page 23.554.2As a part of ECET 3400, concepts pertaining to network models, such as frame format,encapsulation and addressing are introduced using a simplified frame format representation. Inthis representation, physical, logical, and port addresses are represented by simple numbers orletters (Figure 1). This simplified frame

Conference Session

Tablets, Mobile and Technology

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

John Oliver Cristy, Virginia Tech; Joseph G. Tront, Virginia Tech

Tagged Divisions

Computers in Education

. Thesefunctions can also be controlled through the Ribbon interface for those without touch or penenabled. Figure 1 shows the gestures provided by VText. Page 23.555.4 Figure 1 VText's GesturesWhile OneNote already provides a mechanism for searching the contents of handwritten notes,images, and text inside any book, VText adds a mechanism to search the web using popularsearch engines such as Google, Yahoo!, and Wikipedia for any text content in the books quicklyand easily. This feature, shown in Figure 2, can be accessed by selecting the desired searchterms and right clicking (a press and hold on a touch screen) then

Conference Session

Research and Graduate Studies

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mary Katherine Watson, Georgia Institute of Technology; Alexandra Coso Strong, Georgia Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

transmit course content to students. The opposite end of the continuum describesstudents as the agents of their own learning and instructors as facilitators during this process.Different categorizations of conceptions along this continuum have been defined in theliterature4,8,9,10. For this research, five contemporary philosophies of education will be used tocapture differences in conceptions of teaching and learning9,10. Two are instructor-centered,while the other three are learner-centered philosophies (See Table 1).Table 1. Comparison of philosophies of education, including differences in focus of studyinstructor role (Adapted from Koch11). Philosophy Focus of Study Role of Instructor Perennialism

Conference Session

Educational Research and Methods (ERM) Poster Session

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Diana Bairaktarova, Purdue University, West Lafayette; Mary K. Pilotte, Purdue University, West Lafayette; Demetra Evangelou, Purdue University, West Lafayette; Monica Farmer Cox, Purdue University, West Lafayette

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

for follow up research were proposed indirections of how to refocus and improve outreach engineering programs and their effectivenessand improve recruiting activities according to the main themes of Changing the Conversation.I. IntroductionOutreach programs are extremely important in increasing the percent of students interested inpursuing engineering. There are many examples of engineering outreach activities designed toeducate students about the wide variety of jobs available to those with an engineering degree,demonstrate the accessibility of engineering knowledge, and encourage students who wouldotherwise have steered clear of engineering to take another look [1, 2, 3,4]. Early outreach alsoallows students to start thinking about the

Conference Session

Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning through Laboratory Experiences

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Bridget M. Smyser, Northeastern University; Gregory J Kowalski, Northeastern University

Tagged Divisions

Division Experimentation & Lab-Oriented Studies

a complex series of skills on the part of the students includingskills in mathematical modeling, idea generation, experimental design, and written and oralpresentation. The capstone design process requires the students to generate design concepts andspecifications in response to real-world, open ended problems that may be ambiguous andinvolve a number of systems and a large degree of uncertainty.1 Given the difficulty in teachingthese design thinking skills, Dym et. al. discussed a number of methods for approaching designeducation with the idea of providing continuous improvement in the pedagogy. One of theirsuggestions was to attempt to bring design thinking into all parts of the engineering curriculum,starting with cornerstone design

Conference Session

First Year Engineering

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Irene B Mena, Pennsylvania State University, University Park; Sarah E Zappe, Pennsylvania State University, University Park; Thomas A. Litzinger, Pennsylvania State University, University Park

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

-year engineering experience at the University. Itanswers the following research questions: (1) How do students define engineering? (2) Why arestudents planning to major in engineering? (3) What are some of the positive experiences instudents’ first year of engineering? and (4) What are students’ perceptions of the followingengineer of 2020 skills and attributes: communication, creativity, global and multidisciplinaryteamwork, and ethics?Data for this study was collected using surveys and interviews. A total of 665 first-yearengineering students completed a survey in the fall 2011 semester. Forty first-year engineeringstudents who completed the survey participated in one one-hour semi-structured interview in thespring 2012 semester. The results

Conference Session

Capstone Projects, Design Projects, and Teamwork

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jacob T Allenstein, The Ohio State University; Bob Rhoads, Ohio State University; Peter Rogers, The Ohio State University; Clifford A Whitfield, Ohio State University

Tagged Divisions

Multidisciplinary Engineering

ofbusiness, engineering, and design elements. The program provides an opportunity for studentdesign teams to contribute to real industry products by experiencing the complete design cyclewhich includes; defining the problem, creating the requirements, creating design concepts,developing detailed specifications, creating a detailed design solution, building a prototype,validating the design, refining the design, documenting the design process and identifying futurerecommendations.An alumni-based survey was distributed to graduates who completed the multidisciplinarycapstone program. The survey focused on the initial and potentially lasting effects of the learningobjectives of the multidisciplinary capstone and their impacts on recent graduates’ (1-5

Conference Session

Grasping the "Concept"

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Debra Gilbuena, Oregon State University; Christina Smith, Oregon State University; Bill Jay Brooks, Oregon State University; Talia Sidne Finkelstein, Oregon State University; Milo Koretsky, Oregon State University

Tagged Divisions

Chemical Engineering

educational innovation moves from the home institution to otherinstitutions with different faculty, different students and a different culture. In analogy tomolecular diffusion, E.M. Rogers put forth a theory, Diffusion of Innovations, that offers oneframework with which to examine this process. In this context, Rogers describes diffusion as“the process in which an innovation is communicated through certain channels over time amongthe members of a social system. (p. 5)”1 We focus on one aspect of diffusion, the innovation-decision process, which describes five stages the potential user goes through as they decidewhether to adopt a new innovation: knowledge, persuasion, decision, implementation, andconfirmation.1Conceptual learning is critical to

Conference Session

Mentoring Minority Students

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Frances Carter-Johnson, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Patricia Ordóñez, University of Puerto Rico Río Piedras ; Renetta G. Tull, University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC); Miguel Alfonso Nino, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Tagged Divisions

Minorities in Engineering

assist withdeveloping the student’s belief in their own success. The quality of the academic program and itssocial-personal aspects such as faculty turnover and program requirements may also contribute tostudent success. Mentoring addresses several of these factors. Financial aid has also beenattributed to graduate student success, and therefore, we will streamline our discussion to focuson mentoring students through the process of obtaining funding for STEM graduate education.1, 8BackgroundThere are several characteristics that can be attributed to a good mentor such as being genuine,empowering, and encouraging towards the mentee, creating a climate of trust, connecting thestudent to the faculty, the environment, the department and other peers

Conference Session

Graduate Student Experience

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Benjamin Ahn, Purdue University, West Lafayette; Monica Farmer Cox, Purdue University, West Lafayette; Heidi A. Diefes-Dux, Purdue University, West Lafayette; Brenda M. Capobianco, Purdue University, West Lafayette

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies, Student

importance of graduate mentors for UR students is highlighted by researchers whoclaim 1) UR students have more frequent meetings and interactions with their graduate mentorsthan their faculty advisors and 2) graduate students are often asked by their faculty advisors to bethe main points of contact for UR students. The relationship between graduate students and URstudents, however, is not without challenges. Among the challenges include graduate students’lack of knowledge in skills and practices in mentoring UR students. Therefore, the purpose ofthis study is to identify skills and practices that graduate mentors have successfully employed inan UR research setting and that undergraduate students have found to be beneficial.Undergraduates enrolled in

Conference Session

FPD 6: Transitions and Student Success, Part II

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Stacy Holander Gleixner, San Jose State University; Katherine Casey, SJSU College of Engineering; Jared T. Tuberty, San Jose State University; Sanela Latic; Patricia R Backer, San Jose State University; Emily L. Allen, San Jose State University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

classroom. However, these students have a lowerpositive “perception of the work engineers do and for the engineering profession”. 1 A majorcomponent of the EXCEED project is to emphasize the social relevance of STEM careers.Extensive research has documented the need for integrating student success practices into thefirst year to increase student success in science and engineering. Research indicates that high-impact practices significantly increase student retention among all students, but especiallyunderrepresented students.2,3,4,5,6,7 These activities often provide students with an identifiablepeer group and make the campus feel more intimate. Several studies have also reported that highimpact practices improve retention rates in STEM fields.8,9

Conference Session

Beyond BS: Issues Affecting Graduate Education

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Zsuzsa Balogh, Metropolitan State University of Denver; Marvin E. Criswell P.E., Colorado State University; Michael A De Miranda, Colorado State University

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

three times in the student‟spreparation: after their undergraduate work, immediately after a graduate level program, or afterMasters-Level graduation and the first few years of experience. This study addresses in somedetail how well the Masters-Level structural engineering education, supplemented with theknowledge increase expected from the initial professional experience, meets the expectations ofthe structural engineering profession in the United States. The outcomes of this research project include an assessment of the competency level(using Bloom‟s taxonomy [1]) expected to be achieved by the conclusion of the Masters-Levelprogram and after the initial five years of professional practice following the graduate program ineach of the

Conference Session

Research and Graduate Studies

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Vincent Capece, University of Kentucky; John R. Baker, University of Kentucky

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

graduate student and the advisor. This paper provides an overview ofthe experience of the authors in the development of research programs in mechanical engineeringin a distance education setting from an extended campus.Introduction and BackgroundWith the widespread availability of the internet and increased ownership of computers, it isnatural that distance education would develop that uses the online environment. Currently mostpublic and private universities and colleges have online courses. Moreover, there are for-profituniversities with online degree programs. The online courses have evolved to include advanceddegree programs involving a research component that could include a student thesis (see forexample References 1-5). A key part of these

Conference Session

Information and Network Security

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jason St. John, Purdue University, West Lafayette; Thomas J. Hacker, Purdue University, West Lafayette; Raymond A Hansen, Purdue University; Natasha N. Nikolaidis, Purdue University; Robert M Trinkle, Purdue University, West Lafayette

Tagged Divisions

Computing & Information Technology

partnerships with peer departments and institutions.1 IntroductionInternational partnerships are frequently proposed, but many never make it beyond anexpression of mutual interest. The challenges to overcome are initiating first contact, discussingresearch areas to determine if there are overlapping areas or topics of mutual interest, seekingout and pursuing visiting and funding opportunities, and loss of initial momentum.To overcome these challenges, we have developed a process for building and strengtheninginternational partnerships in computing and information technology.2 Our Approach Page 23.567.2Our approach consists of three primary stages

Conference Session

Robotics and Automation II

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Antonio Jose Soares P.E., Florida A&M University/; G. Thomas Bellarmine P.E., Florida A&M University/Florida State University; Doreen Kobelo, Florida A&M University/Florida State University; Rabbani Muhammad, Florida A&M University; Chao Li, Florida A&M University; Salman A. Siddiqui, Florida A&M University; Stacy C. Tinner Jr., Florida A&M University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

of competition-based projects designed to enhance andgauge the overall understanding of the course material is then presented. Finally, initial efforts tomake the course an interdisciplinary course are discussed.ChallengesThe initial steps in designing this course were to conduct research on existing technologyprograms offering similar courses. There are several programs offering robotics course which aredesigned for electrical engineering, manufacturing and/or Mechatronics. Most of these coursesemphasize modeling of robotics motion, controlling actuators and machine programmingtechniques such as Computer Numerical Control (CNC) 1, 2. The modeling of motion usingkinematics and reverse kinematics principles can be very involved and requires a

Conference Session

Delivery Methods in Mechanical Engineering Courses

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Raghu Echempati, Kettering University; Anca L. Sala, Baker College, Flint

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

that are basedon student survey conducted via e-mail. These issues, together with the authors‟ limitedexperiences in this field are presented in this paper.IntroductionA lot of research has been done that deals with blended teaching and learning. However,there is no general consensus as to what is blended learning and what does it constitute.Figure 1 [Wikipedia1] shows one method of blended learning that comprise the formalclassroom learning and online learning using a stationary computer or a mobile devicesuch as a tablet or. With the advent of more technology, the cell phone can also be used.This form of learning already exists for example in a social atmosphere such as finding afavorite restaurant in a new city and navigating to reach its

Conference Session

Experience in Assessing Technological Literacy

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Claire L. Antaya, Arizona State University; Kristen Parrish PhD, Arizona State University; Elizabeth A Adams P.E., Chandler Gilbert Community College; Amy E. Landis, Arizona State University

Tagged Divisions

Technological and Engineering Literacy/Philosophy of Engineering

a standing relationship with ASU and has contributed to collaborative development,deployment and assessment of sustainability-themed active and experiential modules.During the 2012-2013 academic year faculty at ASU and MCC piloted a water-for-energy waterfootprint module to introduce students to the concept of embedded, or virtual, water (i.e. waterrequired to generate or produce a product or service) and how their decisions, engineeringapplications and sustainability relate to the “real-world” global and complex issue of resourcedepletion today. Module implementation was piloted in one civil engineering course at bothinstitutions for the Fall 2012 and Spring 2013 semesters, see Table 1. MCC’s courses wereintroductory engineering courses

Conference Session

Tricks of the Trade

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Lynn Albers, North Carolina State University; Laura Bottomley, North Carolina State University

Tagged Divisions

Student

. Perry’sDevelopmental Scheme). 4 A student typically enters the university in positions 1 or 2 with avery ‘right or wrong’ point of view. As the student progresses through their collegiate career andengages in experiences, they transcend through positions 2, 3, and 4; ideally graduating inposition 5 (or higher) where they have acquired the ability to perceive knowledge and values asrelative, contingent and contextual.4 Because the university is an educational environment, theintellectual development of the student from positions 1 or 2 to position 5 is an important part ofthe transformation of the student and the goal of the institution.Experiences play an important role in this transformation and sadly, not all experiences arepositive; potentially having a

Conference Session

Innovative IE Course Content

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Julie Ann Layton, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; Thomas Reed Willemain, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Economy, Engineering Management, Industrial Engineering

competitive edge. As they do, theymust resolve unique demands on their information technology, their structure, their processes,and their culture. Most critical, however, is the challenge posed by analytical talent, the peopleat all levels who help turn data into better decisions and better business results.” [1]The above quote is from a publication by Accenture, a global consulting firm, about theimportance of recruiting analytic talent for businesses. In response to this need several collegeshave developed graduate programs in analytics, one of the first being North Carolina StateUniversity’s Institute of Advanced Analytics, which boasts job placement rate of 100% [2].Several other articles echo the need for trained data analysts in the information

Conference Session

Themes in Renewable Energy and ET

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Immanuel Edinbarough P.E., University of Texas, Brownsville

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

1BackgroundIn order for the fixed solar collector to collect maximum solar energy, the panel surface must beoriented toward the equator and optimally inclined to face the perpendicular rays of the sun at thelocal settings [1-6]. Another potential method, proposed in the literature to increase the flat platesolar system performance, is to integrate the tracker systems with the solar panels. The use of atracking system enables the flat panel to constantly track the sun, hence collecting solarirradiance during the entire day. The benefits of using a sun-tracking system in solar energyconversion applications have been extensively researched and reported [7-16]. The main purposeof a solar tracker is to minimize the angle of incidence between the incoming

Conference Session

INT. Engineering Education: Developments, Innovations, Partnerships, and Implementations

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Saeed D. Foroudastan, Middle Tennessee State University; Courtney Thompson, Middle Tennessee State University

Tagged Divisions

International

addition to Foroudastan’s teaching experi- ence, he also has performed extensive research and published numerous technical papers. He has secured more than $1 million in the form of both internal and external grants and research funding. Foroudastan is the faculty advisor, coordinator, and primary fundraiser for EVP teams entering national research project competitions such as the Formula SAE Collegiate Competition, the Baja SAE Race, the SolarBike Rayce, the Great Moonbuggy Race, and the Solar Boat Collegiate Competition. For his concern for and ded- ication to his students, Foroudastan received MTSU awards such as the 2002-03 Outstanding Teaching Award, the 2005-06 Outstanding Public Service Award, and the 2007

Conference Session

Computers in Education Division - General Technical Session 2

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Charles H. Forsberg, Hofstra University

Tagged Divisions

Computers in Education

author teaches the Computer Programming for Engineers course, which is a required coursefor all engineering freshmen in all disciplines at Hofstra University. The course is about 2/3Matlab and 1/3 Excel. We have a variety of students. Some are eager to learn and highlymotivated. Others are much less enthusiastic. To make the course interesting and relevant, weuse problems from science and engineering as much as possible. The problems are specificallychosen to illustrate the various topics covered in the computing course and to show theusefulness of the computer in their solution. Special emphasis is given to choosing problems thatare of general interest to all the students, regardless of engineering discipline. Students need tobe familiar with

Conference Session

Laboratory Development in ECE I

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

John M Robertson, Arizona State University, Polytechnic campus; Kathleen Meehan, Virginia Tech; Robert John Bowman, Rochester Institute of Technology (COE); Kenneth A Connor, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; Douglas A Mercer, Analog Devices Inc.

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

. Initially, the oscilloscope functions were derived from a sound Page 23.576.3card9. The frequency range (roughly 50-5000 Hz) and maximum voltage (1 V) were limited bythe specifications of the sound card. It was replaced by the Velleman PCSGU 250, a twochannel oscilloscope with an arbitrary function generator to eliminate the continual issues withincompatible sound cards as a result of Windows operating system upgrades. This drove the costunder $200.In parallel with these ground-breaking educational platforms, there have been a number ofcommercial products aimed at the same market. They face three challenging requirements: lowcost, software that

Conference Session

Capstone Manufacturing and Design

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Somnath Chattopadhyay, Georgia Southern University

Tagged Divisions

Manufacturing

assembly. The students are expected toconceptualize the workings of a variety of manufacturing processes as well as theinterrelationship of a single process to the other processes involved in the fabrication of acomplete assembly. To accomplish this general objective, a laboratory has been introduced inthe course where the students work on a project individually. The lab (2 hours every week for 15weeks) follows the lecture classes (three fifty minute sessions every week) very closely. Theinstruction in the lecture sessions was primarily from text entitled Manufacturing Engineeringand Technology by Kalpakjian and Schmidt [1], and was supplemented as necessary fromAshby’s text on Materials and Process Selection [2]. The first few chapters of the

Conference Session

Issues in Advising and Mentoring

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Karen Zunkel, Iowa State University; Jason Pontius; Thomas J Brumm, Iowa State University

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

teachers or college instructors, as well as high school students taking college courses on the college campus) Credit from passing Advanced Placement (AP) [1] or International Baccalaureate (IB) [2] examinations at certain levels after taking AP or IB courses in high school. Courses taken directly from a 2- or 4-year institution (either on the college campus or on- line) Placement testing, including College Level Examination Program (CLEP) [3] or institutional exams/processes.According to National Center for Education Statistics”, [4] in 2002-2003 school year, 72% of Page 23.578.2public high schools

Conference Session

Community Engagement Division Poster Session

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Nathan E Canney P.E., University of Colorado Boulder; Kaitlin Litchfield, University of Colorado, Boulder; Molly Victoria Shea, University of Colorado

Tagged Divisions

Community Engagement Division

in the same place, or worse off than before 1, 2.Research on project success or failure in developing communities has focused on identifying keysuccess factors such as project team communication 3 employing proper evaluations throughoutthe project life 4, and knowing the political context of the project 5. The majority, however,downplay the importance of community involvement throughout the engineering process. Onereport justified the exclusion of the community from a list of key stakeholders, saying: “It may come as a surprise that the real client does not appear on this list. In multilateral aid projects, the client is usually the country’s residents or a sub-set thereof called ‘the beneficiaries.’ The beneficiaries, who

Conference Session

Tricks of the Trade

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Katy Luchini-Colbry, Michigan State University; Tobias Ortega-Knight, University of the Virgin Islands; Charles Huang Chen, Michigan State University; Danny Lynch, University of the Virgin Islands; Kathleen Anne Fitzsimons, Michigan State University; Crystal D Alton; Juan L. Mena Lapaix, Michigan State University; Joshua Drost, Michigan State University; Garrett Kohler

Tagged Divisions

Student

student participants to explore and record theirexperiences as undergraduate research assistants.Research Questions and Data CollectionThe self study described here was motivated by a desire to document students’ thoughts andexperiences in “real time” as they evolved during the course of an undergraduate researchexperience. To investigate the efficacy of this approach, the following research questions weredeveloped for this study: 1. Are conversational prompts effective in encouraging reflection and discussion? 2. Are students interested in initiating and responding to spontaneous conversations? 3. Do the conversations reflect changes in students’ understanding or experiences over time?The self-study involved two types of Facebook-mediated

Conference Session

Building a Better Program - Construction Curriculum Enhancements

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Samaneh Zolfagharian, School of Building Construction, Georgia Institute of Technology; Masoud Gheisari, Georgia Institute of Technology; Javier Irizarry P.E., School of Building Construction, Georgia Institute of Technology; Pavan Meadati, Southern Polytechnic State University

Tagged Divisions

Construction

as an interaction mode (TTouch+F), and Touch screen Tabletusing Stylus as an interaction mode (TTouch+S)- (see Figure 1). In addition, the modelingprogram SketchUp was selected as a representative modeling application with a low level ofdifficulty in which user interface does not vary between computing platforms or operatingsystems. The user interface for SketchUp is very consistent between the Windows operatingsystem and the Apple Mac OS X operating system used in the study. (a) DTouch+F (b) TTouch+F (c) TTouch+S Figure 1: The hardware used in the experimentA between-subjects experimental approach was used to investigate the effects of HCI mode andscreen size on student