Conference Session

Global and Cultural Issues in Construction

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Rebecca N. Macdonald, East Carolina University; David L. Batie, East Carolina University; Ryan T. Goodman, East Carolina University

Tagged Divisions

Construction

profession. Informal exitsurveys and follow-ups with alumni regarding writing exercises will better gauge efficacy of thecurriculum.Possible future work spawned by these assignments includes research from the outcomes ofstudent writing and undergraduate involvement in selection of topical areas. One goal of anauthor is the publication of student work in the university newspaper, further establishing studentengagement in public discourse. Industry leaders implore for professionals to act as advocates ofpublic policy and creators of a national infrastructure plan.7 The achievement of this objectivecan only be reached through the impact of the recent graduates who recognize the importance ofpublic discourse/community engagement and will be advocates

Conference Session

Projects in Alternative Energy: Wind and Solar

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Leonel Aguilera, University of Texas, Pan American; Jaime Ramos-Salas P.E., University of Texas, Pan American; Sanjeev Kumar, University of Texas, Pan American

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

; Instituto Tecnologico de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey; and Instituto Politcnico Nacional, Mexico.Dr. Sanjeev Kumar, University of Texas, Pan American Sanjeev Kumar, Associate Professor, is active in research, development, and teaching in the areas of computer network security, high-speed internet switching/routing, wireless ad hoc networks, computer architecture, digital logic systems, and smart grid. Before joining UTPA, Kumar worked with the leading networking companies in the United States. In the networking industry, Kumar played a leading role in planning, research, and development of new communications equipment and networks. Kumar has authored more than 50 technical papers. Kumar’s research findings have been

Conference Session

Computers in Education Division Poster Session

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Shreya Kothaneth, Virginia Tech; Ashley Robinson, Virginia Tech; Catherine T. Amelink, Virginia Tech

Tagged Divisions

Computers in Education

wasinterrupted by a technology malfunction. This malfunction occurred during the second phase ofthe training module, while the participants were role-playing as instructors and students.Interestingly enough, the three respondents whose usability scores dropped after the secondsession all belonged to that session. This might suggest that although this type of training moduleseems effective when it comes to training faculty members, it is extremely sensitive to and canbe negatively impacted by technology malfunctions.The evaluation data collected and analyzed thus far has been helpful for informing future traininginitiatives. The Instructional Technology team now plans to conduct this study with a largergroup as well as across different training classes

Conference Session

Mathematics Division Technical Session 3

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Michael R. Allen, Department of Mathematics; Dale A. Wilson, Tennessee Technological University

Tagged Divisions

Mathematics

test anxiety. I felt it acouple of other times during my plan of study. I had worked all the homework assignments and hadstudied the night before the exams, yet I felt unprepared in some cases and just not ready. I realizedsomething was missing. In the Math classes I have taught, I was the one to visit for assistancewith homework and to clear up any misconceptions. The reason I could help was because I wasmathematically confident. I knew what I was doing. But mechanical engineering was, in manyways, new material to me. I had to gain confidence. But confidence comes with competence. Iknew I had to become proficient in the material to the point I could teach it. Here is where all ofHigher Education could take a lesson from Engineering. Because

Conference Session

Simulations and Visualizations

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Goodarz Ahmadi, Clarkson University; Suresh Dhaniyala, Clarkson University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

knowledge of particle measurement techniques to plan and conduct an ambient aerosol measurement campaign near the University. The students analyzed their data and compared it to measurements from nearby monitors and related the data to national standards.As the next step, the course material is being prepared for online posting and adapted for integration with the theoretical modules described earlier.COURSE WEB EFFECTIVENESS:The effectiveness of the course website was assessed in two ways:1. Usability tests were conducted on an early version of the site and conducted again onthe revised version of the site. In both tests, participants were given tasks to find coursematerial and use the calculation model available on the site. The purpose

Conference Session

Laboratory Innovations

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Steven O'Halloran, University of Portland; Matthew Rodrigues, University of Portland

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

the voltage produced. The maximum temperature difference tested was 68.1°C and thisproduced an efficiency of 2.22% and an output power of 1.17 watts. While this efficiency mightseem low, thermoelectric generators are noted for their relatively low conversion efficiency.Also, the maximum temperature difference tested (68.1°C) is fairly modest, higher temperaturedifferences would result in higher efficiency. Typical thermoelectric devices require atemperature difference of approximately 500°C to achieve an efficiency of 10% 9,10. Testing isplanned for the future with higher temperature differences, but the current testing has beensuccessful for the conditions tested.It is planned to use this experimental setup both as an in-class demonstration

Conference Session

Innovations in Teaching Transportation and Geotechnical Engineering

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Susan Conrad, Portland State University; Timothy James Pfeiffer P.E., Foundation Engineering, Inc.; Tom Szymoniak, Portland State University

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

students for engineering practice, the importance of writing isoften emphasized. The need for improved writing skills is a regular finding in surveys ofemployers and graduates.1,2,3 Practicing engineers note the importance of communication skills,including writing, for advancing their careers.4 Accreditation criteria since 2000 have alsoreflected the importance of writing.Within civil engineering practice, writing takes on an even more important role than in manybranches of engineering. There is a vast array of writing behind any civil engineering project –qualifications proposals, cost proposals, scoping notes, technical memos, design reports, site visitreports, reports for regulatory agencies, e-mails among the team, plan sheet notes and

Conference Session

Factors Affecting Student Performance

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Karen J. Horton P.E., University of Maine

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

suitable as workplace records, • Time management planning Page 25.1076.8 • Regular attendance and arriving on time • Regular participation in assignments, both in and out of class • Respectful speech (which includes as subsets unbiased speech, acceptance of differences including place of origin, sexual orientation, sex of colleague) • Behavior in classrooms comparable to technical training and meetings in the workplace: no eating, routine participation both in attentiveness and in responsiveness, no “multi- tasking” such as email, texting, phone calls • Creating spreadsheets including programming engineering

Conference Session

Innovatiive Methods to Teach Engineering to URMs

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jose F. Espiritu, University of Texas, El Paso; Heidi A. Taboada, University of Texas, El Paso; Connie Gomez, University of Texas, El Paso

Tagged Divisions

Minorities in Engineering

focused.[7]Overall, students that participate in a REU have positive experiences that increase theirconsideration of the pursing a graduate degree or a career in research. However, studentshave indicated that the important aspects of a REU for them include  Learning a topic in depth or having intensive exposure to a topic  The ability to apply their knowledge to a real situation  Learn to use appropriate methodology  Learn to work and think independently  Learn to design solutions to problems and learn to analyze data  Improving their oral skills  Improving their written skills  Clarifying their career plans [8]2. Traditional/Conventional Research Experience for UndergraduatesThe conventional model for an REU consists of

Conference Session

Technology in Mechanics Education

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Michelle Marie Grau, Stanford Univeristy; Sheri Sheppard, Stanford University; Samantha Ruth Brunhaver, Stanford University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanics

we had originally planned to prohibit quarter-and three-quarter length joints between deltas, allowing only full side or half joints, to make calculationseasier, but this was too limiting in the creation of successful designs. We also consideredincreasing the internal area requirement from 100 quarter-deltas to 150. However, a larger areawould require more deltas and thus make it difficult for the entire class of twenty teams to play atonce, resource-wise.Writing New InstructionsThe last change we made to the game was writing a new set of instructions (see Appendix) thatincorporated all of the changes that we made. We divided these instructions into three parts: theDesign Task, instructions for the Project Manager, and instructions for the

Conference Session

Interdisciplinary Experiences and Assessment in Environmental Engineering

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Angela R. Bielefeldt, University of Colorado, Boulder

Tagged Divisions

Environmental Engineering

-campus in dormitories; someexceptions were made for local participants. The students attended various orientation andresearch-related seminars in the first week (program expectations, overview of all researchprojects, responsible conduct of research, lab safety, literature research). A written researchproposal was due at the end of the first week. This proposal described the independent projectthat each student planned to execute over the summer, including a literature review, researchhypotheses, experimental plan and methods. During the rest of the summer there was typicallyone group seminar scheduled each week. Most of these seminars were 1-hour lectures by facultyon various topics (such as environmental policy, environmental ethics

Conference Session

Global Studies, Initiatives, and Study Abroad Programs

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Teri Kristine Reed, Purdue University, West Lafayette; Amanda G. Idema, Michigan State University; Jean Landa Pytel, Pennsylvania State University, University Park

Tagged Divisions

International

monitor each of these sites to maintain the integrity ofinformation and to make sure it is being used appropriately. Figure 4 is a screenshot of theRenren site. Figure 4. Screenshot of Renren Engineering Site of Purdue UniversityIn addition, working with offices of international scholars or students is a key element tounderstand when and how individual students will be arriving on campus. Access to tools, suchas systems that track visas, allow for proactive planning. This is especially the case as youanticipate student arrival and course needs.Within-course policies such as placement of students in first-year teams, can be a benefit tostudent success. Our international students, even in some of the increasing numbers, are stillunder

Conference Session

Technological Literacy and Technological Policy

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Robert A. Heard, Carnegie Mellon University

Tagged Divisions

Technological and Engineering Literacy/Philosophy of Engineering

of specialized knowledge, most often in mathematics or in the sciences. Forhumanity students, fewer course offerings in technical fields are available as options because ofthese limiting requirements. This was recognized as one obstacle that needed to be addressed bycarefully choosing the course topic and content. For this particular course, a historical and socialreflection of the use of materials and was planned. We do not avoid numbers or analysis, butpresent these in ways that underline the conceptual point of discussion. With Materials Science and Engineering, the subject itself carries great breadth dealingwith high technical and specialized science through areas of business and impact. It is the latterportion of the field that

Collection

2001 Annual Conference

Authors

George Edwards

to do this project, theirnames were: Brian Toronyi and Hideyuki Maruhashi.In our Senior Design course, the students are expected to treat the assigned problem like theywould a customer’s request. They are expected to provide several alternative solutions, andexamine the pros and cons of each solution. Then, pick one of the solutions for implementationand defend their choice. After, which the students should provide a plan showing how they willwork towards completing the project, giving pertinent time line to finish different modules, timeline for integration and testing, as well as the time to hand over the completed project. Theproject runs over three quarters, so they will make presentations at different times—one in thepreliminary stage

Collection

2001 Annual Conference

Authors

David Myszka

design parameters.The objective statement identifies the performance criteria to be optimized, such asmaximize the life of the electrical switch. The design parameters are the factors that canbe controlled to create the optimized product. This phase also includes the identificationof appropriate levels for the factors. For instance, if a design factor included moldingpressure, suitable levelsOptimization using Taguchi Methods involves investigating the possible conditions of themany parameters in a design. Orthogonal arrays are used to plan the investigation of thedesign factors. These orthogonal arrays eliminate the need to investigate all possiblecombinations of the various factors.Figure 1 illustrates an example orthogonal array that can be

Collection

2001 Annual Conference

Authors

Michael Ruane

. Even within a single program, e.g. electricalengineering, design challenges are not propagated through the curriculum. Consequently, designis seen as an isolated activity, rather than a driving force for the curriculum. In independentcourse design exercises, students experience little design rework, systems integration, teamdesign and testing. Students seldom have time to follow a complete design cycleA capstone design experience in senior year traditionally addresses these problems. At BostonUnveristy, each program has a required senior design capstone course, usually organized overtwo semesters. In the first semester of senior design, students are instructed in design andprototyping methods, project planning and management, proposal and

Collection

2001 Annual Conference

Authors

Brenda Morton; Raymond Thompson

research team members have formulated the solution and are ready for implementation,they then make presentations to the industry partner’s upper management. Unlike presentationsin classrooms, student team members make PowerPoint presentations in executive conferencerooms, and must gain approval of Managers and VP’s. These plans often require the industrialpartner to commit financial resources and personnel. Presentations must include the justificationof these resources. Project timelines are such that milestone presentations are crucial for thesuccess of the research project. Here is the opportunity to learn the inner workings of companypolitics. Students start to understand what is important to an organization and what is not. Ahard lesson is

Collection

2001 Annual Conference

Authors

Marshall Coyle; Christal Keel

earlier in the curriculum. In the beginning, care must be taken toensure that the student has a firm understanding of Statics and Strength of Materials. Using finiteelement analysis as a tool, teachers can enhance the comprehension of these courses, as well asstress proper planning of a problem and setting reasonable expectations as to the outcome.[2]Seeing the physical representation of these basic theories can lead to an increased appreciationfor the student of forces, boundary conditions, and the significance of material properties.[6]Applying a finite element analysis to a common truss problem, for example, can help the studentvisualize the analysis in a way previously not possible, as well as demonstrate the importance of

Collection

2001 Annual Conference

Authors

Mohamed. E. Brihoum; Ahmad Ibrahim

locations.An outcome example will be discussed; it is a study aid module for analog filter design, a topicthat is studied in both campuses by students enrolled in EET-310, Analog Signal Processingcourse. The study aid module was created by a team of students building on their knowledge inboth programming and filter design. It is shared and used by students in both campuses throughthe Internet. The module is not only shared as a study aid for EET-310, but also for the purposeof further development and for creating other related modules. The approach is planned to be along-term cooperation between successive classes of EET-310 guided by their instructors at bothcampuses. A discussion of some of the difficulties faced and suggestions to avoid them will

Collection

2001 Annual Conference

Authors

Casey Preston; R. Mark Worden; Daina Briedis

is taught in his or her classes. Also, the researchexperience has proven valuable in obtaining internship employment in biochemicalengineering. Even more importantly, by working with or around graduate students andprofessors, a student absorbs practical skills and knowledge that cannot be learned fromcoursework.Biochemical engineering is an ideal discipline for undergraduate research experience.Students can gain experience and knowledge in biotechnology, while helping withrepetitive, time intensive work, such as the maintenance of cell lines. Researchexperience can be valuable in career planning, by helping students determine whetherthey enjoy research and what strengths and weaknesses they may have. Involving

Collection

2001 Annual Conference

Authors

William Stanley; John Hackworth

330,Linear Electronics. The text for the course is Operational Amplifiers with Linear IntegratedCircuits, 3rd Edition, by William D. Stanley2.The original course objectives for the on-campus class are:(1) Develop proficiency in the design and implementation of circuits containing linear andrelated non-linear components and modules.(2) Develop the capability to successfully plan and implement independent laboratoryinvestigations or design assignments with minimum supervision.(3) Verify some of the representative theoretical properties of linear active devices and circuits.(4) Improve the capability to prepare written documentation of laboratory assignments using thecharacteristics of good technical communications.The VEL version of the course

Collection

2001 Annual Conference

Authors

Charles Pierce

the course schedule and coordination with a willing participant from theengineering community.III. Student SurveyTo assess the potential impact of this new teaching strategy, the author conducted an e-mailsurvey of former students from the past two classes. A total of 22 out of 53 students responded,yielding a response rate of 42%. The majority of responses were received from the most recentclass conducted during the Spring 2000 semester. The survey summary provided to the studentsreads as follows:“I am planning to moderately change how ECIV 330 is taught in an effort to improve students’learning of soil mechanics. I believe that students will better understand the fundamentalconcepts of soil mechanics if they can directly and immediately

Collection

2001 Annual Conference

Authors

Otto Helweg

exam and asks students to identify the two-dimensional image on a plane that cutsthrough a solid object.12 Another test is the Differential Aptitude Test: Space Relations(DAT:SR) that consists of 50 items.13 The questions show a two-dimensional plan that, whenfolded, becomes a three-dimensional solid. The student is to select the correct solid from fourchoices.Figure 1, Sample of a PSVT problem.II. Project DescriptionWhile the correlation between spatial visualization and engineering graphics seems intuitive,does the visualization skills transfer to other courses; for example, the first course in vectormechanics, statics? Many consider statics as one of the first really engineering courses studentsoutside the math and science prerequisite

Collection

2001 Annual Conference

Authors

Charles Nippert

laboratory manual. 3. To provide training and preparation so that laboratory time can be used more effectively. 4. To provide an opportunity to instill importance of planning and preparation before starting an engineering project.Web-based media was chosen for selected because: 1. The web based virtual lab provides around the clock availability. 2. Students are receptive to learning in this environment. 3. The virtual lab provides an interactive experience that can be made more open-ended. 4. The web site can be easily updated as additional experiments are added and existing ones are debugged. 5. The virtual laboratory has the potential of providing simulations of experiments that cannot be conducted in an actual

Collection

2001 Annual Conference

Authors

Deborah Hwang; Anthony Richardson; Dick Blandford

, but there is significant emphasis on the Page 6.681.2hardware/software interaction. CoE students learn to write a C program, download it to the Proceedings of the 2001 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright  2001, American Society for Engineering Education.micro controller, and verify that the program goes as planned. Thus they get some introductionto the oscilloscope and electronic components such as LED’s, switches, and analog to digitalconverters. The CoE students meet in a computer lab environment and complete several smallprojects centered around the micro

Collection

2001 Annual Conference

Authors

Tammi Robson; Tayeb Giuma

graphical presentation ofconcepts. Page 6.722.2 Proceedings of the 2001 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright (c) 2001, American Society for Engineering EducationThis paper covers all aspects of the tutorial’s planning, designphases, and all intricacies that were dealt with during thosephases. The procedure and the strategy for achieving theobjectives will also be described.Design ProcedureThe first step in designing MicroTutor was to outline the coursematerial from the class notes. These notes cover the pertinentsubjects taught in the Microprocessor & Applications course

Collection

2001 Annual Conference

Authors

James Wood; Elaine L. Craft

investigator and director of the South Carolina Advanced Technological (SC ATE)Center of Excellence, with previous experience as a technical college instructor and administrator and chemicalengineer. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including the 2000 South Carolina Governor’s Award forExcellence in Science and the National Institute for Leadership and Institutional Effectiveness David PierceLeadership Award. She holds a B.S. degree in chemical engineering, a M.B.A. from the University of SouthCarolina and has conducted post-graduate study in mathematics.JAMES C. WOOD, PH.D.James C. "Jim" Wood has been co-principal investigator of the SC ATE Center of Excellence since 1995. He wasprincipal investigator of the SC ATE planning grant and co

Collection

2001 Annual Conference

Authors

Sheryl Sorby

that couldbe adequately supported with the available NSF funding.) Once this activity was complete, plan-ning for the format and content of the new spatial skills course could begin.The New Spatial Skills Course at Michigan TechOne decision made early in the development process was that our new course would be a 1-creditcourse to meet for just one 2-hour lab session per week. (The previous 3-credit course met for two1-hour lectures and one 2-hour computer lab per week.) The weekly session in this new coursetypically begins with a 10-20 minute “lecture” on the topic for the day. The students then spendthe remainder of the session working through the multimedia software modules and completingassigned workbook pages. In this way, a faculty member

Collection

2001 Annual Conference

Authors

Richard Jendrucko; Jack Wasserman

. The use of thismethod in our introductory BME course is described in detail in a companion paper2. In additionto the use of a “process education” format in course instruction, it is planned to utilize severalother methods to enhance student learning experiences including the following: • Student teaming in all BME courses to complete major project assignments • Frequent student in-class presentations of assigned work • Regular in-class group discussions of case studies to illustrate course principles • Use of internet-based course reference materials Page 6.67.5 Proceedings of the 2001 American Society for Engineering

Collection

2001 Annual Conference

Authors

Mariusz Jankowski

for a senior undergraduate electrical engineering technical elective on digitalimage processing and the software used to support the computational needs of the course.BackgroundA few years ago the Department of Electrical Engineering embarked on a plan ofintegrating a leading general-purpose computational software system into the teaching ofmany core courses. Thanks to modern mathematical computing systems, it is nowpossible to replace the typical “chalkboard” lecture with closely supervised interactive,“hands-on” sessions in a computer equipped classroom. These systems have the potentialof improving the learning and teaching environments in many sciences and engineeringdisciplines. The essential feature is the systematic use of a powerful