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Session 2566

ABET EC 2000: Developing Assessment Tools for Continuous Improvement

Francine Battaglia, Robert C. Brown, Donald R. Flugrad Mechanical Engineering, Iowa State University

Abstract

Mechanical Engineering Department faculty and staff at Iowa State University have introduced significant curriculum changes over the past few years. In addition, they have introduced a comprehensive program for the assessment of program outcomes. Desired program outcomes were defined, course objectives were outlined and aligned with specific outcomes, assessment tools were developed, and a process for continuous quality improvement was implemented. This paper focuses on our development of assessment tools, which includes fives components: design panels to judge reports from design-oriented courses; targeted assessments in all core and technical elective courses; student assessments to receive feedback from students in our courses; graduating senior surveys to allow students completing our curriculum to provide an overall program assessment; and alumni surveys of former students who are three years into their professional careers.

I. Introduction

The faculty and staff of the Mechanical Engineering (ME) Department at Iowa State University have recently devised a new curriculum that includes assessment of program outcomes. The steps in devising an assessment process included: defining desired program outcomes; outlining course objectives; matching program outcomes with specific courses; developing assessment tools; and establishing a methodology for continuous quality improvement of the curriculum.

The ME Curriculum Committee (MECC) began preparations for ABET EC 20001 by developing a series of processes that would critically and comprehensively evaluate the entire curriculum. The overall goal was to review the curriculum and develop the best possible educational experience for our mechanical engineering students, providing them with a sound foundation for a successful career. With this in mind, assessment tools were developed that would provide information that could be directly used to evaluate, improve and redesign the state of the curriculum. These steps are detailed in this paper.

Proceedings of the 2001 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright © 2001, American Society for Engineering Education

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Brown, R., & Battaglia, F., & Flugrad, D. R. (2001, June), Abet Ec 2000: Developing Assessment Tools For Continuous Improvement Paper presented at 2001 Annual Conference, Albuquerque, New Mexico. 10.18260/1-2--8876