Conference Session

Advancing Thermal Science Education

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

Michael Furey; Eugene Brown

Engineering) or focusing on anenvironmental issue involving thermodynamics (e.g., energy). Examples of the diverse topicsselected for essays are given together with some general observations on the writings. There arebenefits to this exercise for both students and teachers and these are briefly discussed.IntroductionFor decades, the mechanical engineering department at Virginia Tech has offered service coursesin engineering thermodynamics to the College. The population for these courses is drawn fromjunior/senior level students in the departments of aerospace and ocean engineering, mining andminerals engineering, industrial and systems engineering, electrical and computer engineering,engineering science and mechanics, biological systems engineering

Conference Session

Global Issues in Engineering Education

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

Richard Figliola; Beth Daniell; Art Young; David Moline

laboratories. We address the questions:“What do we want to accomplish?” and “So how might we do this effectively and efficiently?”As part of Clemson University's Writing-Across-The-Curriculum Program, English departmentconsultants worked with Mechanical Engineering faculty and graduate assistants on technicalwriting pedagogy. We report on audience, genre, and conventions as important issues in labreports and have recommended specific strategies across the program for improvements.IntroductionPedagogical questions continue about the content, feedback and methodology of the technicallaboratory writing experience in engineering programs. In fact, there is no known prescriptionfor success, and different programs try different approaches. Some programs

Conference Session

ASEE Multimedia Session

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

R Wane Schneiter

reviewof the literature will show that a good deal has been published to help us effectively addressthem. Also, some faculty assert that their interest is not in teaching writing, but we haveestablished that writing is engineering.This paper does not advocate another new program. The literature is replete with examples andadvice on how to teach writing in engineering. These should be consulted so that a maximumbenefit results. However, the essential argument here is that it needs to happen undercircumstances that present it as a fundamental part of professional engineering practice. If wecan do this, success is more likely. If not, then we continue to feed the problem. Fancyprograms promoted by a few interested faculty will never do the

Conference Session

ASEE Multimedia Session

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

Frederick Berry; Patricia Carlson

Session 2793 Using Calibrated Peer Review™ to Mediate Writing and to Assess Instructional Outcomes Patricia A. Carlson, Frederick C. Berry, and David Voltmer Department of Humanities and Social Sciences / Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Terre Haute, Indiana 47803Writing in Engineering EducationThe written word is crucial to engineering for at least two compelling reasons. First, the texts ofengineering – publications that report findings or describe

Conference Session

Models for Integrating Writing II

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

Rebecca Pinkus

R. Pinkus 2003-1978“Writing Across the Engineering Curriculum: Challenges, Experiences, and Insightsfrom the University of Toronto’s Engineering Communications Centre”Rebecca A. Pinkus, MTPW, MALanguage Across the CurriculumFaculty of Applied Science and EngineeringUniversity of TorontoINTRODUCTIONWriting Centers have been in place throughout university systems since the early 1970s[1], as have Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) efforts; both aim to use writing as aform of learning. That is, as students learn to write about their discipline, they also learn tothink more critically about the content they are learning. When these concepts are placedinto the

Conference Session

Virtual & Distance Experiments

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

Jucain Butler; Jay Brockman

, and (2) exposure to what is “under the hood.” With our Page 8.1296.4learning tools, students get an understanding and appreciation for how a computer worksProceedings of the 2003 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & ExpositionCopyright © 2003, American Society for Engineering Educationby reading the accompanying reference materials, and through the “hands on” simulationof actual computers. To program the Lego RCX, students learn how to write computer programs in ahigh level language, Not Quite C, which was designed specifically to run theprogrammable brick. The RCX and Fundamental Computer simulators allow

Conference Session

Innovations in Teaching Mechanics

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

William O. Jolley; Hartley T. Grandin, Worcester Polytechnic Institute; Joseph Rencis, University of Arkansas

usingcommercial software. Page 8.74.2 Proceedings of the 2003 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright © 2003, American Society for Engineering Education Session 3268What is the Finite Element Method?The finite element method (FEM) is a mathematical technique that simulates physicalbehavior by means of a numerical process based on piecewise polynomial interpolationapplied to the controlling fundamental equation. The method has been used extensivelyduring the past thirty years in industry and is now a standard

Conference Session

Developing Young MINDs

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

Abhijit Nagchaudhuri

platforms and the rod) to make their “ Moment Machine” visually appealing, • Fundamentals of metrology.V. Robot Construction and Programming using LEGO MINDSTORMSThe popular activity using the LEGO MINDSTORM’s Robotics Invention Sys tem thatwas introduced in the summer of 2001 was repeated during the 2002 UMES-NOAASummer Camp. The LEGO system/kit is the result of research collaboration betweenLEGO and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The kit is easy enough for middleschool children to work with but powerful enough as a learning tool for high-school oreven university level students.Five kits of Robotics Invention System were used during the 2002 Summer Camp. Eachkit contained 727 LEGO parts, including the RCX “programmable brick

Conference Session

ASEE Multimedia Session

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

Elisa Linsky; Gunter Georgi

written communication: Lab Reports,Software Documentation, PowerPoint Presentations, and a Proposal. Each of these assignments isintended to provide students with a sample of the type of written work that is required oftechnical professionals. By introducing four different writing assignments, one combined with an oral presentation,each student is encouraged to be flexible in their mastery of written communication skills.Competence is achieved through repetition. At the conclusion of the course, the freshman areprepared to advance with a fundamental understanding of the methods employed in effectivetechnical communication.Introduction: EG 1004, Introduction to Engineering and Design, was created as a survey course forfreshmen

Conference Session

Interdisciplinary Education

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

Robert Hofinger

University Statewide School of Technologyprogram, we use the services of the Indiana University/Purdue University at Columbus’ Englishcourses W131 “Elementary Composition I”, W132 “Elementary Composition II”, and R110“Fundamentals of Speech Communication” to fulfill the program requirements. While thesecourses can provide useful instruction, they inevitably suffer from certain drawbacks. That is,these courses teach students the basic standardized approach to writing and speaking. However,this does not take into account the significant differences that exist in writing technical reports,the mainstay of the function of an electrical engineering technologist. To help freshman studentsto appreciate the relevance of technical writing, ECET 196

Conference Session

ASEE Multimedia Session

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

Daryl Doyle

electivecourse taken by students at Kettering University. Since this course is not a prerequisitefor any other course offered at Kettering University, the coverage of the course variesfrom term to term depending upon the make of the student body in the class and thestudents’ interests. The textbook used in the course is Chemical Process Safety,Fundamental with Applications by Crowl and Louvar1. Since Kettering University doesnot offer a chemical engineering degree, only certain portions of the text are used.Topics that are typically covered include: 1) Review of inorganic and organic chemical principles 2) Toxicology 3) Industrial hygiene 4) Toxic release and dispersion models 5

Conference Session

Improving Communication Skills in ME

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

Theresa McGarry; Edward Young; Elisabeth Alford

students to improve their communicative skill as well as theirperformance on the writing assignments in the course. In the mechanical engineering curriculum atthis university, technical writing is not a required course; the students receive all their technicalwriting instruction in three laboratory courses.The faculty for the course and the staff of the Professional Communications Center in the Collegeof Engineering and Information Technology have worked together to strengthen the students’communications abilities. In addition to fundamental skills such as the basics of lab reports, thetarget outcomes from the communication emphasis in this course include the following that relateto writing. We aim to increase the students’ ability to:• organize

Conference Session

ASEE Multimedia Session

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

Nam Kim; Sean Clancey

test, and make other instructors aware of the problemset. We are unclear as to the reason for the overall decline in scores from 2001.Tool # 2 Analysis of Plant Design reportsThis analysis involves “plant design reports and the AIChE senior design project. Faculty notinvolved in teaching plant design will review these for fundamental knowledge, innovation,research, and problem-solving skills1.”One of the department’s assessment efforts is to determine whether we are achieving ABEToutcome (g), the ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing. To address thisoutcome, a three-credit communication-specific course (CM 3410, Technical Communication forChemical Engineers) was maintained in the curriculum. As an assessment measure

Conference Session

Unique Laboratory Experiments & Programs

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

John Krupczak

18 distinct phases.The control unit can uniquely determine the next phase from the current phase. Although thissystem supports only the most basic CPU functionality and lacks many features found in modernCPUs (such as multiple addressing modes, variable-length instructions, and exception handling),it can be effectively used to illustrate a variety of fundamental computing concepts. Among theseare the fetch-decode-execute cycle, sequential execution, conditional and unconditionalbranching, and iteration.1 IntroductionThe quality of education in science and technology for all undergraduates is becoming an area ofincreasing concern [1]. In the United States, the National Science Foundation is requesting thatScience, Math, Technology and

Conference Session

Aerospace Engineering Curriculum

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

George Havener

Force problems, both well and ill- defined. 6. Know and practice their ethical, professional, and community responsibilities as embodied in the United States Air Force Core Values.We also have six statements that define our program educational outcomes.Upon graduation, cadets will have demonstrated that they can: 1. Use fundamental knowledge to solve aeronautical engineering problems commensurate with a Bachelor of Science degree. 2. Plan and execute experimental investigations, and interpret and analyze data from such investigations to formulate sound conclusions. 3. Develop and evaluate an engineering design that meets customer needs. 4. Use oral and writing skills to

Conference Session

ASEE Multimedia Session

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

Cecelia Wigal

systems definition—and the relationship systemsthinking has with the problem solving process are discussed. In addition, specific tools andmodels used in systems analysis are introduced. Using some of these tools and models, the paperpresents the process being developed for the engineering program at the University of Tennesseeat Chattanooga (UTC) that introduces technical communication in the freshmen year anddevelops competency as the students’ programs advance through the senior year.Systems and Systems Analysis For every complex problem there is always a simple solution. And it is wrong. –H.L. MenckenSystems analysis fundamentally differs from traditional forms of analysis. It begins with

Conference Session

Curriculum Development in Mechanical ET

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

George Yang

curriculum is designed to train studentsin the fundamentals of electronics applications via hands-on experimentation in a varietyof laboratory settings. Career opportunities for the graduates include positions incomputer maintenance/repair, design/testing, instrumentation, telephone companies andother companies that use electronic or manufacture electronic equipment. The students of the two programs come from diverse backgrounds with Page 8.1079.2significant difference in academic and industrial experiences and different careerobjectives. It is the purpose of this study to share our experience and approach in teachingthe two different groups of

Conference Session

Trends in Nuclear Engineering Education I

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

Frank Wicks

noted that these are the experiments that were devised by Enrico Fermi and LeoSzilard as part of their December, 1942 demonstration of a nuclear chain reaction. Theyare repeated to confirm satisfactory performance at the time of the initial fuel loading andthe refueling for any power plant.2. Experiments These experiments also demonstrate nuclear principles at the fundamental andoperational level. Students write a lab report for each experiment comprised of theory,measured data, analysis, results and discussion. This paper section will further describe theexperiments and demonstrated principles and practices.a. Neutron Measurement Fundamental to nuclear control and safety is the monitoring a reactor is to measurethe rate of fission

Conference Session

New Approaches in Engineering Curriculum

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

Reza Sanati-Mehrizy; Afsaneh Minaie

computer engineering/science; however, its role inthe traditional curriculum should be evaluated. The assembly language can be used as a tool forbetter understanding computer architecture and to prepare students for abstract courses to come.The intention of teaching assembly language programming is not to make students experts inassembly language programming, however; to use it to understand abstract materials.The Case for Assembly LanguageAssembly language concepts are fundamental for the understanding of many areas of computerengineering/science. During a student’s career, he or she will encounter lots of abstract conceptsin subjects ranging from programming languages, to operating systems, to real time programming,to artificial intelligence, to

Conference Session

Innovation in Design Education

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

Jesse Pappas; Eric Pappas

inevitable frustration and confusion provide a stimulus for discussionand creative thought.”17IV. Encouraging Creativity and Insight through Student Journal Writing At the University of Virginia (UVA), in lieu of a required composition coursethrough the English Department, first-year engineering students complete a class in theDivision of Technology, Culture, and Communication (a special unit of the College ofEngineering) which emphasizes writing skills, leadership ability, and problem-solvingtechniques. The broad, multi-disciplinary nature of the course has inspired a variety ofinnovative methods of relaying fundamental thinking and communication skills. Anintegral element of Dr. W. Bernard Carlson’s class is a contemporary, industry-born

Conference Session

ASEE Multimedia Session

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

Julio Davalos

thecharacteristics of active learning as: “students are involved in more than listening; less emphasisis placed on transmitting information and more on developing students’ skills; students areinvolved in higher-order thinking (analysis, synthesis, evaluation), and students are engaged inactivities (e.g., reading, discussing, writing).” Thus, greater emphasis is placed on students’exploration of their own attitudes and values. They further state, “…in the context of the collegeclassroom, active learning can be defined as anything that involves students in doing things andthinking about the things they are doing.”1Our motivation for implementing an active learning approach was to promote in students: higherinvolvement, better retention of fundamental

Conference Session

Tools of Teaching and Learning

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

Maher Murad; Robert Martinazzi

Session 1531MIXING EXAM FORMATS TO ENHANCE EXAMINATION LEARNING AND TEST TAKING SKILLS Maher M. Murad, Robert Martinazzi University of Pittsburgh at JohnstownAbstractThe concept of Mixing Exam Formats (MEF) was developed to enhance student learningbeyond the exam and to train students to become more familiar with the Fundamental ofEngineering (FE) and the Civil Engineering Professional Exam (PE) multiple-choice examformats. Under this concept, the exam is graded such that each student gets two scores: the firstis called “Objective Score” which is based only on grading the

Conference Session

Introduction to Engineering: The Present State

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

Sandra Courter; Jay Martin

student response (in class, viadiscussion, and survey), numerous changes have been made to this format. Now, studentsattend one large group meeting per week where active learning is used in all the activities.Faculty share an example that demonstrates the desired educational concept, and then askstudents to apply the concept with their peers to something of specific interest to them.The second lecture each week is now a small group meeting where the content isdetermined “just-in-time,” as the result of a formal method for determining what thestudents are most interested in learning to best complete their project. Other changes include • Incorporation of writing into all aspects of the course • Recognition that the design process is

Conference Session

International Collaborative Efforts

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

Frank Duda

objectives can be accomplished by developing a curriculum for engineering and science atthe university. The proposed draft for the curriculum is found below. An important part of theprogram will give the students the opportunity to do field work. While important in anycurriculum, the field work is particularly encouraged by national leaders and technical leaders inUganda10, 11. First Year Fundamentals of Engineering/Scientific Mathematics First Semester Technical Writing for Engineering and Science Introduction to Chemistry First Year Second Geometry I Semester Organic Chemistry I Historical

Conference Session

Curriculum Development in Manufacturing Engineering Technology

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

Fred Vondra; Ali Sekmen; Ismail Fidan

possibility in MIT curriculum1-3. MIT 4500, ToolDesign course makes students’ learning more solid and hands-on since it involves most of thestudents’ past learnings.The fundamental tooling concepts are lectured during the lecture hours4-5. All student projectsare accomplished in the lab hours. First the projects are proposed by the teams and finalized bythe instructors. There is a pre-defined structure followed by the students for each project. Thefollowings are the main steps followed by teams formed: • Design the project part and its components on any CAD package. • Write a CNC program to cut out a part or pattern. • Simulate the alternative paths, methods and cycle time. • Finalize the process tooling, workpiece material, and

Conference Session

Laboratory Developments and Innovations

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

Tom Conte; Mesut Baran; Joel Trussell; Jack Brickley; Griff Bilbro; Greg Byrd; Cecilia Townsend; Ben O'Neal; Amir Mortazavi; Mehmet Ozturk

Department. In this curriculum, students choose theirspecialization areas starting from the second semester of the junior year. The system is carefullydesigned to ensure that students acquire both breadth and depth in their studies. The flagship ofthis curriculum is a new laboratory course, which the students take during the first semester afterthe first year common to all engineering students. The objectives of the new laboratory are: i) Tointroduce different ECE specialization areas to encourage students to start thinking about whichspecialization areas appeal more to them ii) To motivate the students through practical, hands-onexperiments connected to real-life applications iii) To teach fundamental concepts and basiclaboratory skills. In this

Conference Session

Programming and DSP Issues in Education

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

Michael Parten

from PSpice log files by writing a Perl script. Perl is a highlevel programming (scripting) language. It is a derivative of C as well as other languages. Perlwas designed for text and file manipulation. The reasons for using Perl are that the PSpice log islarge and verbose (~3500 lines), but the log is highly patterned. Perl is well suited for dataextraction in this case. To extract data with Perl, the input is read into an array by Open (In_File, “;The input can then be examined, looking for specific headers, by foreach $line (@lines) {} if $line =~ /’search material

Conference Session

Physics in the K-16 Classroom

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

Budny Dan; Teresa Larkin

and reliable learning-style identification instrument. The PEPS is currently beingused as a research tool within the introductory physics course for non-majors at AmericanUniversity. Two teaching approaches that have been developed based on a learning-style approachwill be shared. These approaches include the use of writing as well as interactive, live online chatsusing Blackboard technologies. Ideas for effective adaptation of these approaches by educators inother branches of science, as well as mathematics, engineering, and technology (SMET) educationare discussed.I. INTRODUCTION The brisk changes that continue to occur in modern society, and in academia in particular,suggest that learning must be a continuous process. A growing body of

Conference Session

Teaching Design Through Projects

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

Theodore Pavlic; Prabal Dutta; Michael Hoffmann; Jeffrey Radigan; James Beams; Erik Justen; John Demel; Richard Freuler

courses for first-year engineering fundamentals to a framework that involves two coursesequences with tightly coupled courses. Engineering orientation, engineering graphics, andengineering problem solving with computer programming are now offered in each of two coursesequences,1 one called the Fundamentals of Engineering and the other the Fundamentals ofEngineering for Honors. These course sequences retain part of the traditional material but nowinclude hands-on laboratory experiences that lead to design/build projects.2 Teamwork, projectmanagement, report writing, and oral presentations have assumed important roles in bothsequences. This paper describes the administrative and teaching experiences with a design/buildproject course in the

Conference Session

Real-Time and Embedded Systems

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

Sub Ramakrishnan; Mohammad Dadfar

multiprogramming environment where there are several processes running concurrently.The operating systems projects use different methods for process synchronization and cooperationincluding message passing and the use of semaphores. We use different methods for establishingcommunications between processes, including bi-directional pipes. Other projects are concernedwith data communications aspect of the course.1. IntroductionDue to the increasing demand for people with expertise in the area of data communications andnetworks and the importance of operating systems concepts, our department decided to include arequired undergraduate course that covers the fundamental issues in both areas (CS 327). Wehave been offering a course in each of these two areas for