Conference Session

Educating Graduates in Engineering for a Flat World

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mary McCormick, Tufts University; Chris Swan, Tufts University; Douglas Matson, Tufts University

Tagged Divisions

International

evaluation of the educational benefits of service-learning projects byfocusing on one case study. The most recent endeavor of the Tufts University Engineers WithoutBorders (EWB) Chapter involved a Green Building Initiative in Ecuador. During the summer of2007, six students accompanied by a professor embarked on a month-long project in HaciendaPicalqui and El Cristal, Ecuador. During the project, students evaluated their own skill sets byfilling out Pre-Travel, Post Travel, and Post-Post Travel surveys and reflected daily on events,health and progress. Comparisons of the Pre and Post-Travel surveys verify substantialadvancement in leadership, teamwork, communication and problem solving skills; however, dueto the debatable reliability of self

Conference Session

Global Engineering Education Initiatives

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Lauren Alexander, IAESTE United States; Cheryl Matherly, University of Tulsa; Mary Besterfield-Sacre, University of Pittsburgh; Larry Shuman, University of Pittsburgh

Tagged Divisions

International

schools of engineering to provide an international experience for theirstudents, in part because they can easily be introduced into a relatively inflexible engineeringcurriculum compared to traditional study abroad experiences. Experiential education, a modelfirst articulated by John Dewey who developed theories of education rooted in and transformedby experience, is a term commonly applied to such “hands on” experiences as cooperativeeducation, internships, outdoor education, organizational development and training, and servicelearning7. In an experiential education program, students participate in a carefully chosenexperience and then engage in reflection, critical analysis, and synthesis of related information8.In Kolb’s model of experiential

Conference Session

Case Studies & Engineering Education Around the Globe

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Adnan Zahed; Abdullah Bafail; Reda Abdulaal; Ali Al-Bahi

Tagged Divisions

International

evenly belong to a single culture;culture #1. The high power index (80 versus 40 for the US) is reflected in a tendency towardscentralized power with hierarchies in organizations. This reflects the importance of thecommitment of the chairman of the department as a key element in the success of the process.The lower individualism index (38 versus 91 for the US) explains a striving for the maintenanceof ‘face’. In fact the ABET committee, unconsciously, used some sort of the fear of shame, toconvince others to achieve the behavior that is desired!The relatively lower masculinity index (53 versus 62 for the US) is translated into some modestyand tenderness. Every one wants to please others, remains ready to do some extra work withoutmaterial

Conference Session

Engineering Accreditation Around the World

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Deborah Wolfe, Engineers Canada; Phil Alexander, University of Windsor

Tagged Divisions

International

following a denial of accreditation, • improving the area of ‘Complementary Studies’ to better reflect the essential contribution which the associated skills provide to a practitioner, • refining the expectations for licensure of engineering instructors, and • refining the ‘Advanced Standing, Prior Studies and Exchange Studies Regulations’ which is a supplement to the CEAB Accreditation Criteria and Procedures.The engineering profession expects its members to maintain competence in engineering as wellas to have an understanding of the relationship between engineering and society. Thus,accredited engineering programs must contain not only adequate mathematics, science andengineering, but they must also contain adequate complementary studies

Conference Session

Global Engineering Education Initiatives

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ivan Esparragoza, Pennsylvania State University; Alex Friess; Maria M. Larrondo Petrie, Florida Atlantic University

Tagged Divisions

International

quantitative and qualitative data for measurement purpose,and these data will be collected by using the appropriate assessment tools11. The measurementtools that will be used are:1. OVERALL ASSESSMENT DESIGN MATRIX11: This matrix is basically the strategic plan for the initiative reflecting the goal, objectives, and targets. Al future surveys and forms of evaluation will be based on the information presented in this matrix. This will serve as the guideline for the structure of the activities, tasks, students’ performance and content evaluations.2. SURVEYS. Two internal surveys will be designed for each initiative: a pre-survey given before the beginning of the tasks to learn about the actual knowledge and skills level of the participants

Conference Session

Global Engineering Education Initiatives

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Edmundo Tovar; José Carrillo; Jesús García

Tagged Divisions

International

VIEWPOINTS TO DEVELOP QUALITY POLICIES IN ENGINEERING PROGRAMS IN EUROPEAN HIGHER EDUCATION AREAAbstractQuality assurance in Higher Education is by no means only a European concern. All over theworld there is an increasing interest in quality and standards, reflecting both the rapid growth ofhigher education and its cost to the public and the private purse. Accordingly, if Europe is toachieve its aspiration to be the most dynamic and knowledge-based economy in the world, thenEuropean Higher Education will need to demonstrate: it takes the quality of its programmes andawards seriously and is willing to put into place the means of assuring and demonstrating thatquality. The initiatives and

Conference Session

Collaborative & New Efforts in Engineering Education

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Fanyu Zeng, Indiana Wesleyan University

Tagged Divisions

International

their progress, building theirsense of self efficacy, encouraging goal setting behavior and a commitment to remaincompetitive in a global economy.2 The rapid changes in new global economy suggest thenecessity to routinely upgrade existing engineering curricula to reflect these changes, andeven send students abroad to experience different cultures and changes in businessworld.3 All the research firmly believe that there is no doubt that new ever changingglobal economy and multi-culture concepts have become key elements in anyengineering curriculum. In addition to that successful experience of American highereducation could be a great asset to Chinese engineering curriculum developmente.3, 4Based on these literature reviews engineering curricula

Conference Session

International CIase Studies: Collabs, Exchanges & Interactions

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Daniel Borrelli, McMaster University; Susan Masten, McMaster University

Tagged Divisions

International

their own understanding and knowledge and be able to present it clearly andcoherently to others. They change from “passive recipients of information to active controllersof learning”.2 All teaching assistants who responded to a survey (see the Appendix for asummary of the survey results) asking them to reflect upon this role stated that being a teachingassistant has affected their view of the educational process. One teaching assistant wrote, Page 13.487.3“[t]eaching the same material for some time gives you a better idea of what are the commonpitfalls and misunderstanding that will occur when students are learning the new material andyou can

Conference Session

Global Engineering in an Interconnected World / International Division Poster Session

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Fazil Najafi, University of Florida; Dennis Jet, University of Florida; Nick Safai, Salt Lake City College

Tagged Divisions

International

work progress. Students are tomaintain their work progress records (e.g., courses, grades, etc., see Table 1). Similarassessment tables are also to be developed to reflect the student’s research work progress.From these tables, applicants are able to analyze their work, adjust and make improve-ments on a regular basis, and report to their advisors. Reports can regularly be collectedby a student advisor and submitted to the IHE’s Fellowship Project Directors. Thedirectors evaluate the reports, make necessary comments and return to the student’sadvisors.Time-line ChartA table can be prepared showing student name, admission date, semester attended (e.g.,Fall, Spring, Summer). Such a table can be compared with another table (work progress)showing

Conference Session

Preparing Engineers for the Global Workplace

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Knud Holm Hansen, Copenhagen University College of Engineering

Tagged Divisions

International

)• contains both technical and business-related problem formulations• must be written in EnglishThe final project demonstrates the interdisciplinary nature of the program and reflects the threemain disciplines of the program, which are engineering, economics, marketing (business studies)and foreign languages. The final project will often only treat one of the technical areas. Theproject must solve one or more essential problems for the company in question, with all parts ofthe project contributing to the solution of these problem(s). Page 13.1077.7Evaluation of the final project takes place within the following three areas: business studies,engineering

Conference Session

Global Engineering in an Interconnected World

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Richard McGinnis, Bucknell University; Alexandra Coleman, Bucknell University; Jacqueline Denning, Bucknell University; Joseph Smith, Bucknell University

Tagged Divisions

International

requirementpresents small, multidisciplinary teams of students with a problem involving both technical and Page 13.645.3societal aspects, challenging them to reflect upon the relationships of science and technology tocivic issues and community needs.” Over 50% of WPI students fulfill this requirement abroad,and about one-third of these students have projects in developing nations.11Engineers Without Borders (EWB) is becoming an effective way for engineering students toenhance their global competency. The EWB-USA has over 200 developing and establishedchapters working on over 170 projects in 41 countries. Its mission “is to partner with developingcommunities

Conference Session

Preparing Engineers for the Global Workplace

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Najwa Hanel, University of Southern California

Tagged Divisions

International

AC 2008-2298: ENGINEERING RESEARCH RESOURCESNajwa Hanel, University of Southern California Page 13.520.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2008 Engineering Research and Resources The American University of BeirutAs a member of the University of Southern California Science & Engineering Libraryfaculty, I was granted a Sabbatical Leave in 2006 to study the engineering researchers’resources at the American University in Beirut, Lebanon (AUB). My sabbatical report waswell received by my colleagues at USC and elsewhere motivating me to enhance it andshare it with you. The purpose of this paper is to reflect upon the history of an

Conference Session

Preparing Engineers for the Global Workplace

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Annette Casey, Joanneum University of Applied Sciences, Department of Automotive Engineering,; Emilia Bratschitsch, Joanneum Univeristy of Applied Sciences; Adrian Millward-Sadler, Joanneum University of Applied Sciences

Tagged Divisions

International

academicrequirements of a semester abroad. In 2005, we decided to introduce English as the workinglanguage for an entire semester, both in lectures and in projects. The reasoning was twofold:firstly, as mentioned above, to encourage incoming mobility, thereby ensuring that the ‘bilateralexchange’ demanded by the Socrates program (now the Life Long Learning Program) programtakes place. Secondly, we wanted to give students staying at home the chance to apply theirlanguage skills in a way which reflected situations they might find themselves in the workplacein future , e.g. working as part of a multinational, multicultural team, where they must be able tocoordinate their work ‘with others who view the world through differing cultural lenses’7.Introducing a

Conference Session

Collaborative & New Efforts in Engineering Education

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Andrew Kornecki, ERAU; Thomas Hilburn, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott; Wojciech Grega, AGH; Jean-Marc Thririet, LAG; Miroslav Sveda, BUT

Tagged Divisions

International

industry advisory board, activities ofthe department curriculum committee, analysis of data reflecting student cooperative educationactivities, involvement in professional societies, student choice of minor programs, studentPortfolios, etc.The indicator courses, defined by the faculty, are critical in assessing program outcomes. Eachprogram outcome should have one or more courses that contribute to its achievement.Performance in indicator courses also provides information to the faculty regarding performancein prerequisite courses.A survey of graduating seniors and the exit interview can be a source of useful informationregarding the curriculum. While senior information is valuable, graduating seniors may lacksufficient context to correctly

Conference Session

Global Engineering Education Initiatives

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Prashanth Jayaraman, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; Vinod Lohani, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; Garrett Bradley, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; Odis Griffin, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; John Dooley, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Tagged Divisions

International

(introduction to graphics) assigned forthe week. Page 13.533.8 Fig. 4.b: Screenshot of DyKnow software showing discussion of travel route to Coimbra, PortugalThe setup needed webcams at each end, an audio output and a video projector- this setup isillustrated in the sequence of pictures in figure 4.c. Skype enabled us to facilitate audio/videocommunication at both ends, while Dyknow Tablet PC software provided the instructor thecapability of working on engineering problems that were dynamically reflected on each student’stablet PC.Students in the freshman The hardware setup in the The software used

Conference Session

Collaborative & New Efforts in Engineering Education

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Asad Azemi, Pennsylvania State University

Tagged Divisions

International

residing overseas at FerdowsiUniversity. The course structure format was designed to reflect the level and maturity of thestudents. Class met online twice a week. Hybrid e-learning methodology was used in the designand delivery of this course.Summer2006A programming course for engineers (CMPSC 201), a 3-week course meeting everyday for 3.5hours, was delivered according to the flexible delivery model. None of the students took Page 13.535.8advantage of connecting from home, but many of them downloaded the recorded lectures.Fall 2006Two courses were delivered using the described model: CSE 121 (new number for CSE 103),with an enrollment of 7 students

Conference Session

Case Studies & Engineering Education Around the Globe

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Karim Altaii, James Madison University; Hennia cavallini, University of Costa Rica

Tagged Divisions

International

felt that they were not learning from the instructor (style and method)and the UCR students felt that the instructor was not presenting an honest overview of CostaRica. With student input, it was decided that the remainder of the course would be taught byUCR students with JMU students learning directly from discussions with UCR students. TheJMU students overwhelmingly—based on the class evaluations—reflected that this approach wasmuch more effective than traditional instruction.A detailed syllabus, including the activities performed in this course, is presented in Table 2.Hard copy of all course material was distributed at the beginning of each lecture.A newly opened computer lab, with internet access, was made available to all

Conference Session

Technical Capacity Bldg for Developing Countries & Service Learning

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

William Jordan, Baylor University; Glenn Blalock, Baylor University; Walter Bradley, Baylor University; Cynthia Fry, Baylor University; Anne Grinols, Baylor University; Brian Thomas, Baylor University

Tagged Divisions

International

. Since the content wasprovided, each team focused on delivery only. In class, the teams gave their presentations, andall were video recorded. Faculty provided critique and non-presenting teams provided peerfeedback. Then, all teams watched the video recording. Finally, all teams repeated theirpresentations. The lead faculty for professional speaking supplied final written feedback, inaddition to the team grade.One week later, each student team prepared a second presentation, this one based on coursecontent that is coordinated with the writing assignment just completed. Three more presentations,all content-based, followed throughout the semester, reflecting the students’ growing body ofinformation and analysis on their engineering projects. Each

Conference Session

Educating Graduates in Engineering for a Flat World

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Michael Mariasingam, University of Wisconsin - Madison; Thomas Smith, University of Wisconsin - Madison; Sandra Courter, University of Wisconsin - Madison

Tagged Divisions

International

, entrepreneurship and leadershipEngineering education of today is still rooted in the skills required to support the workenvironment of the 1950s when manufacturing was the predominant engineering activity.Engineering education has not changed to meet the needs of current work environment whereservice sector dominates the economic activities8. This is clearly reflected, as table [Table 1]below shows, in the glaring differences in the perceptions the industry and education have of theskills engineers need.Table 1. The emphasis given by employers and by academics to the desired skills of universitygraduates9.Not long ago, when engineers were working in mostly regional operations, the above skills weresufficient for them to perform effectively but not now in

Conference Session

Technical Capacity Bldg for Developing Countries & Service Learning / International Division Poster Session

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Fazil Najafi, University of Florida; James Carlsen, University of Florida; Meghan Ritter, University of Florida; Nick Safai, Salt Lake City College

Tagged Divisions

International

mulch. If there is an excess, theleftovers are used as cover for the landfill.Recyclables are collected in a very different way. Since Escambia County’s Solid WasteManagement Department is responsible for recyclable waste collections, they have 17 drop offsites that residents can take their recycling to. These drop-off sites are placed around the countyto make recycling easier for the public. Since these drop-off centers are used by all residents ofthe county, the number of households will be changed to reflect the entire county. The numberof households is 111,10014. Once a week these bins are emptied and the contents are taken to therecycling center. For the FY07, there were 3,477 tons of recyclable materials collected. TheSolid Waste

Conference Session

Technical Capacity Bldg for Developing Countries & Service Learning

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Lauri Burke, Colorado School of Mines; Barbara Moskal, Colorado School of Mines

Tagged Divisions

International

4.9 3.5 0.9 1.3 Master’s Candidate 12.1 6.7 2.3 2.7 2.3 0.9 1.8 Freshmen Undergraduate 7.0 2.5 1.3 3.8 1.0 2.5 0.1Table 2. Average hours per week per groupNote: Efforts of the scholarship recipient during the Fall 2007 semester is given in average hoursper week per student. The Total Average column reflects the average hours worked each week,by degree program, for scholarship recipients working on both of the project teams. The other Page 13.523.12columns represent the average of the semester total hours for each

Conference Session

Case Studies & Engineering Education Around the Globe

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Waddah Akili, Iowa State University

Tagged Divisions

International

method atthe appropriate time. Understanding the pros and cons of the lecture method is a helpful startingpoint.Lectures have a number of characteristics that does make them, for the right subject matter,desirable in the classroom. (14) It does, to a great extent, depend on the abilities and experience ofthe lecturer. An able and committed lecturer can accomplish the following: 1. Relate the material proficiently and effectively, in a manner that reflects lecturer’s personal conviction and grasp of the subject matter; 2. Provide students with a thoughtful, scholarly role model to emulate; 3. Supplement the subject matter with current developments not yet published, or interject lecturer’s own views derived from his/her own

Conference Session

Technical Capacity Bldg for Developing Countries & Service Learning

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Vinay Kumar Domal, University of Western AustraliaUWA; James Trevelyan, University of Western Australia

Tagged Divisions

International

orPakistan.On reflection, the reason for this gap in the research literature might be explained by therelatively small number of people with appropriate research skills and tools and, at the sametime, enough first-hand experience to understand the language and concepts of engineeringpractice. The question “What do engineers do?” seems obvious with hindsight. Even thoughone of the authors had most of the required skills and 20 years of first-hand experience indifferent fields of engineering, the question did not seem important. It was the apparentcontradictions in South Asia (mentioned above) that resulted in a serious search forexplanations from 2003 onwards.There are several comparative studies of engineering in different countries. The