Conference Session

ELOS Best Paper Nominations

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Debra J. Mascaro, University of Utah; Stacy Bamberg, University of Utah; R. Roemer, University of Utah

Tagged Divisions

Division Experimentation & Lab-Oriented Studies

-basedrobotic/mechatronic design projects. We expect that the integrated laboratory experiences in ourfirst-year mechanical engineering classes will improve the students’ understanding and retentionof fundamental engineering principles through the coupling of hands-on laboratory learning withdesign-based learning. We will assess this outcome by comparing final exam scores acrosssemesters (i.e., before and after the curricular changes). We also anticipate increased studentretention, which will be assessed by tracking which students eventually register for theMechatronics course in the junior year of the program.1. IntroductionOur overall curriculum has a very strong “hands-on” component at all levels with semester-longdesign projects in both semesters

Conference Session

Electrical and Computer Engineering Laboratories

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mustafa G. Guvench, University of Southern Maine; Derek Richardson, Fairchild Semiconductor

Tagged Divisions

Division Experimentation & Lab-Oriented Studies

rotary vane vacuum pump capable of reaching milliTorr ultimate vacuum.The system built is portable on wheels, and employs two Rotameter flow meters with fine needlevalves to control gas pressure and composition fed into the process chamber. Pressure ismonitored with a digital thermocouple vacuum gauge. Uniform plasma is obtained at operatingpressures of 100-1000 milliTorr range.Currently the microwave plasma system built is being used to plasma treat the gold bonding padsof package and MEMS chips to facilitate organics free surfaces and improve the quality in wirebonding. However, such a system can easily be adapted to serve as plasma assisted dry etcher.1. IntroductionThe project reported here comprises the design and development of a microwave

Conference Session

ELOS Poster Session

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Curtis Brackett, Bradley University; David Zietlow, Bradley University

Tagged Divisions

Division Experimentation & Lab-Oriented Studies

model using the system curve developedexperimentally. This design project incorporates many goals that an educator wants to accomplish in alab-based class. Involving engineering economics in this project is a great way to bring the realworld into the class room. The optimal design of a pump and piping system lab is a great way toincorporate numerous classes into one piece of work.Pump and Pipe Apparatus For this project it is necessary to build a system that is capable of allowing students tochoose from a variety of pump and piping sizes and allow the students to demonstrate their finaldesign for the commissioning. A system schematic is contained in Figure 1. T F

Conference Session

Mechanical and Architectural Engineering Laboratories

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Hamadou Saliah-Hassane, University of Quebec, Montreal; Maarouf Saad, Ecole de Technologie Superieure; Willie K. Ofosu, Pennsylvania State University, Wilkes-Barre; Karimou Djibo, LICEF Research Center; Hassane Alzouma Mayaki, UCAD and LICEF Research Center, Montreal, Canada.; Mamane Moustapha Dodo Amadou ing., École de technologie supérieure

Tagged Divisions

Division Experimentation & Lab-Oriented Studies

, has become a major issue for education and research institutions.It is therefore necessary to manage all the constraints to delocalized learners. In thiscontext, distance education is an asset that has already proven itself. Consideringengineering education, the constraints are even greater. Learning resources are no longerlimited to electronic files or electronic multimedia documents. In many laboratories,students carry out practical work with very expensive equipment. For over a decade, wehave proposed and demonstrated the validity of remote laboratories in ElectricalEngineering [1], an approach that has since made its way into numerous educationalinstitutions and research centers.The goal was to create a positive learning environment that

Conference Session

Innovative Teaching Methods and Learning Models

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jean-Claude Thomassian, State University of New York, Maritime College; Risa Kumazawa, Duquesne University

Tagged Divisions

Division Experimentation & Lab-Oriented Studies

the outcome of a survey and the feedback concluded by students thatsupported their outlook toward a media-based tutorial used in the instruction of Electronics andNetwork Analysis. The paper also presents an educational effort to improve student retention byengaging them in their studies. The assessment of this paper is in agreement with othercomparable studies done on media- based instruction and student engagement. For example,Chen et al.1 found that enhancing student engagement is an important step to increase studentretention, accomplishment and outcomes. Cohen et al.2 also found that students learned morefrom media based instruction compared to traditional modes of instruction. Likewise, Powell etal.3 explored this topic further and

Conference Session

First-year Programs Division Poster Session

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kirsten A. Davis, Boise State University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

every other CM course, whether they are formal prerequisites or not.Students are often not prepared for the amount of self-directed studying they must do to besuccessful in this type of course, particularly as freshmen in college. To assist students in moreaccurately gauging their readiness for an exam, no-stakes (optional) quizzes were implementedwithin the Blackboard course management system in a freshman level CM materials andmethods course, giving students an opportunity to practice their new language with no grade-related consequences.This paper presents preliminary results of that effort and illustrates the effects of this no-stakes(optional) quizzing. Specifically, this paper evaluates (1) whether the quizzing helps students tobetter

Conference Session

FPD X: First-Year Design with Projects, Modeling, and Simulation

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Naomi C. Chesler, University of Wisconsin, Madison; Cynthia M. D'Angelo, University of Wisconsin, Madison; Golnaz Arastoopour, University of Wisconsin, Madison; David Williamson Shaffer, University of Wisconsin, Madison

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

design-build-test cycles in the simulation; instead the emphasis is on managingconflicting client requirements, making trade-offs in selecting a final design and justifyingdesign choices. This paper describes the design of the simulation and preliminary results from itsinclusion in a first-year Introduction to Engineering course at our institution.Introduction:First year engineering curricula offer a critical window of opportunity to retain students inengineering disciplines and provide a strong foundation for future success. Incorporating designinto these first year courses, often referred to as cornerstone design (in contrast to seniorcapstone design)1, has been promoted as a way to give students some insight into theprofessional practice of

Conference Session

FPD 3: Research on First-year Programs and Students, Part I

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Richard Whalen, Northeastern University; Beverly K. Jaeger, Northeastern University; Susan F. Freeman, Northeastern University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

studentswere frequent cell phone users during class and which students were friends and work partnerswithin the class. The instructor then divided the class in a way such that two friends or workpartners were in different groups, enabling us to have one group text the other with someknowledge that they had phone numbers of members of the other group. Group 1 was in classwhile Group 2 had a breakfast meeting with the instructor to discuss a class project. Group 2 wastold the class was split since no food is allowed in the computer classroom and the onlyconference room available could only accommodate half the class. Back in the classroom, thepresenter (also a professor who teaches the course) gave a 15-minute presentation that wasrelevant to the course

Conference Session

FPD 3: Research on First-year Programs and Students, Part I

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Holly M. Matusovich, Virginia Tech; Brett D. Jones, Virginia Tech; Marie C. Paretti, Virginia Tech; Jacob Preston Moore, Virginia Tech; Deirdre-Annaliese Nicole Hunter, Virginia Tech

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

their motivation in the course.Importantly, the goal of this study is not to provide a direct comparison between the groups, butrather to better understand the ways students perceive faculty roles and how those perceptionscorrelate to student motivation.BackgroundProblem-Based LearningProblem-Based Learning (PBL), as defined in the literature, emerged first in medical educationand is grounded in theories of constructivist learning and cognitive development.1 In recentyears, however, PBL has emerged as a useful approach to engineering and science education(e.g.,2-12).In PBL, students are provided with an ill-structured problem that they work collaboratively toaddress. Under the guidance of faculty who function as facilitators rather than

Conference Session

FPD IX: Research on First-Year Programs and Students, Part II

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Rachelle Reisberg, Northeastern University; Joseph A. Raelin, Northeastern University; Margaret B. Bailey, Rochester Institute of Technology; Jerry Carl Hamann, University of Wyoming; David L. Whitman, University of Wyoming; Leslie K. Pendleton, Virginia Tech

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

retention among undergraduate students in engineering.BackgroundThe field of cooperative education and internships has proposed the use of the concept of self-efficacy as a promising avenue to link practice-oriented learning processes to learningoutcomes.2 Self-efficacy is defined as an individual’s perceived level of competence or thedegree to which she or he feels capable of completing a task. Self-efficacy is a dynamic trait thatchanges over time and can be influenced by experience. Self-efficacy expectations areconsidered the primary cognitive determinant of whether or not an individual will attempt agiven behavior. Bandura3 identified four sources of information that shape self-efficacy: (1)performance accomplishments, (2) vicarious experience

Conference Session

FPD X: First-Year Design with Projects, Modeling, and Simulation

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Matthew Whiteacre, Texas A&M University; Jeffrey M. Otey, Texas A&M University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

hours in duration and met twice Page 22.1554.2each week for 14 weeks. This project spanned approximately eight class periods during an eight-week period.Initially, the teams were provided the Magnastix, a bag containing magnetic rods and steelspheres and were instructed to create a structure or bridge to span a 4.25 inch gap across twotextbooks. No further instruction was given. The student designs were diverse as can be seen inFigure 1. Designs varied from trusses, to walkways, to fairly random arrangements. Figure 1. Examples of structures without previous instruction.Once the teams built their original bridges, they were

Conference Session

FPD II: Increasing Engagement and Motivation of First-Year Students

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

James E. Lewis, University of Louisville; David Wheatley

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

well as the impact on class interest, enthusiasm, andstudent perceptions.1. IntroductionAll incoming students to the J.B. Speed School of Engineering are required to take theIntroduction to Engineering course. The goals of the course are to introduce the new students tocollege campus life and resources, make the students aware of the different disciplines ofengineering that might interest them, give them a feel for what engineers do, and introduce themto engineering software that they might use in school or profession to solve technical problems.Case Studies are used in the Introduction to Engineering course as a way for the incoming Page

Conference Session

FPD VIII: Crossing Bridges and Easing Transitions into the First Year

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jacqueline Q. Hodge, Texas A&M University; Margaret Hobson, Texas A&M University; Bugrahan Yalvac, Texas A&M University; Magdalini Z Lagoudas, Texas A&M University; Jefferey E. Froyd, Texas A&M University; Natela Ostrovskaya, Texas A&M University; Tatiana Erukhimova, Texas A&M University, Department of Physics and Astronomy; Cesar O. Malave, Texas A&M University; William H Bassichis, Texas A&M University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

) and Engineering Study Skills (ENGR 289-202). Page 22.1561.5The LEEP CoursesLEEP Engineering Mathematics Course. The LEEP math course objectives were to 1) reinforce,broaden and extend mathematical knowledge/skills; 2) prepare for Engineering Mathematics(Math 151) and Physics (PHYS 218) courses; 3) develop/improve problem-solvingabilities/skills through experience in a design project; and 4) recognize the importance ofmathematics to engineering. Topics included fundamental concepts in algebra (exponents andradicals, algebraic and rational expressions, equations and inequalities, systems of equations) andplanar geometry, elementary functions

Conference Session

FPD VIII: Crossing Bridges and Easing Transitions into the First Year

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Danny King, Indiana University Purdue University, Indianapolis; Laura Masterson, Indiana University Purdue University, Indianapolis

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

numerous benefits received from enrollment in a LC. Most notably,they report the following 5: 1. Making connections with other students, peer mentors, faculty, and advisors, 2. Academic advising (e.g., knowledgeable, available when needed assistance), 3. Experiencing environment that promotes and respects diversity, 4. Becoming familiar with campus and academic support resources, 5. Deciding on a major or future career, 6. Adjusting to college. The Summer Bridge (SB) program is a specific type of LC intended to bridge the gapbetween high school and college. The intensive 2 week SB program, developed as an additionalsupport for incoming, first year students, provides a high-impact, high-touch experience tostudents in a major

Conference Session

FPD XI: Assessing First-Year Programs, Experiences, and Communities

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Bart M. Johnson, Itasca Community College; Ronald R. Ulseth, Itasca Community College; Gordy Savela, Itasca Community College; Mason A. Hansen, Itasca Community College; Julie Kennedy, P.E., Itasca Community College

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

Education, 2011 The Itasca CC Engineering Learning CommunityAbstractThe engineering program at Itasca Community College in northern Minnesota has developed asuccessful and unique learning community model for engineering education. The model ishighly effective in attracting a wide variety of students into the field of engineering. It hasproven successful in developing the student’s ability to complete a four-year engineering degreeand enter the workforce in a timely fashion. The success of the model is based on acomprehensive learning community approach that is defined by 1) strong K-12 relationships, 2)two-year “across the curriculum” engineering and professional development (EPD) coursesequence, 3) active faculty and student life

Conference Session

First-year Programs Division Poster Session

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ghada Salama, Ph.D., Texas A&M University, Qatar; Beena Ahmed, Texas A&M University at Qatar

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

Page 22.1627.2“inside story” of the collaborative work performed by our students.2. IntroductionThere is no doubt that we all agree on the importance of team work in any career especiallyengineering. No problem can be solved with the skills and knowledge of just one engineer.Solving the world problems requires the collaboration of people with various expertise andbackgrounds (1). An effective team member means a person that has effective communicationskills, proper decision making and conflict management capabilities and sometimes an extrabonus is to have would be leadership abilities. Teamwork might not usually come naturally to everybody; it’s a skill that usually needs to bedeveloped and practiced before one can apply it effectively. At our

Conference Session

First-year Programs Division Poster Session

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kristi J. Shryock, Texas A&M University; Arun R. Srinivasa, Texas A&M University, Department of Mechanical Engineering; Jefferey E. Froyd, Texas A&M University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

entities that address aparticular situation and for which there is no one correct answer. Students are encouraged toengage evaluative and synthetic reasoning skills in addition to the more traditional analyticalskills that are developed in a mathematics course for engineering students. Thus MEAs provide anatural means for incorporating engineering activities. MEAs can also provide a way to organizethe assessments, learning activities, and topics in an engineering approach to calculuspreparation.As shown in Table 1, Moore and Diefes-Dux11 have proposed a systematic framework for thedevelopment of MEAs: Page 22.1174.4 Table 1. Six

Conference Session

FPD IV: Improving Student Success: Mentoring, Intervening, and Supplementing

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Elora Candace Voyles, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale; Rhonda K. Kowalchuk, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale; John W. Nicklow, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale; Robert Ricks

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

aseries of academic and non-academic programs targeting first- and second-year retention rates.Historically the first two years have had the lowest retention rates in the COE. These programsinclude: (1) an innovative Introduction to Engineering (ENGR 101) course; (2) engineeringstudent designated (ESD) sections for core university and math courses; (3) a six-week SummerBridge Program for at-risk students; (4) new developmental mathematics courses forunderprepared students (ENGR 111A and ENGR 111B); (5) an Engineering Residential Collegethat forms the foundation of a new living-learning community; (6) a multi-tiered studentmentoring program that includes faculty mentoring and practicing-engineer (industry)mentoring; (7) peer tutoring; and (8

Conference Session

FPD IV: Improving Student Success: Mentoring, Intervening, and Supplementing

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Craig J. Scott, Morgan State University; Yacob Astatke, Morgan State University; Jumoke 'Kemi Ladeji-Osias, Morgan State University; Carl White, Morgan State University; Myra W. Curtis, Morgan State University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

population. Research at our institution from 1994 through 2009 on freshmen engineering cohortsindicate that the initial math course placement correlates highly with the likelihood of beingretained in engineering 1. Those students who started with Calculus 1 (Math 241) orComprehensive Pre-calculus (Math 141) graduated at a rate twice as high as those who startedwith Pre-calculus 1 (Math 113). Alternatively, the cohorts that started in basic math (MATH106) take an average of over seven years to graduate. Calculus I is the first mathematics coursethat counts towards an engineering degree in many colleges and university STEM programs.Many schools are facing increasing enrollments from students such as these. Studies such asHow People Learn2

Conference Session

FPD VI: Presenting "All the Best" of the First-Year Programs Division

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Shelley Lorimer, Grant MacEwan University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

late 1990’s. The student enrolments for both the U of A andMacEwan for 1995 and 2010 are provided in Table 1. Currently MacEwan students comprisealmost 10% of the second year engineering students at the U of A.Table 1 - Enrolment statistics for MacEwan and University of Alberta: 1995 & 2010Year MacEwan MacEwan % U of A U of A % Engineering Engineering / Engineering Engineering Institution /Institution Enrolment Enrolment ~25,000

Conference Session

First-year Programs Division Poster Session

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

C.J. Egelhoff, U.S. Coast Guard Academy; Susan Donner Bibeau, U.S. Coast Guard; K.L. Burns, U.S. Coast Guard Academy; Corinna Marie Fleischmann P.E., U.S. Coast Guard Academy

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 end of the first semester are separated from the program.Figure 1: Comparison by class year, number of students who Considerable assistance is enter two-year school and students who enter the offered to place the student in four-year school. another program of theirchoice; some chose to continue at the

Conference Session

FPD VI: Presenting "All the Best" of the First-Year Programs Division

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Susan F. Freeman, Northeastern University; Richard Whalen, Northeastern University; Beverly K. Jaeger, Northeastern University; Stanley M. Forman, Northeastern University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

-assessment in most sections of the course. Students weregiven a survey early in the semester (Appendix A) that focused on their perception of engineersin society and familiarity of human service organizations (n=512). The second survey (AppendixB) was given at the end of the course, with similar questions to reveal whether there had beenany shift in attitude (n=436). Here are selected results and discussion:Table 1. Familiarity with the following human services areas, 1=not familiar Æ 5=very familiar Human services Before After Statistically significant? Housing Aid 2.27 2.63 Yes, p

Conference Session

FPD IX: Research on First-Year Programs and Students, Part II

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jae Hoon Lim, University of North Carolina, Charlotte; Patricia A. Tolley, University of North Carolina, Charlotte; Kimberly Warren, University of North Carolina, Charlotte; Peter Thomas Tkacik, University of North Carolina, Charlotte

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

chapters.Patricia A. Tolley, University of North Carolina, CharlotteKimberly Warren, University of North Carolina, Charlotte Dr. Warren is an Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at UNC Charlotte. She con- ducts research in the area of geotechnical engineering with a specific interest in earth retaining structures designed with geosysnthtic (polymeric) materials. She conducts large, full-scale field experients that are highly instrumented to monitor and analyze the behaviors of civil engineering structures. In the past few years, Dr. Warren has also recieved funding to conduct engineering education research with the goals of 1) working in a multi-disciplinary team to increase the retention of engineering

Conference Session

FPD IV: Improving Student Success: Mentoring, Intervening, and Supplementing

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Colleen A. McDonough, Michigan State University; Daina Briedis, Michigan State University; Neeraj Buch, Michigan State University; Renée S. DeGraaf, Lansing Community College; Jon Sticklen, Michigan State University; Sarah J. Stoner, Michigan State University; Mark Urban-Lurain, Michigan State University; Claudia E. Vergara, Michigan State University; Thomas F. Wolff, Michigan State University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

in PAL sessions; and session scheduling,including times and locations.Table 1: Number of students impacted by the PAL program to date. Spring Fall Spring Fall Semester 2009 2009 2010 2010 # of students enrolled in PAL supported 149 1358 1024 1442 courses # of unique PAL participants 95 167 153 215 Page 22.1148.9 # of unique PAL participants as a 63.8% 12.3% 14.9

Conference Session

FPD IX: Research on First-Year Programs and Students, Part II

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Casey Canfield, Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering; Brittany Strachota, Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering; Yevgeniya V. Zastavker, Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

experiences.IntroductionTraditional engineering curricula are no longer adequate for training modern-day engineers.Today’s engineers are expected to be creative, bold, technically well-versed team players to meettomorrow’s challenges in an increasingly complex and risk-averse global environment.1 Inresponse to these needs, engineering programs have begun a shift toward new curricula andpedagogies that have been demonstrated to be effective in building both technical and non-technical skills crucial to solving authentic problems in real-world environments. One such newcurricular and pedagogical practice is Project-Based Learning (PjBL). In addition to developingboth technical and non-technical skills,2-3 PjBL has been shown to develop meta-cognitiveabilities, as well as

Conference Session

FPD VIII: Crossing Bridges and Easing Transitions into the First Year

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Theodore Demetrius Caldwell, Michigan State University, Diversity Programs Office, College of Engineering; Kyle P. Foster, Diversity Programs Office, College of Engineering, Michigan State University; Tonisha Brandy Lane, Michigan State University; Rickey Alfred Caldwell Jr, Michigan State University; Claudia Elena Vergara, Michigan State University; Jon Sticklen, Michigan State University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

and Recruitment Coordinator (2006-2007) Diversity Programs Office, College of Engineering at Michigan State University Publications None NSF Grant Serving as Program Manager for MSU on National Science Foundation NSF 03-520; Michigan Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (MI-LSAMP); under the direction of Mary Sue Coleman, Ralph Kummler, Levi Thompson, Edmond Tsang and Thomas Wolf. This award is effective September 1, 2005 and expires September 1, 2010. Will continue in the same capacity for Phase 2 of this grant effective September 1, 2010-September 1, 2015 Other Affiliations National Association of Multicultural Engineering Program Advocates (NAMEPA) Re- gion C Chair, February 2010-present 2009

Conference Session

FPD II: Increasing Engagement and Motivation of First-Year Students

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Julie J. Parish, Texas A&M University; Kristi J. Shryock, Texas A&M University; Dimitris C. Lagoudas, Texas A&M University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

discussed, as well as aresearch plan for analyzing the effectiveness of the course adjustments.IntroductionThe problem of retaining students is pervasive throughout all of the engineering disciplines.1, 2Within the aerospace community, the impact of an aging workforce is a cause for alarm withrespect to both the national economy and national security.3 Several U.S. governmentcommission reports have investigated the problem, one observing4, 5:The industry is confronted with a graying workforce in science, engineering and manufacturing,with an estimated 26 percent available for retirement within the next five years… Clearly, thereis a major workforce crisis in the aerospace industry. Our nation has lost over 600,000 scientificand technical aerospace

Conference Session

FPD VII: Innovative Curriculum Elements of Successful First-Year Courses

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Barbara Elizabeth Carruthers, The Ohio State University; Paul Alan Clingan, The Ohio State University - EEIC

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

Page 22.1592.1 c American Society for Engineering Education, 2011 Use of FLUENT Software in a First-Year Engineering Microfluidic Design Course Carruthers, B.E. and Clingan, P.A.AbstractCurrently, the integration of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software is typically only seenin higher level courses at the undergraduate level (1) (2) (3). In this case, students are equipped withthe basics of fluid dynamics from their core classes, which allows them to focus on theimplementation of such problems and the rote mechanics of operating in the CFD environment(4) . This approach, while helpful in preparing students for industry, robs them of a

Conference Session

FPD VII: Innovative Curriculum Elements of Successful First-Year Courses

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Matthew A. Carr, U.S. Naval Academy

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

, humanities and social science. This common coreprogram feeds to any of the Academy’s 22 academic majors. Midshipmen select their choice ofmajors in the spring of their freshman year and then commence courses in their major program inthe fall semester of their sophomore year.course designThe overall 75-hour course time budget is summarized in the table below: Topic or Subtopic Hours 1 Course Orientation and Administration 2 2 Engineering Drawing – Hand Sketching and SolidWorks 1 8 3 Intro to Thermal Fluids w/ Lab 5 4 Intro to Mechanics w/ Lab 5

Conference Session

FPD VI: Presenting "All the Best" of the First-Year Programs Division

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Chris Smaill, University of Auckland; Gerard Rowe, University of Auckland; Lawrence J. Carter, University of Auckland

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

the largest ever reported foreducational interventions”8.The learning improvements delivered by formative assessment persist even when studentsrather than the instructor carry out the assessment. In fact, in some situations considerablegains can be made by replacing instructor assessment with peer assessment. Gibbs9 describesa compulsory second-year engineering course where the format was two lectures and onetutorial a week. At the tutorial students worked on problem sheets which were marked bylecturers and handed back each week. The average exam mark (Table 1) was 55%. Numbersincreased and the lecturers no longer had time to mark the problems. The average exam markwent down to 45%. In an effort to restore standards, peer assessment was