Session T3D3 Engineering ethics as part of the core course in professional ethics M.K. Balasubramanya Department of Physical and Life Sciences College of Science and Technology Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi AbstractProfessional ethics is taught as a required general education (core) course in manyundergraduate programs. We describe a model for collaborative teaching of professionalethics by a team that consists of (1) philosophers and (2) science and technologyprofessionals. The model requires the
any program hinges on keeping interest alive in all participants. Surely, forstudents, the biggest incentives are to learn and improve their grades in the course.Students from three disciplines took part in the preliminary phase of this research: (1)electrical engineering technology, (2) mechanical engineering technology, and (3)construction engineering technology.On a volunteer-basis, students from Group I were teamed with 2 to 3 students from GroupIII or Group IV. The students from Group I were appointed as a team leader with the taskof organizing extra coaching session for their team members, minimum of 2 hours perweek. The incentives for the participants are that leaders will get a bonus of 2.5% towardstheir final grade and-team members
Doing the Real Thing Figure 1. Cone of learning Case Study ApproachThere are number of definitions for the term “case study”. Case studies are actualexamples requiring the synthesis of a large amount of different kind of information, andthe making of recommendations or decisions. Yin, (1994) defines case study as “A casestudy is an empirical inquiry that investigates a significant event within its real worldenvironment, the boundaries between event and environment are not clear, and in whichmultiple evidence are used. Fry et al., (1999) describes case studies as complex exampleswhich give an insight into the context of a problem as well as illustrating the main point.Research on the web can yield
is expected to improve students’ understanding,motivation and creativity. The projects in this course are all centered on different realistic civilengineering systems, with loading specified according to ASCE 7 Minimum Design Loads forBuildings and Other Structures3. These projects have several objectives: (1) to allow students totackle larger and more realistic civil engineering analysis problems, (2) expose students tocomputer software packages available for structural analysis, (3) evaluate critical thinking andcommunication skills. The projects are designed to be solved by student teams, who are toldthey are acting as consultants on the project posed. The students are presented with a scenario(building location and function) and a
Copyright 2005, American Society for Engineering EducationLaboratory. In these courses, the students are prepared for the electrical engineering portion ofany disciplinary electives they desire. These electives are taken in the junior or senior year, andare typically offerred every other year. In this environment, one course in Digital Logic Design(DLD) is offered, along with a supporting laboratory course. This contrasts to a traditionalelectrical or computer engineering program, where this same topical coverage would be handledin more depth in two or even three semesters.Electrical engineering electives are shown below in Table 1. Other than Applied Signals &Systems, no elective course requires other electives as prerequisites. Therefore
assessment processes in place. ME LAB OrganizationME Lab is a three credit hour course taught as one hour of lecture and six hours oflaboratory. Its course description is: “Measurement of fluid flow, heat transfer, power, and other properties of mechanical equipment. Design of experiments, selection and use of data acquisition systems, data reporting, and presentation.”7Course objectives state8: 1. Learn the important tools and concepts associated with work in a mechanical laboratory including; experimental methods and techniques, data-analysis techniques, engineering measurement systems, and test equipment/facilities. 2. Learn how to plan and conduct an experiment 3. Learn how to
utilizing Black Board and WebCT. The program started with facultytraveling over the weekend to one of the plants centrally located and lecturing Fridaysand Saturdays. To meet the goals set by the assessment committee, a set of features wereset forth for the curriculum development2,3. The main objective was to have a programthat provides a sound technical knowledge and solid background in the following areas: 1. Mathematics 2. Computer information systems 3. Computer Aided Design in Industrial Engineering 4. Computer Aided Design in Electrical Engineering 5. Manufacturing process, quality control, and safety 6. Economic awareness and management science 7. Research project in a major area
–point toundergraduate mathematics 1. Unfortunately, in some Universities, more than half of thestudents fail the introductory course in calculus. One of the problems encountered inteaching calculus identified at the Tulane Conference was “students performing symbolicmanipulations with little understanding or ability to use calculus in subsequent courses”.Another cause identified was “mathematics lagging behind other disciplines in the use oftechnology.” 2,4Over the past decade, considerable resources have been devoted nation-wide to assessingand reformulating the teaching of calculus in the first year university curriculum 5. Thisreformulating movement is called “calculus reform.” Now is the time to do for math whatwe have done for reading
ofincluding active-based exercises in their courses, even if it is with little frequency or withlimited resources. It is also recommend to find real-world evidence of the uses of calculusin the community and then build into the curriculum a set of “case of studies” as evidenceof calculus at work. Activity 1: Volume of a Plastic GlassAbstractIn this activity, students will demonstrate their knowledge of the calculation of volumesof a solid of revolution.PrerequisitesStudents should be: 9 Able to take measurements in centimeters. 9 Able to find the radius of a circle given its circumference. 9 Able to graph the points of height vs. radius (scatter diagram), using the TI-83 calculator. 9 Able to find the function of
systems with an interactive component. Therefore, a user-centered development methodology like human-computer interaction (HCI) is a much needed disciplinewithin all computer science programs. This discipline is the basis for an engaging mindset. HCI is an interdisciplinary methodology that involves skills from disciplines such aspsychology/cognitive science, engineering, informatics, computer science/software engineering,ergonomics, human factors, and social sciences4. Therefore, HCI is more closely aligned with user-centered development. Alan Cooper relates his experience of the broader perspective which he couldonly see after he extricated himself from the “programming grip”1. He claims that only then did he seethat programming is such a
program and the results that have been achieved so far. Background Facts“By avoiding computers, women [and minorities] may be missing out on the generoussalaries and abundant career opportunities in information technology.”1 Texas A&MUniversity – Corpus Christi (A&M-CC) in partnership with the Nation ScienceFoundation (NSF) and Texas Engineering and Technical Consortium (TETC) is trying tocombat the shortage of women and minorities in computer science. This shortage is seennationwide, and in 2001, 3.4 percent of all conferred undergraduate degrees were Proceedings of the 2005 ASEE Gulf-Southwest Annual Conference Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
only the traditional “lecture” format (with 43 fifty-minute sessions per semester).Nonetheless, it seemed best for the course, both for appeal and pedagogy, to have a non-trivial“imaging systems” component as well as the “image processing” component.The textbook selected for the course was Digital Image Processing (Second Edition), 2002, byRafael C. Gonzalez and Richard E. Woods, published by Prentice Hall. It has a number of desirablefeatures, with good on-line help. While it has less directly on imaging systems than desired for thiscourse, it does have quite a strong first chapter that reflects actual imaging applications by theirspectral range of operation. The course was formed around the following textbook chapter outlineand order: 1
theAmerican Society of Quality (ASQ). In September 1994, QS 9000 officially replaced allpreviously existing multiple quality system manuals and programs and was alsosimultaneously adopted by the truck manufacturers as their supplier quality systemprogram. QS 9000 requirements applied to all internal and external suppliers of rawmaterials, components, subassemblies and service parts. Characteristics of the QS 9000 SpecificationsThe underlying principles for QS 9000 come from ISO 9001: 1994 standard. QS 9000 isstructured into three sections. Section 1, Core Requirements, consists of twenty elements,reproduced verbatim, in Italics, from ISO 9001: 1994 Section 4. Additional comments,modifications or interpretations to these elements, to
program and the results that have been achieved so far. Background Facts“By avoiding computers, women [and minorities] may be missing out on the generoussalaries and abundant career opportunities in information technology.”1 Texas A&MUniversity – Corpus Christi (A&M-CC) in partnership with the Nation ScienceFoundation (NSF) and Texas Engineering and Technical Consortium (TETC) is trying tocombat the shortage of women and minorities in computer science. This shortage is seennationwide, and in 2001, 3.4 percent of all conferred undergraduate degrees were Proceedings of the 2005 ASEE Gulf-Southwest Annual Conference Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
, motivate them to stay in engineering. The seven issues arerelated to two key areas, projects and relationships between engineering and mathematics andscience classes.Issues related to projects are: 1). Students and faculty members perceive projects currently being used in first-year engineering courses as “build and see” where students proceed through trial and error with little connectivity with the sciences or mathematics [3,4]. Some programs have provided simulation tools to enable students to predict the performance of their design proposal [5,6]. 2). Engineering faculty members thought that success of a project relied more on the fabrication skill as opposed to application of the engineering design
. Proceedings of the 2005 ASEE Gulf-Southwest Annual Conference Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Copyright 2005, American Society for Engineering Education Development MethodologyThe research aims to develop a web-based model, which systematically shows animated 3-dimensional construction sequence of a framed steel structure. Hot links are embedded within thevirtual 3D model of the framed steel structure at the steel joints to pop-up VRML navigationwindows for real-time views of steel joints. The steps listed below are followed for the study andcreation of the model. A flow chart for the sequence of steps is shown in Fig.1
addressable DIP switches whichprovide a simple way to communicate with the board. The LEDs are given labels from 0 to 3 andthe switches are given labels from 0 to 3. Connect the power supply to the DSK and use the USBcable to connect the DSK to the host computer. As a self-test, when the power is connected, the4 LEDs will blink 3 times and then stay on. In addition, a 1 kHz signal will sound through thespeakers for about a second. The DSK is functioning OK if it passes this test.Launch Code Composer Studio by double clicking on the CCS icon. Note that the power shouldbe on to the DSK and the USB cable connected when CCS is launched. If it is not connected, amessage will appear stating that it was not possible to initialize the DSK. The 4 LEDs will
unilaterally. Forexample, the United State Patent Office 1 must work closely with such organizations asthe World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) 2 to assure that intellectual propertyrights are protected worldwide.Issues of intellectual property are generally dealt with in situ within engineering andtechnology curricula. That is, issues of patents and copyrights are discussed as part ofother topics, such as design, manufacturing, capstone projects, or entrepreneurialactivities. There has been no coordinated curricular effort in this area and accreditationagencies have not been specific in either the value they place on the topic or how IPunderstanding might be evaluated as a desirable outcome. Charles Garris proposed thatintellectual
helping students learn the subject at hand, JiTT can also bringbenefits by helping students structure their time and the way they approach a newsubject. Most instructors agree that students get more in classroom if they preparefor class by reading the text ahead of the lecture2. It also helps students to developand practice writing skills. JiTT promotes construction classes’ instruction as adialogue whether as student-student or student-teacher.Assignments are posted on the web which students access and respond to via theweb before class time. Some samples of questions given to the students include: 1. Regardless of the type of specs used, there are instances when the contractor will be perplexed. For example “Install shoring in all trenches
CAVE can be thought of as an extensionof this philosophy. Besides providing a highly coordinated walk-in virtual environment,the CAVE also allows for interaction between a user and the computers that operate it, allin real time. A menu-driven computer program employed in the CAVE is much morethan a tutorial; it is an experience. Proceedings of the 2005 ASEE Gulf-Southwest Annual Conference Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Copyright © 2005, American Society for Engineering EducationFigure 1. The CAVE, visualization equipment, and a user interacting with data inside therunning CAVE. Contents of the ProgramThe Virtual Silicon Environment (VISIEN
sustainable economic growth. It is muchmore than how to use this or that machine, tool, or software. As such, Technology Educationdoes not focus on the specific skills of career preparation. Technological literacy is essential forall Americans, regardless of the careers, professions, and majors they select1. Up until now, therole of Technology Education within Career and Technology Education has been ill-defined andmisunderstood by school administrators, parents, students, higher education institutions, and theteachers themselves. As a result, instructional activities in the technology classroom typically,(1) focus on hands-on activities related to tools and materials, (2) do not integrate or support thecore academic subjects, and (3) do not use
inquiry activity was done during lecture in ChE 3084, a junior-level chemical engineeringcourse. The course content is roughly 2 credit hours of separations, 1 credit hour of simulations,and 1 credit hour of mass transfer. The experiment was to measure a diffusivity, to compare it toliterature values, and to develop of list of weaknesses of the experiment.The diffusivity is a measure of how quickly a compound moves through another due to aconcentration gradient. Fickian diffusivities of alcohols in air are on the order of 1 x 10-5 m2/s atroom temperature [1]. Experimental data were analyzed with the concept of diffusion time, inwhich the time for a molecule to diffuse an average distance in one dimension is given byEquation 1 [2
accelerated masters, combined BS/MS, and 4+1 options. It reduces the timeneeded for undergraduates to earn a graduate degree and exposes these students to research work.It provides a route for faculty to obtain quality graduate students and it builds enrollment for thedepartment. This paper discusses the structure and the implementation of the first program ofthis type at Missouri University of Science and Technology. The experience of the initialelectrical and computer engineering students in the Accelerated BS/MS program is described.While the number of students who participated is not large, the program provides a valuableoption to the curriculum.KeywordsCurriculum, Graduate Education, and Career PathsIntroductionEngineering undergraduates benefit
pasta types investigated, the number of pieces of each pasta type that will be tested,and the number of students in each group. While the experiment itself is easy, the analysis can bechallenging depending on what the students are required to calculate and report.KeywordsPasta, bending, experiment, fracture, structural member, ultimate failure.IntroductionA great deal of research goes into the production of pasta. This includes measuring its propertiesboth before and after cooking (e.g., [1-3]). Considerable literature exists for measuring theproperties of both cooked and uncooked pasta (e.g., 4-6). To the authors’ knowledge, theexperiment described here is not done by pasta manufacturers to determine any properties. In theuncooked state, pasta
results for the characterization of a hybrid systemwhich includes a hydrogen fuel cell (HFC) along with a battery in a hex-copter drone configurationto determine its effectiveness. The reason for the use of hydrogen relies on the fact that it has ahigher energy density (120 kJ/g) than commercial lithium-ion polymer batteries (LiPo), the typeof batteries most civilian drones currently use, which only have an energy density of 1 kJ/g. Inorder to test the HFC, a testing setup composed of lightbulbs was created in order to determine thefuel cell power output and its interactions with the battery system. The data used for the analysisof the performance of the drone was the power drawn over the duration of each test. The resultsshow a delay of less
forstudents to perform work with Arduino and LabVIEW to help draw the connection betweenLabJack and other DAQ systems.Arduino and LabVIEW provide great alternatives for data acquisition. Both allow flexibility andhave their benefits and drawbacks. Before moving further, three things are of note. First, theusage of “Arduino” will refer to the Arduino code and hardware as a system. Second, LabVIEWis a coding environment where the user creates a “VI” or virtual instrument. However, manytimes “LabVIEW” will be used as the name of the code. LabVIEW is based on a language calledG [1]. Finally, while these DAQ systems don’t require much programming knowledge, a basicunderstanding is needed. The main reason these systems are not integrated into the
membersand two graduate students. Faculty members worked to develop the structure of the program,application process, final report, final presentation, and social functions. Graduate students actedas the point of contact between the faculty and students by leading meetings, providing weeklyfeedback, following up with advisors when necessary, and introducing students to the area. Theprogram had an undergraduate student to graduate student coordinator ratio of 7:1.Student in the REU and REM programs applied through the REU and REM websites using aninternally developed application system. Along with basic personal information, they submit aresume, transcript, personal statement, and two reference letters. The applicants were ranked bythe PI and Co-PIs