Paper Authors

Abstract

NOTE: The first page of text has been automatically extracted and included below in lieu of an abstract

An Integrated Project-based Course in Mathematics and Engineering Technology Abstract

Engineering Technology faculty regularly encounter undergraduates taking courses in their professional field of study who lack adequate preparation in mathematics. Research indicates that students face difficulties in the application of mathematical concepts in engineering and technology. There appears to be a lack of articulation between the two disciplines. A recent National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering (NACME) 1 report by a select group of engineering technology educators and industry leaders demands (or requests) that substantive and more innovative measures be undertaken to recruit and educate engineers for the 21st century Furthermore, the study suggests changes that need to occur in developing curricula with a more interdisciplinary approach that is relevant to the careers of students, attractive to a more diverse student population, and connected to the needs of society. In response to these issues and the growing demand to retain minority students in engineering and technology programs, we are in the process of developing a problem-solving based mathematics course. The goals for creating this course are to: 1) increase retention rates of minority students enrolled in engineering and technology programs, 2) introduce engineering problem- solving methodologies in mathematics courses, and 3) promote team work among students. This paper describes our course structure, course activities, E-Team projects and initial evaluation of the effectiveness of this course. Analysis of the results of this study (or initial study) provides strong evidence that the mean scores of an integrated project-based course in mathematics and engineering technology and the control group are not equal. Also, the data proves that, on average, post-program grades are greater than pre-program grades. Furthermore, female averaged scores were higher compared to male scores, showing a significant difference (up to 10 points)

Introduction

Several authors have recently cited the importance of considering retention in the course development process. A research conducted by Klingbeil et al describes an NSF funded initiative at Wright State University (WSU) to redefine the way in which engineering mathematics is taught, with the goal of increasing student retention, motivation and success in engineering. The approach begins with the development of a novel freshman-level engineering mathematics course (EGR 101). Taught by engineering faculty, the course is composed of lecture, laboratory and recitation components. Using an application-oriented, hands-on approach, the course will address only the salient math topics actually used in a variety of core engineering courses 2. At Indiana University—Purdue University Fort Wayne faculty have developed ETCS 101—Introduction to Engineering, Technology,

• Citation

• Format
  • APA
  • APA - LaTeX bibitem
  • MLA
  • MLA - LaTeX bibitem
  • Bibtex
  • EndNote - RIS

Yousuf, A., & Mustafa, M., & Shinemin, L. (2009, June), An Integrated Project Based Course In Mathematics And Engineering Technology Paper presented at 2009 Annual Conference & Exposition, Austin, Texas. 10.18260/1-2--4841