Vancouver, BC
June 26, 2011
June 26, 2011
June 29, 2011
2153-5965
Systems Engineering
21
22.347.1 - 22.347.21
10.18260/1-2--17628
https://peer.asee.org/17628
706
Alice Squires has nearly 30 years of professional experience and is an industry and research professor in Systems Engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology in the School of Systems and Enterprises. She is a Primary Researcher for the Body of Knowledge and Curriculum to Advance Systems Engineering (BKCASE) and Systems Engineering Experience Accelerator projects. She has served as a Senior Systems Engineer consultant to Lockheed Martin, IBM, and EDO Ceramics, for Advanced Systems Supportability Engineering Technology and Tools (ASSETT), Inc. Alice previously served as a senior engineering manager for General Dynamics (GD), Lockheed Martin (LM) and as a technical lead for IBM. Alice is a lifetime member of Beta Gamma Sigma (Business), Tau Beta Pi (National Engineering), and Eta Kappa Nu (National Electrical Engineering) Honorary Societies and is an International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE) Certified Systems Engineering Professional (CSEP) in both base and Acquisition (CSEP-Acq). She is in the process of completing her doctorate dissertation in “Investigating the Relationship Between Online Pedagogy and Student Perceived Learning of Systems Engineering Competencies” and her research interests include systems engineering competency development, systems thinking and systems engineering education. Alice is the Chair of the Systems Engineering Division of ASEE and has a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) and Bachelors of Science in Electrical Engineering (BSEE). Alice received the Stevens Institute of Technology Provost’s Online Teaching Excellence Award in 2007.
Dr. Robert Cloutier is an Associate Professor of Systems Engineering in the School of Systems and Enterprises at Stevens Institute of Technology and holds a concurrent part-time Associate Professor II appointment at Buskerud University College in Kongsburg, Norway. He serves on the Scientific Advisory Board for the National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center for Compact and Efficient Fluid Power. Dr. Cloutier has over twenty years’ experience in systems engineering & architecting, software engineering, and project management. Prior to Stevens, Cloutier was a Principle Engineer at Lockheed Martin Mission Systems & Sensors where he worked on the Aegis and the LCS programs, and at Boeing Helicopters as an Associate Technical Fellow and a lead avionics engineer on the V-22 Osprey. Rob’s research interests are focused on the applicability of patterns to architecting complex systems model based systems architecting, architecture entropy and CONOPS development using new technologies. Previous roles included lead systems engineer, engineering project manager, principle engineer, and system architect for major defense contractors. Early in his career he served for eight years in the United States Navy. Rob received the 2009 - 2010 Alexander Crombie Humphreys Distinguished Associate Professor Teaching Award at Stevens. Rob belongs to the International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE), IEEE and ACM. He received his Ph.D. in Systems Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology, an M.B.A. from Eastern University, and a B.S. from the U.S. Naval Academy.
Comparing Perceptions of Competency Knowledge Development in Systems Engineering Curriculum: A Case Study According to the Systems Engineering (SE) Division of the National Defense Industrial Association, one of the top five systems engineering issues for the Department of the Defense (DoD) is: “The quantity and quality of systems engineering expertise is insufficient to meet the demands of the government and defense industry.” (NDIA SE Division, 2010) Competency-based systems engineering curriculum development has receivedmore focus in recent years due to this gap in systems engineering expertise throughout industryand government. In support of competency-based curriculum research, a recent study queriedboth instructors and students of twenty-seven class deliveries of twenty-one different systemsengineering and related courses delivered over one semester, as to the type and level of systemsengineering competency knowledge covered by the course content. This paper covers the resultsof an analysis that first addresses instructor expectations of the student’s level of knowledgeproficiency in identified competencies upon entering and successfully completing the class.Next, the analysis addresses the student’s perception of their level of knowledge proficiency inidentified competencies upon entering and successfully completing the class. In each case theinstructor and student is selecting from a list of competencies based on a government/industrymodel, that each felt was addressed in the content of the course. The difference in instructorsand students perceptions of course competency coverage in the course content as well as thedifferences in perceived levels of knowledge proficiencies developed in those competencies, isanalyzed and discussed in the paper. Additional data on student demographics, studentexperience in systems engineering, and the delivery methods used by the instructor to providethe course content and other related factors are also addressed. The paper concludes withrecommendations for bridging the gap in perceptions of competency-based course content andcompetency knowledge growth, and suggestions for future research in competency-basedcurriculum development.References:NDIA SE Division (2010, July). Top systems engineering issues in department of defense and defense industry (Final 9a-7/15/10).
Squires, A. F., & Cloutier, R. J. (2011, June), Comparing Perceptions of Competency Knowledge Development in Systems Engineering Curriculum: A Case Study Paper presented at 2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Vancouver, BC. 10.18260/1-2--17628
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