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Session 2020

'Early Immersion': High school students participating in Engineering technology's Senior Design projects at Miami University

Suguna Bommaraju, Ron Earley, Dave Campbell, Dave Lennig

Miami University, OHIO

I. INTRODUCTION

Grounded in liberal education concepts 1,2, senior design course pulls together various engineering concepts and skills towards a real-world problem. Emphasis is placed on teamwork, communication, economic and safety considerations and developing liasion with industrial partners. Students are encouraged to think critically, engage with others, understnad the various contexts and reflect on their actions throughout the project. 3-5

At Miami University, the senior design project course is also used to establish bridges with local high schools by participating in FIRST robotics comeptition. Started in the year 2001, this course has been successful in collaborating with local high schools participating in the competition. The FIRST robotics competition 6 engages university students in a challenging 'design-build-and test' project, while working side by side with industrial engineers and high school students. Through the competition, university students complete a demanding engineering project and motivate a new cadre of students to follow their career footsteps.

After a brief description of FIRST competition, the paper oultlines the students’participation with high schools in the competition. This paper illustrates how liberal education principles are at work in the senior design course. 7

II. FIRST ROBOTICS COMPETITION

Although the technical programs at American Universities continue to improve to maintain their world-wide recognition as the very best, the primary and secondary education systems do need considerable improvement. There is a growing gap between instructor expectation and the performance of these high school graduates. The report “Engineering Education in a changing world”8 addresses educational partnerships as one of sixteen action items to direct the future of engineering education. As stated in the report, “Each engineering college, with local industry, should partner with atleast one local on the K-12 level. The aim is to improve mathematics and science instruction, provide role models, and give students and teachers a greater inderstnding of engneering’s role in society.” Proceedings of the 2003 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright © 2003, American Society for Engineering Education

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Earley, R., & Lennig, D., & Campbell, D., & Bommaraju, S. (2003, June), 'early Immersion': High School Students Participating In Engineering Technology's Senior Design Projects At Miami University Paper presented at 2003 Annual Conference, Nashville, Tennessee. 10.18260/1-2--11958