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Educational Experiences of a Mechanical Engineering Technology Program During COVID-19

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Conference

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Location

Virtual Conference

Publication Date

July 26, 2021

Start Date

July 26, 2021

End Date

July 19, 2022

Conference Session

Remote Instruction/COVID-19 Strategies

Tagged Division

Engineering Technology

Page Count

11

DOI

10.18260/1-2--37003

Permanent URL

https://peer.asee.org/37003

Download Count

398

Paper Authors

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Steven Nozaki Pennsylvania State University Orcid 16x16 orcid.org/0000-0003-4733-246X

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Ph.D. Engineering Education - The Ohio State University

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David Clippinger Pennsylvania State University

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Dr. David Clippinger is a faculty member in Mechanical Engineering Technology at the Pennsylvania State University, Erie--the Behrend College. His interests are ship dynamics, measurement & instrumentation, and assessment, especially of student writing.

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Yabin Liao Pennsylvania State University Orcid 16x16 orcid.org/0000-0003-4054-5219

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Dr. Yabin Liao received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering in 2005, and M.S.E. in Electrical Engineering in 2004, both from Arizona State University. Before that he received his B.E. in Automotive Engineering in 1999 from Tsinghua University. He was a lecturer/sr. lecturer in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Arizona State University from 2006-2017 before he joined Penn State Erie in 2017. Dr. Liao's teaching interests include Engineering Mechanics, Mechanics of Materials, System Dynamics and Controls, Vibrations, and Instrumentation and Measurements. He has been a long-time reviewer and contributor of Pearson's MasteringEngineering online program for Engineering Mechanics and Mechanics of Materials.

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Nancy E. Study Pennsylvania State University

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Dr. Nancy E. Study is an Associate Teaching Professor in the School of Engineering at Penn State Behrend where she teaches courses in engineering graphics and rapid prototyping, and is the coordinator of the rapid prototyping lab. Her research interests include visualization, standardization of CAD practices, design for 3D printing, and haptics. Nancy is a former chair of the ASEE Engineering Design Graphics Division and is currently the Editor and Circulation Manager of the Engineering Design Graphics Journal. She received her B.S. from Missouri State University, and M.S. and Ph.D. from Purdue University.

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Philip A. Jones Pennsylvania State University

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Mr. Philip Jones is an Assistant Teaching Professor in the School of Engineering at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College. He received the B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from West Virginia University in 1986. Mr. Jones also earned the M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Case Western Reserve University in 1990. In addition, Mr. Jones graduated from the General Electric Advanced Course (A, B, and C courses) in Engineering as part of the Edison Engineering Program in 1989. Mr. Jones is a Licensed Professional Engineer, PE 054155E, in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Mr. Jones began his engineering career in 1986 with General Electric Company in Erie, Pennsylvania. Subsequent to that time he worked for Morrison Knudsen Co. in Boise, ID, and Atchison Steel Castings Co. in Atchison, KS. He then returned to General Electric Company as Engineering Manager of Locomotive Truck Design Group. His most current industrial experience began with LORD Corporation in 1998 as Product Engineer and Engineering Manager.

Mr. Jones is an Associate Member of American Society of Mechanical Engineers with specific interests in vehicle suspension design, vibrations, structural design, and manufacturing.

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Shannon K. Sweeney Pennsylvania State University

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Mr. Shannon Sweeney is an Associate Professor of Engineering at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College. He received an A.S. in Drafting and Design Engineering Technology and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from West Virginia Institute of Technology in 1981 and 1985 respectively. Mr. Sweeney also received a M.S. in Mechanical Engineering in 1996 from Case Western Reserve University. He is certified as a Quality Engineer by the American Society for Quality and is a Licensed Professional Engineer in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Mr. Sweeney began his career as a Quality Engineer for Lord Corporation. He worked there eleven years with the last eight years being as a Product Designer of vibration control products. He joined the faculty at Penn State Behrend in 1996 where he teaches a variety of engineering mechanics courses. His research interests are materials testing, industrial statistics, and vibration analysis.

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Susan Daigle

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Master's Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Case Western Reserve University, Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Gannon University, Worked in industry for over 30 years at GE Transportation and Steris Corporation. PE in PA

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Adam Jeffrey Wielobob

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Liyong Sun Pennsylvania State University

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Dr. Liyong Sun is an associate professor of engineering at Penn State Behrend. He received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Minnesota.

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Abstract

This work in progress describes the study of a Mechanical Engineering Technology Program’s experiences in the immediate aftermath of Covid-19. Covid-19 and the effects of social distancing as a precaution has had widespread and significant effects in all aspects of life, including education. As with many institutions, the Mechanical Engineering (MET) department at ___ University, has undergone a wide range of adjustments and accommodations since the campus’s abrupt closure in the spring of 2020 to try and continue to deliver quality education under the given circumstances. One of the commonly identified differences between engineering technology (ET) and engineering is the focus on application. To put it in layperson’s terms, ET tends towards the “hands on” approach of engineering concepts. However, Covid-19 preventative measures forced campus closures and limited access to many of the resources that made an ET education unique. Distance learning was thrust upon a population whose pedagogy was largely founded on the idea of in-person participation: No more could a student select materials after conducting material property tests; machines were not run by students learning how to carry out design instructions; FEA and CAD were not done at proper workstations but instead through balky remote access, and 3D printed models were simulated and assessed virtually. A field whose educators regularly instructed students “you try this”, were all instead asking them “you watch this”. The effects of Covid-19 upon various institutions are likely to be longstanding, as returning to what once was considered normal will unforeseeably never happen in totality. As part of the engineering technology community, it is important to contribute to the knowledge base regarding the collective experience. Just as novel observations may serve to identify opportunities for advancement or disparities between populations, recurring observations can add to literature validating pedagogical phenomena. This study will utilize explorative qualitative methods to gain preliminary insight into the experiences at a particular setting. A grounded theory approach to faculty and student interviews will serve as the foundation to develop hypotheses regarding effects of Covid19 on the MET program, as well as responses to said effects. Findings can be used to inform practice as society tries to move forward in the new normalcies of engineering education.

Nozaki, S., & Clippinger, D., & Liao, Y., & Study, N. E., & Jones, P. A., & Sweeney, S. K., & Daigle, S., & Wielobob, A. J., & Sun, L. (2021, July), Educational Experiences of a Mechanical Engineering Technology Program During COVID-19 Paper presented at 2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access, Virtual Conference. 10.18260/1-2--37003

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