Exploring Engineering Technology: A Multi-Disciplinary, Project-Based Introduction to Engineering Technology

Benito Mendoza; Angran Xiao; Muhammad Ummy

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Conference: 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Portland, Oregon
Publication Date: June 23, 2024
Start Date: June 23, 2024
End Date: July 12, 2024
Conference Session: First-Year Programs Division Technical Session 10: Curricular & Program Design
Tagged Division: First-Year Programs Division (FYP)
Tagged Topic: Diversity
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/47410

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Paper Authors

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Benito Mendoza New York City College of Technology orcid.org/0000-0002-7074-9645

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Benito (Ben) Mendoza is an Associate Professor in the Computer Engineering Technology Department at New York City College of Technology (City Tech), part of the City University of New York (CUNY). Dr. Mendoza was the (2020-2021) Chair of the Middle Atlantic Section of the American Society for Engineering Education. He is the co-founder and steering member of the City Tech HSI Steering Committee, which seeks to promote awareness of City Tech's identity as an HSI (Hispanic Serving Institution) and the vital role HSIs play in improving access to education and advancing equity for historically underserved students. He is the PI of the project "Information Systems meet Cultural Competencies (IS-CUCO)," an NSF-funded project aiming to integrate cultural, linguistic, data, and infrastructure factors into Information Systems that provide access to food-security services such as food pantries. He is also a Co-PI of a DoE Title V grant titled "City Tech STEM Success Collaborative," which seeks to improve retention, graduation, and workforce readiness of Hispanic and low-income STEM-interested students by strengthening and coordinating academic and support programs for students in their first two years of study.

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Angran Xiao New York City College of Technology orcid.org/0000-0003-3536-6240

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Angran Xiao is an Associate Professor at the Department of Mechanical Engineering Technology, New York City College of Technology, City University of New York.

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Muhammad Ummy New York City College of Technology

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Dr. Muhammad Ummy is a full professor of Electrical Engineering Technology at New York City College of Technology. He received his B.E. in Mechanical Engineering from the City College of New York in 1997 and his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Graduate Center at the City University of New York in 2008. Dr. Ummy’s research focus is on design of both low and high-power SOA-based fiber Laser system. He is currently working on Terahertz generation using Lithium Niobate crystals. He has published over twenty peer-reviewed journal articles, and two book chapters. Dr. Ummy has presented his research to several international conferences. In addition, he has three U.S. Patents. He is a Co-PI been sponsored by DOE, NSF and CUNY Strategic Investment Initiative (SII).

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Abstract

This Complete Evidence-Based Practice paper presents 'Exploring Engineering Technology,' a multi-disciplinary, project-based course designed to introduce new and prospective engineering students to the field. Choosing engineering as a major could be influenced by many factors, such as demographics, achievement scores, social contacts, mentors and role models, and the learning experiences from pre-high school to the first year in college. However, many students beginning their engineering studies often lack a clear understanding of the details of an engineering curriculum and the profession. A significant number of first-year students, and occasionally second-year students, lack a comprehensive understanding of the engineering field, including its diverse roles and specialties across various disciplines. As a result, dissatisfaction, misinformation, and high dropout rates continue to be significant challenges in engineering programs.

Focused on Mechanical, Electrical, and Computer Engineering Technologies, this course addresses the challenges students face in understanding the engineering curriculum and profession. It aims to guide students to make informed decisions when selecting their academic major. The course, developed collaboratively by faculty across three engineering technology departments and the First-Year Programs, centers on a hands-on project involving an automated robotic system for testing and sorting light bulbs, simulating real-world engineering applications.

This paper discusses the course's design, objectives, and pedagogical strategies. It includes a literature review on factors influencing engineering major choices and highlights the importance of addressing students' misconceptions and lack of understanding about engineering. The curriculum's multidisciplinary nature and project-based learning (PBL) approach emphasize hands-on experience and real-world applications. The core project involves developing a robotic system, illustrating the integration of mechanical design, electronics, and programming, and fostering a comprehensive educational experience. The learning outcomes focus on fostering understanding across the three engineering disciplines, enhancing teamwork, problem-solving, and multi-disciplinary collaboration, and exploring college success practices. Assessment results from a pilot implementation show positive trends in students' comprehension of engineering disciplines, academic readiness, and confidence.

Citation
Format

Mendoza, B., & Xiao, A., & Ummy, M. (2024, June), Exploring Engineering Technology: A Multi-Disciplinary, Project-Based Introduction to Engineering Technology Paper presented at 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon. https://peer.asee.org/47410

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - This Complete Evidence-Based Practice paper presents &#39;Exploring Engineering Technology,&#39; a multi-disciplinary, project-based course designed to introduce new and prospective engineering students to the field. Choosing engineering as a major could be influenced by many factors, such as demographics, achievement scores, social contacts, mentors and role models, and the learning experiences from pre-high school to the first year in college. However, many students beginning their engineering studies often lack a clear understanding of the details of an engineering curriculum and the profession. A significant number of first-year students, and occasionally second-year students, lack a comprehensive understanding of the engineering field, including its diverse roles and specialties across various disciplines. As a result, dissatisfaction, misinformation, and high dropout rates continue to be significant challenges in engineering programs.

Focused on Mechanical, Electrical, and Computer Engineering Technologies, this course addresses the challenges students face in understanding the engineering curriculum and profession. It aims to guide students to make informed decisions when selecting their academic major. The course, developed collaboratively by faculty across three engineering technology departments and the First-Year Programs, centers on a hands-on project involving an automated robotic system for testing and sorting light bulbs, simulating real-world engineering applications.

This paper discusses the course&#39;s design, objectives, and pedagogical strategies. It includes a literature review on factors influencing engineering major choices and highlights the importance of addressing students&#39; misconceptions and lack of understanding about engineering. The curriculum&#39;s multidisciplinary nature and project-based learning (PBL) approach emphasize hands-on experience and real-world applications. The core project involves developing a robotic system, illustrating the integration of mechanical design, electronics, and programming, and fostering a comprehensive educational experience. The learning outcomes focus on fostering understanding across the three engineering disciplines, enhancing teamwork, problem-solving, and multi-disciplinary collaboration, and exploring college success practices. Assessment results from a pilot implementation show positive trends in students&#39; comprehension of engineering disciplines, academic readiness, and confidence. 
AU  - Benito Mendoza
AU  - Angran Xiao
AU  - Muhammad Ummy
CY  - Portland, Oregon
DA  - 2024/06/23
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Exploring Engineering Technology: A Multi-Disciplinary, Project-Based Introduction to Engineering Technology
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/47410
ER  -