Integration Of Assessment And Curriculum In Engineering, Mathematics, And Physical Science Programs
- Conference
- Location
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Austin, Texas
- Publication Date
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June 14, 2009
- Start Date
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June 14, 2009
- End Date
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June 17, 2009
- ISSN
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2153-5965
- Conference Session
- Tagged Division
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Mathematics
- Page Count
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7
- Page Numbers
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14.773.1 - 14.773.7
- DOI
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10.18260/1-2--5554
- Permanent URL
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https://peer.asee.org/5554
- Download Count
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288
Paper Authors
Eduardo Chappa Texas A&M International University
Dr. Chappa is an Assistant Professor of Mathematics at Texas A&M International Unversity (TAMIU). He received his B.S. and M.S. degree in Mathematics from Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile in 1990 and 1993 respectively. Dr. Chappa received his Ph.D. from University of Washington in 2002. Dr. Chappa was a visiting assistant professor at Texas A&M University before joining TAMIU, and is a member of the AMS.
Terutake Abe Texas A&M International University
Dr. Abe is an Assistant Professor of Mathematics at Texas A&M International University. He received his B.S. degree in Mathematics from University of Tokyo in 1984, and M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in Mathematics from Johns Hopkins University in 1996 and 1999, respectively. Prior to joining TAMIU in 2001, Dr. Abe was on the faculty of University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Abe is a member of AMS, MAA, AMATYC and NCTM.
Fethi Belkhouche Texas A&M International University
Dr. Fethi Belkhouche is an assistant professor of systems engineering at Texas A&M International University. He holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering from Tulane University, New Orleans. Prior to joining Texas A&M Intl University, Dr. Belkhouche was a visiting assistant professor in the department of electrical engineering and computer science at Tulane University. Dr. Belkhouche's research interests focus on robotics, control of multi-agent and distributed systems, and image processing.
Rohitha Goonatilake Texas A&M International University
Dr. Rohitha Goonatilake is currently serving as an Associate Professor of Mathematics in the Department of Mathematical and Physical Sciences at Texas A&M International University, Laredo, Texas. He obtained his PhD degree in applied mathematics from Kent State University, Kent, Ohio in 1997.
Qingwen Ni Texas A&M International University
Dr. Ni is an Associate Professor of Physics at Texas A&M International University. He received his M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in Solid State Physics from the University of North Texas in 1985, and 1991, respectively. Prior to joining TAMIU in 2001, Dr. Ni was a Senior Research Scientist in Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio. Dr. Ni is a member of ASME.
Rafic Bachnak Texas A&M International University
Dr. Bachnak is Professor and Chair of the Department of Engineering, Mathematics, and Physics at Texas A&M International University. He received his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Ohio University in 1983, 1984, and 1989, respectively. Prior to joining TAMIU in 2007, Dr. Bachnak was on the faculty of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Northwestern State University, and Franklin University. Dr. Bachnak is a registered Professional Engineer in the State of Texas, a senior member of IEEE and ISA, and a member of ASEE.
Abstract
NOTE: The first page of text has been automatically extracted and included below in lieu of an abstract
Integration of Assessment and Curriculum in Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Science Programs
Abstract
The development of the curriculum of a program normally includes academic considerations that promote knowledge acquisition of the student. In this paper the authors discuss how the Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Science programs at Texas A&M International University are also incorporating assessment tools to design specific target courses in their curriculum. The development of such strategy has followed a process that has involved all faculty members in the related disciplines. Every program has five outcomes, of which three are common to all programs. The department is also targeting specific courses in its programs to measure these outcomes, and is using the results of this assessment to rethink the way a course is being offered. This paper presents some results.
Introduction
In past years, academic choices were mostly dictated by purely academic considerations. Today that is not the case. Universities are paying more and more attention to assessment as part of the considerations that are taken into account when making academic decisions1,3.
The Department of Mathematical and Physical Sciences at Texas A&M International University decided to begin a process in which assessment tools would be used to think and rethink the way courses are implemented. The department offered at the time this process began six major degrees, five of them in Mathematics (a Bachelor of Arts, a Bachelor of Science, as well as two teaching certificate degrees for 4th to 8th grade and from 8th to 12th grade, and a Master of Science in Mathematics), and one Bachelor of Arts with a Major in Physical Science. In summer 2008 the Bachelor of Science with a major in Systems Engineering degree was approved. Even though the main driving force of the department has been Mathematics, Engineering is emerging as the new driving force in the department.
This paper describes the process since its beginning in 2007, when the department hired a new chair. Since then the department has revised its Mission and Vision statements, agreed on Program Outcomes for all of its degrees, added Student Learning Outcomes to all syllabi, and used the assessment cycle to improve its programs. These jobs have been undertaken by the Assessment Committee of the department. The committee is composed by five members: one from Engineering, one from physics and three from Mathematics.
Beginning the Process: The Mission and Vision Statements
The beginning of this process dates back to 2007, when the University hired a new chair for the Department of Mathematical and Physical Sciences. One of the first tasks that the new chair assigned to the Assessment Committee was to revise the Mission and Vision statements that are displayed in our web page2. The version that existed at the time did not include all fields represented in the teaching and research of the department. For example, neither Engineering nor Computer Science were mentioned in the statement. Other fields, with the exception of Mathematics, were included under the umbrella of being physical sciences. This label, however, was not enough to include the emerging Engineering discipline in the department. As a result the Mission and Vision statements of the department were rewritten to include Engineering and other disciplines explicitly.
The process of revising the Mission and Vision statements itself was short. It took about two meetings in
Chappa, E., & Abe, T., & Belkhouche, F., & Goonatilake, R., & Ni, Q., & Bachnak, R. (2009, June), Integration Of Assessment And Curriculum In Engineering, Mathematics, And Physical Science Programs Paper presented at 2009 Annual Conference & Exposition, Austin, Texas. 10.18260/1-2--5554
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