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Laboratory and Design Experiences in the Introduction to Engineering Course at an Engineering and Physics Department

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Conference

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Location

Atlanta, Georgia

Publication Date

June 23, 2013

Start Date

June 23, 2013

End Date

June 26, 2013

ISSN

2153-5965

Conference Session

Innovations in Teaching and Research in Physics or Engineering Physics I

Tagged Division

Engineering Physics & Physics

Page Count

29

Page Numbers

23.7.1 - 23.7.29

DOI

10.18260/1-2--19016

Permanent URL

https://peer.asee.org/19016

Download Count

529

Paper Authors

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Baha Jassemnejad University of Central Oklahoma

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Scott Tracewell StJohn

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Evan C. Lemley University of Central Oklahoma

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Kevin Rada University of Central Oklahoma, Department of Engineering and Physics

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Juan Camilo Orozco

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Abstract

Laboratory and Design Experiences in the Introduction to Engineering Course at an Engineering and Physics DepartmentOur department, which offers an Engineering Physics program, with majors in ElectricalSystems, Mechanical Systems, and Physics, as well as a Biomedical Engineering program,requires all of its majors to enroll in a two-hour “Introduction to Engineering and Laboratory”course that integrates lecture, laboratory, and design components. One major objective of thelaboratory and design experiences is to prepare freshmen and transfer students for upper-levelengineering laboratory courses, as well as senior design courses, required for our majors. Eachlaboratory module, presented during two-hour laboratory sessions, at a rate of one module perweek, provides either an introduction to concepts and tools required to complete the coursedesign project, or an introduction to one of the software packages the students will use in theirupper-level coursework. In this paper, we will present the content of the laboratory modules, andexplain how the laboratory experiences are incorporated into the pedagogy of the course. Thesmall-group design project, a central part of the course, requires students to develop andimplement a one-semester mechatronics-based design project they propose, utilizing theknowledge, skills gained during the laboratory sessions as well as engineering processes.Another primary aim of the design project and laboratory experience is to introduces students, inthe early stages of their engineering education, to a subset of the ABET’s (a-k) student outcomecriteria (engineering skills, team work, leadership, problem solving, communication, etc.) Thecourse culminates with student project presentations, including a poster, a formal report, and ademonstration of their design project. We will also present the student’s feedback (perception)concerning the effectiveness and impact of this laboratory and design project in their preparationfor the upper-level classes and practicing engineering design and practice.

Jassemnejad, B., & StJohn, S. T., & Lemley, E. C., & Rada, K., & Orozco, J. C. (2013, June), Laboratory and Design Experiences in the Introduction to Engineering Course at an Engineering and Physics Department Paper presented at 2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Atlanta, Georgia. 10.18260/1-2--19016

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