Studying the Impact on Mechanical Engineering Students who participate in Distinctive Projects in Thermodynamics

Margaret B. Bailey

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Conference: 2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Vancouver, BC
Publication Date: June 26, 2011
Start Date: June 26, 2011
End Date: June 29, 2011
ISSN: 2153-5965
Conference Session: Curricular Developments in Energy Education I
Tagged Division: Energy Conversion and Conservation
Page Count: 15
Page Numbers: 22.1351.1 - 22.1351.15
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--18573
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/18573
Download Count: 477

Paper Authors

biography

Margaret B. Bailey Rochester Institute of Technology

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Margaret Bailey is Professor of Mechanical Engineering within the Kate Gleason College of Engineering at RIT and is the Founding Executive Director for the nationally recognized women in engineering program called WE@RIT. She recently accepted the role as Faculty Associate to the Provost for Female Faculty and serves as the co-chair on the President’s Commission on Women. She began her academic career as an Assistant Professor at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, being the first woman civilian faculty member in her department. Margaret maintains a research program in the area of advanced thermodynamic analyses and health monitoring of energy intensive systems.

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Abstract

Studying the Impact on Mechanical Engineering Students who participate in a Unique Series of Projects in ThermodynamicsAbstractThis paper summarizes two projects which were created in 2001 and incorporated withinThermodynamics I and II courses. Intended learning outcomes of the projects includestrengthening Thermodynamics related knowledge; improving communication abilities, andstrengthening intellectual curiosity in areas related to thermodynamics and mechanicalengineering, in general. The focus of this paper is on the framework development to measurecertain effects that project participation may have had on student participants. In 2001, theprojects were introduced and over the past nine years, each project has been refined throughassessment in order to improve student learning while achieving intended learning outcomes.Thermodynamics courses in mechanical engineering focus on the first and second laws ofthermodynamics in order to prepare students for subsequent courses and ultimately, engineeringpractice. Therefore, thermodynamics courses aim to strengthen a student’s theoretical base andimprove analytical skills while focusing on the relevant and timely subject matter of how energyin the form of heat is converted to energy in the form of work. For many students in athermodynamics class, this is their first opportunity to gain an understanding of how variouscycles’ work and how these same cycles can be analyzed and evaluated. This paper summarizestwo projects which were designed to prolong and strengthen students’ interest in areas related tothermodynamics. The first project is an individual project within Thermodynamics I requiringthe student to critically read a technical book related to Thermodynamics (selected by studentand approved by professor), technically review the book in written form, and orally presentresults to the class in an informal setting. The second is a team project within ThermodynamicsII which requires student teams to create and present a class-long presentation for a non-technicalaudience of their choice (pending professor approval). The content of the presentation muststrongly relate to Thermodynamics and have direct relevance to the audience. Past student teamshave presented to a variety of audiences ranging from college level liberal arts classes to middleand high school science, math, and technology classes.This paper includes a brief background of both projects including results of assessment andcontinuous improvement. The main focus of the paper is the development of an assessmentstrategy to measure lasting impact associated with project participation. Survey instrumentsdeveloped in this process are administered on a pilot basis and results are presented.

Citation
Format

Bailey, M. B. (2011, June), Studying the Impact on Mechanical Engineering Students who participate in Distinctive Projects in Thermodynamics Paper presented at 2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Vancouver, BC. 10.18260/1-2--18573

TY  - CPAPER
AB  -  Studying the Impact on Mechanical Engineering Students who participate in               a Unique Series of Projects in ThermodynamicsAbstractThis paper summarizes two projects which were created in 2001 and incorporated withinThermodynamics I and II courses. Intended learning outcomes of the projects includestrengthening Thermodynamics related knowledge; improving communication abilities, andstrengthening intellectual curiosity in areas related to thermodynamics and mechanicalengineering, in general. The focus of this paper is on the framework development to measurecertain effects that project participation may have had on student participants. In 2001, theprojects were introduced and over the past nine years, each project has been refined throughassessment in order to improve student learning while achieving intended learning outcomes.Thermodynamics courses in mechanical engineering focus on the first and second laws ofthermodynamics in order to prepare students for subsequent courses and ultimately, engineeringpractice. Therefore, thermodynamics courses aim to strengthen a student’s theoretical base andimprove analytical skills while focusing on the relevant and timely subject matter of how energyin the form of heat is converted to energy in the form of work. For many students in athermodynamics class, this is their first opportunity to gain an understanding of how variouscycles’ work and how these same cycles can be analyzed and evaluated. This paper summarizestwo projects which were designed to prolong and strengthen students’ interest in areas related tothermodynamics. The first project is an individual project within Thermodynamics I requiringthe student to critically read a technical book related to Thermodynamics (selected by studentand approved by professor), technically review the book in written form, and orally presentresults to the class in an informal setting. The second is a team project within ThermodynamicsII which requires student teams to create and present a class-long presentation for a non-technicalaudience of their choice (pending professor approval). The content of the presentation muststrongly relate to Thermodynamics and have direct relevance to the audience. Past student teamshave presented to a variety of audiences ranging from college level liberal arts classes to middleand high school science, math, and technology classes.This paper includes a brief background of both projects including results of assessment andcontinuous improvement. The main focus of the paper is the development of an assessmentstrategy to measure lasting impact associated with project participation. Survey instrumentsdeveloped in this process are administered on a pilot basis and results are presented.
AU  - Margaret B. Bailey
CY  - Vancouver, BC
DA  - 2011/06/26
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Studying the Impact on Mechanical Engineering Students who participate in Distinctive Projects in Thermodynamics
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/18573
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--18573
ER  -