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Session 1660

Supplementary Assessment Tools for the Enhancement of the Program Assessment Plan Nashwan Younis Professor of Mechanical Engineering Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne Fort Wayne, IN 46805-1499, USA

Abstract

The paper deals with the enhancement of engineering program effectiveness. This is accomplished by utilizing non-traditional assessment tools such as student forums, cooperative education, and the fundamentals of engineering (FE) exam. The interaction with the students in a non-academic setting, in the student forums, provides opportunities to change. The issue of what students can do with what they have learned, which is relevant to the academic programs, is accomplished in the cooperative education experience. The FE exam results give the opportunity to examine the curriculum. Using these non-traditional assessment tools enhances the curriculum to make the student better equipped for the work place.

Introduction

Currently, many engineering professional societies are in the process of developing the body of knowledge for their prospective professions. In 2001, the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) Engineering Criteria was implemented in which emphasis was on outcomes rather than process. The criteria provide the opportunity for the university’s constituents to have an input to define the educational goals and objectives. The core of the ABET Engineering Criteria is that the assessment system demonstrates both the educational objectives as well as programs outcomes are being measured. It is essential for educators to show that the results of those measurements are being evaluated and used to enhance the programs effectiveness. Results of many studies have shown the positive effects of well- integrated curricula where assessment methods were applied consistently.

Engineering programs utilize assessment methods that include both direct and indirect measures1. Many articles have been written about important assessment tools such as alumni feedback2, employer’s survey, constituents’ input, etc3, 4. It appears that there is a lot of emphasis on surveys. Faculty assesses the outcomes in the classes they teach and are very creative in developing assessment methods. Traditional assessment techniques are not always adequate to measure student learning. Diane Rover5 lists many important questions for educators to ask and answer regarding what to teach and how to teach it.

This paper deals with the program effectiveness. It stresses the importance of assessing departments and programs in conjunction with assessing students. It shows that the use of the Proceedings of the 2005 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright © 2005, American Society for Engineering Education

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Younis, N. (2005, June), Supplementary Assessment Tools For The Enhancement Of The Program Assessment Plan Paper presented at 2005 Annual Conference, Portland, Oregon. 10.18260/1-2--15233