bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Take Out Your Cell Phones - Class is Starting
Authors: Bazylak Jason , Mccahan Susan , Wiess Peter , Anderson Phil
Published: April 2017

Traditionally, cell phones have been considered disruptive to classroom learning. Two years ago, a survey of students in a large first year design course indicated that 88% of students possessed cell phones in the classroom. Instead of trying to enforce acell phone ban, and fight a losing battle, we decided to use the cell phones to our pedagogical advantage. Previously, student interaction in the classroom was a challenge, due to a large class of students in a singlelecture theater. A primary issue was the inability of all except a few students with booming voices to ask questions. Informed primarily by a student design team (from the very course being discussed), we implemented a simple and inexpensive system that allowed students to use their cell phones in the classroom to send questions via Short Message Service (SMS), commonly referred to as “text messages”, to the instructor at the front of the classroom This system has been piloted through its first year of full implementation. Quantitative data on the usage of the system, student and instructor impressions of the system, and future work will be discussed.
INNOVATIVE TEACHING METHODS AND ENGINEERING EDUCATION RESEARCH
Authors: Van Barneveld Angela , Strobel Johannes
Published: April 2017

Problem-based learning approaches have been deemed by research literature to be an optimal approach to develop engineering graduate competencies and attributes. While project-based capstone courses tend to be the norm, PBL has a lesser although highly recommended presence in the early years of an engineering program. With early year implementations of innovative pedagogies, engineering educators who persist in their PBL implementations encounter tensions at various levels and are required to devise strategies to manage the tensions.This qualitative study focused on the variation in engineering educators’ ways of experiencing tensions in PBL implementations, as well as how they managed the tensions (n=14). In the specific context of the first two years of undergraduate engineering education, the research questions were (1) based on their teaching practices, what are the predominant tensions encountered by engineering educators? (2) What are the qualitatively different ways in which engineering educators experience tensions with a PBL implementation in their teaching practices? (3) How do engineering educators manage these tensions?Results revealed tensions at both the classroom and system level. Examples of a classroom tension included the transitioning of students not only into engineering but also into PBL-oriented learning environments. System-level tensions included a misalignment in the perceived value assigned to teaching by the individual instructor and the organization.For engineering educators considering the implementation of PBL, this study offered not only insights into potential tensions, but also the management strategies used to mitigate the tension. Implications for administrators, faculty development specialists, and curriculum designers are also discussed.
The Role of Biology in an Engineering Program
Authors: Mann Danny
Published: April 2017

Biology may not be a typical subject in the traditional engineering disciplines (i.e., civil, electrical, or mechanical), however, it is a fundamental component of disciplines such as biosystems engineering. Biosystems engineering emphasizes the application of engineering principles to biologically-based systems (i.e., systems that include plants, animals, microorganisms, or humans). A biosystems engineering program is designed to give students knowledge of the fundamental principles of engineering and to introduce biological concepts to enable these engineers to successfully interact with relevant professionals when solving engineering problems involving biological systems. The Department of Biosystems Enginering at the University of Manitoba offers five specializations (agricultural,biomedical, bioprocessing, environmental, and sustainable building systems) that can be taken within the biosystems engineering program. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the biology content of the biosystems engineering program at the University of Manitoba and to highlight the importance of biology to each of the five specializations.
THE EFFECT OF EXTREME INTER-CULTURAL EXPERIENCES ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP AND DESIGN SKILLS OF FUTURE ENGINEERS
Authors: Gheorghe Florin , Van der Loos H.F Machiel
Published: April 2017

There is a growing focus today in universities on enriching extra--curricular opportunities for students. In engineering departments, these include international exchange, community service learning, and work with organizations such as Engineers Without Borders.During the same period, the move towards outcomes-based accreditation requirements by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB) has challenged institutions to deliver curricular interventions and measure their effectiveness on their graduating classes. As the CEAB is exploring new pedagogical approaches for developing young engineers’ acumen in the areas of leadership, communication, and design, this paper examines the impact of overseas work experience in “extreme” inter-cultural settings on those same attributes.We define an extreme experience as marked not only by what students are doing, but also the geographic and socio-economic context in which they must practice. When students are exposed to situations that defy their expected norms, instincts, and social cues, we expect a resulting cognitive adaptation and growth in collaborative technological interactions. Being engineers, they will manifest this learning when tackling future complex,human-centred design problems.In this study, students who have had an extreme inter-cultural experience are tasked, upon their return, with a team-based design challenge, and then compared with students who have completed an equally engaging but local activity. We propose a methodology for identifying changes in performance on various CEAB outcome areas through the use of qualitative in-situ observation, interviews, and analysis of design outputs. Participants will be surveyed in order to identify specific mechanisms that triggered and contributed to the observed professional development while overseas.Preliminary results are expected on what mechanisms result in observed changes as measured through the CEAB accreditation lens. These results will inform pedagogy and decisions on the integration of similar experiential mechanisms into the engineering curriculum to accelerate student learning and develop the engineering leaders of tomorrow.
INNOVATIVE TEACHING METHODS AND ENGINEERING EDUCATION RESEARCH
Authors: Van Barneveld Angela
Published: April 2017

In 2011, I conducted a research study that focused on the experiences of engineering educators who were implementing innovative pedagogies such as problem-based learning (or its variations) in undergraduate engineering education on a consistent and committed basis. The intent of the study was to identify not only the tensions encountered but also the management of tensions that arose when implementing these pedagogies. I specifically sought out this group of educators on the assumption that their belief in the benefits and outcomes of PBL outweighed the challenges that they faced at a classroom and system level when they, in essence, turned away from what may be considered a ‘traditional’ approach to engineering education.A survey was designed to capture data relevant to the research questions around implementation of PBL and tensions encountered. The data collection (1 month) period resulted in 313 valid survey responses who met inclusion criteria. Sixty-five engineering educators were interviewed on their teaching practices and management of tensions encountered when implementing PBL. At the end of the data collection period, I was left a sense of admiration for these educators who, despite having to address predictable and unpredictable tensions because of their pedagogical beliefs, maintained a course that they believed would best serve their students and society. So, between March 1 and July 29, 2011, a follow-up question was sent to all the educators who had been interviewed (n=65; response rate = 100%) and to those who not interviewed but had provided contact information (n=172; response rate = 33%). They were asked the following question: For an engineering educator wanting to implement PBL into their teaching practice, what words of wisdom (lessons learned) would you offer them (3‐5 bullet points)?The benefit of aggregating this sort of information may prove very useful for engineering educators and educational institutions planning the implementation of innovative pedagogies such as PBL.
Mismatch between Anthropometric Body Dimensions and Classroom Furniture in Malaysian Universities
Authors: Aminian Negin Ozve , Romli Fairuz
Published: April 2017

The main objective of study is to highlight possible mismatch between the student’s body dimensionsand the dimensions of classroom furniture used in most Malaysian universities. This issue is pertinent due to the notable increase in the number of international students who are enrolled in Malaysian universities each year. The matching of body dimensions and classroom furniture is vital to promote proper sitting posture. Body dimensions of the people from the few different countries that are perceived to make up the current student’s population in Malaysia are measured against dimensions of prevalent chairs and desks used in the classroom. The sample case study is done in Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia but it is believed that the derived conclusion can also be extended to other universities in Malaysia. All in all, several mismatches have been found and highlighted for a better planning and design of classroom furniture.
EVALUATING THE USABILITY OF AN AUTOMATED COURSE-SPECIFIC VOCABULARY TO MEASURE LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY IN ORAL PRESENTATIONS
Authors: Variawa Chirag , Wilkinson Lydia
Published: April 2017

A study is being conducted to automatically identify and highlight course-specific language used in engineering courses. Specifically, the Term-Frequency Inverse-Document Frequency (TF-IDF) algorithm, from the field of computational linguistics, is used to identify words that are characteristic to exams. This paper analyzes the success of a TF-IDF generated word list to capture discipline-specific language in oral design presentations in a second year Environmental Chemistry course.
Media Usage Survey: How Engineering Instructors and Students Use Media
Authors: Gidion Gerd , Capretz Luiz Fernando , Grosch Michael , Meadows Ken N.
Published: April 2017

Web 2.0 has ubiquitously penetrated academia. The dissemination of online information services in higher education has led to substantial changes in faculty teaching methods as well as the learning and study behavior of students. For example, the use of online services, such as Google and Wikipedia, has become mandatory not only during teaching and learning activities but also during leisure time for students and faculty. At the same time, traditional information media such as textbooks and printed handouts still form the basic pillars of teaching and learning. This article explains the preliminary results of a survey about media usage in teaching and learning conducted with Western University faculty and students, highlighting trends for the usage of new and traditional media in higher education. Furthermore, the article intends to participate in the ongoing discussion of practices and policies that purport to advance Web 2.0 has ubiquitously penetrated academia. The dissemination of online information services in higher education has led to substantial changes in faculty teaching methods as well as the learning and study behavior of students. For example, the use of online services, such as Google and Wikipedia, has become mandatory not only during teaching and learning activities but also during leisure time for students and faculty. At the same time, traditional information media such as textbooks and printed handouts still form the basic pillars of teaching and learning. This article explains the preliminary results of a survey about media usage in teaching and learning conducted with Western University faculty and students, highlighting trends for the usage of new and traditional media in higher education. Furthermore, the article intends to participate in the ongoing discussion of practices and policies that purport to advance the effective use of media in teaching and learning.
Software Quality Assurance in an Undergraduate Software Engineering Program
Authors: Laporte Claude Y. , April Alain
Published: April 2017

Software tests are used by most organizations. However, many other software quality assurance practices are often neglected. Most developers are not aware of the high cost of inferior quality and its impact on the duration and budget of a project. At the École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS), software quality assurance (SQA) is taught in lecture format in the undergraduate software engineering curriculum. The SQA course covers the concepts of the business modeland the cost of quality, to convince students of the importance of putting in place adequate prevention and evaluation practices, both to reduce the number of defects and to predict the extra effort needed to correct defects introduced as the work progresses.The course includes a 10-week capstone project in which teams of 4 students apply the SQA practices taught inclass in a software development assignment. The students collect measures throughout the 10-week period, and the performance of each team is analyzed. This analysis allows discussion to take place on the positive impact of SQA practices as a way to deliver quality software on time and within budget.
A Compiler Project with Learning Progression
Authors: Rayside Derek
Published: April 2017

We describe the design of an undergraduate compilers course for computer engineering students in which the projectis to write a simulator and synthesizer for (a subset of)  VHDL. The traditional project for such a course is to write a compiler for (a subset of) some procedural programming language. The choice of source language is superficially intended to drive student engagement for computer engineers. The main pedagogical advantage of this project is that item bodies a  learning progression: repetition with increasing complexity.This project involves two additional languages: a regular language for boolean waveforms (used for circuit simulator inputand output), and a context-free language for boolean formulas. Parsing and transformations are performed on these simpler languages before attempting them on the subset of  VHDL. At the end of the project the students can simulate and synthesize simple circuits such as a ripple-carry adder or a multiplexer.
STUDENT’S PERSPECTIVE ON IMPROVEMENTS FOR SECOND YEAR AND OTHER UNDERGRADUATE ENGINEERING DESIGN COURSES
Authors: Serack Fiona
Published: April 2017

Students and educators should work together on pushing the boundaries of expectation - "expect more to get more" - so that design courses can become increasingly effective and greater potential can be achieved. I encourage instructors and educators to consider the fact that this generation of engineering students enter university with a multitude of experiences and skills in design, decision making and communication that past generations did not have – and taking advantage of that advanced starting point will greatly improve the caliber of the course offerings. As an engineering undergraduate student at Queen’s University, I have been exposed to several engineering design courses. Starting in the 2011-2012 academic year when I was in my second year, a course referred to as APSC 200/293 was introduced. I will be critically discussing my experiences both positive and negative with this design course, as well as the first year design course, and in my opinion how they can be improved. Information and feedback regarding the design courses was obtained from the faculty and compared to my observations. Starting the design courses early on in the students’ careers gives them an excellent introduction to the real world of engineering. However, there is great room for improvement in courses of this sort, which can be assisted by utilizing the opinions of willing students. I will further discuss these courses, their downfalls and advantages, and where improvements could be made to promote the success of students.
Take Out Your Cell Phones - Class is Starting -- Revisited
Authors: Bazylak Jason , McCahan Susan , Weiss Peter Elliot , Anderson Phil
Published: April 2017

Traditionally cell phones have been viewed as disruptive and an obstacle to pedagogy in the classroom. Three years ago, a survey of students led us to the conclusion that the presence of cell phones is inevitable, and rather than fight a losing battle we adopted them into our classroom pedagogy. At CEEA 2012 the authors presented the initial results of a pilot project and the preliminary results of a first year implementation. The adhoc implementation resulted in many successes in removing barriers to student – instructor interaction such as lecture hall size, high peer pressure, and low student confidence. Unfortunately this adhoc implementation was also resource intensive and had limited room for expansion. In the 2012-13 academic year the course has redesigned its use of cell phones in the classroom to take advantage of a newly developed commercial classroom engagement software called Top Hat. This new implementation has allowed the authors to achieve the benefit of the adhoc system, an innovative method of asking questions in class, while also replacing the existing classroom response system. Students are now able to use Short Messaging Service (SMS) on their cell phones to both ask questions in real time and response to word, numeric or multiple choice questions posed by the instructor. Additionally the system has extensive room for growth. The logistics of the current initiative, student and instructor impressions, and future plans for the technology in our classroom will be discussed.
Enhance Derivative Design Considering Global Sensitivity of Design Parameters
Authors: Park Hyeong-UK , Behdinan Kamran , Chung Joon , Lee Jae-Woo
Published: April 2017

An engineering product design considers derivatives to reduce the life cycle cost and to increase the efficiency on operation when it has new demands. The proposed design process in this study obtains derivative designs based on sensitivity of design variable. The efficiency and accuracy of the derivative design process can be enhanced by implementing global sensitivity analysis. Sensitivity analysis sensors the design variables accordingly and variables with low sensitivity for objective function can be neglected, since computational effort and time is not necessary for a design with less priority. In this research, e-FAST method code for global sensitivity analysis module was developed and implemented on Multidisciplinary Design Optimization (MDO) problem. The wing design was considered for MDO problem that used aerodynamics and structural disciplines. The global sensitivity analysis method was applied to reduce the number of design variables and Collaborative Optimization (CO) was used as MDO method. This research shows the efficiency of reduction of dimensionality of complex MDO problem by using global sensitivity analysis. In addition, this result shows important design variables for design requirement to student when they solving design problem.
Building a Teaching and Learning Community: A Blended Approach to Providing Support
Authors: Spracklin-Reid Darlene , James Lesley , Hawboldt Kelly , Ahmed Salim , Shirokoff John
Published: April 2017

Creating an active teaching and learning community can be challenging but at Memorial University, a blended approach is proving to be effective. Through regular face-to-face group discussions, one-on-onecoaching sessions, and online sharing and support, anactive community of teachers and learners is being created in Process Engineering. This paper details a practical approach to engaging students and faculty in program development, encouraging dialogue about best-practices in teaching and learning, sharing resources, and providing support and mentorship.
Use of a reflection journal in a third year engineering project course
Authors: Steele A. L.
Published: April 2017

As part of a new third year project course for the Electrical Engineering program, a reflection journal was introduced as part of the work to be undertaken by students. The aim of the one term course is to provide a project experience that will provide design experience in teams, will draw together material from the previous years of academic study as well as further prepare students for their capstone project. The reflection journal has been introduced to provide a regular opportunity for the student to consciously reflect on their progress, challenges encountered, as well as a way to develop their writing skills. This is an attempt to encourage students to look at the process of learning in a project environment and to develop some degree of metacognition1. By undertaking this type of reflection Cowan [1] suggests that this assists students from looking at solving a particular challenge to generalizing the problem solving process, fitting with the objectives of aproject course. The entries for the journal are weekly and are assessed each week by an instructor and contributed to 15% of the final mark. Because this form of assessment would be new to most of the students instructions were provided including a rubric. These instructions as well asthe instructor’s experiences and opinion of the success of the journal will be presented.
The Innovation Agenda: Potential Implications for the Engineering Design Curriculum
Authors: Hodgson Antony J. , Van der Loos H. F. Machiel
Published: April 2017

The phrase "Innovation Agenda" is being widely used these days to describe a broadly perceived problem in Canada - namely, that the nation as a whole may be lagging our peers around the world, despite having a highly educated workforce and various other favourable conditions. The bulk of the public discussiona bout innovation is taking place in organizations andvenues that connect business and government; engineering as a discipline is notably absent in these discussions. The purpose of this presentation is to describe recent public reports and analyses related to innovation and to prompt a discussion of how engineers might participate more visibly in these processes and what implications there might be for curriculum design.
AVALON RARE METALS’ UNIVERSITY OUTREACH INITIATIVE
Authors: London Ian M. , Rayat Mandeep Singh , Mercer William
Published: April 2017

Avalon Rare Metals Inc., a mineral exploration and development company with a primary focus on developing rare earth element and rare metal projects, launched its University Outreach Initiative in 2011. A scarcity of engineers in North America familiar with rare earth process engineering and a lack of rare earth element course material at Canadian universities were key motivating factors for the launch of the Outreach Initiative. Through this Initiative, the Company has been proactive in educating students about science and engineering issues related to rare earth elements, by means of lectures, sponsored course projects, and sponsored participation at conferences and symposia. All projects had a sustainability dimension. This paper details seven undergraduate engineering projects and three graduate research projects initiated by Avalon at a total of seven different universities. The paper also provides recommendations to university engineering and science programs to ensure graduating students can build and play contributing roles in the emerging rare earth supply chain sector.
UN MANUEL LIBRE POUR L’ENSEIGNEMENT DU DÉVELOPPEMENT DURABLE : LA GENÈSE D’UN PROJET COLLABORATIF
Authors: Francoeur Éric
Published: April 2017

Au Québec, l’offre de manuels de base adéquats pour l’enseignement du développement durable dans les programmes degénie (1 er cycle) est actuellement très limitée et incomplète. Cet article discute de la possibilité de mettre sur pied une collaboration interinstitutionnelle afin de produire un manuel libre pour combler cette lacune.
How Student Reflections Have Guided the Evolution of a Mechanical Engineering Capstone Design Course
Authors: Van der Loos H.F. Machiel , Hodgson Antony , Mikkelsen Jon , Fengler Markus
Published: April 2017

To provide for professional growth of students and to gain deeper insight into student engagement in the University of British Columbia MECH Capstone Design Project Course, the teaching team has deployed an open-ended reflection opportunity over the past 6 years as an adjunct to the required teaching evaluations. Three years of year-end questionnaires and three years of bi-monthly instructor-led reflection sessions form the datasets. Although the two formats are fundamentally different, the quality of the responses provides evidence of high student awareness of their own learning process and a desire to be a meaningful contributor in the conversation on course improvement.
Collaborative Approach for Teaching Chemical Process Design
Authors: Couturier Michel F. , Bendrich Guida
Published: April 2017

A collaborative approach has been successfully used to teach the senior process design course in the Chemical Engineering program at UNB since 2010. Every design project in the course is sponsored by an outside client. Two teams of four or five students are assigned to each project. The teams work independently and are co-mentored by a faculty member and a practicing engineer. This collaborative approach brings engineering practice in the classroom while keeping faculty members in control of academic requirements. Eight evenly-spaced milestones pace students and co-mentors by defining the tasks that need to be accomplished, by setting the marking scheme for the deliverables and by providing a framework for the progressive assembly of a high-quality final report. Our approach has increased the number of faculty members interested in design activities and allows students to contribute to the local economy while becoming proficient in engineering design. Comments received from students, clients and co-mentors have been highly positive.
THE INFLUENCE OF PERSONALITY TYPE ON TEAMWORK IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION
Authors: Ostafichuck Peter M. , Naylor Carol
Published: April 2017

The influence of personality type on various factors relating to engineering education is examined. Personality type was described according to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). Data from a total of sevencohorts (2007 to 2013) in a second year mechanical engineering design course have been analyzed. Decision making on team tests was examined in terms of the MBTI Introversion / Extraversion domain and peer evaluation scores received were examined across all four MBTI domains. Measured differences between students with a preference for Introversion and those with a preference for Extraversion on the level of influence on team decision making was found. A small but statistically significant correlation has also been noted between peer evaluation scores received and a student’s preference onthe MBTI Judging / Perceiving domain. This is believed to relate to possible perceptions (or misperceptions) that in delaying action or decision making a person with a preference for Perceiving is lazy or disengaged. Differences in peer evaluation scores were not observed for the other three MBTI domains. The results suggest that even with student awareness (through readings) and interventions (through workshops) possible effects of the difference in personality type persist in engineering student teams. The lack of relationship between peer evaluation scores and the remaining three MBTI domains is a favourable outcome in terms of the objectivity of the peer evaluation tools.
THE ATTRIBUTE ASSESSMENT PROCESS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA: YEAR TWO
Authors: Seniuk Cicek Jillian , Ingram Sandra , Sepehri Nariman
Published: April 2017

This paper describes the process in the second year of a three year study at the University of Manitoba that looks at how the 12 CEAB graduate attributes are manifested and measured in the engineering curriculum. The four attributes chosen for this year’s study were Problem Analysis, Use of Engineering Tools, Communication Skills, and Ethics and Equity. Nine instructors from each of the Departments of Biosystems, Civil, Electrical and Computer, and Mechanical Engineering were asked to consider the presence of these attributes in one of their engineering courses taught in Fall 2012. The checklist for this study was revised based on the results of the pilot study conducted in 2011-12, and in an effort to begin to define student attribute competency levels and demonstrate outcomes-based assessment. Similar to last year, this study found that the hard skills in engineering were assessed more frequently than the soft skills, and inparticular, there was little assessment evidence of Ethics and Equity. The majority of instructors reported using assignments and reports as evaluation tools, and communicating evaluations to students using numerical marks and written comments. Competency levels were defined in a variety of ways, highlighting the need to establish a common language for assessment. Finally, this paper reports on the challenges observed in the construction and administration of the survey and outlines next steps.
Evaluation of software tools supporting outcomes-based continuous program improvement processes
Authors: Kaupp James , Frank Brian , Watts Christopher
Published: April 2017

The Canadian engineering accreditation board (CEAB) mandate tasked each engineering programto assess student outcomes in the form of graduate attributes and develop a data-informed continuous program improvement stemming from those assessments. Administering, collecting and organizing the breadth assessment data is an extensive process, typically centralized through the use of software tools such as learning management systems (LMS), content management systems (CMS), continuous program improvement systems (CPI). These systems serve av ariety of roles, ranging from course content delivery, elearning, distance education, learning outcomes assessment, outcomes data management and learning outcomes analytics. Vendors have been developing various solutions to accommodate the shift towards outcomes based assessment as part of a continuous improvement processes.This paper will compare and contrast software tools supporting outcomes based assessment as part of acontinuous improvement process such as eLumen, Canvas, Moodle, WaypointOutcomes, Desire2Learn and LiveText.
CASE STUDY IN SYSTEMATIC DESIGN ENGINEERING – STAGE BARGE GANGWAY
Authors: Eder W. Ernst
Published: April 2017

Students learning design engineering at times need a good example of procedure for novel design engineering. The systematic heuristic-strategic use of a theory to guide the design process – Engineering Design Science – and the methodical design process followed in this case study is only necessary in limited situations. The full procedure should be learned, such that the studentcan select appropriate parts for other applications.This case example is presented to show application of the recommended method, and the expected scope of the output, with emphasis on the stages of conceptualizing. The case follows a novel design problem of a gangway for ship-shore transfer for the Caravan Stage Barge.
Teaching Design using a Pharmaceutical Tablet Crusher Case Study
Authors: Baleshta James , Lambert Steve , Collins Michael
Published: April 2017

The University of Waterloo Cases in Design Engineering (WCDE) group developed a case study on the design of a medical device used to crush pharmaceutical tablets. Intended for use in Long Term Care Facilities, the ‘tablet crusher’ addressed a clear need identified by a consultant pharmacist. The case outlined the design need analysis, the path taken to develop creative alternatives, and the steps to convert this design to a commercial product while highlighting business and technical challenges. This case was designed to complement subject matter within several engineering courses on campus and inspire entrepreneurially-inclined students. It has been applied in several academic settings to address several levels of education. In each implementation, the case served to demonstrate the engineering design process, and was specifically tuned for different audiences and delivery formats – ranging from single sessions to weekly expositions. Case development will be discussed, but the main focus of this paper is the various ways in which this case was implemented, and the corresponding student reaction to this form of teaching.
Leadership Development Programs for Women in Engineering Industry
Authors: Mavriplis Catherine , Croft Elizabeth
Published: April 2017

Many engineering organizations are realizing the benefits of diversity for innovation in their product development and team dynamics. While women remain a minority in the classroom and the workplace when it comes to engineering, they have registered significant gains. Despite decades of increases in percentages of women at lower levels however, gender diversity at high levels remains woefully low. Without integrating diversity at all levels of an organization, the full benefits of diversity cannot be reached. Furthermore, highly trained and experienced workers become dissatisfied and/or eventually leave if they cannot see a path to career advancement. Leadership development programs for women have recently sprung up in a number of engineering organizations to reap the full benefits of these companies’ investments in a diverse workforce. At Pratt & Whitney Canada, in 2007, a committee was struck to develop a Women’s Leadership Initiative that has been vibrant ever since, registering successes such as promotion of several women to Vice President status. In 2011, the NSERC Chair for Women in Science and Engineering, BC and Yukon sponsored six introductory Leadership Development workshops developed by the Canadian Centre for Women in Science, Engineering, Trades and Technology hosted at engineering workplaces across British Columbia. The presentation and paper will discuss the need for such programs, their essential ingredients and provide a preliminary assessment of their effectiveness.
A DATACOMM LABORATORY WITH FPGAS IN A MICROPROCESSOR INTERFACING COURSE
Authors: Gonzalez Jesus D. Terrazas , Nasri Mohamed , Duan Tong , Kinsner Witold
Published: April 2017

Teaching undergraduate students about interfacing of microprocessors and microcontrollers in real-time systems is challenging because the circuits have moved from medium to increasingly higher frequencies (multimega- and giga hertz), while wired interfacing has been augmented with wireless interfacing. The trend to design reliable and small-footprint complex digital subsystems also calls for field programmable gate arras (FPGAs). This paper describes an attempt to accommodate the changes through a development of a new FPGA-based lab in an undergraduate course called Microprocessor Interfacing (μI) that has been offered at the University of Manitoba for many years now [1-4]. The course presents real-time wired and wireless interfacing of microcontrollers, microprocessors, and microcomputers to the external world, including interfacing of input/output (I/O) devices with minimum hardware and software, as well as data acquisition with and without microprocessors, data communications, transmission and logging with embedded computers. The following topics are covered: (i) introduction on computing, architectures, processors, and technologies, (ii) architecture and organization of small computer buses, and synchronization of data transfers on local buses (iii) digital input and output (I/O), (iv) digital-to-analog (D/A) and analog-to-digital (A/D) signal conversions and converters, (v) and interfacing aspects in data communications, including encoding, modulation, error detection and forward error protection. The course also includes (a) demonstrations of bus architectures, modules, systems, and new devices, as well as (b) updates on new concepts, technologies, protocols, and software. The laboratories are innovative in terms of three levels of complexity: the Tier1 level includes five 3-hour standard labs designed for all students, the Tier2 is designed for more experienced students, and the Tier3 level lab is designed as a project for groups of students with demonstrated prior design and implementation experience [3]. This paper describes a new laboratory in this course designed to show how to achieve asynchronous data communications using both VLSI components and field programmable gate arrays (FPGA). The first embodiment is designed to illustrate the principles of operation, while the second is to demonstrate how complex functional subsystems can be implemented in FPGA reconfigurable hardware. The laboratory has been used in the course, and produced encouraging results.
INNOVATIVE METHODS OF TEACHING IN A LARGE ENGINEERING CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT
Authors: Mohamed A.
Published: April 2017

Many instructors in engineering faculties believe large classes are not as effective or interactive as teaching small classes. When engineering faculties have increased their student intake due to enrolment growth, this has often led to larger classes. This paper discusses the challenges associated with teaching large engineering class sizes. Innovative techniques and solutions are discussed to enable teaching of large classes to become effective and productive like teaching smaller classes. The paper will describe various methods so that the skills to manage and improve the learning environment in large classes can be adopted as effective alternatives to small class sizes.
THOUGHTS ON ENGINEERING ETHICS EDUCATION IN CANADA
Authors: Roncin Andrew
Published: April 2017

The purpose of this paper is to summarize current research in engineering ethics education and interpret it within the Canadian engineering and accreditation context. Outcome 3.1.10 of the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board is that upon graduation students have an "ability to apply professional ethics, accountability, and equity". Yet teaching students to memorize a few canons and acts does little to help them recognize and resolve ethical conflicts effectively. The ability to apply their knowledge implies that students have had practice recognize ethical conflicts, interpret the positions of stakeholders, and designing solutions that address the myriad of ethical viewpoints that stakeholders may have. Our engineering acts, bylaws, and codes of conduct affirm that Engineering is about more than just crunching numbers, it is about serving the needs of society and creating solutions that work. In order to learn this, young engineers need opportunities to experience, explore, and resolve ethical dilemmas and in doing so develop a deeper understanding of the impact of engineering on society.
ASSESSING GRADUATE ATTRIBUTES AS DESCRIBED BY CEAB: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY IN A FIRST YEAR DESIGN COURSE
Authors: Dupuis Daniel , St-Pierre Christian
Published: April 2017

During the fall of 2012, an experimental validation of the integration and assessment of six out of the twelve CEAB’s graduate attributes has been performed in the first year design course “GSC-1000 – Méthodologie de design en ingénierie”. Taking advantage of the authenticity of the learning context, and focusing on the necessity to develop just as authentic assessment tools, scoring rubrics have been extensively used in the assessment process. Automated data analysis algorithms have been embedded in the engineering faculty’s Intranet in order to facilitate the transition from the scoring rubric to a set of efficiently interpretable diagrams, supporting the assessor in its feedback delivery to learners. Results suggest that, at the beginning of the program, the study cohort presents an overall level of performance slightly below expectations in attributes 3.1.4 - Design, 3.1.6 - Individual and team work, and 3.1.9 - Impact of engineering on society and the environment, as expected for attribute 3.1.12 - Life-long learning, slightly above expectations for attribute 3.1.11 - Economics and project management, and dramatically below acceptability for attribute 3.1.7 - Communication skills.
Course-Based Learning outcomes as the Foundation for Assessment of Graduate Attributes - an Update on the Progress of Memorial University
Authors: Spracklin-Reid Darlene , Fisher Andrew
Published: April 2017

In 2010, the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB) began reviewing programs for progress toward assessment of graduate attributes. This represented a significant change from traditional inputs-based to outcomes-based accreditation. As engineering schools across Canada implement various approaches to meeting the CEAB requirements, this paper provides an update on the course-based learning outcomes approach taken by the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science at Memorial University.
Constructing a DC Brushless Motor- an Experiential Engineering Clinic Activity for Mechanical Students
Authors: Mohamed Samar , Griffet Neil , Bedi Sanjeev
Published: April 2017

The Engineering Ideas Clinic initiative at the University of Waterloo focuses on designing, developing and implementing learning activities provide students with authentic, applied and hands-on experiences which integrate their learning, and expose them to genuine applications in support of their engineering science content.This paper focuses on “Constructing a Brushless DC Motor” activity which was piloted for second year Mechanical students in their “Electromechanical Devices & Power Processing” course. The main motivation behind designing this activity is the fact that the principles of electromagnetism are often taught in an abstract way, and students can struggle to link the concepts with real life applications. Hence the authors have developed this activity to materialize these abstract concepts to the students.Students in teams of three constructed a brushless DC motor, verify its construction and test its operation. In this activity students applied the principles in an experiential fun activity, compared the performance of their motors and worked collaboratively in teams.In this paper, the authors will share their experience in developing and running this activity. They will also share their observations on the students’ reaction and learning experience, as well as some comments from colleagues
Seeing into your Teams: An Instructor Interface to Support Team Learning
Authors: Sheridan Patricia Kristine , Malone Aidan , Reeve Doug , Evans Greg
Published: April 2017

This paper outlines the design of a new instructor interface that has been added to the on-line Team-effectiveness Learning System (TELS) at the University of Toronto. TELS is a tool that supports team-based project courses by facilitating the development of individual team-effectiveness competencies in students within their teams. Instructors saw the system as beneficial for student growth, but they also saw opportunities for them to get a better understanding of the state of their student teams. As a result, TELS has now developed an instructor interface to let instructors “see” into their teams. The instructor interface has been adopted by four courses since its development
Assessing Process Skills in Engineering Students
Authors: Spracklin-Reid Darlene , Caines Susan , Fisher Andrew
Published: April 2017

Assessing process skills in an undergraduateengineering program is an important and complex issue.Attributes like teamwork, ethics and professionalism aresubjective skills that are difficult to accurately assess. AtMemorial University’s Faculty of Engineering andApplied Science (FEAS), these skills are developed andassessed in ENGI 7102, The Engineering Profession. Thecourse uses one-on-one interviews, small groupdiscussions, a close connection to capstone design workand a blended approach to theory that allows for face-tofaceactivities and assessment. This paper will describethe methodology for the course development andinstructional design, along with a discussion of theactivities and assessments that capture process skillattributes for evaluation. In addition, ENGI 7102’s role inassessing graduate attributes for accreditation will behighlighted.
COGAF: A MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK FOR GRADUATE ATTRIBUTES ASSESSMENT
Authors: Hamou-Lhadj Abdelwahab , Lynch William , Akgunduz Ali
Published: April 2017

The objective of this paper is to introduce COGAF (a Common Graduate Attributes management Framework), an end-to-end framework that can be used by Canadian higher-level education institutions for integrating and managing the assessment of CEAB (Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board) graduate attributes in a systematic manner. COGAF is designed around four components: Governance, People, Process, and Technology (GPPT). The governance component consists of a set of artifacts to guide the execution of a graduate attributes assessment project. It addresses the ‘what should be done and why’ questions. The PPT components address the ‘how’ and ‘when’. The people component focuses on setting the right conditions to select, train, motivate, and retain the people who will operate COGAF. The process component focuses on the activities that need be carried out during the assessment project, whereas the technology component looks at tools (e.g., software applications) and technological platforms to support smooth execution of the assessment project.COGAF relies on strong management practices. It is meant to be a turn-key solution to be used by any institution that wishes to engage in integrating graduate attributes in their programs. COGAF is easily customizable to fit the needs of small and large institutions.
Evaluation of software tools supporting outcomes-based continuous program improvement processes: Part 3
Authors: Kaupp Jake , Frank Brian
Published: April 2017

The Canadian engineering accreditationboard (CEAB) mandate tasked each engineering programto assess student outcomes in the form of graduateattributes and develop a data-informed continuousprogram improvement stemming from those assessments.Administering, collecting and organizing the breadthassessment data is an extensive process, typicallycentralized through the use of software tools such aslearning management systems (LMS), contentmanagement systems (CMS), Assessment Platforms (AP)and Curriculum Planning & Mapping tools. Thesesystems serve a variety of roles, ranging from coursecontent delivery, e-learning, distance education, learningoutcomes assessment, outcomes data management andlearning outcomes analytics. Vendors have beendeveloping various solutions to accommodate the shifttowards outcomes based assessment as part of acontinuous improvement process.This paper will continue from the first and secondpapers presented at previous CEEA meetings. It willgauge how well each tool aligns with the EGAD(Engineering Graduate Attribute Development) project 5-step process and compare and contrast software toolssupporting outcomes based assessment as part of acontinuous improvement process.