bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Downsizing the Curriculum: A Proposed Baccalaureate Program and Contextual Basis
Authors: Kulacki F. A. , Vlachos Evan C
Published: January 2013

Engineering education is confronted with two realities which call for a rethinking of the undergraduate curriculum: (a) the baccalaureate degree, as the terminal degree for practice, has received much criticism in both industry and academia, and (b) the typical undergraduate student generally requires more than nine semesters to complete a curriculum designed for eight. We propose that the current highly impacted curriculum must give way to a reduced program oriented toward engineering science, which can be completed in four years. Such a curriculum must be based on a limited set of core educational outcomes and would educate engineers within an integrated, liberal framework while preparing graduates for a wide variety of career options. Also included in this proposal is a formal role for the masters degree as the first professional degree and a restructuring of the professional registration process.
Practitioner and Student Recommendations for an Engineering Curriculum
Authors: Koehn Enno
Published: January 2013

Abstract

For over 100 years studies have consistently recommended that the engineering curriculum should stress underlying principles and have a considerable range of cultural studies. Nevertheless, some employers continue to state that they are not totally satisfied with the average engineering graduate. The findings of this study, however, suggest that practicing engineers and students are generally satisfied with the civil engineering curriculum. Nevertheless, both groups recommend that the credits allocated to surveying, graphics, and computers should be increased. Practitioners, in general, believe that there should be a decrease in mathematically oriented subjects such as calculus, statistics and numerical methods. Older graduates, in particular, recommend an increase in business courses such as law, accounting, and personnel management. They also believe that technical writing and oral communication skills should be a vital part of the program. It appears to be difficult to design a curriculum, requiring a reasonable number of credits, that satisfies all age groups. Therefore, at commencement, an engineer must expect to initiate a life‐long process of informal/formal education to supplement the knowledge obtained by satisfying the civil engineering degree requirements.
Recruitment to the Profession: A Student‐Led Approach
Authors: Bozynski K. , McCowan J. D.
Published: January 2013

Abstract

Many engineering Faculties have developed programs in recent years to attract young people generally, and young women particularly, to the engineering profession. This paper describes a student‐developed, student‐managed program which has proven to be both effective and inexpensive in attracting elementary school children to consider engineering as a career. It has served as a model for the development of programs in other Canadian engineering schools, and may be adaptable to engineering schools outside of Canada.
Becoming an Aerospace Engineer: A Cross‐Gender Comparison
Authors: Hecht Laura Frye , Pinelli Thomas E. , Barclay Rebecca O. , Kennedy John M.
Published: January 2013

Abstract

We conducted a mail (self‐reported) survey of 4300 student members of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) during the spring of 1993 as a Phase 3 activity of the NASA/DoD Aerospace Knowledge Diffusion Research Project. The survey was designed to explore students' career goals and aspirations, communications skills training, and their use of information sources, products, and services. We received 1723 completed questionnaires for an adjusted response rate of 42%. In this article, we compare the responses of female and male aerospace engineering students in the context of two general aspects of their educational experience. First, we explore the extent to which women and men differ in regard to factors that lead to the choice to study aerospace engineering, their current level of satisfaction with that choice, and their career‐related goals and aspirations. Second, we examine students' responses to questions about communications skills training and the helpfulness of that training, and their use of and the importance to them of selected information sources, products, and services. The cross‐gender comparison revealed more similarities than differences. Female students appear to be more satisfied than their male counterparts with the decision to major in aerospace engineering. Both female and male student respondents consider communications skills important for professional success, but females place a higher value than males do on oral communications skills. Women students also place a higher value than men do on the roles of other students and faculty members in satisfying their needs for information.
Teaching Students to Document a Design Project and Present the Results
Authors: Fentiman Audeen W. , Demel John T.
Published: January 2013

Knowing and being able to apply the design process are important to the practicing engineer. Being able to thoroughly document the design process and present the results effectively are skills that employers and clients expect engineers to possess. Students have an opportunity to learn and practice the design process throughout their engineering studies. While they are often asked to document their design projects and present the results, they rarely receive instruction on how to do so effectively. At The Ohio State University, in courses developed as part of the National Science Foundation (NSF)‐sponsored Gateway Engineering Education Coalition, students are taught to document their design projects and present the results in a professional manner. They produce a variety of documents including laboratory notebooks, a design schedule, progress reports, and a final report. In addition, they make an oral presentation on the project. Instruction on producing a particular document is provided when students are ready to begin work on that document. This paper outlines the instruction on documentation provided at each stage of the design process and discusses evaluation of the documents prepared by the students.
Teaching Concurrent Engineering at the University of Central Florida
Authors: Armacost Robert L. , Mullens Michael A.
Published: January 2013

U.S. manufacturing has discovered that the serial, over‐the‐wall approach to product development has to give way to a concurrent engineering approach. This customer‐centered, multi‐disciplinary team approach is being more widely used and today's graduating engineer must be prepared to understand and function in this environment. This paper describes an approach used to teach concurrent engineering at the University of Central Florida.
SELECTING COMPUTER‐AIDED INSTRUCTIONAL SOFTWARE
Authors: Montgomery Susan , Fogler H. Scott
Published: January 2013

Interactive computing can address the needs of a variety of learning styles, and a broad range of educational objectives, while serving a number of pedagogical roles: Presentation, Assessment, Exploration, and Analysis. These three issues are discussed in detail, along with examples from chemical engineering educational software, to help faculty learn how to analyze educational software to ensure that it's meeting the needs of their students.
Basic Engineering Software for Teaching (“BEST”) Dynamics
Authors: Flori Ralph E. , Koen Mary A. , Oglesby David B.
Published: January 2013

Engineering dynamics is the study of motion, but textbooks and chalkboards, the traditional classroom teaching tools, cannot show that motion. Mechanical models are helpful, but relatively inflexible; they are qualitative, not quantitative. Since July 1992, personnel from the University of Missouri‐Rolla have been developing and classroom testing “BEST”* (Basic Engineering Software for Teaching) Dynamics with the goal of improving the teaching and learning of engineering dynamics. About forty‐five different problem simulations, representing a selection of typical kinematics and kinetics problems for both particles and rigid bodies, have been completed. These problems enable the user to vary inputs to view a wide variety of configurations and behavior. Students using “BEST” Dynamics have reported improved ability to visualize motion, and somewhat improved problem solving ability. Recent work has focused on adding, to some of the problems, “Solutions” which give detailed support in writing and solving equations. This paper will introduce the reader to “BEST” Dynamics and its classroom use. It will also provide some philosophical commentary on the applicability of instructional software to the problem‐solving‐oriented engineering classroom.
The Sunrayce '95 Idea: Adding Hands‐on Design to an Engineering Curriculum
Authors: Catalano George D. , Tonso Karen L.
Published: January 2013

During the 1994‐95 academic year, Catalano taught a first‐time senior capstone design class with the goal of entering a student‐designed and built, solar‐powered race car in the Department of Energy's Sunrayce '95 competition. This course came from an effort to move toward a more fully integrated mechanical engineering curriculum designed to supplement the learning experiences of students in their more traditional engineering courses. In this paper, we summarize the planning for the course, the design and construction phases of the class—especially how students and faculty perceived their design work, the cadets' perceptions of their learning during the class, and experiences of the students and faculty during the race. Teaching this new course provided insights into some of the dilemmas raised when changes to an existing curriculum are made.
The Impact of Cultural Norms on Women*
Authors: Tonso Karen L.
Published: January 2013

Women student engineers' and professors' classroom experiences, especially their everyday interactions with men student engineers and professors, can be negative. This ethnographic study of the discourse used by professors and students during a sophomore design class demonstrates that some women's difficulties are the result of cultural features of engineering that are only rarely open to redefinition by women. In spite of many engineering educators' sincere commitments to improving women's experiences in engineering education, these cultural features diminish the successes of reform‐minded engineering education. I detail how discourse in whole‐class and teamwork settings indicated the cultural norms of engineering talk and how this discourse reinforced traditional practices that were only rarely open to revision. Also, I comment on the use of ordeals in this classroom. My findings suggest that engineering education must change before inclusion of women is realized. In particular, I suggest the changes needed are complex and include 1) more communication about the ways that cultural norms impact women and other marginalized groups, 2) forums where participants can speak openly without fear of retaliation, and 3) attention to changing those policies and practices that send narrow messages about who engineers are and what engineering might be.
Revising a Mechanical Engineering Curriculum: The Implementation Process
Authors: Incropera Frank P. , Fox Robert W.
Published: January 2013

In early 1990, motivated largely by concern for the highly structured nature of engineering education, the faculty of Purdue's School of Mechanical Engineering initiated a two‐year assessment of its curriculum. A principal conclusion of this assessment was that students should have more exposure to open‐ended, cross‐functional problems and that design, interpreted broadly, provided the best platform for launching appropriate curriculum changes. Specific plans for curriculum revision included a) early exposure to design and the product realization process, including issues such as marketing, manufacturing and economics, as well as concept generation, evaluation and documentation; b) integration of design and open‐ended problem solving experiences across the curriculum, including the core engineering sciences courses; c) development of the softer skills associated with communication and teamwork; and d) greater emphasis on engineering practice through increased linkages with industry. To varying degrees, progress has been made on each of the foregoing objectives, and the purpose of this paper is to describe the nature of the curriculum revisions, as well as the process by which an implementation plan was developed. A retrospective assessment of the revisions and the implementation process is also provided.
Hands‐On Experiences: An Integral Part of Engineering Curriculum Reform
Authors: Aglan Heshmat A. , Ali S. Firasat
Published: January 2013

The concept of “hands‐on” experiences, through Mechanical Dissection classes, as a part of engineering curriculum reform is presented. Mechanical Dissection in this context refers to a process of studying the function of a mechanical system and dismantling it in order to see how its specific function is realized. The functions of various components within the artifact and interaction between the components are also studied. Awareness of the design process, multiple solutions to a design problem, and the evolution of the technology of various artifacts and their components are focused upon. This is followed by systematic re‐assembly of the artifact. The courseware and supporting laboratory modules were developed to address specific objectives. They provide the foundation for better understanding of sophomore, junior and senior courses, particularly the design oriented ones. Seven in‐depth dissection modules form the basis of this course. These are a weighing scale, a money sorting machine, an electric lawn mower, an electric hand drill, a gasoline engine, a centrifugal pump and an eighteen speed bike. This course is targeted at freshman or sophomore level engineering students. Some of these modules can be simplified and transported to K‐14 students. Assessment of this course has shown an overwhelming positive response from students in all aspects. This makes the course an integral part of engineering curriculum reform.
Enhancing Civil Engineering Education Through Case Studies
Authors: Chinowsky Paul S. , Robinson Jeffrey
Published: January 2013

The civil engineering profession is characterized by multifaceted, interdisciplinary problems requiring teams comprised of diverse members including technical specialists, designers, and constructors. Unique attributes including location, regulatory agencies, and owner preferences require architecture‐engineering‐construction (AEC) teams to cooperate throughout the design‐build process to ensure that all specifications are satisfied. In contrast, civil engineering education is characterized by disciplinary boundaries which minimize opportunities for civil engineering students to interact with students from architecture or other related disciplines. This paper introduces one approach, currently being implemented at the Georgia Institute of Technology, to reduce these boundaries through the introduction of an interdisciplinary course focusing on the development of civil engineering case studies. Additionally, the paper presents an effort to introduce precollege students to the civil engineering profession through the use of the developed case studies.
A Low‐Cost, Innovative Methodology for Teaching Engineering Through Experimentation
Authors: Cyr Martha , Miragila V. , Nocera T. , Rogers C.
Published: January 2013

Combining LEGO® Dacta building blocks with LabVIEWTM software produced a highly successful, low‐cost (less than $500 per station excluding computer) alternative method of teaching engineering through hands‐on experimentation. Dubbed LEGO® Data Acquisition and Prototyping System (or LDAPS), this combination of tools provides a highly capable workbench for students, yet brings a new level of creativity and fun into teaching engineering at the college level. In this paper we present the methodology and describe one class where it is currently in use. Student, faculty, and staff response to the class was very positive, partly due to the popularity of hands‐on engineering and partly because LEGO® blocks allow the students to exercise their creativity and innovation. The strength in the LDAPS methodology lies in the power of the LEGO® bricks and the LabVIEWTM software. LEGO® motors, sensors, and bricks are almost infinitely configurable, making each experiment unique. LabVIEWTM is a powerful, visual programming language in which students can perform advanced signal processing with relatively few programming skills. We are currently extending this methodology to teach engineering to liberal arts majors as well as precollege students.
Integrating Design into the Sophomore and Junior Level Mechanics Courses
Authors: Carroll Douglas R.
Published: January 2013

Engineering schools across the country are developing ways of integrating design into their curriculum, and a question that often arises is how to best integrate design into the sophomore and junior level courses. Freshman design projects or mechanical dissection courses are designed to give the students hands‐on experience in conceptual design and construction, with little if any of the mathematical modeling normally used in engineering design. The capstone senior design project is a true engineering design experience, where students draw from their background to conceptualize, analyze, model, refine, and optimize a product to meet design, manufacturing, and life cycle cost requirements. The sophomore and junior level courses should assist students in making the transition from the “seat‐of‐the‐pants” freshman design approach to the engineering design approach required for the capstone experience and engineering practice. This paper summarizes a three year effort at integrating design into the Mechanics of Materials course, but the principal conclusions drawn would apply to most sophomore and junior engineering science courses.
Faculty Reactions to Teaching Engineering Design to First Year Students
Authors: Richards Larry G. , Carlson‐Skalak Susan
Published: January 2013

In 1993, as part of a major revision of our first year curriculum, the School of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Virginia introduced a new course on Engineering Design. In this paper, we will briefly describe this course, its purpose, goals, content, and methods. However, our primary purpose is to describe the reactions to this course among the faculty who have been called upon to teach it. We observed a high turnover rate among the faculty for this course and wanted to determine the reasons for it. A survey was distributed to all current and past instructors. The attitudes and backgrounds of these faculty influence their evaluations of this course and their willingness to teach it again.
Embedded Computing in the Mechanical Engineering Curriculum: A Course Featuring Structured Laboratory Exercises
Authors: Murray William R. , Garbini Joseph L.
Published: January 2013

An important skill for any design engineer is the ability to embed a computational element into a mechanical product or process. A course in embedded computing suitable for senior undergraduates in a mechanical engineering curriculum is described. The course, which includes both lectures and laboratory exercises, has evolved through our experiences in teaching embedded computing during the past decade and a half. In preparing to modernize this course, we have reexamined the academic ideas on which the course is based and the conflicting issues involved in developing a course in embedded computing with a hands‐on laboratory. These issues and our expectations for the future of embedded computing instruction in our department are discussed.
Assigning Functional Groups: The Influence of Group Size, Academic Record, Practical Experience, and Learning Style
Authors: Hunkeler David , Sharp Julie E.
Published: January 2013

This paper summarizes the results of a four‐year study (September 1992 ‐ December 1995) concerned with the performance of student groups in a senior engineering laboratory course. The investigation was conducted in two stages. In the first two years, the effect of group size, incoming GPA, practical experience, and the gender distribution of each group was investigated. During this period we recorded the Kolb Learning Style Inventory (LSI) scores at the end of the semester and asked students to report on the performance of their groups given their knowledge of the LSI distribution within their team. In the second stage of this study (1994–95) we evaluated the effect of grouping according to LSI, in addition to continuing our study of the effect of group size, academic record, practical experience, and gender distribution. In the final year of the study we took advantage of the disparity in the incoming GPAs of the two sections of the class (Tuesday and Thursday) to evaluate if incoming GPA influenced course grade. The study consisted of four senior classes totaling 110 students in 33 groups. The learning styles distribution of the students resulted in 6% “Type 1,” 42% “Type 2,” 42% “Type 3,” and 10% “Type 4” learners. The metric used to quantify performance was the average final course grade of students within given groups. This course grade was equally weighted between technical and writing components. Our results indicate that the most important positive correlating factor in a group's performance was the group size (four member groups statistically outperformed three member teams at α = 0.05). Although not statistically significant, observable higher average group grades indicated that the following may have an effect on group performance: the inclusion of academically outstanding individuals, the number of members with “good hands,” and the GPA history of the group. Specifically, the inclusion of a student with a GPA above 3.6 improved the performance (average group grade) of the group relative to their abilities as characterized by their average incoming GPA. Students who were good with equipment or had some practical hands‐on experience had a similar positive influence on the group performance. The gender distribution within a group did not have a significant effect on either group performance or dysfunction. Insufficient data were collected to ascertain the relative performance of homogeneous and mixed learning style groups. Since group incoming GPA may be a variable in group performance, student self‐selection is not recommended since it would result in an amplified disparity in the course grades. Indeed, we observed that grouping students by GPA, group size, and LSI resulted in a large number of functional teams, with the final variance in the course grade within a class reduced relative to other courses which have grouped activities.
The Quest for Relevance: Roles for Academia and Industry in Japan and the U.S.
Authors: Yamada Takuto , Todd Robert H.
Published: January 2013

While U.S. industry is making headway in worldwide markets, much remains to be done. Some have proposed that improving the relevance of engineering education can have a marked influence on the future success of U.S. manufacturing. Some in academia have heard industries' cries for help to improve relevancy in engineering education and have responded with various solutions. Is this the situation in Japan? What is the state of engineering education in Japan? Where is it headed and how does the U.S. compare? We found that industry‐academia relationships like those being strengthened in the U.S. are minimal in Japan. Surprisingly, Japanese industry and academia appear not to be headed in a collaborative direction and are even more detached from one another than in the United States. This paper presents some differences in the way Japan and the U.S. view their roles for academia and industry and their interrelationships. Our objective is to further motivate U.S. educators to collaborate with industry and continue to integrate greater relevancy into engineering education.
Granting of Academic Credit for Work Based Learning in Scottish Higher Education
Authors: Edward N. S.
Published: January 2013

This paper explores the benefits and costs of formal Work Based Learning (WBL) programmes. It is based on my experience and on the responses of participating employers, learners, and academics in a number of Scottish Institutions to an open questionnaire. Benefits to the employer depended on whether the learner was a full‐time student in placement or a company employee in part‐time study. In the former case, employers were often surprised at the contribution made by the student and valued contact with the University. The potential for developing their employees in an environment which allowed theory and practice to be related was valued in the latter case. Academics identified closer links with industry and increasing the attractiveness of their courses among the advantages. Part‐time students often got an opportunity to advance their qualifications which would otherwise have been denied them. These and other advantages both predictable and unexpected are reviewed. Perhaps the most cogent benefit has been that through awarding of academic credit and the more rigorous approach, the aims of less formal industrial placements are now being achieved. All participants reported attendant costs and problems. These included the logistical problems of planning, mounting, and validating credit for what are often individual schemes for each student, and of assessing student performance. Diversion of organisational effort from its business objectives is mirrored in the need for the college to provide alternatives where learning outcomes cannot be met in the workplace. Obtaining equivalence of opportunity and of assessment standards was of major concern to academics and students alike. Incumbent costs to the organisation were mainly the opportunity costs of diverted equipment and staff. Students often had displacement costs in accommodation travel and low pay. Colleges found that the funding attracted by such schemes generally did not match their true costs. The consensus of opinion, however, was found to be that the benefits outweighed the costs. WBL was seen as a useful option provided it was carefully planned and monitored.
Re‐Engineering the Undergraduate Building Construction Program for the 21st Century
Authors: Auchey Flynn L. , Mills Thomas H. , Auchey Gloria J.
Published: January 2013

This paper presents an integrative model developed this past year by the Building Construction (BC) Department at Virginia Tech (VT), designed to help each student master the competencies necessary to succeed in the 21st Century as a building constructor in a changing global market‐place. The curriculum described in this paper presents a dynamic, practical, applied academic model; balances the construction education concepts of practical experience based knowledge with academic inquiry; integrates people and communication skills with the pragmatic building construction skills; and provides a construction program that maintains a strong identity positioned between architecture and engineering. Strategically this task was accomplished by weaving vertical and horizontal integration into the BC curriculum at Virginia Tech. Results of this first year are presented, including lessons learned, external evaluations, and recommendations for adaptation.
How Might Classroom Time Be Used Given WWW‐Based Lectures?
Authors: Wallace David R. , Weiner Suzanne T.
Published: January 2013

This paper investigates how traditional lecture time might be used given the availability of effective web‐based courseware for delivering materials typically presented in the classroom. After providing an overview of web‐based educational materials, the effectiveness of two teaching approaches is compared using a product design lecture on visual prototyping. One group of students prepared for class using web‐based materials and then received a lecture‐style second coverage of the topic in class (web+class lecture). The other group of students prepared for class using the same web‐based materials and then worked with the faculty, applying only a small portion of the subject matter, on illustrative examples (web+limited experience). The two groups then completed an assignment based on the subject matter. The average grade performance of the web+limited experience group was 10.8% higher than for the web+class lecture group. An achieved significance level of 0.001 provides very strong evidence to reject the hypothesis that the two groups performed equally. Analysis of how the two student groups used the web‐lecture resource showed that the form of class instruction had a strong influence on student motivation for independent study. The average time spent in web‐based preparation by the web+limited experience group was 1.6 times greater than the average preparation time for the web+class lecture group. Sixty percent of the web+class lecture group prepared less than the least prepared student in the web+limited experience group. These findings suggest that, if codified materials are primarily delivered using a medium such as the WWW, traditional classroom time might be liberated for potentially higher value‐added activities such as mentoring and experiential activities.
Retention and Performance of Male and Female Engineering Students: An Examination of Academic and Environmental Variables
Authors: Takahira Sayuri , Goodings Deborah J. , Byrnes James P.
Published: January 2013

In the present article, we conducted an exploratory study of student persistence and performance in a key course in the engineering sequence (i.e., Statics). At issue was whether certain characteristics of students (i.e., their gender, SAT‐math scores, GPA) and institutions (i.e., class size, percentage of female enrollment, gender of instructor) would be associated with higher levels of persistence and performance. Students from 48 sections of Statics from 17 institutions were included in the study (N = 4,993 males and 1,123 females). Within‐gender analyses showed that the primary factors associated with persistence were GPAs and SAT‐math scores. Between‐gender analyses revealed that the size and direction of the gender gap in persistence varied across institutions. Factors associated with these variations included the selectivity of the institution and the relative level of female persistence.
No Universal Constants: Journeys of Women in Engineering and Computer Science*
Authors: Ambrose Susan , Lazarus Barbara , Nair Indira
Published: January 2013

This paper describes lessons from stories of thirty‐six women in engineering and six women in computer science narrated in our book on journeys of women in science and engineering.1 These stories underscore the various factors that have been described in the literature as reasons women choose and stay in engineering. This paper discusses several of these factors.

Students who reach college are a select group who have overcome the early barriers and are set on a potential track to becoming engineers. The experiences of these women as narrated in the book point to some of the positive and negative factors in the formative stages of their lives. Albert Bandura's model of perceived self‐efficacy is a theoretical framework that may be useful in exploring ways of teaching and advising in engineering schools to better meet the needs of the increasingly diverse student population. This framework is discussed briefly, and its components illustrated by examples from the stories. As college advisors and teachers, we need to reaffirm the methods and thinking students have evolved, but which may be challenged by the system based on a “normative student” model.
A Methodology for Transferring Research Experiences in Design and Scheduling of Cellular Manufacturing Systems
Authors: Logendran Rasaratnam
Published: January 2013

The paper describes the approaches and tools used to transfer industrially relevant research experiences and findings in the design and scheduling of cellular manufacturing (CM) systems, obtained over the past three and one‐half years, into the class room through a senior/graduate level course (IE 464/564) in this area. Lecture notes, handouts, homework assignments, computer projects, and software were among the tools used to transfer the knowledge. Graduate students, in addition to meeting all the requirements for undergraduates (homework assignments, computer projects, mid‐term test, and final exam), were required to work on a term project, an effort which constituted up to 10% of their final grade. Observations are offered on the steps required to make each aspect of the course a success. The overall students' performance on the course for two consecutive years (Spring 1995 and 1996) shows that indeed the course was quite successful. To the author's knowledge, there are not many academic units in universities currently offering a full‐fledged course on the design and scheduling of CM systems. Thus, the experience reported in this paper should serve as a useful methodology to build on.
Ceramic‐Matrix Composites: An Integrated Interdisciplinary Curriculum
Authors: Yu N. , Liaw P. K.
Published: January 2013

An interdisciplinary curriculum integrating the research on ceramic‐matrix composites into undergraduate and graduate education has been developed at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in collaboration with Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The curriculum eliminates the boundary between materials science and mechanics of materials, and combines technologically important subjects, such as fabrication, characterization, mechanics, and applications of materials, into an interdisciplinary approach to the development of advanced materials. Distance education and an emphasis on communication skills and teamwork are involved in the present curriculum. The World Wide Web‐based courseware has also been implemented on the Internet. The Web‐based courseware consists of color pictures, animation, audio and video effects, interactive exercises, and teaching evaluation, which makes the learning and teaching effective and efficient.
Development and Delivery of an Electroscience Curriculum for the Greenfield Coalition
Authors: Al‐Holou Nizar
Published: January 2013

This paper address the challenges associated with the development and delivery of an electroscience curriculum for the Greenfield Coalition. The Greenfield Coalition for New Manufacturing Education is a National Science Foundation‐supported partnership of five diverse educational institutions, five top manufacturing companies, the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, and Focus: HOPE. Greenfield was chartered to develop and produce a new innovative manufacturing technology and engineering curriculum. The development of the electroscience curriculum involves design, development, and delivery to Focus: HOPE candidates as well as an assessment of the curriculum. The project involves the innovative integration of physics and the principles of electrical engineering into one curriculum that serves candidates in three programs leading to the degrees of Associate of Science (AS), Bachelor of Engineering (BE), and Bachelor of Engineering Technology (BET). The electroscience curriculum employs computer‐based instruction (CBI) is the primary mode of educational delivery. The assessment of the first delivery of this curriculum to Focus: HOPE candidates is also discussed.
An Innovation That Worked — A Useful Reminder*
Authors: Torda T. Paul
Published: January 2013

The Education and Experience in Engineering (E3) Program was developed at Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) in 1970. The Programs goals were: 1) to motivate students for continuous independent learning, 2) to educate engineers capable of bringing interdisciplinary knowledge to bear on problem solving, 3) to cause students to become honest and realistic evaluators of their own work as well as that of their associates, 4) to provide students the opportunity to learn how to work in teams of engineering and non‐engineering professionals, and 5) to foster the development of diverse communication skills. The students acquired knowledge of the “core” curriculum by means of learning modules; beyond the core materials, students were encouraged to learn advanced materials on their own. Conventional classes were eliminated and seminars supported broadening of knowledge. Solving open‐ended problems re‐defined the role of faculty from lecturers to mentors and guides. Requirement of mastery in every aspect of the Program substituted for grades and students prepared comprehensive portfolios of their accomplishments. Since educational goals of the Program were clearly defined, prospective students were able to assess whether E3 would be suitable for them.
Towards a Social Ethics of Engineering: The Norms of Engagement
Authors: Devon Richard
Published: January 2013

A case is made for augmenting individual‐based engineering ethics with a social ethics of technology framework. A social ethics approach takes as problematic the mutable social arrangements for decision making in technology. The example of the design group is used. It is suggested that this expanded approach is more relevant to technology decision‐making, which is normally done collectively, than individual ethics alone. Recent changes in the social relations of industry are discussed as evidence that this expanded approach may be well received in the workplace.
Women Engineers in Kuwait: Perception of Gender Bias
Authors: Koushki P. A. , Al‐Sanad H. A. , Larkin A. M.
Published: January 2013

The greatest obstacle to the development of policies for the curtailment of gender bias is lack of information on the scope and effects of the problem. This study represents an attempt to quantify attitudes toward gender bias among professional women engineers working in the State of Kuwait. The major findings that emerged from the study were as follows: a) Since 1970, Kuwait has witnessed an enormous growth rate in the participation of women in higher education. b) With respect to the job‐related factors of salary scale, professional treatment, responsibility, benefits, and vacation, a clear majority of the professional Kuwaiti women engineers surveyed expressed a feeling of equality with or even superiority to their male counterparts. c) The one job‐related factor in which significant gender bias was found to be in operation was that of promotion to upper management positions. In this criterion, the women engineers surveyed felt “less than equal” to their male colleagues. The feeling of employment equality reported by the survey population was found to be positively correlated with level of education, years of work experience, and grade point average. These relationships were all significant statistically. Among the job‐related factors contributing to the feeling of equality, were, in order of importance, professional treatment, promotion, level of responsibility, and the opportunity to reach upper management positions. Interestingly enough, salary scale contributed the least to the feeling of equality. Coefficients of determination and variance component analysis supported these findings.
Applying Total Quality Management in an Interdisciplinary Engineering Course
Authors: Schaub Diane A. , Legg Sue M. , Svoronos Spyros A. , Koopman Ben L. , Bai Sherman X.
Published: January 2013

A Process Engineering certificate program has been developed and conducted utilizing the talents of members from five different engineering departments. Now in its third year, the success of this 12‐credit “megacourse” is due in large part to the use of Total Quality Management (TQM) principles and methods in the development and teaching of the course. Students benefit by learning TQM, by seeing it applied, and from an overall improved course.
Assessing Quality Issues in Interactive Video Teleconferencing‐based Graduate Level Engineering Courses
Authors: Rafe Gary , Manley John H.
Published: January 2013

The continuing education of engineering professionals has been an important objective of the University of Pittsburgh's Manufacturing Systems Engineering Program (MSEP) since its inception in 1987. Making relevant graduate‐level programs accessible to the population of engineering professionals separated from traditional university communities has been the object of much effort for more than three decades. The distance education tool of interactive video teleconferencing over the public telephone network has recently become a viable method for extending the university environment to these remote students.

This paper considers the context and analysis of student reactions and attitudes toward MSEP graduate‐level courses delivered to the University's regional campus at Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Since the fall of 1994, MSEP has offered these courses using off‐the‐shelf interactive video teleconferencing systems over the public switched digital network. Issues that may affect the perceived quality of these programs (e.g., in the areas of audio communication quality, instructional strategies, course materials distribution, and course offerings) are identified and discussed.
Results of a Student Discussion Group on Leadership Concepts
Authors: Sabatini David A. , Knox Robert C.
Published: January 2013

The importance of leadership is widely recognized but rarely addressed in engineering education. Based on readings from Lincoln on Leadership, we engaged students in ten discussion sessions regarding key characteristics of an effective leader. We developed and continually refined our definition of a great leader and a vision statement for our research group. In this paper we document our leadership discussion approach, including subjects covered and discussion questions. We share selected results and student feedback on the effectiveness of this approach. We trust that by sharing our efforts and resources, others will be encouraged and better enabled to engage their students in discussing leadership concepts.
Creating Simple and Effective Prerecorded Web‐Based Lectures
Authors: Holman W. Timothy
Published: January 2013

Recent advances in computer hardware and software can enable individual instructors to easily create and deliver prerecorded lectures via the World Wide Web. Using new video and audio compression techniques, an entire semester of lectures can be stored on less than 2 gigabytes of disk space and delivered over the Internet on demand. A methodology for quickly generating effective lectures at relatively low video frame rates is described, and examples of the technique are provided on the Web.
Faculty Experience
Authors: Hoback Alan , Dutta Utpal
Published: January 2013

A survey of chairs in Civil Engineering and similarly named departments was conducted. The survey shows the relative importance that baccalaureate through research institutions give to promotion and tenure criteria. Besides the obvious differences of prioritizing research or teaching there are distinct differences in whether service, consulting, and team working are emphasized. The paper focuses specifically on consulting work and faculty experience expected at different types of institutions. Advice is given to prospective new faculty hires as to what institutions are seeking from them.
The Other Re‐engineering of Engineering Education, 1900–1965
Authors: Seely Bruce E.
Published: January 2013

Many engineering colleges in the 1990s are busily revising the style and substance of engineering curricula to provide increased attention to design. The intent is to redress what many reformers see as an imbalance caused by too much emphasis on the analytical approaches of engineering science. In effect, current reforms are responding to changes made in American engineering colleges in the years immediately after World War II, when engineering curricula first fully embraced an analytical mode of engineering science. This paper examines how and why this earlier “re‐engineering” of engineering education came to pass. It begins by summarizing the state of engineering education in the late 19th century. Then the paper discusses the role of European‐born and educated engineers such as Stephen Timoshenko, Theodore von Kérmén, and Harald Westergaard, who after 1920 prepared the ground for the later transformation of engineering curricula. The paper next discusses the efforts of leaders such as Solomon Cady Hollister and Eric Walker to introduce changes after 1945, and concludes by noting how their initial visions of curricula based on engineering science were altered during implementation.
A Multidisciplinary Engineering Laboratory Course
Authors: King R. H. , Parker T. E. , Grover T. P. , Gosink J. P. , Middleton N. T.
Published: January 2013

The Colorado School of Mines (CSM) curriculum was recently modified by replacing laboratory courses in electrical circuits, fluid mechanics and stress analysis with a sequence of Multidisciplinary Engineering Laboratory courses (MEL I, II, and III). The MEL sequence prepares students for their professional careers by integrating discipline‐specific components into systems and building subject‐matter depth through a vertical sequence. The experiments move beyond basic theory verification by requiring students to practice higher level thinking. In addition, the systems experiments encourage students to reorganize knowledge and discover the connections among concepts in several courses. The MEL sequence helps students understand relationships among science, engineering science, and engineering design. The MEL experiments develop life‐long learning skills by encouraging higher levels of thinking on the Perry scale and requiring students to use a variety of Kolb's learning styles. This paper describes the educational objectives and experiments for the MEL I course. The paper gives assessment results for MEL I and compares it with traditional laboratories.
Establishing an Early Foundation in Software Engineering: Framework, Experiences and Results*
Authors: McCauley Renée , Jackson Ursula , Manaris Bill
Published: January 2013

In the fall of 1994 we reorganized the content of our three‐course introductory computer science sequence in order to introduce software engineering concepts early and provide a consistent software engineering focus from one course to the next. To implement these changes, we established detailed documentation and design standards. These standards would serve as a framework for teaching the software engineering principles and techniques that we considered appropriate and essential to novice software developers. In an attempt to assess the impact of this new teaching approach, we examined student performance in upper‐level, project‐oriented courses with respect to early exposure to software engineering concepts. This paper describes the documentation and design standards, as well as how these standards have been used as a framework for teaching software engineering concepts early in the curriculum. It also reports on what we have learned through assessment of this approach. Results indicate that students exposed early to software engineering concepts are indeed better prepared for upper‐level project‐oriented courses.