bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Participation is More than Attendance
Authors: Woods Donald R. 
Published: January 2013

AbstractHere is a novel approach to stimulate active student participation in lecture classes. Students designed an instrument to assess involvement in class discussion. The students then used the instrument. Each student was responsible for observing and assessing one classmate. The teacher monitored the process by collecting the instruments and recording the assessments before forwarding the results to each student. A dramatic increase in the level of active student participation was subsequently observed, to an extent that further use of the instrument was considered unnecessary.Ideas are given about how to introduce reflection and assessment into your classes, how to develop students' skill in assessment and how to develop instruments, in general, with a specific example of how to do this for participation. Ideas are given on how to use the instrument in other contexts, such as participation in design projects, group laboratory activities, or active participation in lecture/discussions. Practical suggestions are presented about how to implement changes in the classroom.
Using Total Quality Principles for Strategic Planning and Curriculum Revision
Authors: Shelnutt J. William , Buch Kim 
Published: January 2013

AbstractThis paper describes the long‐term strategic planning process of the College of Engineering at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, a process that began in the Fall of 1992 and continues today. The chronology of activities comprising this process, as well as the output of the process thus far, are presented in enough detail that they may serve as a blue print for others. First, we discuss some of the forces driving the college's educational reform efforts, especially those related to the use of TQM as the vehicle for change. Throughout the case study, we point out how (and why) certain Total Quality principles, including customer relationships, shared vision, assessment and continuous improvement, and sub‐systems alignment, became integral parts of the strategic planning process.
Incorporating Group Writing Instruction in Engineering Courses
Authors: Schulz Kirk H. , Ludlow Douglas K. 
Published: January 2013

AbstractGroup writing is an important and integral part of the engineering workplace which is rarely addressed in most undergraduate engineering curricula. Virtually every engineering student takes courses in composition and writing; however, these courses inevitably emphasize the development of individual writing skills. Engineering students need to be exposed to different group writing styles and learn to be effective group writers. The key elements to effective group writing include group dynamics and leadership and group members attitudes towards revision and criticism. By discussing with the students the key points to successful group writing, engineering students will turn in better assignments to their instructors and will be better prepared for the engineering workplace.
Introducing Electronic Design Automation Tools into the Engineering Curriculum
Authors: Chren William A. , Cleaver Thomas G. , Cook Clare , Ogunfunmi Tokunbo , Richolson Ron , Vai Mankuan 
Published: January 2013

AbstractThe incorporation of electronic design automation (EDA) tools in engineering curricula will better prepare graduates to enter the modern engineering marketplace. The engineering courses appropriate for EDA introduction are discussed, as are the tools themselves and their sources. Issues of computing platform, operating system, and tool suites are presented. Internet accessible public domain documents are provided to aid engineering schools in setting up a comprehensive EDA curriculum.
A Model for On‐Line Learning Networks in Engineering Education
Authors: Bourne J. R. , Brodersen A. J. , Ccampbell J. O. , Dawant M. M. , Shiavi R. G. 
Published: January 2013

AbstractThis paper describes a model for implementing on‐line learning in engineering education. Relationships between traditional learning strategies and network‐enabled engineering education are discussed. The model proposed is based on a World Wide Web implementation that includes presentation materials, on‐line conferencing, demonstrations, and interactive capabilities that permit computer‐mediated question and answer sessions. An example of a course implemented using these techniques for a first year engineering course is given. Guidance for engineering educators who wish to implement components of the model is provided.
Integrating Design Education, Research and Practice at Carnegie Mellon: A Multi‐disciplinary Course in Wearable Computers
Authors: Amon Cristina H. , Finger Susan , Siewiorek Daniel P. , Smailagic Asim 
Published: January 2013

AbstractThe Engineering Design Research Center (EDRC) at Carnegie Mellon University has created a two‐semester design course that integrates research and education through industrially‐sponsored design projects. Over the six semesters that the course has been taught, teams of undergraduate and graduate students have designed and fabricated five new generations of wearable computers. These computers have been delivered to industrial and government customers for use. The Wearable Computer Design course at the EDRC is cross‐disciplinary and inter‐departmental, drawing students from four colleges in nine disciplines including five engineering departments (chemical engineering, civil and environmental engineering, electrical and computer engineering, mechanical engineering, and engineering and public policy), architecture, computer science, industrial administration and industrial design. Students in this course learn about design theory and practice, participate in research, and successfully deliver products to sponsors. The students are exposed to the design cycle from concept, to multi‐disciplinary design tradeoffs, to manufacturing, and finally to customer satisfaction and user feedback. This class also serves as a testbed for learning about the needs of a multi‐disciplinary design team, for anticipating the needs of geographically‐distributed design teams, for reflecting on the interplay between product design and design process, and for evaluating the design tools and design methodologies that have been developed at the EDRC.
Measuring the Effect of Experiential Education Using the Perry Model
Authors: Pavelich Michael J. , Moore William S. 
Published: January 2013

AbstractThis paper reports data on how well one engineering curriculum with extensive experiential components helps students mature toward more complex thinking; toward being better able to make good decisions on ambiguous, real‐world, engineering problems. Hour‐long, structured interviews were used to assess students' thinking based on William Perry's Model of Intellectual Development. These cross‐sectional data show Colorado School of Mines students progressing an average of 1.0 Positions during their undergraduate years. This may be an unusually high achievement. If so, the data speak to the value of experiential education in a curriculum. However, the data are disturbing in that only one quarter of graduating seniors show progression to the level needed in their professions (above Position 5), while one third of them still fall below Position 4. We argue that, to get more students to progress above Position 5, professors teaching experiential engineering courses need to be knowledgeable about developmental models like Perry's and need to use those insights proactively in mentoring their students.
Engineering in Context: An Empirical Study of Freshmen Students' Conceptual Frameworks
Authors: Atman Cynthia J. , Nair Indira 
Published: January 2013

AbstractCalls for curricular reform in engineering include teaching engineering principles in the broader context of society. In this paper, we empirically investigate how freshmen students perceive the broader societal context of science and technology. We explored the questions:
What is the framework of knowledge and attitudes of engineering freshmen on science, technology and society (STS) issues?
How different are their frameworks from those of students in other majors?
We used a structured, open‐ended interview methodology to elicit knowledge about two STS issues: “human energy needs” and “global climate change.” Our sample consists of ninety‐two students. Each student was interviewed about one topic. First, we found that there was no difference in the attitude expressed about technology by engineering students and students who are not engineering majors. Both groups think science and technology solve problems more often than they create problems. Second, we found that, although the difference is not large, engineering students consistently mentioned more concepts than students with other majors, and they mentioned these concepts more often. Qualitatively, the specific concepts mentioned by the two groups were almost identical for both topics. The engineering students mentioned more technological concepts and students in other majors mentioned more societal concepts for the human energy needs topic. In summary, the knowledge and perceptions of STS issues of freshmen engineering students and students who are not engineering majors are largely similar. This suggests that common, interdisciplinary STS courses are a good approach for providing general technological literacy for both groups.
Why Isn't My Professor Using Graphics in the Freshman Programming Course?
Authors: Park William 
Published: January 2013

AbstractA new approach to teaching computer programming to freshmen is discussed. The course is designed to heighten student interest through the use of computer graphics programming. The students are given a relatively small number of programming tools and must create increasingly elaborate images on the screen as their knowledge of basic computer programming develops and their own personal collection of library routines grows. The lab problems culminate in a demonstration of a periodic waveform constructed from its Fourier Series coefficients.
An Engineering Student Retention Study
Authors: Moller‐Wong Cheryl , Eide Arvid 
Published: January 2013

AbstractNational engineering enrollment peaked in the early 1980's and, with rare exception, has declined or remained flat for the past fifteen years. Historically, engineering enrollment has focused on new student recruitment, but recently much more attention has been directed toward the issue of student retention. Our efforts at Iowa State University to examine retention issues were divided into two parts. Phase I of the study, which is presented in this paper, was targeted to accomplish several objectives. First, we had to design and assemble a data base that would allow for individual tracking of students. Once a complete profile of our students population had been assembled, it was possible to identify accurately a range of descriptive variables. Next, using the established data base we developed a retention analysis tool that would statistically suggest and identify students who are potentially at risk of attrition. To do this we examined a range of independent variables against a set of dependent risk categories. Statistical analyses and logistic regression methods were performed to provide a predictive model. Phase II of this study is currently in process and involves a multitude of attrition variables which were not considered, quantified, or integrated into Phase I. When factors such as background, social integration, attitude, etc. can be successfully measured and integrated into the data base the accuracy of our current model is expected to improve.
The Development of a Shared Interdisciplinary Intelligent Mechatronics Laboratory
Authors: Arkin Ronald C. , Lee Kok‐Meng , McGinnis Leon F. , Zhou Chen 
Published: January 2013

AbstractThis paper describes experience in developing an interdisciplinary mechatronics laboratory and success in using the lab to support academic instruction. It emphasizes the strategies and procedures that were important in creating an interdisciplinary laboratory in a traditional discipline‐oriented academic institution. The strategies address objectives, acquisition and allocation of funding, and exploiting the existing infrastructure. Procedures such as the formation of a managing body and support for staff are also an important aspect of successful interdisciplinary laboratory development. The specific use of the lab is illustrated by two case studies, and its various benefits are discussed.
Study Habits and Academic Achievement of Engineering Students
Authors: Blumner Harry N. , Richards Herbert C. 
Published: January 2013

AbstractA study habits index measuring distractibility, inquisitiveness, and compulsiveness in test and homework situations was administered to 69 (27 women and 42 men) first‐year, college engineering students. Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores and grade‐point averages were also obtained. Two hypotheses were entertained: a) students who earn the highest grades, in contrast to less successful peers, will tend to be less distractible and more inquisitive; b) the advantage of such study habits will be evident when effects of academic aptitude (SAT performance) are controlled. Statistical tests supported both hypotheses. No significant sex differences were found for aptitude or grades, but women scored higher on the compulsiveness study habits scale than men. We argue that special programs to help some students study more meaningfully would likely improve overall academic performance.
The Creative Experience in Engineering Practice: Implications for Engineering Education
Authors: Klukken P. Gary , Parsons J. Roger , Columbus Peter J. 
Published: January 2013

AbstractThis research came about as an outgrowth of mounting concern among industrial leaders about the impact of traditional engineering education on the creative potential of future engineers. As there is little agreement on creativity or how to teach it, we chose to begin the study without assuming a theoretical stance about engineering creativity. Instead, we started with a search for first‐hand information about creativity and the creative process experienced by working engineers. This phenomenological research paradigm is a way to describe a complex, dynamic experience without prior assumptions, the results of which can then be used to generate theory or develop a structure directly from the data. This approach has similarities to an expert system development, in which the knowledge and skills of an expert are gathered and processed to develop an understanding of the system or phenomenon.Eight professional engineers from the southeastern United States were selected by peer nomination as examples of (expert) creative engineers. They were trained in different areas of engineering (eg. chemical, mechanical, industrial) and worked in organizations ranging from large international consulting firms to small regional businesses. These subjects were interviewed about their experiences in doing creative work and their thoughts about the creative process, including the impact of relevant educational experiences. These interviews were audio‐recorded and subjected to a phenomenological data analytic procedure, which extracted the experiential themes and educational issues.The experiential themes involved in the creative process of working engineers clustered as
Desire and fulfillment (motivation),
Autonomy and support (environment),
Openness and knowledge (tools), and
Engrossment and connection (process).
This paper discusses the implications and application of these themes for curricular innovation in engineering education.
Systematic Design of a First‐Year Mechanical Engineering Course at Carnegie Mellon University
Authors: Ambrose Susan A. , Amon Cristina H. 
Published: January 2013

AbstractCarnegie Mellon University offers a first‐year course titled Fundamentals of Mechanical Engineering to introduce undergraduate students to the discipline of mechanical engineering. The goals of the course are to excite students about the field of mechanical engineering early in their careers, introduce basic mechanical engineering concepts in an integrated way, provide a link to the basic physics and mathematics courses, and present design and problem‐solving skills as central engineering activities. These goals are met through a combination of real‐world engineering examples, classroom demonstrations, and hands‐on experience in assignments and laboratories. Over the eleven semesters that this course has been taught, teams of first‐year students have designed and assembled energy conversion mechanisms using miniature steam engines and Meccano sets to drive a mobile vehicle or to generate electricity for lighting a bulb. This paper describes the systematic process used to design this course and emphasizes this process of carefully integrating lectures with classroom demonstrations, laboratory experiments and hands‐on projects to encourage students' active learning.
Perspectives on the Role of Educational Technologies
Authors: Flori Ralph E. 
Published: January 2013

AbstractEducational technologies and software hold tremendous potential for improving the process of teaching and learning through, for example, delivering information, facilitating communication, and promoting certain aspects of cognition. While this paper discusses these, its overall aim is to view the larger picture of what educational technologies can and cannot do. It begins by noting the overall aims of higher education and posing the question: What part can educational technologies play in achieving these goals? The paper summarizes Perkins' five facets of any learning environment in order to provide a framework for evaluating educational technologies and to reveal that most technologies provide only part of the total learning environment. Specifically, the “task manager” facet plays the most important role in achieving the aims of education, but it is difficult to create software with meaningful task management capability.
Experiences in Discussing Ethics with Undergraduate Engineers
Authors: Abraham Seth , Knies Allan D. , Kukral Kristen L. , Willis Thomas E. 
Published: January 2013

AbstractIn this paper, we describe a successful framework for discussing ethical issues with undergraduate students. Our approach is based on the idea that academic integrity is a prerequisite for professional ethics. Key features of our approach include a reliance on student‐to‐student interactions in a small‐group environment and a focus on academic integrity. We have tested our approach on our entering students using group leaders who are juniors and seniors. We have found a large (and increasing) number of students who have a heightened awareness of ethical issues and an interest in improving the awareness of their peers. We believe the model can be applied successfully to other institutions.
Better Learning Through Curricular Design at a Reduced Cost
Authors: Murray Martin H. 
Published: January 2013

AbstractAt Queensland University of Technology the teaching of engineering science to first year students has undergone a substantial modification in the past three years. The best aspects of on‐cam‐pus and distance education have been combined to produce a student‐centered program, comprising comprehensive print resources, peer assisted study sessions, tutorials, computer‐based exercises, a design‐and‐build project, and brief context‐setting lectures. The paper describes the development and operation of these components of the program and how the change from formal content‐driven lecturing has brought about a significant improvement in students' performance in the course. Importantly, the changes have also enabled a reduction in the cost of the course.
A Survey of Dual Career Hiring into Engineering Faculty Positions
Authors: Schulz Noel N. , Schulz Kirk H. , Crow Mariesa L. 
Published: January 2013

AbstractDual career couples are now the norm instead of the exception in the modern workplace. Many universities encounter couples who are seeking two tenure‐track faculty positions, and the success of many academic searches hinges on finding suitable employment for each member of a dual career team. Couples in these situations are often unsure of the most effective strategy for finding two suitable academic positions and often rely on anecdotal information when searching for professorial positions. With these shortcomings in mind, we designed a survey to determine the common attributes of successful dual career searches where both members of the dual career team successfully found tenure‐track positions in engineering. This paper reports the findings of this survey and provides some guidelines to dual career couples seeking academic positions and to administrators and faculty seeking to work out hires involving dual career couples.
Decision Making in the Engineering Classroom
Authors: Nair Indira 
Published: January 2013

AbstractThis paper outlines the exploration of an analogy between the developmental stages of engineering education and the stages of moral development of an individual as synthesized by Kohlberg. This exploration is used to discuss the components of education necessary to educate the “post‐conventional engineer.” The exploration is relevant to understanding the historical or evolutionary stage of engineering as a profession in order to set a framework for engineering education. This analysis raises some of the issues for incorporating decisionmaking into engineering education. The paper also proposes some simple classroom techniques that can aid in developing the dimensions of social responsibility as part of the engineering classroom and decisionmaking.
A Motivational First‐year Electronics Lab Course
Authors: Carlson Bruce , Schoch Paul , Kalsher Michael , Racicot Bernadette 
Published: January 2013

AbstractAn elective laboratory course has been developed at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute to motivate freshmen for further study of engineering in general and to spur interest in electrical and computer engineering in particular. The course philosophy is that hands‐on laboratory and design experiences build student confidence, stimulate curiosity, and demonstrate the relevance of engineering work — thereby increasing motivation and retention. This paper describes the structure of the new course and reports on the evaluation results, which confirm that carefully structured hands‐on experience is an effective way of motivating freshmen. Evaluation results also indicate that the course has increased student creativity and confidence. Since the lab course is just one credit, it appears possible to address the motivation problem without overloading already crowded first‐year engineering programs.
Annual Progress Reports: An Effective Way to Improve Graduate Student Communication Skills
Authors: Pierson Marcia Martens 
Published: January 2013

AbstractA perennial problem in engineering education is the development of communication skills that allow students to present their ideas clearly and effectively. At Iowa State University, a cooperative program has been set up to provide one‐on‐one mentoring in communication skills for graduate students participating in the Power Affiliates Program. Graduate student research is funded on an annual basis by a consortium of utility companies. A system comprising a seminar and individual consultation assists students in preparing their required annual progress reports for their spring symposium. Students in the program for several years show improvement in their writing skills and their understanding of communication processes.