bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Influence of True/False Tests and First Language on Engineering Students' Test Scores
Authors: Lackey Laura W. , Lackey W. Jack 
Published: January 2013

AbstractTrue/false and open‐ended test scores were compared for an undergraduate engineering course. There was good correlation between the scores indicating that the use of true/false test items did not alter ranking of students regardless of whether or not their first language was English. Use of a mix of test item types is recommended since this permits testing over a greater fraction of the course content, encourages students to study, and is an efficient use of instructor time.
A Web‐based and Group Learning Environment for Introductory Environmental Engineering
Authors: Masten Susan J. , Chen Kuan‐Chung , Graulau Jaime , Kari Subhash L. , Lee Kyung‐Hyuk 
Published: January 2013

AbstractThe use of computer‐based technology is becoming more prevalent in the classroom. As a part of an educational research project sponsored by the GE Foundation, strategies for augmenting a course, Introduction to Environmental Engineering (CE 280), were investigated including cross‐disciplinary experiences in teamwork, design, and the use of advanced teaching technologies such as the web. Interactive tools to assist student learning were developed and refined. Efforts have focused on developing an extensive website, web‐based quizzes and homework assignments, and tutorials. Base groups were used to provide both intellectual and emotional support to students. This paper summarizes the development of this course and the impact of rapid feedback on the progression of student understanding.
The Effectiveness of Learning Simulations for Electronic Laboratories
Authors: Campbell J. Olin , Bourne John R. , Mosterman Pieter J. , Brodersen Arthur J. 
Published: January 2013

AbstractThis work investigates the efficacy of software simulations of electronic circuits laboratories to support beginning electrical engineering students. Experiment 1 was a formative evaluation of an Electronic Laboratory Simulator (ELS), as an optional add‐on to physical labs for 120 subjects at four universities. All subjects received the same treatment: their normal classes and physical labs, with optional use of simulated labs. Subjects took written tests specific to the lab's content, before and after using each simulated lab. Only subjects who took both pre‐ and post‐tests were included. Pre‐ and post‐test comparisons indicated significant improvement in both theory and lab knowledge when scores for all labs were combined, but inconsistent performance on individual labs. As the treatment included other learning opportunities in addition to simulated labs, the results were not attributed to the simulations, but provided initial indications and qualitative data on subjects' experiences. These helped to improve the labs and the implementation strategies. Experiment 2 used 40 college sophomores in a beginning electronic circuits lab. Physical lab subjects received seven physical labs. Combined lab subjects received a combination of seven simulated labs and two physical labs. The latter repeated two of the simulated labs to provide physical lab practice. Both treatments used the same assignments. Learner outcome measures were: (a) time required to complete a new criterion physical lab; (b) score on written lab and theory tests over all the labs; and (c) comments on the lab experience. The group that used combined simulated and physical labs performed significantly better on the written tests than the group using entirely physical labs. Both groups were equivalent in time to complete the criterion physical lab. Comments about the simulated labs were generally positive, and also provided specific suggestions for changes.
Use of Student Management Teams (SMTs) as a Course Evaluation Tool
Authors: Buch Neeraj 
Published: January 2013

AbstractThe purpose of a management team is to provide continuous feedback to the instructor on two major issues: instructor performance and course structure and content. Successful student management team projects at the University of Wisconsin, University of Colorado and University of Minnesota have demonstrated that team members working together for the good of the class can accomplish a great deal. In the Michigan State University pilot project, the student management teams operated during a 15‐week course on construction materials. This is a 4‐credit required junior level course for all Civil Engineering majors and has both a classroom and a laboratory component. The average class size is thirty‐five students. The team met every week for about thirty to forty‐five minutes over the course of the semester. Their principal assignment was to improve the quality of the course by collecting data through classroom assessment techniques and regular group discussions with the instructor. It was clear from the formative surveys that 85% and 88% of the students were comfortable (level of understanding between 4–5) with the material “uncovered” in the Portland cement concrete (PCC) and hot mix asphalt concrete (HMAC) modules respectively. This paper discusses the concept of management teams along with other details in developing the management teams and results from the pilot study.
Time‐Tested Survival Skills for a Publish or Perish Environment
Authors: Reichert W. Monty , Daniels‐Race Theda , Dowell Earl H. 
Published: January 2013

AbstractThere are several time‐tested survival skills to consider when plotting a course to tenure in a “publish or perish” environment. These are: choosing an institution that matches your expectations, abilities, and goals; knowing what to expect (and avoid) once a position is accepted; and using best practices when preparing grant proposals and publishing research results.
An Interactive Database Supporting Virtual Fieldwork in an Environmental Engineering Design Project
Authors: HARMON THOMAS C. , BURKS GLENN A. , GIRON JONATHAN J. , WONG WILSON , CHUNG GREG K.W.K. , BAKER EVA L. 
Published: January 2013

AbstractThis work presents an interactive simulation software package for delivering an environmental engineering design project. The primary goal of the effort is to supplement theory‐based course content with a complex and relevant design project, and to do so without increasing student course loads or placing excessive time demands on instructors. An additional goal for research‐based instructors is to provide an efficient mechanism for infusing current research findings and experimental techniques into the curriculum. The software that administers the design project is called Interactive Site Investigation Software (ISIS). This paper summarizes the rationale for the development of ISIS, outlines the instructor‐generated input required by ISIS, and details current ISIS features. These features allow students to drill boreholes, collect core samples, construct wells, collect groundwater samples, submit samples for laboratory analysis, and execute hydraulic and transport experiments at a virtual hazardous waste site. Initial feedback on the usability and usefulness of ISIS was generally positive, and the automated data requisition and dispensation substantially reduced the project's administrative demands on the instructor. Common student complaints pertained to controlled access to the software in the face of deadline pressure, uncertain expectations regarding their work product, and the need for real‐time advice.
Engineering Entrepreneurship: An Example of A Paradigm Shift in Engineering Education
Authors: CREED CHRISTOPHER J. , SUUBERG ERIC M. , CRAWFORD GREGORY P. 
Published: January 2013

AbstractThis paper describes a course on technology‐based entrepreneurship. Brown University's Division of Engineering has created a two‐semester course sequence designed to introduce students to entrepreneurship through a unique merger of classroom learning and industry participation. The course is open to advanced undergraduates from all engineering disciplines, and emphasis is placed upon recruiting almost half of the student participants from outside of engineering in order to develop “team building” skills. Local “parent companies” provide seed ideas or concepts to student groups who use skills learned in the classroom (both in this course as well as other courses) to develop and refine the parent company's idea and turn it into a viable simulated spin‐off business or new start‐up. Managers from the parent companies serve in an evolving role over the two‐semester sequence beginning as a “board of directors” for the spin‐off and eventually evolving into a potential source of start‐up capital (or possibly a customer for the products of the company). The faculty carefully manage the student‐company interface. Deliverables at the end of the two‐semester sequence include a business plan and a prototype product.
Project ExCEL: Web‐based Scanning Electron Microscopy for K‐12 Education
Authors: CHUMBLEY L.S. , HARGRAVE C.P. , CONSTANT K. , HAND B. , ANDRE T. , THOMPSON E.A. 
Published: January 2013

AbstractProject ExCEL (Extended Classroom for Enhanced Learning) brings the capabilities of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) into classrooms. University and industry personnel, working together, have developed a web‐based interface to allow schools to control a modern SEM. The interface allows a user control of the operating parameters of the microscope, stage movement, and chemical analysis. Such total control is not available on any other system. Since Iowa State University (ISU) pioneered the idea of remote SEM for education, researchers have learned that providing teachers access to sophisticated equipment does not ensure that it will be used. Teachers are busy, and structured curriculums are not conducive for incorporating the SEM into classes. A lack of teacher knowledge of SEMs also discourages their use. To overcome these problems, College of Engineering and College of Education faculty are working together to train future teachers in the SEM. The web‐based SEM is being used in education courses, and selected students (who receive additional training) prepare lesson plans and present their work to the class. In‐service teachers receive instruction in the web‐based SEM through workshops. By using this integrated approach, all science teachers in Iowa will eventually gain the confidence to use the SEM in their classrooms.
Using Quality Function Deployment to Select the Courses and Topics that Enhance Program Effectiveness
Authors: KAUFFMANN PAUL , FERNANDEZ ABEL , KEATING CHARLES , JACOBS DERYA , UNAL RESIT 
Published: January 2013

AbstractDecision science methods can be effective tools for enhancing organizational participation during strategic and complex decision processes. This involvement promotes development of group consensus for issues as difficult as relating organizational goals and the best methods to achieve them. In an academic context, such a process supports and enhances collegial participation. This paper describes an application of Quality Function Deployment (QFD) decision model to prioritize both courses and course content based on degree of impact on program objectives. The model was developed to quantify curricular decisions involved in restructuring a Masters of Engineering Management degree program. QFD supports selection of the courses and the curricular content that has the highest impact on program goals. The model provides a practical and quantitative methodology for developing faculty consensus in the selection of curricular topics based on a strategic program focus.
Teaching Multi‐Disciplinary Design: Solar Car Design
Authors: CARROLL DOUGLAS R. , HIRTZ PAUL D. 
Published: January 2013

AbstractMulti‐disciplinary design can be taught in a very general way focusing on methods and procedures that work for any multi‐disciplinary design project or in a very specific way focusing on a specific multi‐disciplinary design project. The general approach teaches students the principles of how to approach any multi‐disciplinary design project but often lacks meaningful examples of how the principles are applied. Focusing on a specific multi‐disciplinary design project gives the students a meaningful example of how to apply design principles but they may have difficulty generalizing what they have learned and how it can be applied to other projects. To get a good background in engineering design, engineering students should have educational experiences that are both general and specific. This paper describes a course developed at the University of Missouri‐Rolla (UMR) to teach multi‐disciplinary design by focusing on the design of a solar racing car. The purpose of the course is to teach the aspects of a multi‐disciplinary design project utilizing a specific example for student comprehension.
Undergraduate Learning Portfolios for Institutional Assessment
Authors: HEINRICHER ARTHUR C. , MILLER JUDITH E. , SCHACHTERLE LANCE , KILDAHL NICHOLAS K. , BLUEMEL VAN , CRAWFORD VALERIE 
Published: January 2013

AbstractOur objectives were to develop a model of student portfolios that simultaneously promotes student learning, provides useful outcomes assessment data, and is logistically feasible. From our pilot test of three portfolio models, we conclude that requiring students in selected courses to complete portfolio entries solves most of the logistics problems associated with a large‐scale portfolio plan. Such entries can promote learning by providing a focus for career and educational planning discussions between students and faculty academic advisors. Course faculty are probably in the best position to use the outcomes assessment data obtained from the entries.
Outcomes Assessment of Engineering Writing at the University of Washington
Authors: Plumb Carolyn , Scott Cathie 
Published: January 2013

AbstractEffective writing skills are crucial for engineers, and engineering programs have always struggled with how to prepare their students for the writing they will do as professionals. Now, programs must also show the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) that they have clear educational outcomes for engineering communication and have a process for assessing student performance on those outcomes. At the University of Washington, we have spent the last five years developing an outcomes‐based assessment program for engineering writing. In spring 2001, the first round of writing assessment was completed. The assessment indicated that most of our students are competent in the outcomes we have developed. It also uncovered several weak areas, particularly in regard to working with sources and to adequately stating and supporting the purpose of the writing. We will be addressing these areas with additional instruction in the stand‐alone technical writing courses taken by engineering students. The process described in this paper could be helpful for other engineering programs preparing for ABET accreditation visits.
Efficacy of Interactive Internet‐Based Education in Structural Timber Design
Authors: Henson Aaron B. , Fridley Kenneth J. , Pollock David G. , Brahler C. Jayne 
Published: January 2013

AbstractWhile traditional teaching methods (e.g., real‐time, synchronous lectures) have proven effective for training future engineers, the Internet provides an avenue to reinforce the material and augment student learning, comprehension, and retention of material. This paper presents the integration and assessment of a library of interactive instructional modules specifically for a senior‐level undergraduate elective course in civil engineering. An ongoing, comprehensive assessment process was implemented in the fall 1999 semester. The results of this quantitative assessment indicate that the use of well designed and pedagogically sound Internet‐based supplemental modules provide students with a better understanding of course material. However, when Internet‐based content does not promote critical thinking, little increase in the student performance and understanding of the material is realized. Interactive Web‐based instruction should not be viewed as a “replacement” to traditional instruction, but rather a tool that provides a broader and more dynamic environment for students with a variety of learning styles.
Building Bridges to Material Properties in General Chemistry Laboratories: A Model for Integration Across Disciplines
Authors: Demetry Chrysanthe , Gurland Suzanne T. , Kildahl Nicholas 
Published: January 2013

AbstractMany engineering students enter and exit general chemistry courses with little appreciation of chemistry's relevance to other fields. At WPI many of these students go on to take introductory materials science and arrive with poor attitudes about chemistry and little retention of key concepts, but then become more engaged as they discover connections to engineering applications. Consequently, instructors in chemistry and mechanical engineering collaborated to augment general chemistry laboratories with explicit “bridges” to material properties and applications. Evaluation results showed that while students' attitudes toward chemistry were unaffected by bridging, particular aspects of the students' lab experience were enhanced to a statistically significant degree. Similar cross‐disciplinary collaborations might be considered elsewhere as a means of helping students find meaning and integrate subject matter, in a manner that is more feasible than large‐scale course or curriculum restructuring.
Improving the Effectiveness of Introductory Physics Service Courses: Bridging to Engineering Courses
Authors: Pierson Stephen W. , Gurland Suzanne T. , Crawford Valerie 
Published: January 2013

AbstractA simple model to help students see the connections between a physics course and their engineering major is described.Bridging“had positive effects on performance, attitude, and motivation, as measured by grade analyses, surveys, and student and faculty comments. In addition to the improved performance, enrollment in the physics course was also found to increase considerably during the two years of the bridging. The bridging model can be applied to a variety of courses and suggested components are discussed here.
A Survey of Computational Paradigms in Undergraduate Mechanical Engineering Education
Authors: Hodge B. K. , Steele W. G. 
Published: January 2013

AbstractUndergraduate mechanical engineering programs in the United States were surveyed to determine the usage of structured programming languages (such as C or FORTRAN) versus the use of computational software systems (such as Matlab or Mathcad). A survey form was e‐mailed to all mechanical engineering programs. The survey form was used to determine the following: (1) programming courses required, (2) use of structured programming in mechanical engineering curricula, (3) use of computational systems in mechanical engineering curricula, (4) junior‐level analysis courses required, and (5) computer ownership requirements. Seventy‐four responses, representing a good cross section (size, research mission, and geographical location) of mechanical engineering programs were received. The survey showed that about three‐fourths required at least one course in a structured programming language but that only about one‐third of the programs requiring a formal programming course used structured programming in two or more required courses. More than three‐fourths of all programs used computational systems such as Matlab or Mathcad, and about the same number required a junior‐level analysis course. Thirteen of the seventy‐four mechanical engineering programs that responded to the survey required students to own computers.
Are Undergraduate Engineering Students at Greater Risk for Heart Disease than Other Undergraduate Students?
Authors: Foster Christopher , Spencer Leslie 
Published: January 2013

AbstractSixty Rowan University undergraduate engineering students completed a screening for serum cholesterol and blood pressure and a written survey of their health habits, depression and stress levels. These data were compared to a similar study conducted at Rowan University of 226 undergraduate students from all majors. Engineering students demonstrated slightly higher risk levels in cholesterol and lower levels in blood pressure, compared to the general student population. Among the engineering students, thirty six percent had elevated cholesterol levels (above 200 mg/dL) and 16 percent had elevated systolic and/or diastolic blood pressure levels (above 140/90). Incidence of Type A personality traits (a measure of stress) was found in 21 percent of the population. Women reported having more stress than did men. Students majoring in electrical and computer engineering reported having the highest stress levels when compared to other engineering majors. A regression analysis identified depression, cigarette smoking, diet, stress, Type A personality and a heredity of high blood pressure as the best predictors of high serum cholesterol among subjects. Engineering educators are encouraged to address these prevalent and potentially performance‐impairing health risks among their students.
Some Comments on the Robustness of Student t Procedures
Authors: Tebbs Joshua M. , Bower Keith M. 
Published: January 2013

AbstractMany business and engineering courses stress the use of confidence interval and hypothesis testing procedures based on the Student t distribution. However, students are often unaware of the underlying assumptions that govern these procedures and of the consequences of misapplying them. In this exegetic account, we discuss the concept of robustness by exploring violations of the Student t assumptions and the effects of those violations on the resulting inferences. We also discuss the use of randomization methods as possible alternative methods. Our goal is to familiarize readers with the underpinnings of the t procedures, to summarize their use in practice, and to offer words of caution as to when they should not be used.
Faculty Use and Impressions of Courseware Management Tools: A National Survey
Authors: Clair SeanSt. , Baker NelsonC. 
Published: January 2013

AbstractTechnology in the classroom is changing the way faculties instruct and students learn. Understanding how faculty members perceive and use technology for learning is important for improving the educational process because instructor perceptions can potentially be a hindrance to the use and implementation of technology. This paper describes the results of a survey that investigated faculty Internet usage for instructional purposes as well as their perceptions of courseware management and Web‐publishing tools. The survey targeted a random sample of engineering faculty at ABET‐accredited universities. The survey results show that while many faculty members are using both Web‐publishing tools and courseware management tools for delivering educational content, they use these tools for only a small subset of pedagogical activities.
Speaking and Writing Proficiency of International Graduate Students in Elective, Mentoring Environments
Authors: Watkins Steve , Green Randy 
Published: January 2013

AbstractTechnical communication skills are critical for non‐native speakers who must study and interact in English‐only professional settings. Often, formal instruction to pass admission thresholds and other minimum requirements are not sufficient to attain proficiency. This paper describes elective, long‐term programs that provide systematic opportunities for both speaking and writing development. These programs are tailored to international students through the key features of individualized activities, applied task‐oriented practice, and social interaction. The elective programs attract and retain participants with interest and need for high‐level language proficiency. Program evaluations show that participating graduate students give primary credit for their growing fluency to individualized practice and to sustained interaction with native speakers.