bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Use of Distance Learning for Continuing Education of Engineers: Results of an Educational Needs Assessment
Authors: Rutz Eugene 
Published: January 2013

AbstractA survey was mailed to practicing engineers to determine their interest in distance learning programs and their preferences concerning such programs. The survey included queries regarding availability of computer resources and access to the Internet, preferences for delivery technology, type of educational program of interest, subject areas of interest, and importance of various parameters associated with distance learning programs. Approximately 1,000 surveys were mailed with a response rate of about 15 percent. The survey clearly defined preferences of this population for computer‐based delivery technology and programs related to engineering management, computer science and engineering, and mechanical/manufacturing engineering. The information collected will be used to define the content areas, delivery technology, and pedagogical framework of future distance learning courses and programs.
The Development and Assessment of a Course for Enhancing the 3‐D Spatial Visualization Skills of First Year Engineering Students
Authors: Sorby Sheryl A. , Baartmans Beverly J. 
Published: January 2013

AbstractIn January 1993, we received NSF funding to develop a pre‐graphics course for freshman engineering majors who are weak in 3‐D spatial visualization skills. A text and computer lab exercises utilizing I‐DEAS software were written specifically for this course. The course is 3‐credits (quarter system) with two hours of lecture and two hours of computer lab each week. It was offered at Michigan Technological University (MTU) for the first time during the 1993 Fall term and has been offered each fall since that time. The objective of the course is to provide the prerequisite spatial skills needed by students to succeed in their subsequent engineering graphics courses. Assessment for the course has been continuous. Recently, a six‐year longitudinal study was conducted to determine the overall success of this project. This paper will describe the project and the assessment findings from the longitudinal study.
Developing Critical Writing Skills in Engineering and Technology Students
Authors: Boyd Greg , Hassett Marie F. 
Published: January 2013

AbstractThis study culminated in the development, refinement, and evaluation of a system of writing instruction that allows even instructors without great confidence in their own writing abilities to help students develop better, more effective writing skills and strategies. The system consists of two components and works backwards, starting with teaching students the assessment strategy (rubric) to be used in evaluating their work. Therefore, the first system component or rubric becomes a guide to teach students how to connect their ideas (sentence subjects) in sequence without ambiguity or implied connectivity. The second component of the system consists of written assignments initiated with “work orders” that state specifically what is expected of the student in each paragraph and includes formatting instructions. Finally, the system was designed for use in any technical curriculum by engineering and technology instructors and incorporates research findings and suggestions by four influential professional writing associations: 1) the college teachers of English for Science and Technology (EST), 2) the Conference on College Composition and Communication (CCCC) Committee on Assessment, 3) the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), and 4) Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC).
Integrating Ethics & Engineering: A Graduate Option in Systems Engineering, Ethics, and Technology Studies
Authors: Gorman Michael , Hertz Michael , Louis Garrick , Magpili Luna , Mauss Mark , Mehalik Matthew , Tuttle J.B. 
Published: January 2013

AbstractThis paper describes an engineering graduate option in Systems Engineering designed to overcome some of the effects of specialization and compartmentalization by building a link between technical and ethical training. Students in this option produce case studies that emphasize ethical issues in the design process. The goal of the program is to turn out ethical professionals who are able to reflect on the moral implications of technology. The proposed approach uses realistic or real‐hypothetical hybrid case studies as a type of vicarious mentoring, and, when supplemented with readings in ethical theory and codes, may serve as a starting point for a deeper understanding of behavioral dilemmas. The developers of this approach are a multi‐disciplinary team from the Engineering School and the Darden Graduate School of Business Administration at the University of Virginia. The paper describes how the graduate option is structured and provides data on student outcomes.
The View from the Top: Leaders' Perspectives on a Decade of Change in Engineering Education*
Authors: Bjorklund Stefani A. , Colbeck Carol L. 
Published: January 2013

AbstractResearchers at The Pennsylvania State University's Center for the Study of Higher Education conducted 27 semi‐structured one‐hour interviews with the deans, chairs, faculty, industry leaders, and association officers who comprise the leadership of national engineering education societies and the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. During the interviews, these leaders described what they believe are the two most significant changes in the in the field of engineering education during the last decade.This article discusses the sources and pervasiveness of each change, how each change has influenced policy or practice in engineering education, and the best ways to encourage faculty involvement in the change.
Musical Instrument Engineering Program at Tufts University
Authors: Jones Jesse N. , Racz Livia , Rogers Chris 
Published: January 2013

AbstractAt Tufts University, we have initiated an engineering minor and concentration certificate program in Musical Instrument Engineering (MIE) as an exciting way to introduce and teach principles of mechanical engineering to undergraduate students. The goal of this program is to teach the fundamentals of engineering through the manufacture of musical instruments. As musical instruments are both familiar and complex, they provide non‐threatening and enjoyable focal points for engineering education. This interdisciplinary curriculum combines a variety of learning experiences, including lecturing, experimental analysis, and project development. In this paper we outline the minor and certificate programs, and assess the initial success of the Musical Instrument Engineering program through the response of faculty, administration, and students.
From the Earth to the Moon: A Freshman Seminar
Authors: Stengel Robert F. 
Published: January 2013

AbstractThe seminar course for first‐year undergraduate students, From the Earth to the Moon, deals with both technical and non‐technical aspects of space flight, with particular reference to lunar voyages. The goals of the course are to establish a framework for understanding technology and its applications, to present fundamental principles of science and program management, and to motivate students to learn more about the many facets of engineering. As such, the course introduces numerous issues of systems engineering in a broad context, presenting not only science, technology, and mathematics but also the reasons that these subjects are important. Typically, all of the students in the course have studied physics and/or calculus in high school, though half plan to major in the humanities. Thus, the course has dual roles in exposing liberal arts students to details of technology and engineering students to societal impacts of technology.
Hands‐On Laboratory Experiments in Flexible and Distance Learning
Authors: Gillet D. , Latchman H.A. , Salzmann Ch. , Crisalle O.D. 
Published: January 2013

AbstractThe advent of the Internet as a major communication channel has triggered a great deal of interest in real‐time services such as broadcast or interactive audio and video services. In this paper, a further step into the realm of real‐time services over the Internet is presented, namely, synchronous access to remote and distributed laboratory facilities. The proposed approach demonstrates the feasibility of using remote laboratory experiments to complement and enhance traditional as well as on‐line courses in control engineering education. The distributed laboratory effectively enables students to reinforce their learning through hands‐on studies carried out in a flexible environment.
An Outcomes Oriented Approach to Calculus Instruction
Authors: Goulet John 
Published: January 2013

AbstractThe specific outcomes of a course are important to the curricula in which it is required. A course in the freshman calculus sequence was developed and taught in an “outcomes” based manner. Fifteen specific goals were identified as comprising successful completion of the course. A grading scheme was developed to reflect the progress with weekly opportunities to pass goals. Reactions to the learning of both students and the instructor were collected. The relation of this approach to ABET Engineering Criteria 2000 are considered.
A Cure for Bioengineering? A New Undergraduate Core Curriculum
Authors: Desai Tejal A. , Magin Richard L. 
Published: January 2013

AbstractStudent interest, industry growth, and medical advances highlight a growing need for baccalaureate trained bioengineers. However, undergraduate bioengineering curricula have not kept pace with the recent rapid growth of biotechnology, bioinformatics, and cellular level bioengineering. It is the premise of this paper that a new baccalaureate core curriculum in cell and tissue engineering is needed to foster the full development of bioengineering as a core engineering discipline. Employment opportunities for baccalaureate Bioengineering graduates in the emerging biologically‐based engineering industry (e.g. bioinformatics, cell and tissue engineering, neural engineering) are increasing. We describe a new undergraduate B.S. bioengineering curriculum in cell and tissue engineering with an emphasis in interfacial molecular approaches. This curriculum is integrated with traditional bioengineering topics and has its technical emphasis in molecular biology, nanotechnology, and computational modeling. Thus, the future bioengineer can be expected to design, model, fabricate, and control living systems and their fundamental constituents at the same level of detail as an electrical engineer uses SPICE and CAD tools to develop a microelectronic or micro‐electro‐mechanical device. Such engineers would be expected to take their place in industry, graduate school, or medicine with a clear mastery of cell and tissue‐based bioengineering.
The United States Patent System: An Essential Role in Engineering Design Education
Authors: Garris Charles A. 
Published: January 2013

AbstractThe patent system has long been a neglected tool in the education of American engineers. Four propositions are presented which support the notion that an understanding of patents should be an integral part of the education of every engineer who practices in the United States. The essay lays a philosophical and historical foundation explaining the role of the patent system in a competitive free‐market society, and how it influences the behavior of those who seek to innovate. An upper‐level design course offered at The George Washington University, which heavily utilizes the patent literature and provides a foundation for understanding the role of patents in American industry, is discussed in detail. Ethical dilemmas facing engineers in the heat of competition are analyzed in the course, and the essay discusses some of these. This essay concludes with a discussion of why the role of patents in engineering education should increase in the twenty‐first century.
Case Learning Methodology in Operations Engineering
Authors: Kulonda Dennis J. 
Published: January 2013

AbstractTeaching operations engineering to traditional and non‐traditional engineering students using case learning methods presents both instructional challenges and provides learning rewards when performed properly. Unfortunately, few engineering faculty have had exposure to this learning approach. However, the skills are learnable and the results satisfying to instructor and student alike. The purpose of this paper is to explore case learning methods and illustrate their appropriateness for a course in operations engineering.
Addressing Common Problems in Engineering Design Projects: A Project Management Approach
Authors: Moor S. Scott , Drake Bruce D. 
Published: January 2013

AbstractIn using projects to teach engineering design, the instructor faces the question of how to structure the process to insure an effective learning environment without compromising the independence and open‐ended nature of the student's experience. The instructor faces the problems of student time scallop (the tendency to increase effort exponentially as the final deadline approaches), of potential laggards in a group (students doing little work and getting credit for the group's results) and of students learning appropriate work documentation habits.All of these problems are project management issues and project management tools can be used to solve them. This includes both the instructor's and the student's use of project management tools. In our process, students use three key techniques to address these issues: 1. a milestone schedule, 2. regular project review meetings and memos and 3. design memos which document each design task as the project progresses. Greatest success results when students utilize all three of these tasks.Both students and instructors have experienced reduced time scallop. A memo portfolio provides a measure of individual student performance. Students turn in improved projects, learn some basic project management tools, and gain experience at regular documentation of their work.
The Effectiveness of the E‐Team Approach to Invention and Innovation*
Authors: Adams Stephanie G. 
Published: January 2013

AbstractWithin the last decade, teamwork has become a well‐known phenomenon in U.S. industry. Effective teamwork has led to an increase in productivity, a reduction in costs, a rise in employee involvement, and flattening of the organizational structure.1This study examines students' attitudes and experiences towards working in teams, with particular attention paid to engineering students participating in entrepreneurial teams. The results of the study suggest that the students' attitudes and experiences were positive about working in teams. The majority of the students felt they were able to perform effectively in teams and thought that working in teams will be beneficial for preparing them for the workplace. Although students responded positively about their teamwork experience, only half of the students received team training. Some of the students felt indifferent about the usefulness of the team training sessions, which suggests that teamwork training needs to be improved.
Fostering Collaborative Education through Internet Technologies
Authors: Rojas Eddy M. 
Published: January 2013

AbstractThis paper focuses on the emerging opportunities available through the Internet to foster collaborative education efforts among institutions of higher education and industry partners. The integration of client‐server and peer‐to‐peer protocols into standard technological platforms can leverage the expertise found at different institutions in order to create a common knowledge‐base repository to unlock the creative potential of engineering educators. This paper introduces such a platform for the construction engineering and management domain called “Virtual Coach.” Descriptions of the major objectives for the platform are presented as well as explanations of the type of interactive exercises to be supported known as situational simulations.
Using Simulation to Teach Negotiation Processes to Environmental Engineers
Authors: Guikema Seth , Ortolano Leonard , Ohshita Stephanie B. , Collins Patti 
Published: January 2013

AbstractThis paper reports on a simulation exercise used to teach engineers about negotiation in the context of hazardous waste site cleanups. In contrast to traditional approaches, which emphasize technical aspects of hazardous waste management, our simulation approach emphasizes the influence that personality characteristics and negotiating styles have on outcomes in the site cleanup process. In addition to describing the site cleanup process and the simulation exercise, the paper discusses results of running the simulation in classes at Stanford University and the effectiveness of the simulation approach.
The UIUC Virtual Spectrometer: A Java‐Based Collaborative Learning Environment
Authors: Dorneich Michael C. , Jones Patricia M. 
Published: January 2013

AbstractThe development of the UIUC Virtual Spectrometer (UIUC‐VS), an interactive, Java‐based simulation and tutoring system, is discussed. The apprenticeship model of learning is utilized to create a learning environment for the study of a one‐dimensional proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiment, with the goal of linking theoretical knowledge with practical operational experience. Active, exploratory, apprentice‐style learning is supported via modes of operation within the system. Students can flexibly choose to “observe the expert” perform and explain operational steps, or “act as an apprentice” and carry out the steps autonomously. Students can switch between modes at their discretion, giving them control of the level of system intervention. Students can also explore and reflect on an “information space” of objects, procedures, and related concepts. UIUC‐VS extends a previous tutorial application, LEMRS,1 using Java‐based, Web‐capable technologies to provide a basis for a shared simulation environment teaching NMR. As a computer‐supported collaborative learning environment, the system includes a method of asynchronous communication, where the student can post questions and comments to a “question board,” with the ability to capture the current state of the system via annotations on a screen capture. Formative evaluations involving undergraduate chemistry students were crucial to system redesign.
Introducing Engineering and Science Students to Entrepreneurship: Models and Influential Factors at Six American Universities
Authors: Standish‐Kuon Terri , Rice Mark P. 
Published: January 2013

AbstractThis paper reports on how traditional science and engineering students are being taught entrepreneurship at six American universities. Each participating institution follows one of three models, which differ with respect to location within the university, organizational structure and approach to attracting students. Teaching, new venture creation and, to a lesser degree, research are the most common goals driving the technological entrepreneurship initiatives at these universities. The most universal assets are internal champions and interest on the part of alumni and current students, while the lack of elective credits in the engineering curriculum is a common barrier.
Gender and Graduate School: Engineering Students Confront Life after the B. Eng.
Authors: Baker Sarah , Tancred Peta , Whitesides Sue 
Published: January 2013

AbstractIn an exploratory questionnaire study at McGill University, we examine the reasons given by top women and men engineering students for deciding whether or not to continue their studies. Women are significantly less likely than men to plan on graduate school; they encounter hurdles such as limited personalized information, difficulties in obtaining reference letters, a low level of encouragement, and the discomfort of the engineering academic environment. We conclude with seven specific recommendations designed to encourage women, in particular, and also men to pursue graduate work.
Use of Web‐Based Tools to Enhance Collaborative Learning
Authors: Rojas Eddy M. 
Published: January 2013

AbstractThis paper reports on the implementation of a collaborative learning environment in a graduate course in construction engineering and management at the Department of Civil, Structural, and Environmental Engineering at the University at Buffalo. This course, which was restructured in 1998, follows a model that could be called “Web‐plus” because it takes advantage of Web‐centric technologies plus other value‐added activities such as studio classes, student's presentations, teamwork, and peer‐evaluations to generate a collaborative learning environment following a holistic approach. The paper examines the concept of collaborative learning and how it can be applied in an engineering setting. The pedagogical motivations and cognitive goals behind the implementation of this Web‐centric educational model are also explored. A detailed course description is presented including an explanation of MAESTRO, a software tutorial application, a review of the use of virtual portfolios and student‐based assessment during formative evaluations. The paper also summarizes the lessons learned from the implementation of this Web‐centric educational model.
Web‐Based Readiness Assessment Quizzes
Authors: Marks Bradley P. 
Published: January 2013

AbstractStudent readiness to fully participate in designed educational activities is often impeded by a lack of individual preparation through assigned readings or study. However, student preparation is rarely treated as an integral part of course design. Consequently, web‐based readiness assessment quizzes were developed for three courses in biological/biosystems engineering, at the freshman and junior levels. The overall goal was to improve student preparatory reading by assessing lower‐level knowledge just prior to the class period when that knowledge is needed for higher‐level learning activities. In this way, a web‐based educational tool was utilized as an integral, rather than just supplemental, part of the course design. The quizzes were designed to simultaneously ensure/assess student preparation and guide the students toward the highest priority topics within a given unit. The quizzes were graded automatically with the results reported electronically to the instructor. Student likelihood to read assigned materials was significantly improved (P < 0.0001), based on ratings from students in three different courses over four years of using these quizzes.
Preparing for Accreditation Under EC 2000: An Experience Report
Authors: Soundarajan Neelam 
Published: January 2013

AbstractPreparing for an accreditation evaluation under Engineering Criteria 2000 is a demanding task. For many programs, the most challenging requirements of the criteria have to do with establishing mechanisms to obtain input from various constituencies, formulating objectives on the basis of these inputs, formulating outcomes corresponding to each objective, establishing a range of assessment mechanisms to evaluate the program and outcomes, and establishing feedback mechanisms to use the results of the assessment to improve the program. This paper presents the experience of one program and some of the lessons learned.