Student Learning Outcomes from a Pilot Medical Innovations Course with Nursing, Engineering, and Biology Undergraduate Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ludwig, Patrice M.; Nagel, Jacquelyn K.; Lewis, Erica J.

2017-01-01

Background: Preparing today's undergraduate students from science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and related health professions to solve wide-sweeping healthcare challenges is critical. Moreover, it is imperative that educators help students develop the capabilities needed to meet those challenges, including problem solving,…

Compendium of student papers : 2009 undergraduate transportation engineering fellows program.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-10-01

This report is a compilation of research papers written by students participating in the 2009 Undergraduate : Transportation Scholars Program. The ten-week summer program, now in its nineteenth year, provides : undergraduate students in Civil Enginee...

Evaluating Risk Awareness in Undergraduate Students Studying Mechanical Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Langdon, G. S.; Balchin, K.; Mufamadi, P.

2010-01-01

This paper examines the development of risk awareness among undergraduate students studying mechanical engineering at a South African university. A questionnaire developed at the University of Liverpool was modified and used on students from the first, second and third year cohorts to assess their awareness in the areas of professional…

Compendium of student papers : 2010 undergraduate transportation scholars program.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-06-01

This report is a compilation of research papers written by students participating in the 2010 Undergraduate : Transportation Scholars Program. The 10-week summer program, now in its 20th year, provides : undergraduate students in Civil Engineering th...

Compendium of student papers : 2012 undergraduate transportation scholars program.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-05-01

This report is a compilation of research papers written by students participating in the 2012 Undergraduate : Transportation Scholars Program. The 10-week summer program, now in its 22nd year, provides : undergraduate students in Civil Engineering th...

Compendium of student papers : 2011 undergraduate transportation scholars program.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-05-01

This report is a compilation of research papers written by students participating in the 2011 Undergraduate : Transportation Scholars Program. The 10-week summer program, now in its 21st year, provides : undergraduate students in Civil Engineering th...

Compendium of student papers : 2013 undergraduate transportation scholars program.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-11-01

This report is a compilation of research papers written by students participating in the 2013 Undergraduate Transportation Scholars Program. The 10-week summer program, now in its 23nd year, provides undergraduate students in Civil Engineering the op...

Robotics Laboratory to Enhance the STEM Research Experience

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-04-30

the Chemistry Program has a student working on the design and development of a Stirling Engine , which the student is planning to construct using...scale): Number of graduating undergraduates funded by a DoD funded Center of Excellence grant for Education, Research and Engineering : The number of... engineering or technology fields: Student Metrics This section only applies to graduating undergraduates supported by this agreement in this reporting

An Evaluation of HigherEd 2.0 Technologies in Undergraduate Mechanical Engineering Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Orange, Amy; Heinecke, Walter; Berger, Edward; Krousgrill, Charles; Mikic, Borjana; Quinn, Dane

2012-01-01

Between 2006 and 2010, sophomore engineering students at four universities were exposed to technologies designed to increase their learning in undergraduate engineering courses. Our findings suggest that students at all sites found the technologies integrated into their courses useful to their learning. Video solutions received the most positive…

Heat Exchanger Lab for Chemical Engineering Undergraduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rajala, Jonathan W.; Evans, Edward A.; Chase, George G.

2015-01-01

Third year chemical engineering undergraduate students at The University of Akron designed and fabricated a heat exchanger for a stirred tank as part of a Chemical Engineering Laboratory course. The heat exchanger portion of this course was three weeks of the fifteen week long semester. Students applied concepts of scale-up and dimensional…

Undergraduate Research in Physics as a course for Engineering and Computer Science Majors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Brien, James; Rueckert, Franz; Sirokman, Greg

2017-01-01

Undergraduate research has become more and more integral to the functioning of higher educational institutions. At many institutions undergraduate research is conducted as capstone projects in the pure sciences, however, science faculty at some schools (including that of the authors) face the challenge of not having science majors. Even at these institutions, a select population of high achieving engineering students will often express a keen interest in conducting pure science research. Since a foray into science research provides the student the full exposure to the scientific method and scientific collaboration, the experience can be quite rewarding and beneficial to the development of the student as a professional. To this end, the authors have been working to find new contexts in which to offer research experiences to non- science majors, including a new undergraduate research class conducted by physics and chemistry faculty. An added benefit is that these courses are inherently interdisciplinary. Students in the engineering and computer science fields step into physics and chemistry labs to solve science problems, often invoking their own relevant expertise. In this paper we start by discussing the common themes and outcomes of the course. We then discuss three particular projects that were conducted with engineering students and focus on how the undergraduate research experience enhanced their already rigorous engineering curriculum.

Co-Curricular Connections: The Role of Undergraduate Research Experiences in Promoting Engineering Students' Communication, Teamwork, and Leadership Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carter, Deborah Faye; Ro, Hyun Kyoung; Alcott, Benjamin; Lattuca, Lisa R.

2016-01-01

This study examined the impact of undergraduate research (UR) in engineering, focusing on three particular learning outcomes: communication, teamwork, and leadership. The study included 5126 students across 31 colleges of engineering. The authors employed propensity score matching method to address the selection bias for selection into (and…

A comparison of educational factors promoting or discouraging the intent to remain in engineering by gender

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amelink, Catherine T.; Meszaros, Peggy S.

2011-03-01

This study seeks to examine key extrinsic and intrinsic factors that encourage or discourage persistence in attaining an engineering degree and pursuing an engineering-related career among both male and female undergraduates. Quantitative and qualitative findings from nine participating undergraduate degree programmes reveal that career expectations formulated through educational experiences as undergraduates play a key role in motivating students. Among females, faculty interaction in the classroom, such as feedback received and the degree to which the faculty treat them with respect, is an important encouraging factor. For both males and females, discouraging elements of the undergraduate experience include the amount of time for coursework, competition in engineering classes and grades. The findings have several practical implications that faculty and administrators can employ in shaping the undergraduate experience to encourage short- and long-term interest in engineering among both male and female students.

Investigating the impact of visuohaptic simulations for the conceptual understanding of electric field for distributed charges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shaikh, Uzma Abdul Sattar

The present study assessed the benefits of a multisensory intervention on the conceptual understanding of electric field for distributed charges in engineering and technology undergraduate students. A novel visuohaptic intervention was proposed, which focused on exploring the forces around the different electric field configurations for distributed charges namely point, infinitely long line and uniformly charged ring. The before and after effects of the visuohaptic intervention are compared, wherein the intervention includes instructional scaffolding. Three single-group studies were conducted to investigate the effect among three different populations: (a) Undergraduate engineering students, (b) Undergraduate technology students and (c) Undergraduate engineering technology students from a different demographic setting. The findings from the three studies suggests that the haptic modality intervention provides beneficial effects by allowing students to improve their conceptual understanding of electric field for distributed charges, although students from groups (b) and (c) showed a statistically significant increase in the conceptual understanding. The findings also indicate a positive learning perception among all the three groups.

Action Learning in Undergraduate Engineering Thesis Supervision

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stappenbelt, Brad

2017-01-01

In the present action learning implementation, twelve action learning sets were conducted over eight years. The action learning sets consisted of students involved in undergraduate engineering research thesis work. The concurrent study accompanying this initiative investigated the influence of the action learning environment on student approaches…

Language Needs Analysis of Iranian Undergraduate Students of Computer Engineering: A Study of Reading Skill

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fard-Kashani, Alireza; Jahromi, Abdol Hossein Zahedi; Javadi, Ali; Fallahi, Ali Mohammad

2015-01-01

The current study aimed at diagnosing the language needs of Iranian undergraduate students of computer engineering in order to find out whether there is any significant difference in perceptions between the students and their ESAP (English for Specific Academic Purpose) teachers, concerning their Reading skill needs. To conduct the intended…

An Evaluation of a Course That Introduces Undergraduate Students to Authentic Aerospace Engineering Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mena, Irene B.; Schmitz, Sven; McLaughlin, Dennis

2015-01-01

This paper describes the implementation and assessment of an aerospace engineering course in which undergraduate students worked on research projects with graduate research mentors. The course was created using the principles from cooperative learning and project-based learning, and consisted of students working in small groups on a complex,…

Demand for interdisciplinary laboratories for physiology research by undergraduate students in biosciences and biomedical engineering.

PubMed

Clase, Kari L; Hein, Patrick W; Pelaez, Nancy J

2008-12-01

Physiology as a discipline is uniquely positioned to engage undergraduate students in interdisciplinary research in response to the 2006-2011 National Science Foundation Strategic Plan call for innovative transformational research, which emphasizes multidisciplinary projects. To prepare undergraduates for careers that cross disciplinary boundaries, students need to practice interdisciplinary communication in academic programs that connect students in diverse disciplines. This report surveys policy documents relevant to this emphasis on interdisciplinary training and suggests a changing role for physiology courses in bioscience and engineering programs. A role for a physiology course is increasingly recommended for engineering programs, but the study of physiology from an engineering perspective might differ from the study of physiology as a basic science. Indeed, physiology laboratory courses provide an arena where biomedical engineering and bioscience students can apply knowledge from both fields while cooperating in multidisciplinary teams under specified technical constraints. Because different problem-solving approaches are used by students of engineering and bioscience, instructional innovations are needed to break down stereotypes between the disciplines and create an educational environment where interdisciplinary teamwork is used to bridge differences.

Broaden Engineering Technology students' knowledge through hands-on with motion robotics

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The skills and knowledge that employers value most are not always well-aligned with undergraduate engineering technology programs. With the support of a federal grant, we identify and propose to broaden the undergraduate student experience to include training in transferable skills with agricultura...

Birds of a Feather Do Not Always Flock Together: A Critical Analysis of Latina Engineers and Their Involvement in Student Organizations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Banda, Rosa M.; Flowers, Alonzo M., III

2017-01-01

While an abundance of literature addresses undergraduate students' lack of success in engineering programs, fewer studies examine the persistence of minority females, especially of Latinas. This study employed a qualitative method of inquiry to gain insight into the reasons why Latina undergraduate engineering majors sought membership in student…

Undergraduate Research Experience for STEM Students: Efforts and Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Chuanlei; Swaid, Samar

2017-01-01

Undergraduate research for STEM students involves students who are attending college or universities pursuing a bachelor's degree, majoring in fields related to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Research experience for STEM undergraduates has been viewed as a positive experience that has several benefits such as developing…

Solar powered rotorcraft: a multidisciplinary engineering challenge for undergraduate students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Danner, Aaron J.; Henz, Martin; Teo, Brian Shohei

2017-08-01

Controlled, fully solar-powered flight in a rotorcraft is a difficult engineering challenge. Over the past five years, multidiciplinary teams of undergraduate engineering students at the National University of Singapore have built and test-flown a succession of increasingly impressive and larger, more efficient aircraft. While many other multidisciplinary or purely photonics projects are available to students in our programme, this particular project attracts an unusual level of excitement and devotion among students working on it. Why is that the case, and what, in general, makes a good final year undergraduate design project? These questions will be explored. Additionally, videos of solar helicopter test flights and spectacular crashes will be shown in the presentation for which the proceedings below have been prepared.

Using Mung Beans as a Simple, Informative Means to Evaluate the Phytotoxicity of Engineered Nanomaterials and Introduce the Concept of Nanophytotoxicity to Undergraduate Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ross, Shailise S.; Owen, Matthew J.; Pedersen, Brian P.; Liu, Gang-yu; Miller, William J. W.

2016-01-01

This work presents a lecture and lab series that focuses on teaching the concept of nanophytotoxicity to undergraduate students in a relatively simple experiment. In this experiment, students evaluated the phytotoxicity of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) using mung beans (i.e., "Vigna radiata") and industrially relevant, commercially…

Digital Games, Gender and Learning in Engineering: Do Females Benefit as Much as Males?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Joiner, Richard; Iacovides, Jo; Owen, Martin; Gavin, Carl; Clibbery, Stephen; Darling, Jos; Drew, Ben

2011-01-01

The aim of this paper was to explore whether there is a gender difference in the beneficial effects of Racing Academy, which is a video game used to support undergraduate students learning of Mechanical Engineering. One hundred and thirty-eight undergraduate students (15 females and 123 males) participated in the study. The students completed a…

Introducing Programmable Logic to Undergraduate Engineering Students in a Digital Electronics Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Todorovich, E.; Marone, J. A.; Vazquez, M.

2012-01-01

Due to significant technological advances and industry requirements, many universities have introduced programmable logic and hardware description languages into undergraduate engineering curricula. This has led to a number of logistical and didactical challenges, in particular for computer science students. In this paper, the integration of some…

A Qatari perspective on women in the engineering pipeline: an exploratory study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fauziah Sulaiman, Noor; AlMuftah, Hend

2010-10-01

Under-representation of women in engineering has received a great deal of attention, but remained limited largely to a Western context. Thus, this article aims to unveil the barriers to progress, tracking the performance and the emerging trend of success at the undergraduate level of women in engineering in a different cultural dimension. Secondary research, particularly statistical data of female undergraduate engineering students at Qatar University (QU), is used in this study. Findings show that the booming economic development and access to modern education are the key drivers that change the position of women in Qatari society. A shift away from a masculine-dominated society to a more balance masculine/feminine society was identified as the impetus for better enrolment and achievement of female engineering students in Qatar. Similar to the trend in the USA, recruitment and not retention was the reason behind the under-representation of female undergraduate engineering students at QU.

Providing Co-Curricular Support: A Multi-Case Study of Engineering Student Support Centers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Walter C., Jr.

2015-01-01

In response to the student retention and diversity issues that have been persistent in undergraduate engineering education, many colleges have developed Engineering Student Support Centers (ESSCs) such as Minority Engineering Programs (MEPs) and Women in Engineering Programs (WEPs). ESSCs provide underrepresented students with co-curricular…

Undergraduate Women's Persistence in the Sciences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

George-Jackson, Casey E.

2014-01-01

This study uses longitudinal data of undergraduate students from five public land-grant universities to better understand undergraduate students' persistence in and switching of majors, with particular attention given to women's participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Specifically, the study examines…

Tracking Student Participants from a REU Site with NAE Grand Challenges as the Common Theme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burkett, Susan; Dye, Tabatha; Johnson, Pauline

2015-01-01

The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) Grand Challenges provides the theme for this NSFfunded Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) site. Research topics, with their broad societal impact, allow undergraduate students from multiple engineering disciplines and computer science to work together on exciting and critical problems. The…

Does Curriculum Practical Training Affect Engineers' Workplace Outcomes? Evidence from an Engineer Survey in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Jing; Zhang, Yu; Tsang, Mun; Li, Manli

2015-01-01

With the increasing attention to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math), hands-on Curriculum Practical Training (CPT) has been expanding rapidly worldwide as a requirement of the undergraduate engineering education. In China, a typical CPT for undergraduate engineering students requires several weeks of hands-on training in the…

Development and Evaluation of an Undergraduate Multidisciplinary Project Activity in Engineering and Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, David R.; Cole, Joanne

2012-01-01

The School of Engineering and Design Multidisciplinary Project (MDP) at Brunel University is a one week long project based activity involving first year undergraduate students from across the School subject areas of Electronic and Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering and Design. This paper describes the main aims of the…

Undergraduate engineering students' attitudes and perceptions towards `professional ethics' course: a case study of India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sethy, Satya Sundar

2017-11-01

'Professional Ethics' has been offered as a compulsory course to undergraduate engineering students in a premier engineering institution of India. It was noticed that students' perceptions and attitudes were frivolous and ornamental towards this course. Course instructors and institution authorities were motivated to find out the factors contributing to this awkwardness. For this purpose, a questionnaire was prepared and administrated to 336 students registered for the July-November 2014 semester. The study found two factors contributing to students' indifference towards the Professional Ethics course. First, most of the students did not have self-interest to join the engineering programme, and while pursuing their study, they decided to switch to a different field upon completion of their engineering study. Second, students who desired to be engineers in their future believed that engineering code of ethics is not really referred to in most of the engineering jobs, and therefore Professional Ethics course is only meant for classroom discussions.

Maintaining the competitive edge; Use of computers for undergraduate instruction

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hurley, F.; Miller, M.; Podlo, A.L.

1991-11-01

There is a revolution in U.S. undergraduate engineering curricula, one marked by a renaissance of interest in liberal arts education, re-emphasis on basic education, and a new emphasis on computer training. The Dept. of Petroleum Engineering at the U. of Texas recognized its weaknesses and in Sept. 1987 designed and implemented new curricula incorporating computer and technical communications skills for undergraduate students. This paper provides details of the curricula changes. The results of this 4-year program demonstrate that problem-solving skills of petroleum engineering students are sharpened through computerized education and proficient communication.

Selection of software for mechanical engineering undergraduates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cheah, C. T.; Yin, C. S.; Halim, T.

A major problem with the undergraduate mechanical course is the limited exposure of students to software packages coupled with the long learning curve on the existing software packages. This work proposes the use of appropriate software packages for the entire mechanical engineering curriculum to ensure students get sufficient exposure real life design problems. A variety of software packages are highlighted as being suitable for undergraduate work in mechanical engineering, e.g. simultaneous non-linear equations; uncertainty analysis; 3-D modeling software with the FEA; analysis tools for the solution of problems in thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, mechanical system design, and solid mechanics.

Effective Engineering Outreach through an Undergraduate Mentoring Team and Module Database

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Colin; Butterfield, Anthony E.

2014-01-01

The rising need for engineers has led to increased interest in community outreach in engineering departments nationwide. We present a sustainable outreach model involving trained undergraduate mentors to build ties with K-12 teachers and students. An associated online module database of chemical engineering demonstrations, available to educators…

Integration of NASA Research into Undergraduate Education in Math, Science, Engineering and Technology at North Carolina A&T State University

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Monroe, Joseph; Kelkar, Ajit

2003-01-01

The NASA PAIR program incorporated the NASA-Sponsored research into the undergraduate environment at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. This program is designed to significantly improve undergraduate education in the areas of mathematics, science, engineering, and technology (MSET) by directly benefiting from the experiences of NASA field centers, affiliated industrial partners and academic institutions. The three basic goals of the program were enhancing core courses in MSET curriculum, upgrading core-engineering laboratories to compliment upgraded MSET curriculum, and conduct research training for undergraduates in MSET disciplines through a sophomore shadow program and through Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) programs. Since the inception of the program nine courses have been modified to include NASA related topics and research. These courses have impacted over 900 students in the first three years of the program. The Electrical Engineering circuit's lab is completely re-equipped to include Computer controlled and data acquisition equipment. The Physics lab is upgraded to implement better sensory data acquisition to enhance students understanding of course concepts. In addition a new instrumentation laboratory in the department of Mechanical Engineering is developed. Research training for A&T students was conducted through four different programs: Apprentice program, Developers program, Sophomore Shadow program and Independent Research program. These programs provided opportunities for an average of forty students per semester.

Students' Changing Images of Engineering and Engineers. Research Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jocuns, Andrew; Stevens, Reed; Garrison, Lari; Amos, Daniel

2008-01-01

This study analyzes the images of engineers and engineering that students construct over the course of their undergraduate engineering educations. Students in their first year of study to become engineers knew very little about the work they would be doing as an engineer and their expectations were more specific, hopeful, and high status than…

Exploration of the lived experiences of undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics minority students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Snead-McDaniel, Kimberly

An expanding ethnicity gap exists in the number of students pursuing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers in the United States. The National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering revealed that the number of minorities pursuing STEM degrees and careers has declined over the past few years. The specific origins of this trend are not quite evident; one variable to consider is that undergraduate minority students are failing in STEM disciplines at various levels of education from elementary to postsecondary. The failure of female and minority students to enter STEM disciplines in higher education have led various initiatives to establish programs to promote STEM disciplines among these groups. Additional funding for minority STEM programs have led to a increase in undergraduate minority students entering STEM disciplines, but the minority students' graduation rate in STEM disciplines is approximately 7% lower than the graduation of nonminority students in STEM disciplines. This phenomenological qualitative research study explores the lived experiences of underrepresented minority undergraduate college students participating in an undergraduate minority-mentoring program. The following nine themes emerged from the study: (a) competitiveness, (b) public perception, (c) dedication, (d) self-perception, (e) program activities, (f) time management, (g) exposure to career and graduate opportunities, (h) rigor in the curriculum, and (i) peer mentoring. The themes provided answers and outcomes to better support a stronger minority representation in STEM disciplines.

What Knowledge of Responsible Conduct of Research Do Undergraduates Bring to Their Undergraduate Research Experiences?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mabrouk, Patricia Ann

2016-01-01

Over a three-year period, chemistry and engineering students participating in six Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) programs were surveyed before and after participating in a research ethics training workshop. The goal was to learn what undergraduate students already knew about key concepts in research ethics at the start of their…

The Motivation to Study: An Analysis of Undergraduate Engineering Students at a Caribbean University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maharaj, Chris; Blair, Erik; Chin Yuen Kee, Sarah

2018-01-01

The link between motivation and success is well documented; however, there is still room to problematise motivation in regards to the individual and contextual levels. This study looks at motivation in relation to students studying undergraduate engineering courses at a Caribbean university and seeks to discover the factors that motivate them to…

Encouraging Undergraduate Engineering Students towards Civic Engagement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wallen, Matthew R.; Pandit, Abhay S.

2009-01-01

Responding to the calls for teaching "soft skills" within the undergraduate engineering curriculum and for the university to address a perceived decrease in social capital, a programme titled Community Awareness Initiatives Responsibly Directed by Engineers (CAIRDE, an Irish language word meaning "friends") was instituted at…

Learning by teaching: undergraduate engineering students improving a community's response capability to an early warning system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suvannatsiri, Ratchasak; Santichaianant, Kitidech; Murphy, Elizabeth

2015-01-01

This paper reports on a project in which students designed, constructed and tested a model of an existing early warning system with simulation of debris flow in a context of a landslide. Students also assessed rural community members' knowledge of this system and subsequently taught them to estimate the time needed for evacuation of the community in the event of a landslide. Participants were four undergraduate students in a civil engineering programme at a university in Thailand, as well as nine community members and three external evaluators. Results illustrate project and problem-based, experiential learning and highlight the real-world applications and development of knowledge and of hard and soft skills. The discussion raises issues of scalability and feasibility for implementation of these types of projects in large undergraduate engineering classes.

Negative Impact of Employment on Engineering Student Time Management, Time to Degree, and Retention: Faculty, Administrator, and Staff Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tyson, Will

2012-01-01

Interviews with faculty, administrators, staff, and students at four engineering programs reveal the role of undergraduate student employment on retention and timely degree completion among engineering students. Dueling narratives reveal how student approaches to earning an engineering degree differ greatly from faculty, administrator, and staff…

Team-Based Development of Medical Devices: An Engineering-Business Collaborative.

PubMed

Eberhardt, Alan W; Johnson, Ophelia L; Kirkland, William B; Dobbs, Joel H; Moradi, Lee G

2016-07-01

There is a global shift in the teaching methodology of science and engineering toward multidisciplinary, team-based processes. To meet the demands of an evolving technical industry and lead the way in engineering education, innovative curricula are essential. This paper describes the development of multidisciplinary, team-based learning environments in undergraduate and graduate engineering curricula focused on medical device design. In these programs, students actively collaborate with clinicians, professional engineers, business professionals, and their peers to develop innovative solutions to real-world problems. In the undergraduate senior capstone courses, teams of biomedical engineering (BME) and business students have produced and delivered numerous functional prototypes to satisfied clients. Pursuit of commercialization of devices has led to intellectual property (IP) disclosures and patents. Assessments have indicated high levels of success in attainment of student learning outcomes and student satisfaction with their undergraduate design experience. To advance these projects toward commercialization and further promote innovative team-based learning, a Master of Engineering (MEng) in Design and Commercialization was recently launched. The MEng facilitates teams of graduate students in engineering, life sciences, and business who engage in innovation-commercialization (IC) projects and coursework that take innovative ideas through research and development (R&D) to create marketable devices. The activities are structured with students working together as a "virtual company," with targeted outcomes of commercialization (license agreements and new start-ups), competitive job placement, and/or career advancement.

Student Opinions and Perceptions of Undergraduate Thermodynamics Courses in Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ugursal, V. Ismet; Cruickshank, Cynthia A.

2015-01-01

Thermodynamics is a fundamental foundation of all engineering disciplines. A vast majority of engineering undergraduate programmes contain one or more courses on thermodynamics, and many engineers use thermodynamics every day to analyse or design energy systems. However, there is extensive anecdotal evidence as well as a wide range of published…

Patent Information Use in Engineering Technology Design: An Analysis of Student Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phillips, Margaret; Zwicky, Dave

2017-01-01

How might engineering technology students make use of patent information in the engineering design process? Librarians analyzed team project reports and personal reflections created by students in an undergraduate mechanical engineering technology design course, revealing that the students used patents to consider the patentability of their ideas,…

The Conundrum of Social Class: Disparities in Publishing among STEM Students in Undergraduate Research Programs at a Hispanic Majority Institution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grineski, Sara; Daniels, Heather; Collins, Timothy; Morales, Danielle X.; Frederick, Angela; Garcia, Marilyn

2018-01-01

Research on the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) student development pipeline has largely ignored social class and instead examined inequalities based on gender and race. We investigate the role of social class in undergraduate student research publications. Data come from a sample of 213 undergraduate research participants…

An Exploratory Study of the Factors Influencing Undergraduate Student Choice: The Case of Higher Education in Scotland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Briggs, Senga

2006-01-01

This article explores the factors influencing student choice at six contrasting universities in Scotland to establish if there is value in developing a model for predicting institutional choice for Scottish undergraduate entry. It is based on a survey of 651 students in two undergraduate disciplines, accountancy and engineering, across the six…

Demand for Interdisciplinary Laboratories for Physiology Research by Undergraduate Students in Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clase, Kari L.; Hein, Patrick W.; Pelaez, Nancy J.

2008-01-01

Physiology as a discipline is uniquely positioned to engage undergraduate students in interdisciplinary research in response to the 2006-2011 National Science Foundation Strategic Plan call for innovative transformational research, which emphasizes multidisciplinary projects. To prepare undergraduates for careers that cross disciplinary…

Choosing engineering: Can I succeed and do I want to? A qualitative analysis framed in expectancy-value theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matusovich, Holly Marie

Recently published reports call for an increase in the number of engineering graduates and suggest appropriate characteristics that these graduates should embody. Accomplishing either objective requires first understanding why students choose to pursue engineering degrees. This research started addressing this knowledge gap using Eccles' expectancy-value model to qualitatively and longitudinally examine undergraduate student's choices to enroll and persist in engineering majors. Specifically, this study focused on identity within Eccles' model to answer the question: How do students' beliefs about being engineers in the future shape their choices to pursue engineering? Framed in Eccles' model, students' choices to pursue engineering majors are based on beliefs about their engineering-related competence and how much they value succeeding in an engineering major. Eccles posits that identity shapes both competence and value beliefs. This study defined identity as students' self-perceptions as future engineers then examined the roles these self-perceptions in shaping their choices to pursue engineering degrees. Gee's conception of four-interrelated aspects of identity (nature identity, institutional identity, affinity identity, and discourse identity) provided a lens to examine students' self-perceptions as future engineers. Multiple case study methods guided this research with each of ten students (five men and five women) representing a case. Results derive from the inductive analysis of longitudinal interviews triangulated with survey results---all data spanned the students' first through fourth undergraduate years. This study is part of a larger body of work, the Academic Pathways Study (APS), conducted by the Center for Advancement of Engineering Education (CAEE). Results demonstrated that students' self-perceptions as future engineers are connected to both competence and value beliefs and to the choice to persist in engineering. Specifically, the results showed: (1) even in their fourth undergraduate year, three out of ten participants were uncertain about themselves as future engineers; (2) students choosing to pursue an engineering degree because they identify with the types of activities in which engineers engage experience the persistence choice process differently than students who choose engineering for other reasons; and (3) all students ultimately had positive competence beliefs, although two women participants continually renegotiated definitions of competence in engineering.

Integration of Research Into Grade Nine-Graduate Level Curricula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonner, J.; Callicott, K.; Page, C.

2004-05-01

Research on the Kolb Learning Cycle, engineering education, and recent cognitive learning research indicates that learning occurs through knowledge application. Moreover, experts in a given discipline will differ from novices with regard to their ability to transfer their knowledge by application to new contexts. We have developed a suite of educational opportunities to bridge the gap between research and the classroom, with activities spanning the educational spectrum from high school through graduate school. One mechanism for transferring of research into undergraduate/graduate curricula is through our National Science Foundation (NSF) funded Combined Research-Curriculum Development (CRCD) project ("Environmental Informatics in Coastal Margins"). This project modifies engineering curricula to provide the nation with the next generation of engineers who can utilize the latest environmental modeling tools. The project revises/creates three undergraduate courses forming the environmental informatics (EI) track of the civil engineering curriculum and two graduate courses integrating GIS and environmental measurements. Curriculum development efforts are guided by an expert team drawn from nearby campuses and both regional and national industry, and includes an expert in assessing the pedagogical value of the curriculum and developing suitable metrics to evaluate student learning experiences. Another NSF-funded project integrating research into an undergraduate educational setting is our Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) project ("Undergraduate Research in Biodiversity and Ecological Processes in Fluctuating Environments"). Research includes overlapping topics in environmental engineering and life sciences. The summer research experience provides students an opportunity to integrate engineering and life science technologies and to the study of ecological processes associated with biodiversity and environmental quality. Students orally present their project and submit in-depth papers. Over twenty publications/proceedings papers have been generated thus far. A third project involves our collaborations with the ITS Center ("Information Technology in Science Center for Teaching and Learning") on the A&M campus. As an investment in "project team growing", the Center is collaborating with us to collect data on implementation of an engineering science and math enhancement module in Hearne Independent School District. The specific activity involves a CRCD engineering class and an educational psychology undergraduate class. The engineering students give group presentations, where each presentation addresses a scenario that focuses on an environmental topic presented in the class. The students present the technical material to the education students who serve as a non-technical lay audience, emulating a city council, for example. The education students adapt the material for presentation to high school students, working with mentor teachers to enhance content, relevance and hands on experience while learning to apply teaching pedagogy.

Development of Web-Based Learning Environment Model to Enhance Cognitive Skills for Undergraduate Students in the Field of Electrical Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lakonpol, Thongmee; Ruangsuwan, Chaiyot; Terdtoon, Pradit

2015-01-01

This research aimed to develop a web-based learning environment model for enhancing cognitive skills of undergraduate students in the field of electrical engineering. The research is divided into 4 phases: 1) investigating the current status and requirements of web-based learning environment models. 2) developing a web-based learning environment…

Open-Inquiry Driven Overcoming of Epistemological Difficulties in Engineering Undergraduates: A Case Study in the Context of Thermal Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pizzolato, Nicola; Fazio, Claudio; Sperandeo Mineo, Rosa Maria; Persano Adorno, Dominique

2014-01-01

This paper addresses the efficacy of an open-inquiry approach that allows students to build on traditionally received knowledge. A sample of thirty engineering undergraduates, having already attended traditional university physics instruction, was selected for this study. The students were involved in a six-week long learning experience of…

Perceptions of Academic Staff towards Accommodating Students with Disabilities in a Civil Engineering Undergraduate Program in a University in South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mayat, Nafisa; Amosun, Seyi Ladele

2011-01-01

This study explored the perceptions of academic staff towards admission of students with disabilities, and their accommodation once accepted into an undergraduate Civil Engineering program in a South African university. Qualitative responses relating to the perceptions of five academic staff were obtained through semi-structured interviews. The…

Students' Perspective (Age Wise, Gender Wise and Year Wise) of Parameters Affecting the Undergraduate Engineering Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kumari, Neeraj

2014-01-01

The objective of the study is to examine the students' perspective (age wise, gender wise and year wise) of parameters affecting the undergraduate engineering education system present in a private technical institution in NCR [National Capital Region], Haryana. It is a descriptive type of research in nature. The data has been collected with the…

GT-SUPREEM: the Georgia Tech summer undergraduate packaging research and engineering experience for minorities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

May, Gary S.

1996-07-01

The Georgia Tech SUmmer Undergraduate Packaging Research and Engineering Experience for Minorities (GT-SUPREEM) is an eight-week summer program designed to attract qualified minority students to pursue graduate degrees in packaging- related disciplines. The program is conducted under the auspices of the Georgia Tech Engineering Research Center in Low-Cost Electronic Packaging, which is sponsored by the National Science Foundation. In this program, nine junior and senior level undergraduate students are selected on a nationwide basis and paired with a faculty advisor to undertake research projects in the Packaging Research CEnter. The students are housed on campus and provided with a $DLR3,000 stipend and a travel allowance. At the conclusion of the program, the students present both oral and written project summaries. It is anticipated that this experience will motivate these students to become applicants for graduate study in ensuring years. This paper will provide an overview of the GT-SUPREEM program, including student research activities, success stories, lessons learned, and overall program outlook.

An Engineering Degree Does Not (Necessarily) an Engineer Make: Career Decision Making among Undergraduate Engineering Majors. Research Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lichtenstein, Gary; Loshbaugh, Heidi G.; Claar, Brittany; Chen, Helen L.; Jackson, Kristyn; Sheppard, Sheri

2009-01-01

This paper explores the career-related decision making of seniors enrolled in undergraduate engineering programs at two nationally recognized institutions. This strand of the Academic Pathways Study (APS) research revealed that many engineering students were undecided about their career plans, even late into their senior years and that many were…

Engineering Students: Enhancing Employability Skills through PBL

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

H, Othman; Mat Daud K., A.; U, Ewon; Salleh B, Mohd; Omar N., H.; Baser J, Abd; Ismail M., E.; A, Sulaiman

2017-05-01

As a developing country, Malaysia faces challenging tasks to develop her economy just like many other countries. Nowadays, change involves many aspects like the economy from agriculture to manufacturing, technology from modern to more advanced ones; mindset from traditional to advanced and so on. Previous studies show that one of the major issues facing local graduates is the lack of employability skills. This problem concerns not only the government but undergraduates and institutions alike. From the pedagogical aspect, one of the more effective ways to improve this is through instructional delivery and in this case the use of Problem-based Learning (PBL). The need to adopt PBL should involved applied subjects undertaken by engineering students. Studies have shown that the use of PBL has been proven to make learning more attractive and effective. In this research, we studied the effectiveness of PBL towards enhancing employability skills among engineering undergraduates. This study adopted a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches. Data was collected using documents analysis. Student samples comprised manufacturing engineering undergraduates from public institutions of higher learning in Malaysia. The results show that student’s employability skills can be enhanced using PBL. In addition, students become more competitive towards making them more relevance with the needs of the industry with regard to employability skills. In conclusion, PBL is a very effective catalyst towards raising the employability skills among engineering undergraduates and should be adopted in all engineering education.

Students' Attitudes towards Interdisciplinary Education: A Course on Interdisciplinary Aspects of Science and Engineering Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gero, Aharon

2017-01-01

A course entitled "Science and Engineering Education: Interdisciplinary Aspects" was designed to expose undergraduate students of science and engineering education to the attributes of interdisciplinary education which integrates science and engineering. The core of the course is an interdisciplinary lesson, which each student is…

Efficient Optoelectronics Teaching in Undergraduate Engineering Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matin, M. A.

2005-01-01

The Engineering Department's vision for undergraduate education for the next century is to develop a set of laboratory experiences that are thoughtfully sequenced and integrated to promote the full development of students in all courses. Optoelectronics is one of the most important and most demanding courses in Electrical and Computer Engineering.…

"Quebrando Fronteras": Trends among Latino and Latina Undergraduate Engineers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Camacho, Michelle Madsen; Lord, Susan M.

2011-01-01

Engineering, a field that has shaped the world's industrial and technological base, is ripe for an influx of Latino undergraduate students. Given U.S. Latino population increases, what is the trajectory of Latino participation in engineering education? Using an interdisciplinary lens, we critically examine Latino trends in undergraduate…

Development of Concept-Based Physiology Lessons for Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Regina K.; Chesler, Naomi C.; Strang, Kevin T.

2013-01-01

engineering curriculum. In one or two introductory physiology courses, engineering students must learn physiology sufficiently to support learning in their subsequent engineering courses and careers. As preparation for future learning, physiology instruction centered on concepts may…

Team-Based Development of Medical Devices: An Engineering–Business Collaborative

PubMed Central

Eberhardt, Alan W.; Johnson, Ophelia L.; Kirkland, William B.; Dobbs, Joel H.; Moradi, Lee G.

2016-01-01

There is a global shift in the teaching methodology of science and engineering toward multidisciplinary, team-based processes. To meet the demands of an evolving technical industry and lead the way in engineering education, innovative curricula are essential. This paper describes the development of multidisciplinary, team-based learning environments in undergraduate and graduate engineering curricula focused on medical device design. In these programs, students actively collaborate with clinicians, professional engineers, business professionals, and their peers to develop innovative solutions to real-world problems. In the undergraduate senior capstone courses, teams of biomedical engineering (BME) and business students have produced and delivered numerous functional prototypes to satisfied clients. Pursuit of commercialization of devices has led to intellectual property (IP) disclosures and patents. Assessments have indicated high levels of success in attainment of student learning outcomes and student satisfaction with their undergraduate design experience. To advance these projects toward commercialization and further promote innovative team-based learning, a Master of Engineering (MEng) in Design and Commercialization was recently launched. The MEng facilitates teams of graduate students in engineering, life sciences, and business who engage in innovation-commercialization (IC) projects and coursework that take innovative ideas through research and development (R&D) to create marketable devices. The activities are structured with students working together as a “virtual company,” with targeted outcomes of commercialization (license agreements and new start-ups), competitive job placement, and/or career advancement. PMID:26902869

An examination of undergraduate engineering students' stereotype of scientists and their career intentions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stara, Michelle M.

The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) (2013) has acknowledged that additional graduates are needed in engineering and related STEM fields. However, the GAO has also noted that it is difficult to determine if the additional graduates will align with employer demand at the time of entry into the workforce. This research study attempts to examine undergraduate engineering students' perceptions of scientists and if they were related to students' intentions to pursue science by examining the constructs of Stereotypes of Scientists (SOS) and Career Intentions in Science (CIS). While results of data analysis were not significant, patterns were seen that provided valuable information with regard to the variability of undergraduate engineering students and the complexity of what goes into stereotype formation and career choice. As a practitioner, there were pertinent applications that could be implemented from the results of this and related studies. From the perspective of practitioners, the findings may be used to target recruitment, retention, and specific teaching strategies to increase enrollment and graduate numbers in the lesser known engineering and STEM fields.

Effects of Curriculum and Nonacademic Factors on Undergraduate Electronic Engineering Program Retention

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sulaiman, Munir

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs in higher education institutions, particularly engineering programs, face challenges related to recruitment, retention, and graduation rates. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there are significant relationships among students' major preference, academic skills, nonacademic characteristics and perceptions, and retention to year 2 among students in electronic engineering, other STEM, and non STEM majors. The academic skills considered were study habits, intellectual interest, verbal and writing confidence, and academic assistance. The non-academic factors included academic support, family support, financial support, and student social integration into the campus environment. Tinto's theory of retention served as the theoretical framework. The research design was quantitative with a general linear method of analysis using responses to the College Student Inventory (CSI) survey as secondary data to determine the relationships among the independent variables (major and academic and non-academic factors) and dependent variable (retention). Participants were 3,575 first year undergraduate full-time students from three entering classes, 2012 to 2014. Findings suggested that student major and non-academic factors had no effect on student retention, but student study habits and seeking academic assistance were predictors of retention in each of the three groups of majors: engineering, other STEM majors, and nonSTEM majors. Strategies to help increase undergraduate students' study skills and help seeking behaviors may contribute to positive social change at HBCU institutions.

Iowa State University's undergraduate minor, online graduate certificate and resource center in NDE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bowler, Nicola; Larson, Brian F.; Gray, Joseph N.

2014-02-01

Nondestructive evaluation is a `niche' subject that is not yet offered as an undergraduate or graduate major in the United States. The undergraduate minor in NDE offered within the College of Engineering at Iowa State University (ISU) provides a unique opportunity for undergraduate aspiring engineers to obtain a qualification in the multi-disciplinary subject of NDE. The minor requires 16 credits of course work within which a core course and laboratory in NDE are compulsory. The industrial sponsors of Iowa State's Center for Nondestructive Evaluation, and others, strongly support the NDE minor and actively recruit students from this pool. Since 2007 the program has graduated 10 students per year and enrollment is rising. In 2011, ISU's College of Engineering established an online graduate certificate in NDE, accessible not only to campus-based students but also to practicing engineers via the web. The certificate teaches the fundamentals of three major NDE techniques; eddy-current, ultrasonic and X-ray methods. This paper describes the structure of these programs and plans for development of an online, coursework-only, Master of Engineering in NDE and thesis-based Master of Science degrees in NDE.

Evaluation of creative problem-solving abilities in undergraduate structural engineers through interdisciplinary problem-based learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCrum, Daniel Patrick

2017-11-01

For a structural engineer, effective communication and interaction with architects cannot be underestimated as a key skill to success throughout their professional career. Structural engineers and architects have to share a common language and understanding of each other in order to achieve the most desirable architectural and structural designs. This interaction and engagement develops during their professional career but needs to be nurtured during their undergraduate studies. The objective of this paper is to present the strategies employed to engage higher order thinking in structural engineering students in order to help them solve complex problem-based learning (PBL) design scenarios presented by architecture students. The strategies employed were applied in the experimental setting of an undergraduate module in structural engineering at Queen's University Belfast in the UK. The strategies employed were active learning to engage with content knowledge, the use of physical conceptual structural models to reinforce key concepts and finally, reinforcing the need for hand sketching of ideas to promote higher order problem-solving. The strategies employed were evaluated through student survey, student feedback and module facilitator (this author) reflection. The strategies were qualitatively perceived by the tutor and quantitatively evaluated by students in a cross-sectional study to help interaction with the architecture students, aid interdisciplinary learning and help students creatively solve problems (through higher order thinking). The students clearly enjoyed this module and in particular interacting with structural engineering tutors and students from another discipline.

Recruitment Strategies Aiming to Attract Females into Undergraduate Engineering Programs: Examining Their Role and Use

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howenstine, Julie Anne

2013-01-01

By 2009, the percentage of women who graduated with general undergraduate degrees had increased to almost 58% of all students who completed 4-year degree programs (National Center for Education Statistics, 2009a). These percentages, however, have not been reflected in the enrollment rates of females into undergraduate engineering programs. In…

Career preference theory: A grounded theory describing the effects of undergraduate career preferences on student persistence in engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dettinger, Karen Marie

This study used grounded theory in a case study at a large public research university to develop a theory about how the culture in engineering education affects students with varying interests and backgrounds. According to Career Preference Theory, the engineering education system has evolved to meet the needs of one type of student, the Physical Scientist. While this educational process serves to develop the next generation of engineering faculty members, the majority of engineering undergraduates go on to work as practicing engineers, and are far removed from working as physical scientists. According to Career Preference Theory, students with a history of success in mathematics and sciences, and a focus on career, enter engineering. These students, who actually have a wide range of interests and values, each begin seeking an identity as a practicing engineer. Career Preference Theory is developed around a concept, Career Identity Type, that describes five different types of engineering students: Pragmatic, Physical Scientist, "Social" Scientist, Designer, and Educator. According to the theory, each student must develop an identity within the engineering education system if they are to persist in engineering. However, the current undergraduate engineering education system has evolved in such a way that it meets only the needs of the Physical Scientist. Pragmatic students are also likely to succeed because they tend to be extremely goal-focused and maintain a focus on the rewards they will receive once they graduate with an engineering degree. However, "Social" Scientists, who value interpersonal relationships and giving back to society; Designers, who value integrating ideas across disciplines to create aesthetically pleasing and useful products; and Educators, who have a strong desire to give back to society by working with young people, must make some connection between these values and a future engineering career if they are to persist in engineering. According to Career Preference Theory, "Social" Scientists, Designers, and Educators are likely to leave engineering, while Pragmatics and Physical Scientists are likely to persist.

The Effects of Computer Simulation and Animation (CSA) on Students' Cognitive Processes: A Comparative Case Study in an Undergraduate Engineering Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fang, N.; Tajvidi, M.

2018-01-01

This study focuses on the investigation of the effects of computer simulation and animation (CSA) on students' cognitive processes in an undergraduate engineering course. The revised Bloom's taxonomy, which consists of six categories in the cognitive process domain, was employed in this study. Five of the six categories were investigated,…

Training mechanical engineering students to utilize biological inspiration during product development.

PubMed

Bruck, Hugh A; Gershon, Alan L; Golden, Ira; Gupta, Satyandra K; Gyger, Lawrence S; Magrab, Edward B; Spranklin, Brent W

2007-12-01

The use of bio-inspiration for the development of new products and devices requires new educational tools for students consisting of appropriate design and manufacturing technologies, as well as curriculum. At the University of Maryland, new educational tools have been developed that introduce bio-inspired product realization to undergraduate mechanical engineering students. These tools include the development of a bio-inspired design repository, a concurrent fabrication and assembly manufacturing technology, a series of undergraduate curriculum modules and a new senior elective in the bio-inspired robotics area. This paper first presents an overview of the two new design and manufacturing technologies that enable students to realize bio-inspired products, and describes how these technologies are integrated into the undergraduate educational experience. Then, the undergraduate curriculum modules are presented, which provide students with the fundamental design and manufacturing principles needed to support bio-inspired product and device development. Finally, an elective bio-inspired robotics project course is present, which provides undergraduates with the opportunity to demonstrate the application of the knowledge acquired through the curriculum modules in their senior year using the new design and manufacturing technologies.

Predicting Performance in a First Engineering Calculus Course: Implications for Interventions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hieb, Jeffrey L.; Lyle, Keith B.; Ralston, Patricia A. S.; Chariker, Julia

2015-01-01

At the University of Louisville, a large, urban institution in the south-east United States, undergraduate engineering students take their mathematics courses from the school of engineering. In the fall of their freshman year, engineering students take "Engineering Analysis I," a calculus-based engineering analysis course. After the…

Enhancing Critical Thinking across the Undergraduate Experience: An Exemplar from Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ralston, Patricia A.; Bays, Cathy L.

2013-01-01

Faculty in a large, urban school of engineering designed a longitudinal study to assess the critical thinking skills of undergraduate students as they progressed through the engineering program. The Paul-Elder critical thinking framework was used to design course assignments and develop a holistic assessment rubric. The curriculum was re-designed…

Gaining Access or Losing Ground? Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Students in Undergraduate Engineering, 1994-2003

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lundy-Wagner, Valerie C.; Veenstra, Cindy P.; Orr, Marisa K.; Ramirez, Nichole M.; Ohland, Matthew W.; Long, Russell A.

2014-01-01

Expanding access to engineering for underrepresented groups has by and large focused on ethnicity/race and gender, with little understanding of socioeconomic disadvantages. In this study, we use economic, human, and cultural capital theories to frame and then describe access to undergraduate engineering degree programs and bachelor's degrees.…

The Students-Recruiting-Students Undergraduate Engineering Recruiting Programme.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gattis, Carol; Nachtmann, Heather; Youngblood, Alisha D.

2003-01-01

Describes the Students-Recruiting-Students (SRS) program developed to recruit high school students into the Industrial Engineering Department at the University of Arkansas. Presents four phases of the program along with seven years of program results. Encourages successful development of similar recruiting programs. (KHR)

Students' Understanding of Alkyl Halide Reactions in Undergraduate Organic Chemistry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cruz-Ramirez de Arellano, Daniel

2013-01-01

Organic chemistry is an essential subject for many undergraduate students completing degrees in science, engineering, and pre-professional programs. However, students often struggle with the concepts and skills required to successfully solve organic chemistry exercises. Since alkyl halides are traditionally the first functional group that is…

Students' Understanding of Alkyl Halide Reactions in Undergraduate Organic Chemistry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cruz-Ramírez de Arellano, Daniel; Towns, Marcy H.

2014-01-01

Organic chemistry is an essential subject for many undergraduate students completing degrees in science, engineering, and pre-professional programs. However, students often struggle with the concepts and skills required to successfully solve organic chemistry exercises. Since alkyl halides are traditionally the first functional group that is…

Approaching Undergraduate Research with Students Who Are Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gehret, Austin U.; Trussell, Jessica W.; Michel, Lea V.

2017-01-01

An undergraduate research experience can provide a unique opportunity for students to learn and grow as scientists; when positive, this experience is often transformative and motivates students to pursue science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) graduate degrees or careers. Conversely, negative research experiences can sour a…

Where are the women? Campus climate and the degree aspirations of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schulz, Phyllis

Women remain underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) at all levels of higher education, which has become a concern in the competitive global marketplace. Using both quantitative and qualitative analysis, this dissertation sought to learn more about how the campus climate and self-concept influence the degree aspirations of female undergraduate students majoring in STEM programs. Using the Beginning Post-Secondary dataset, regression analyses showed that a student's initial degree aspirations, SAT scores, and interactions with faculty were all positively related to their degree aspirations three years later. Interviews with seven current STEM undergraduates confirmed the importance of interaction with faculty and suggested undergraduate research and classroom experiences also play a role in the degree aspirations of STEM students. Three of the seven students interviewed began their undergraduate educations as non-STEM majors, suggesting that the traditional STEM pipeline may no longer be the norm. These findings suggest that both future research and current practitioners should focus on undergraduate STEM classroom and research experiences. Additionally, the characteristics of students who switch into STEM majors should be explored so that we may continue to expand the number of students pursuing STEM degrees.

"I'm just a boy with girl parts": Understanding gender perception and negotiation in an undergraduate engineering program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dickinson Skaggs, Jennifer Anne

The number of women being enrolled and retained in engineering programs has steadily decreased since 1999, even with increased efforts and funding of initiatives to counteract this trend. Why are women not persisting or even choosing to pursue engineering? This qualitative research examines how undergraduate female engineering students perceive and negotiate their gender identities to successfully persist in engineering education. Narrative inquiry including semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and data analysis was conducted at a Research I institution. Participants were recruited through purposeful network sampling. Criteria for inclusion include students who have been in the American K-12 educational pipeline at least eight years and are junior or senior level academic standing and academic eligibility. By including male students in the collection of data, perceptions of the issues for women could be seen in context when compared to the perceptions of men in the same engineering discipline. The study focuses on the individual, institutional, and cultural perceptions of gender performativity within a network and the strategies and negotiations employed by undergraduate female engineering students to achieve their educational goals regarding each of these perspectives. Findings reveal female students utilize strategies of camouflage and costume, as well as internal and external support to persist in engineering education. Also, female engineering students are being prepared to only become engineering-students-in-the-making and kept from the larger engineering network, while male students are becoming engineers-in-the-making automatically connected to the larger engineering network based on gender. This lack of association with the network influences female engineering students in their decisions to pursue a career in professional engineering, or to pursue more traditionally gendered careers after graduation. This research is significant in its use of feminist theory and methodology to study engineering education. It is also significant in its use of qualitative methods allowing students to articulate their experiences in their own words and voices thus allowing for nuanced of meaning and understanding to emerge. Butler's theory of gender performativity in conjunction with Nespor's actor-network theory provides the conceptual framework with inductive analysis used as the primary tool for data analysis.

Developing Leadership Skills of Undergraduate Engineering Students: Perspectives from Engineering Faculty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cox, Monica F.; Cekic, Osman; Adams, Stephanie G.

2010-01-01

The engineering education community (motivated by internal and external factors) has begun to focus on leadership abilities of college students in engineering fields via reports from ABET, the National Academy of Engineering, and the National Research Council. These reports have directed criticism toward higher education institutions for their…

Engaging Undergraduates in an Interdisciplinary Program: Developing a Biomaterial Technology Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liang, Jia-chi; Kung, Shieh-shiuh; Sun, Yi-ming

2009-01-01

Yuan Ze University targeted Biomaterials Science and developed a curriculum related to Biotechnology, Biochemical Engineering, and Biomaterials for engineering students to cultivate talents for both engineering and biotechnology. After several years of operation, recruiting students has succeeded, and students are satisfied with the course design…

Optical projects in the Clinic program at Harvey Mudd College

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Q.

2017-08-01

Clinic program is the senior capstone program at Harvey Mudd College (HMC). Multidisciplinary and industry-sponsored projects allow a team of students to solve a real-world problem over one academic year. Over its 50 plus years, Clinic program has completed numerous optics related projects. This report gives an overview of the Clinic program, reviews recent optical projects and discusses how this program supports the learning of the HMC engineering students. A few sample optical projects with more details are presented to provide an insight of what challenges that undergraduates can overcome. Students achieve learning within the optics discipline and the related engineering disciplines. The experiences in these optical projects indicate the great potential to bringing optical hands-on projects into the undergraduate level. Because of the general engineering curriculum at HMC, these projects often work the best with a multidisciplinary nature even if the core of the project is optically focused. Students gain leadership training, oral and written communication skills and experiences in team work. Close relationship with the sponsor liaisons allows for the students to gain skills in professional conduct, management of tight schedule and a specified budget, and it well prepares the students to their engineering practice. Optical projects have their own sets of specific challenges, so it needs to be chosen properly to match the undergraduate skill sets such as those of HMC engineering students.

Engineering education research: Impacts of an international network of female engineers on the persistence of Liberian undergraduate women studying engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rimer, Sara; Reddivari, Sahithya; Cotel, Aline

2015-11-01

As international efforts to educate and empower women continue to rise, engineering educators are in a unique position to be a part of these efforts by encouraging and supporting women across the world at the university level through STEM education and outreach. For the past two years, the University of Michigan has been a part of a grassroots effort to encourage and support the persistence of engineering female students at University of Liberia. This effort has led to the implementation of a leadership camp this past August for Liberian engineering undergraduate women, meant to: (i) to empower engineering students with the skills, support, and inspiration necessary to become successful and well-rounded engineering professionals in a global engineering market; and (ii) to strengthen the community of Liberian female engineers by building cross-cultural partnerships among students resulting in a international network of women engineers. This session will present qualitative research findings on the impact of this grassroots effort on Liberian female students? persistence in engineering, and the future directions of this work.

"I Don't Want to Be an Almost Engineer": Women's Voices of Persistence in Undergraduate Engineering Degrees

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yates, Heather N.

2012-01-01

This narrative qualitative study focused on the experiences of four women pursuing undergraduate engineering degrees and how the experiences affect their self-efficacy and in turn persistence in the degree. The use of narrative methodologies allowed the addition of the voice of the women engineering students to the study providing a more robust…

Students' Guide to Engineering Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering, Inc., New York, NY.

Designed for minority students considering careers in engineering, this guide provides descriptions of every undergraduate engineering college in the United States with at least one curriculum approved by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, and guidelines for assessing educational wants and needs. Entries for each of the 261…

Journal of Undergraduate Research, Volume VIII, 2008

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stiner, K. S.; Graham, S.; Khan, M.

Th e Journal of Undergraduate Research (JUR) provides undergraduate interns the opportunity to publish their scientific innovation and to share their passion for education and research with fellow students and scientists. Fields in which these students worked include: Biology; Chemistry; Computer Science; Engineering; Environmental Science; General Sciences; Materials Sciences; Medical and Health Sciences; Nuclear Sciences; Physics; Science Policy; and Waste Management.

Authentic scientific research in an international setting as a path toward higher education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mladenov, N.; Palomo, M.; Casad, B.; Pietruschka, B.; Buckley, C.

2016-12-01

Studies have shown that undergraduate research opportunities foster student interest in research, encourage minority students to seek advanced degrees, and put students on a path toward higher education. It has been further suggested that engineering projects in international settings address issues of sustainability and promote a connection between engineering and social welfare that may compel students to seek future research opportunities. In this study, we explored the role that authentic research experiences in an international setting play in promoting higher education for students from groups typically under-represented in engineering and sciences. We hypothesized that the international context of the research experiences will provide undergraduate and graduate students with a global perspective of water reuse challenges and promote increased interest in pursuing a higher degree in engineering. Through the Sustainable Sanitation International Research Experiences for Students (IRES) Program, US students conducting research in Durban, South Africa in 2015 and 2016, were tasked with leading 6-week long research projects, collaborating with partners at the University of KwaZulu Natal, and producing papers and presentations for regional and international scientific conferences. All undergraduate participants were from groups under-represented in the sciences. Pre- and post-program survey results revealed that, after completing the program, participants of Cohort 1 had 1) greater research skills, 2) greater identification as an engineer, and 3) stronger intentions to pursue a PhD in engineering. Survey data were also used to evaluate comfort with cultural diversity before and after the international program and the effect of pairing US with South African student researchers. Our results indicate that students' awareness of societal needs and engineering challenges faced in Durban resulted in a positive impact on each student. The benefits gained from the international research experience have important implications for environmental engineering and other scientific fields in terms of inducing greater self-efficacy and fostering an interest in higher education for students from groups traditionally under-represented in the sciences.

Integrating Leadership Development throughout the Undergraduate Science Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reed, Kelynne E.; Aiello, David P.; Barton, Lance F.; Gould, Stephanie L.; McCain, Karla S.; Richardson, John M.

2016-01-01

This article discusses the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) Teaching and Research (STAR) Leadership Program, developed at Austin College, which engages students in activities integrated into undergraduate STEM courses that promote the development of leadership behaviors. Students focus on interpersonal communication,…

Mapping the level of scientific reasoning skills to instructional methodologies among Malaysian science-mathematics-engineering undergraduates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tajudin, Nor'ain Mohd.; Saad, Noor Shah; Rahman, Nurulhuda Abd; Yahaya, Asmayati; Alimon, Hasimah; Dollah, Mohd. Uzi; Abd Karim, Mohd. Mustaman

2012-05-01

The objectives of this quantitative survey research were (1) to establish the level of scientific reasoning (SR) skills among science, mathematics and engineering (SME) undergraduates in Malaysian Institute of Higher Learning (IHL); (b) to identify the types of instructional methods in teaching SME at universities; and (c) to map instructional methods employed to the level of SR skills among the undergraduates. There were six universities according to zone involved in this study using the stratification random sampling technique. For each university, the faculties that involved were faculties which have degree students in science, mathematics and engineering programme. A total of 975 students were participated in this study. There were two instruments used in this study namely, the Lawson Scientific Reasoning Skills Test and the Lecturers' Teaching Style Survey. The descriptive statistics and the inferential statistics such as mean, t-test and Pearson correlation were used to analyze the data. Findings of the study showed that most students had concrete level of scientific reasoning skills where the overall mean was 3.23. The expert and delegator were dominant lecturers' teaching styles according to students' perception. In addition, there was no correlation between lecturers' teaching style and the level of scientific reasoning skills. Thus, this study cannot map the dominant lecturers' teaching style to the level of scientific reasoning skills of Science, Mathematics and Engineering undergraduates in Malaysian Public Institute of Higher Learning. Nevertheless, this study gave some indications that the expert and delegator teaching styles were not contributed to the development of students' scientific reasoning skills. This study can be used as a baseline for Science, Mathematics and Engineering undergraduates' level of scientific reasoning skills in Malaysian Public Institute of Higher Learning. Overall, this study also opens an endless source of other researchers to investigate more areas on scientific reasoning skills so that the potential instructional model can be developed to enhance students' level of scientific reasoning skills in Malaysian Public Institute of Higher Learning.

Becoming an Engineer: Toward a Three Dimensional View of Engineering Learning. Research Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stevens, Reed; O'Connor, Kevin; Garrison, Lari; Jocuns, Andrew; Amos, Daniel M.

2008-01-01

In this paper, the authors develop an analytical framework referred to as "Becoming an Engineer" that focuses upon changes occurring over time as students traverse their undergraduate educations in engineering. This paper discusses three conceptual dimensions used to follow the engineering students' educational pathways: the development of…

Persistence of physics and engineering students via peer mentoring, active learning, and intentional advising

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCavit, K.; Zellner, N. E. B.

2016-11-01

Albion College, a private, undergraduate-only, liberal arts college in Michigan, USA, has developed and implemented a low-cost peer-mentoring programme that blends personal and academic support to help students achieve academic success in the introductory courses required for the Physics Major or the Dual-Degree Program in Engineering. This enhanced mentoring programme provides much-needed assistance for undergraduate students to master introductory physics and mathematics coursework, to normalise the struggle of learning hard material, and to accept their identity as physics or engineering students (among other goals). Importantly, this programme has increased retention among entering science, technology, engineering and mathematics students at Albion College as they move through the introductory classes, as shown by a 20% increase in retention from first-semester to third-semester physics courses compared to years when this programme was not in place.

Development of a problem - based learning (PBL) and cooperative learning (CL) transportation engineering course For undergraduate students.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-08-01

This study reports the findings of a project that was done during the implementation of a : problem-based learning (PBL) and cooperative learning (CL) elements into an : undergraduate transportation engineering course. The study procedure used the st...

Graduate Women in Engineering.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldberg, Julie L.; Sedlacek, William E.

The transition from undergraduate to graduate school is a point when female students may lose interest in pursuing engineering degrees, and the percentage of women enrolled in engineering graduate programs is small in comparison to that of males. To attempt to mitigate the potential isolation of women graduate engineering students, the Women in…

Implementation of Service-Learning in Engineering and Its Impact on Students' Attitudes and Identity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dukhan, N.; Schumack, M. R.; Daniels, J. J.

2008-01-01

The current paper outlines a concise engineering service-learning model and describes its implementation and logistics in the context of a typical heat transfer course for undergraduate engineering students. The project was executed in collaboration with a not-for-profit organisation. Summative reflections were conducted by the students by…

Developing a Dynamics and Vibrations Course for Civil Engineering Students Based on Fundamental-Principles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barroso, Luciana R.; Morgan, James R.

2012-01-01

This paper describes the creation and evolution of an undergraduate dynamics and vibrations course for civil engineering students. Incorporating vibrations into the course allows students to see and study "real" civil engineering applications of the course content. This connection of academic principles to real life situations is in…

What Attracts High-Achieving Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Students to the Physical Sciences and Engineering?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conrad, Sarah; Canetto, Silvia Sara; MacPhee, David; Farro, Samantha

2009-01-01

Socioeconomically disadvantaged (SED) students are less likely to major in physical sciences or engineering. To guide recruitment and retention of a diversity of talent, this study examined what attracts high-achieving SED students to these fields. Participants were 50 undergraduates majoring in physical sciences or engineering enrolled in the…

An Investigation of First-Year Engineering Student and Instructor Perspectives of Learning Analytics Approaches

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knight, David B.; Brozina, Cory; Novoselich, Brian

2016-01-01

This paper investigates how first-year engineering undergraduates and their instructors describe the potential for learning analytics approaches to contribute to student success. Results of qualitative data collection in a first-year engineering course indicated that both students and instructors\temphasized a preference for learning analytics…

'can i get your Email': Gender, Networking and Social Capital in AN Undergraduate Bioengineering Classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erickson, Shelley K.

Based on observations and interviews, this article explores how female and male biomedical engineering students network and generate social capital (who one knows) in an undergraduate classroom. Stark differences were observed between female and male students and their interactions with a series of guest lecturers. Although women engineering students may be differentially affected by how they raise their social capital, this study does not suggest that women engineering students are wholly incapable of raising their social capital. Rather, a disconnect occurs between the student population receiving information about networking and women students acting on informal and spontaneous opportunities as they arise. Institutional and departmental support (i.e., internship programs and discussion in the classroom and at orientation) appears to favor those who rely on more formal means of networking.

Undergraduate Research in Physics as an Educational Tool

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hakim, Toufic M.; Garg, Shila

2001-03-01

The National Science Foundation's 1996 report "Shaping the Future: New Expectations for Undergraduate Education in Science, Mathematics, Engineering and Technology" urged that in order to improve SME&T education, decisive action must be taken so that "all students have access to excellent undergraduate education in science .... and all students learn these subjects by direct experience with the methods and processes of inquiry." Research-related educational activities that integrate education and research have been shown to be valuable in improving the quality of education and enhancing the number of majors in physics departments. Student researchers develop a motivation to continue in science and engineering through an appreciation of how science is done and the excitement of doing frontier research. We will address some of the challenges of integrating research into the physics undergraduate curriculum effectively. The departmental and institutional policies and infrastructure required to help prepare students for this endeavor will be discussed as well as sources of support and the establishment of appropriate evaluation procedures.

Women, Men, and Academic Performance in Science and Engineering: The Gender Difference in Undergraduate Grade Point Averages

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sonnert, Gerhard; Fox, Mary Frank

2012-01-01

Using longitudinal and multi-institutional data, this article takes an innovative approach in its analyses of gender differences in grade point averages (GPA) among undergraduate students in biology, the physical sciences, and engineering over a 16-year period. Assessed are hypotheses about (a) the gender ecology of science/engineering and (b) the…

Using Cognitive Load Theory to Interpret Student Difficulties with a Problem-Based Learning Approach to Engineering Education: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peters, Michael

2015-01-01

This article reports on an investigation with first year undergraduate Product Design and Management students within a School of Engineering and Applied Science. The students at the time of this investigation had studied fundamental engineering science and mathematics for one semester. The students were given an open ended, ill-formed problem…

An Undergraduate Nanotechnology Engineering Laboratory Course on Atomic Force Microscopy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Russo, D.; Fagan, R. D.; Hesjedal, T.

2011-01-01

The University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada, is home to North America's first undergraduate program in nanotechnology. As part of the Nanotechnology Engineering degree program, a scanning probe microscopy (SPM)-based laboratory has been developed for students in their fourth year. The one-term laboratory course "Nanoprobing and…

Student Plagiarism and Faculty Responsibility in Undergraduate Engineering Labs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parameswaran, Ashvin; Devi, Poornima

2006-01-01

In undergraduate engineering labs, lab reports are routinely copied. By ignoring this form of plagiarism, teaching assistants and lab technicians neglect their role responsibility. By designing courses that facilitate it, however inadvertently, professors neglect their causal responsibility. Using the case of one university, we show via interviews…

High-Performance Liquid Chromatography in the Undergraduate Chemical Engineering Laboratory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frey, Douglas D.; Guo, Hui; Karnik, Nikhila

2013-01-01

This article describes the assembly of a simple, low-cost, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) system and its use in the undergraduate chemical engineering laboratory course to perform simple experiments. By interpreting the results from these experiments students are able to gain significant experience in the general method of…

Experiences in Developing an Experimental Robotics Course Program for Undergraduate Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jung, Seul

2013-01-01

An interdisciplinary undergraduate-level robotics course offers students the chance to integrate their engineering knowledge learned throughout their college years by building a robotic system. Robotics is thus a core course in system and control-related engineering education. This paper summarizes the experience of developing robotics courses…

Mechatronic system design course for undergraduate programmes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saleem, A.; Tutunji, T.; Al-Sharif, L.

2011-08-01

Technology advancement and human needs have led to integration among many engineering disciplines. Mechatronics engineering is an integrated discipline that focuses on the design and analysis of complete engineering systems. These systems include mechanical, electrical, computer and control subsystems. In this paper, the importance of teaching mechatronic system design to undergraduate engineering students is emphasised. The paper offers the collaborative experience in preparing and delivering the course material for two universities in Jordan. A detailed description of such a course is provided and a case study is presented. The case study used is a final year project, where students applied a six-stage design procedure that is described in the paper.

Factors That Contribute to Persistence and Retention of Underrepresented Minority Undergraduate Students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitchell, Sidney Kirk

2011-01-01

The objective of this research was to identify specific factors that contribute to underrepresented minority (African American, Hispanic, Native American) undergraduate students' success in STEM disciplines at a regional university during the 2007-2010 timeframe. As more underrepresented minority (URM) students complete STEM degrees, many will…

Using Mobile Devices to Facilitate Student Questioning in a Large Undergraduate Science Class

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crompton, Helen; Burgin, Stephen R.; De Paor, Declan G.; Gregory, Kristen

2018-01-01

Asking scientific questions is the first practice of science and engineering listed in the Next Generation Science Standards. However, getting students to ask unsolicited questions in a large class can be difficult. In this qualitative study, undergraduate students sent SMS text messages to the instructor who received them on his mobile phone and…

Diving Deep: A Comparative Study of Educator Undergraduate and Graduate Backgrounds and Their Effect on Student Understanding of Engineering and Engineering Careers, Utilizing an Underwater Robotics Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scribner, J. Adam

Numerous studies have demonstrated that educators having degrees in their subjects significantly enhances student achievement, particularly in secondary mathematics and science (Chaney, 1995; Goe, 2007; Rowan, Chiang, & Miller, 1997; Wenglinsky, 2000). Yet, science teachers in states that adopt the Next Generation Science Standards will be facilitating classroom engineering activities despite the fact that few have backgrounds in engineering. This quantitative study analyzed ex-post facto WaterBotics (an innovative underwater robotics curriculum for middle and high school students) data to determine if educators having backgrounds in engineering (i.e., undergraduate and graduate degrees in engineering) positively affected student learning on two engineering outcomes: 1) the engineering design process, and 2) understanding of careers in engineering (who engineers are and what engineers do). The results indicated that educators having backgrounds in engineering did not significantly affect student understanding of the engineering design process or careers in engineering when compared to educators having backgrounds in science, mathematics, technology education, or other disciplines. There were, however, statistically significant differences between the groups of educators. Students of educators with backgrounds in technology education had the highest mean score on assessments pertaining to the engineering design process while students of educators with disciplines outside of STEM had the highest mean scores on instruments that assess for student understanding of careers in engineering. This might be due to the fact that educators who lack degrees in engineering but who teach engineering do a better job of "sticking to the script" of engineering curricula.

Digital Games, Gender and Learning in Engineering: Do Females Benefit as Much as Males?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joiner, Richard; Iacovides, Jo; Owen, Martin; Gavin, Carl; Clibbery, Stephen; Darling, Jos; Drew, Ben

2011-04-01

The aim of this paper was to explore whether there is a gender difference in the beneficial effects of Racing Academy, which is a video game used to support undergraduate students learning of Mechanical Engineering. One hundred and thirty-eight undergraduate students (15 females and 123 males) participated in the study. The students completed a pre-test a week before they started using Racing Academy. The pre-test consisted of a test of students' knowledge of engineering, and a measure of students' motivation towards studying engineering. A week after using Racing Academy the students completed a post-test which was identical to the pre-test, except it also included a measure of how frequently they used Racing Academy and how motivating the students found playing Racing Academy. We found that after playing Racing Academy the students learnt more about engineering and there was no gender difference in the beneficial effect of Racing Academy, however there is some evidence that, female students found Racing Academy more motivating than male students. The implications for the use and design of video games for supporting learning for both males and females are discussed.

Enhancement of Global Communication Skill at the School of Engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morimura, Kumiko

Globalization is one of the most important challenges for universities. Especially for the School of Engineering, it is crucial to foster researchers or engineers with broader perspective. International communication competency is essential for them in order to deal with other professionals from overseas. Center for Innovation in Engineering Education established in the School of Engineering at the University of Tokyo in 2005 started two programs for graduate and undergraduate students to enhance their international communication competency and to increase international competitiveness. ‘English for Scientists and Engineers A, B’ are for the graduate students to learn how to write papers in English and how to make good presentations. Special English Lessons are for the undergraduate students to have a chance to practice English conversation or prepare for TOEFL test. In this paper, the authors discuss the details of the programs, their purpose and the future tasks.

Engineering Students at Typically Invisible Transition Points: A Focus on Admissions and the Sophomore Year

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holloway, Elizabeth M.

2013-01-01

As of 2012, women are approximately 19% of all engineering undergraduate students nationally (American Society for Engineering Education, 2012). Women's representation in engineering has not changed significantly over the last 20 years, despite increased attention, increased funding, and increased programmatic activities intended to encourage more…

Undergraduate Women's Participation in Professional Organizations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartman, Moshe; Hartman, Harriet

This article focuses on the differences among female undergraduate engineering students who choose to affiliate with student chapters of discipline-specific, mixed-gender professional organizations, the student chapter of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), or not to affiliate at all. Participants in the different kinds of organizations are compared to nonparticipants to explore how participation is related to professionalization and the development of engineering social capital. Compared with nonparticipants, participants were more involved in extracurricular enrichment and "help" activities; they were more satisfied with most aspects of the engineering program; they had higher grades; they were more self-confident about themselves as engineers, and by the end of the academic year, about their engineering competencies; and they were more strongly committed to a future in engineering. Participation in SWE was associated with greater involvement in study activities, higher satisfaction with the coursework load, and a different perception of the problems women face in the field. Data were taken from a survey of engineering students at Rowan University during the 2000-2001 academic year, which was funded by the National Science Foundation.

A single instrument: engineering and engineering technology students demonstrating competence in ethics and professional standards.

PubMed

Feldhaus, Charles R; Wolter, Robert M; Hundley, Stephen P; Diemer, Tim

2006-04-01

This paper details efforts by the Purdue School of Engineering and Technology at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) to create a single instrument for honors science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) students wishing to demonstrate competence in the IUPUI Principles of Undergraduate Learning (PUL's) and Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) Engineering Accreditation Criterion (EAC) and Technology Accreditation Criterion (TAC) 2, a through k. Honors courses in Human Behavior, Ethical Decision-Making, Applied Leadership, International Issues and Leadership Theories and Processes were created along with a specific menu of activities and an assessment rubric based on PUL's and ABET criteria to evaluate student performance in the aforementioned courses. Students who complete the series of 18 Honors Credit hours are eligible for an Honors Certificate in Leadership Studies from the Department of Organizational Leadership and Supervision. Finally, an accounting of how various university assessment criteria, in this case the IUPUI Principles of Undergraduate Learning, can be linked to ABET outcomes and prove student competence in both, using the aforementioned courses, menu of items, and assessment rubrics; these will be analyzed and discussed.

NDSU undergraduate design projects for the disabled.

PubMed

Baczkowski, L S; Enderle, J D; Krause, D J; Rawson, J L

1990-01-01

Disabled persons of average means cannot afford custom made devices or adaptations to manufactured devices to meet their individual needs. Consequently, many disabled individuals have not been able to live as independently as society demands. At North Dakota State University, the need to give undergraduate electrical engineering students practical design experience has been fulfilled by requiring the students to design and build adaptive devices for the disabled. Consequently, the successful results of this effort have fulfilled the needs of two diverse human groups--student engineers and the disabled community. Presented is an effective approach used at North Dakota State University to manage senior design students.

NanoJapan: international research experience for undergraduates program: fostering U.S.-Japan research collaborations in terahertz science and technology of nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phillips, Sarah R.; Matherly, Cheryl A.; Kono, Junichiro

2014-09-01

The international nature of science and engineering research demands that students have the skillsets necessary to collaborate internationally. However, limited options exist for science and engineering undergraduates who want to pursue research abroad. The NanoJapan International Research Experience for Undergraduates Program is an innovative response to this need. Developed to foster research and international engagement among young undergraduate students, it is funded by a National Science Foundation Partnerships for International Research and Education (PIRE) grant. Each summer, NanoJapan sends 12 U.S. students to Japan to conduct research internships with world leaders in terahertz (THz) spectroscopy, nanophotonics, and ultrafast optics. The students participate in cutting-edge research projects managed within the framework of the U.S-Japan NSF-PIRE collaboration. One of our focus topics is THz science and technology of nanosystems (or `TeraNano'), which investigates the physics and applications of THz dynamics of carriers and phonons in nanostructures and nanomaterials. In this article, we will introduce the program model, with specific emphasis on designing high-quality international student research experiences. We will specifically address the program curriculum that introduces students to THz research, Japanese language, and intercultural communications, in preparation for work in their labs. Ultimately, the program aims to increase the number of U.S. students who choose to pursue graduate study in this field, while cultivating a generation of globally aware engineers and scientists who are prepared for international research collaboration.

The Robert E. Hopkins Center for Optical Design and Engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zavislan, James M.; Brown, Thomas G.

2008-08-01

In 1929, a grant from Eastman Kodak and Bausch and Lomb established The Institute of Optics as the nation's first academic institution devoted to training optical scientists and engineers. The mission was 'to study light in all its phases', and the curriculum was designed to educate students in the fundamentals of optical science and build essential skills in applied optics and optical engineering. Indeed, our historic strength has been a balance between optical science and engineering--we have alumni who are carrying out prize-winning research in optical physics, alumni who are innovative optical engineers, and still other alumni who are leaders in the business community. Faculty who are top-notch optical engineers are an important resource to optical physics research groups -- likewise, teaching and modeling excellent optical science provides a strong underpinning for students on the applied/engineering end of the spectrum. This model -an undergraduate and graduate program that balances fundamental optics, applied optics, and optical engineering- has served us well. The impressive and diverse range of opportunities for our BS graduates has withstood economic cycles, and the students graduate with a healthy dose of practical experience. Undergraduate advisors, with considerable initiative from the program coordinator, are very aggressive in pointing students toward summer research and engineering opportunities. The vast majority of our undergraduate students graduate with at least one summer of experience in a company or a research laboratory. For example, 95% of the class of 2008 spent the summer of 2007 at companies and/or research laboratories: These include Zygo, NRL, Bausch and Lomb, The University of Rochester(The Institute of Optics, Medical Center, and Laboratory for Laser Energetics), QED, ARL Night Vision laboratories, JPL, Kollsman, OptiMax, Northrup Grumman, and at least two other companies. It is an impressive list, and bodes well for the career preparation for these students. While this extracurricular experience is truly world-class, an integrated design experience defined within our academic program is increasingly necessary for those going on to professional careers in engineering. This paper describes the philosophy behind a revision to our undergraduate curriculum that integrates a design experience and describes the engineering laboratory that has been established to make it a reality. The laboratory and design center has been named in honor of Robert E. Hopkins, former director and professor, co-founder of Tropel corporation, and a lifelong devotee to engineering innovation.

Accelerated Peer-Review Journal Usage Technique for Undergraduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wallace, J. D.

2008-01-01

The internet has given undergraduate students ever-increasing access to academic journals via search engines and online databases. However, students typically do not have the ability to use these journals effectively. This often poses a dilemma for instructors. The accelerated peer-review journal usage (APJU) technique provides a way for…

An Interdisciplinary Field Robotics Program for Undergraduate Computer Science and Engineering Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kitts, Christopher; Quinn, Neil

2004-01-01

Santa Clara University's Robotic Systems Laboratory conducts an aggressive robotic development and operations program in which interdisciplinary teams of undergraduate students build and deploy a wide range of robotic systems, ranging from underwater vehicles to spacecraft. These year-long projects expose students to the breadth of and…

Investigation of the Factors That Influence Undergraduate Student Chemistry Course Selection

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hinds, Elsa M.; Shultz, Ginger V.

2018-01-01

The introductory chemistry sequence is a common pathway for undergraduates pursuing science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and prehealth careers. Student's academic decision-making has far-reaching consequences for their trajectory, including persistence in the major and ultimate career choice. This phenomenon was studied using a survey…

Datasets on demographic trends in enrollment into undergraduate engineering programs at Covenant University, Nigeria.

PubMed

Popoola, Segun I; Atayero, Aderemi A; Badejo, Joke A; Odukoya, Jonathan A; Omole, David O; Ajayi, Priscilla

2018-06-01

In this data article, we present and analyze the demographic data of undergraduates admitted into engineering programs at Covenant University, Nigeria. The population distribution of 2649 candidates admitted into Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Information and Communication Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Petroleum Engineering programs between 2002 and 2009 are analyzed by gender, age, and state of origin. The data provided in this data article were retrieved from the student bio-data submitted to the Department of Admissions and Student Records (DASR) and Center for Systems and Information Services (CSIS) by the candidates during the application process into the various engineering undergraduate programs. These vital information is made publicly available, after proper data anonymization, to facilitate empirical research in the emerging field of demographics analytics in higher education. A Microsoft Excel spreadsheet file is attached to this data article and the data is thoroughly described for easy reuse. Descriptive statistics and frequency distributions of the demographic data are presented in tables, plots, graphs, and charts. Unrestricted access to these demographic data will facilitate reliable and evidence-based research findings for sustainable education in developing countries.

"Setting up for the Next Big Thing": Undergraduate Women Engineering Students' Postbaccalaureate Career Decisions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Kathleen N.; Gayles, Joy Gaston

2017-01-01

Using social cognitive career theory and the cognitive information processing model as frameworks, in this constructivist case study we examined the career-related experiences and decisions of 10 women engineering undergraduate seniors who accepted full-time positions. From the data analysis 3 major themes emerged: critical undergraduate…

Molecular Modeling as a Self-Taught Component of a Conventional Undergraduate Chemical Reaction Engineering Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rothe, Erhard W.; Zygmunt, William E.

2016-01-01

We inserted a self-taught molecular modeling project into an otherwise conventional undergraduate chemical-reaction-engineering course. Our objectives were that students should (a) learn with minimal instructor intervention, (b) gain an appreciation for the relationship between molecular structure and, first, macroscopic state functions in…

Centrifugal Pump Experiment for Chemical Engineering Undergraduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vanderslice, Nicholas; Oberto, Richard; Marrero, Thomas R.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to describe a Centrifugal Pump Experiment that provided an experiential learning experience to chemical engineering undergraduates at the University of Missouri in the spring of 2010 in the Unit Operations Laboratory course. Lab equipment was used by senior students with computer-based data and control technology. In…

New Project System for Undergraduate Electronic Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chiu, Dirk M.; Chiu, Shen Y.

2005-01-01

A new approach to projects for undergraduate electronic engineering in an Australian university has been applied successfully for over 10 years. This approach has a number of projects running over three year period. Feedback from past graduates and their managers has confirmed that these projects train the students well, giving them the ability…

An Undergraduate Course on Operating Systems Principles.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Academy of Engineering, Washington, DC. Commission on Education.

This report is from Task Force VIII of the COSINE Committee of the Commission on Education of the National Academy of Engineering. The task force was established to formulate subject matter for an elective undergraduate subject on computer operating systems principles for students whose major interest is in the engineering of computer systems and…

University Experiences and Women Engineering Student Persistence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ayers, LoAnn Debra Gienger

Riverside University (a pseudonym), like many universities, has not significantly increased the number of women who graduate with bachelor's degrees in engineering. The purpose of the study is to understand how the university experiences of women students influence the decision to persist in an undergraduate engineering degree and to understand the role of self-perception in how the students perceive experiences as supporting or hindering their persistence in the major. Archival data, documents and artifacts, observations, individual interviews, and a focus group with women engineering students provide insights into students' perceived barriers and supports of student success. Analysis of the data results in two major themes. First, students' self-confidence and self-efficacy influence how women assimilate university experiences as either supportive or diminishing of academic success. Second, university policies and practices shape the campus environment within which student experiences are formed and influence a student's level of institutional, academic, and social integration. The results of the study indicate opportunities for university leadership to enhance strategies that positively shape students' institutional, academic and social integration as precursors toward increasing the number of women students who successfully complete undergraduate engineering degrees at Riverside University. Future research is indicated to better understand how gender and gender identity intersects with other demographic factors, such as socio-economic status, immigration status, and life stage (e.g., traditional versus non-traditional students), to support or deter the persistence of engineering students to degree completion.

Challenges Faced by Female-Students in Engineering-Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Madara, Diana Starovoytova; Cherotich, Sharon

2016-01-01

Gender-related challenges in learning technical courses are universal phenomenon. These challenges could restrain female students from achieving their fullest potential. The main focus of this study, therefore, is to examine self-recognized challenges faced by undergraduate female students in pursuing engineering at the School of Engineering…

Bioenvironmental Engineering: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Training Environmental Engineers at Rutgers University

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uchrin, Christoph; Krogmann, Uta; Gimenez, Daniel

2010-05-01

It is becoming increasingly apparent that environmental problems have become extremely complex, involving inter- and multidisciplinary expertise. Furthermore, the nature of environmental episodes requires practitioners who are flexible in designing appropriate solution approaches. As a result, there is a high demand for environmental engineering graduates in the professional sector as well as graduate schools. At Rutgers University, we have designed and are now delivering an undergraduate curriculum that melds a strong background in basic and applied sciences with a rigorous sequence of design oriented engineering courses, all focused on producing graduates who view the environment in a holistic sense, rather than a narrow, medium oriented manner. Since the implementation of the program in 2004 student numbers have doubled and half of the students graduate with honors. The undergraduate program is complemented by the new Environmental Engineering option of the Graduate Program in Environmental Sciences. The undergraduate program and the graduate option are served by a highly committed faculty of seven full-time members and one part-time member.

Selected Engagement Factors and Academic Learning Outcomes of Undergraduate Engineering Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Justice, Patricia J.

2009-01-01

The concept of student engagement and its relationship to successful student performance and learning outcomes has a long history in higher education (Kuh, 2007). Attention to faculty and student engagement has only recently become of interest to the engineering education community. This interest can be attributed to long-standing research by…

An Australian Study of Possible Selves Perceived by Undergraduate Engineering Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bennett, Dawn; Male, Sally A.

2017-01-01

In this study, we worked with second-year engineering students at an Australian university to examine previously identified threshold concepts within the theoretical framework of Possible Selves. Using workshops as the context for intensive work with students, students were encouraged to consider their future lives and work, including their…

The role of gender on academic performance in STEM-related disciplines: Data from a tertiary institution.

PubMed

John, Temitope M; Badejo, Joke A; Popoola, Segun I; Omole, David O; Odukoya, Jonathan A; Ajayi, Priscilla O; Aboyade, Mary; Atayero, Aderemi A

2018-06-01

This data article presents data of academic performances of undergraduate students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines in Covenant University, Nigeria. The data shows academic performances of Male and Female students who graduated from 2010 to 2014. The total population of samples in the observation is 3046 undergraduates mined from Biochemistry (BCH), Building technology (BLD), Computer Engineering (CEN), Chemical Engineering (CHE), Industrial Chemistry (CHM), Computer Science (CIS), Civil Engineering (CVE), Electrical and Electronics Engineering (EEE), Information and Communication Engineering (ICE), Mathematics (MAT), Microbiology (MCB), Mechanical Engineering (MCE), Management and Information System (MIS), Petroleum Engineering (PET), Industrial Physics-Electronics and IT Applications (PHYE), Industrial Physics-Applied Geophysics (PHYG) and Industrial Physics-Renewable Energy (PHYR). The detailed dataset is made available in form of a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet in the supplementary material of this article.

Strengthening programs in science, engineering and mathematics. Third annual progress report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sandhu, S.S.

1997-09-30

The Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics at Claflin College consists of the Departments of Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Physics, Engineering and Mathematics. It offers a variety of major and minor academic programs designed to meet the mission and objectives of the college. The division`s pursuit to achieve excellence in science education is adversely impacted by the poor academic preparation of entering students and the lack of equipment, facilities and research participation, required to impart adequate academic training and laboratory skills to the students. Funds were received from the US Department of Energy to improve the divisional facilities and laboratorymore » equipment and establish mechanism at pre-college and college levels to increase (1) the pool of high school students who will enroll in Science and Mathematics courses (2) the pool of well qualified college freshmen who will seek careers in Science, Engineering and Mathematics (3) the graduation rate in Science,engineering and Mathematics at the undergraduate level and (4) the pool of well-qualified students who can successfully compete to enter the graduate schools of their choice in the fields of science, engineering, and mathematics. The strategies that were used to achieve the mentioned objectives include: (1) Improved Mentoring and Advisement, (2) Summer Science Camp for 7th and 8th graders, (3) Summer Research Internships for Claflin SEM Seniors, (4) Summer Internships for Rising High School Seniors, (5) Development of Mathematical Skills at Pre-college/Post-secondary Levels, (6) Expansion of Undergraduate Seminars, (7) Exposure of Undergraduates to Guest Speakers/Roll Models, (8) Visitations by Undergraduate Students to Graduate Schools, and (9) Expanded Academic Program in Environmental Chemistry.« less

Developing Professional Skills in Undergraduate Engineering Students through Cocurricular Involvement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fisher, Dara R.; Bagiati, Aikaterini; Sarma, Sanjay

2017-01-01

As nations have sought to keep pace with rapid technological innovation, governments have renewed their focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, with emphasis on developing both technical and non-technical skills in STEM students. This article examines which engineering-relevant skills may be developed by…

Undergraduate Engineers and Teachers: Can Students Be Both?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zarske, Malinda S.; Vadeen, Maia L.; Tsai, Janet Y.; Sullivan, Jacquelyn F.; Carlson, Denise W.

2017-01-01

Today's college-aged students are graduating into a world that relies on multidisciplinary talents to succeed. Engineering college majors are more likely to find jobs after college that are outside of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields, including jobs in healthcare, management, and social services. A survey of…

Redesigning the Student Learning Approach through Personality Types and Pedagogies, A Case Study in an Undergraduate Engineering Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fleischmann, Corinna; Nakagawa, Elizabeth; Kelley, Tyler

2016-01-01

As the National Science Foundation and engineers throughout the world seek to strengthen the future of the engineering profession, the Civil Engineering (CE) program at the United States Coast Guard Academy embodies this initiative with a student focused approach. One course in particular, Materials for Civil and Construction Engineers (CE…

I'm Graduating This Year! So What IS an Engineer Anyway? Research Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matusovich, Holly; Streveler, Ruth; Miller, Ron; Olds, Barbara

2009-01-01

It is often assumed that graduating engineering students readily envision what it means to be an engineer and what type of work they will be doing as engineers in the future. How can one know if this is true? This research begins to answer these questions by aiming to understand undergraduate engineering students' perceptions of themselves as…

Towards a global virtual community of female engineering students and professionals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cotel, Aline; Rimer, Sara; Reddivari, Sahithya

2014-11-01

ct- The need for strategies to empower Liberian women is exemplified in the recent study carried out by ActionAid International, which examined the state of Liberian undergraduate women in urban areas. The results show that these women often face sexual intimidation by faculty and instructors, women are often excluded from student organizations, there exists a lack of institutional support for female organizations at the universities, and that the women do not feel safe in the university due to low security standards. The situation is even direr for the female engineering students with less than 5% of the engineering student population being women, therefore they are quite isolated in their engineering studies with minimal role models and professional support as they persist. We have planned a leadership camp for female Liberian engineering undergraduate women. The ultimate goal is to empower the Liberian women engineers with the skills, support and inspiration necessary to becoming successful engineering professionals. The leadership camp is planned and facilitated collaboratively by the members of the University of Michigan Society of Women Engineers (UM-SWE) student chapter and the Liberia Society of Women Engineers (L-SWE) student organization. The 2 week-long leadership camp has a workshop-based format with two themes: (i) academic and professional skills, and (ii) student organization development. Funded by UM CRLT, IRWG, STEM Africa.

Characterizing Design Cognition of High School Students: Initial Analyses Comparing Those with and without Pre-Engineering Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wells, John; Lammi, Matthew; Gero, John; Grubbs, Michael E.; Paretti, Marie; Williams, Christopher

2016-01-01

Reported in this article are initial results from of a longitudinal study to characterize the design cognition and cognitive design styles of high school students with and without pre-engineering course experience over a 2-year period, and to compare them with undergraduate engineering students. The research followed a verbal protocol analysis…

An Examination of Variables Which Influence High School Students to Enroll in an Undergraduate Engineering or Physical Science Major

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Porter, Christopher H.

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the variables which influence a high school student to enroll in an engineering discipline versus a physical science discipline. Data was collected utilizing the High School Activities, Characteristics, and Influences Survey, which was administered to students who were freshmen in an engineering or physical…

Developing research competencies through a project-based tissue-engineering module in the biomedical engineering undergraduate curriculum.

PubMed

Wallen, M; Pandit, A

2009-05-01

In addressing the task of developing an undergraduate module in the field of tissue engineering, the greatest challenge lies in managing to capture what is a growing and rapidly changing field. Acknowledging the call for the development of greater critical thinking and interpersonal skills among the next generation of engineers as well as encouraging students to engage actively with the dynamic nature of research in the field, the module was developed to include both project-based and cooperative-learning experiences. These learning activities include developing hypotheses for the application of newly introduced laboratory procedures, a collaborative mock grant submission, and debates on ethical issues in which students are assigned roles as various stakeholders. Feedback from module evaluations has indicated that, while students find the expectations challenging, they are able to gain an advanced insight into a dynamic field. More importantly, students develop research competencies by engaging in activities that require them to link current research directions with their own development of hypotheses for future tissue-engineering applications.

An Alternative Route to Chemical Engineering for Minority and Other Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cussler, E. L.

The following three alternative ways in which minority group chemistry majors may be trained as chemical engineers are examined in this paper: (l) they are admitted as engineers and take the same courses as engineering students at the graduate level; (2) undergraduate courses are taken as part of the transition from chemistry to chemical…

A Case Study: Problem-Based Learning for Civil Engineering Students in Transportation Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahern, A. A.

2010-01-01

This paper describes two case studies where problem-based learning (PBL) has been introduced to undergraduate civil engineering students in University College Dublin. PBL has recently been put in place in the penultimate and final year transport engineering classes in the civil engineering degree in University College Dublin. In this case study,…

Some developing concepts of engineering education

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perkins, C. D.

1975-01-01

An analysis of the circumstances which have created a shortage of aeronautical engineering undergraduate students in the universities is presented. Suggestions for motivating students to enter aeronautical engineering are examined. The support of the aeronautical industry for graduate education funding is recommended. Examples of actions taken by governmental agencies to promote increased interest in aeronautical engineering are included.

Greater Research Opportunities (GRO) Undergraduate Fellowships

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

By enhancing and supporting quality environmental education for undergraduate students, the GRO supported fellows have provided new environmental research in the physical, biological, health, and social sciences as well as in engineering.

Tour Guide Robots: An Integrated Research and Design Platform to Prepare Engineering and Technology Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yelamarthi, Kumar

2016-01-01

Many interesting research and design questions occur at the intersections of traditional disciplines, yet most coursework and research programs for undergraduate engineering students are focused on one discipline. This leads to underutilization of the potential in better preparing students through multidisciplinary projects. Identifying this…

Selected engagement factors and academic learning outcomes of undergraduate engineering students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Justice, Patricia J.

The concept of student engagement and its relationship to successful student performance and learning outcomes has a long history in higher education (Kuh, 2007). Attention to faculty and student engagement has only recently become of interest to the engineering education community. This interest can be attributed to long-standing research by George Kuh's, National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) at the Indiana University Center for Postsecondary Research. In addition, research projects sponsored by the National Science Foundation, the Academic Pathway Study (APS) at the Center for the Advancement of Engineering Education (CAEE) and the Center for the Advancement of Scholarship on Engineering Education (CASEE), Measuring Student and Faculty Engagement in Engineering Education, at the National Academy of Engineering. These research studies utilized the framework and data from the Engineering Change study by the Center for the Study of Higher Education, Pennsylvania State, that evaluated the impact of the new Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology (ABET) EC2000 "3a through k" criteria identify 11 learning outcomes expected of engineering graduates. The purpose of this study was to explore the extent selected engagement factors of 1. institution, 2. social, 3. cognitive, 4. finance, and 5. technology influence undergraduate engineering students and quality student learning outcomes. Through the descriptive statistical analysis indicates that there maybe problems in the engineering program. This researcher would have expected at least 50% of the students to fall in the Strongly Agree and Agree categories. The data indicated that the there maybe problems in the engineering program problems in the data. The problems found ranked in this order: 1). Dissatisfaction with faculty instruction methods and quality of instruction and not a clear understanding of engineering majors , 2). inadequate Engineering faculty and advisors availability especially applicable to career paths, 4) engineering program objectives not aligned with student learning outcomes, 5. lack of encouragement to join engineering association for professional development. This study determined statistically that the factors having the most significant influence on undergraduate engineering student and learning outcome is the role that faculty plays inside and outside the classroom. The satisfaction of students regarding faculty on availability and feedback was negative. Engineering programs appear to have issues with alignment of ABET learning outcomes from a student perspective on knowledge, ability of engineering skills and ability acquired at the time of this study. The researcher believes that the findings are valid viewing the maturity of the majority of responses were from upper-class juniors and seniors. In addition, gender and racial/ethnicity disparity were found with low number of females compared to males. The racial/ ethnicity disparity was especially noted for Hispanic and Native American students.

Researching Undergraduate Social Science Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rand, Jane

2016-01-01

The experience(s) of undergraduate research students in the social sciences is under-represented in the literature in comparison to the natural sciences or science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM). The strength of STEM undergraduate research learning environments is understood to be related to an apprenticeship-mode of learning supported…

A Virtual Embedded Microcontroller Laboratory for Undergraduate Education: Development and Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richardson, Jeffrey J.; Adamo-Villani, Nicoletta

2010-01-01

Laboratory instruction is a major component of the engineering and technology undergraduate curricula. Traditional laboratory instruction is hampered by several factors including limited access to resources by students and high laboratory maintenance cost. A photorealistic 3D computer-simulated laboratory for undergraduate instruction in…

Disciplinary Categories, Majors, and Undergraduate Academic Experiences: Rethinking Bok's "Underachieving Colleges" Thesis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brint, Steven; Cantwell, Allison M.; Saxena, Preeta

2012-01-01

Using data from the 2008 University of California Undergraduate Experience Survey, we show that study time and academic conscientiousness were lower among students in humanities and social science majors than among students in science and engineering majors. Analytical and critical thinking experiences were no more evident among humanities and…

Characterizing Instructional Practices in the Laboratory: The Laboratory Observation Protocol for Undergraduate STEM

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Velasco, Jonathan B.; Knedeisen, Adam; Xue, Dihua; Vickrey, Trisha L.; Abebe, Marytza; Stains, Marilyne

2016-01-01

Chemistry laboratories play an essential role in the education of undergraduate Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and non-STEM students. The extent of student learning in any educational environment depends largely on the effectiveness of the instructors. In chemistry laboratories at large universities, the instructors of…

Undergraduate Research Experiences: Mentoring, Awareness, and Perceptions--A Case Study at a Hispanic-Serving Institution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodríguez Amaya, Laura; Betancourt, Tania; Collins, Kristina Henry; Hinojosa, Orlando; Corona, Carlos

2018-01-01

Background: Undergraduate research experiences (UREs) have been proposed as means to increase the retention and engagement of minority--and more specifically Hispanic--college students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors. This study explores the impact of student characteristics such as gender, classification,…

Teaching Molecular Biology to Undergraduate Biology Students: An Illustration of Protein Expression and Purification

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sommer, Cesar Adolfo; Silva, Flavio Henrique; Novo, Maria Teresa Marques

2004-01-01

Practical classes on protein expression and purification were given to undergraduate biology students enrolled in the elective course "Introduction to Genetic Engineering." The heterologous expression of the green fluorescent protein (GFP)* of "Aequorea victoria" is an interesting system for didactic purposes because it can be viewed easily during…

Increasing Persistence in Undergraduate Science Majors: A Model for Institutional Support of Underrepresented Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Toven-Lindsey, Brit; Levis-Fitzgerald, Marc; Barber, Paul H.; Hasson, Tama

2015-01-01

The 6-yr degree-completion rate of undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors at U.S. colleges and universities is less than 40%. Persistence among women and underrepresented minorities (URMs), including African-American, Latino/a, Native American, and Pacific Islander students, is even more troubling, as these…

Bioengineering and Bioinformatics Summer Institutes: Meeting Modern Challenges in Undergraduate Summer Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Butler, Peter J.; Dong, Cheng; Snyder, Alan J.; Jones, A. Daniel; Sheets, Erin D.

2008-01-01

Summer undergraduate research programs in science and engineering facilitate research progress for faculty and provide a close-ended research experience for students, which can prepare them for careers in industry, medicine, and academia. However, ensuring these outcomes is a challenge when the students arrive ill-prepared for substantive research…

Undergraduate Students' Preference for Procedural to Conceptual Solutions to Mathematical Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Engelbrecht, Johann; Bergsten, Christer; Kagesten, Owe

2009-01-01

This article reports on a collaboration project between South Africa and Sweden, in which we want to investigate whether the emphasis in undergraduate mathematics courses for engineering students should be more conceptual than the current traditional way of teaching. On the basis of a review of the distinction between conceptual and procedural…

Planning and Implementing a Comprehensive Student-Centered Research Program for First-Year STEM Undergraduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schneider, Kimberly R.; Bickel, Amelia; Morrison-Shetlar, Alison

2015-01-01

Retaining college-level science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students remains a priority in higher education. A variety of methods have been shown to increase retention, including mentorship, tutoring, course enhancements, community building, and engagement in high-impact practices such as undergraduate research. In 2011, an…

Essential elements in teaming: Creation of a team rubric

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2002-12-01

To further meet the needs of faculty and students at the University of Idaho in the College of Engineering, the Learning Environment Developers (a group of seven undergraduate mechanical engineering students known as Team LED) proposed to develop a r...

Endovascular Device Testing with Particle Image Velocimetry Enhances Undergraduate Biomedical Engineering Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nair, Priya; Ankeny, Casey J.; Ryan, Justin; Okcay, Murat; Frakes, David H.

2016-01-01

We investigated the use of a new system, HemoFlow™, which utilizes state of the art technologies such as particle image velocimetry to test endovascular devices as part of an undergraduate biomedical engineering curriculum. Students deployed an endovascular stent into an anatomical model of a cerebral aneurysm and measured intra-aneurysmal flow…

Undergraduate Engineering--A Comparative Study of First Year Performance in Single Gender Campuses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dana-Picard, Thierry; Kidron, Ivy; Komar, Meir; Steiner, Joseph

2005-01-01

The Jerusalem College of Technology is an institution for higher education in Israel, where the majority of the students study towards an undergraduate degree in Engineering (Electronics, Applied Optics, Computers, etc.). The studies are held on three different campuses, one campus for men and two for women. We describe the organization of the…

Connections between Future Time Perspectives and Self-Regulated Learning for Mid-Year Engineering Students: A Multiple Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chasmar, Justine

2017-01-01

This dissertation presents multiple studies with the purpose of understanding the connections between undergraduate engineering students' motivations, specifically students' Future Time Perspectives (FTPs) and Self-Regulated Learning (SRL). FTP refers to the views students hold about the future and how their perceptions of current tasks are…

A Retrospective Study of the Impact Faculty Dispositions Have on Undergraduate Engineering Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hong, Barbara S. S.; Shull, Peter J.

2010-01-01

Despite the progress made in studying the dynamics of attracting and retaining STEM students, limited research have focused on understanding the values and impact faculty could have on the learning outcomes of students. This exploratory study presents the voices of six successful engineering students through a case study interview approach. Common…

Survey Result of the Engineering Undergraduate Student's “Human Performance”

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakayama, Minoru; Takahashi, Hideaki; Kusakabe, Osamu; Ohtaguchi, Kazuhisa; Mizutani, Nobuyasu

Development of engineer's “Human Performance” is being required to respond to various changes. “Human Performace” is defined as an ability of putting own knowledge and skill to a practical issue. Current engineering undergraduate education promotes to learn this ability. To examine effectiveness of the educational program, a questionnaire consisting of 66 items was developed and the survey was conducted across eight universities. As results, most students recognize importance of the ability, but their achievement is lower for English communication skill and adaptation of cultural difference. They learned the ability on laboratory experience for their thesis, experiment class, club activities, part-time jobs and other activities.

Effects of Web-Based Interactive Modules on Engineering Students' Learning Motivations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bai, Haiyan; Aman, Amjad; Xu, Yunjun; Orlovskaya, Nina; Zhou, Mingming

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of a newly developed modules, Interactive Web-Based Visualization Tools for Gluing Undergraduate Fuel Cell Systems Courses system (IGLU), on learning motivations of engineering students using two samples (n[subscript 1] = 144 and n[subscript 2] = 135) from senior engineering classes. The…

Undergraduate engineering student experiences: Comparing sex, gender and switcher status

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fergen, Brenda Sue

This dissertation explores undergraduate engineering experiences, comparing men with women and switchers with non-switchers. Factors related to a chilly academic climate and gender-role socialization are hypothesized to contribute to variations in men's and women's academic experiences and persistence rates. Both quantitative and qualitative data are utilized in an effort to triangulate the findings. Secondary survey data, acquired as result of a 1992 Academic Environment Survey, were utilized to test the hypothesis that sex is the most important predictor (i.e., demographic variable) of perceptions of academic climate. Regression analyses show that sex by itself is not always a significant determinant. However, when sex and college (engineering vs. other) are combined into dummy variables, they are statistically significant in models where sex was not significant alone. This finding indicates that looking at sex differences alone may be too simplistic. Thirty personal interviews were conducted with a random stratified sample of undergraduate students from the 1993 engineering cohort. The interview data indicate that differences in childhood socialization are important. With regard to persistence, differences in socialization are greater for switchers vs. non-switchers than men vs. women. Thus, gender-role socialization does not appear to play as prominent a role in women's persistence as past literature would indicate. This may be due to the self-selection process that occurs among women who choose to pursue engineering. Other aspects of childhood socialization such as parents' level of educational and occupation, students' high school academic preparation and knowledge of what to expect of college classes appear to be more important. In addition, there is evidence that, for women, male siblings play an important role in socialization. There is also evidence that women engineering students at Midwestern University face a chilly academic climate. The factors which appear to contribute the most to an inhospitable atmosphere include subtle behaviors on the part of faculty and administrators and blatant sexist, derogatory and hostile comments and jokes on the part of male undergraduate students. Personal interview data indicate continued resistance among some male administrators, faculty and students to women pursuing majors in engineering.

Oceanography and Geoscience Scholars at Texas A&M University Funded through the NSF S-STEM (Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richardson, M. J.; Gardner, W. D.

2016-02-01

Over the last seven years we have led the creation and implementation of the Oceanography and Geoscience Scholars programs at Texas A&M University. Through these programs we have been able to provide scholarship support for 92 undergraduates in Geosciences and 29 graduate students in Oceanography. Fifty-seven undergraduate scholars have graduated in Geosciences: 30 undergraduate students in Meteorology, 7 in Geology, and 20 in Environmental Geosciences. Two students have graduated in other STEM disciplines. Twenty-four students are in the process of completing their undergraduate degrees in STEM disciplines. Twenty-three students have graduated with MS or PhD degrees in Oceanography and five PhD students are completing their dissertations. As specified in the program solicitation all of the scholars are academically talented students with demonstrated financial need as defined by the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). We have endeavored to recruit students from underrepresented groups. One-third of the undergraduate scholars were from underrepresented groups; 28% of the graduate students. We will present the challenges and successes of these programs.

Development of an Undergraduate Course--Internet-Based Instrumentation and Control

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhuang, Hanqi; Morgera, Salvatore D.

2007-01-01

The objective, strategy, and implementation details of a new undergraduate course, Internet-based Instrumentation and Control, are presented. The course has a companion laboratory that is supported by the National Science Foundation and industry. The combination is offered to senior-level undergraduate engineering students interested in sensing,…

Undergraduate engineering students' experiences of interdisciplinary learning: a phenomenographic perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hsu, Ming-Chien

Engineers are expected to work with people with different disciplinary knowledge to solve real-world problems that are inherently complex, which is one of the reasons that interdisciplinary learning has become a common pedagogical practice in engineering education. However, empirical evidence on the impact of interdisciplinary learning on undergraduates is lacking. Regardless of the differences in the scope of methods used to assess interdisciplinary learning, frameworks of interdisciplinary learning are imperative for developing attainable outcomes as well as interpreting assessment data. Existing models of interdisciplinary learning have been either conceptual or based on research faculty members' experiences rather than empirical data. The study addressed the gap by exploring the different ways that undergraduate engineering students experience interdisciplinary learning. A phenomenographic methodological framework was used to guide the design, data collection, and data analysis of the study. Twenty-two undergraduate engineering students with various interdisciplinary learning experiences were interviewed using semi-structured protocols. They concretely described their experiences and reflected meaning associated with those experiences. Analysis of the data revealed eight qualitatively different ways that students experience interdisciplinary learning, which include: interdisciplinary learning as (A) no awareness of differences, (B) control and assertion, (C) coping with differences, (D) navigating creative differences, (E) learning from differences, (F) bridging differences, (G) expanding intellectual boundaries, and (H) commitment to holistic perspectives. Categories D through H represent a hierarchical structure of increasingly comprehensive way of experiencing interdisciplinary learning. Further analysis uncovered two themes that varied throughout the categories: (i) engagement with differences and (ii) purpose and integration. Students whose experiences lie outside of the hierarchical structure need to engage difference in a positive manner and also have a purpose in engaging differences in order to experience interdisciplinary learning in a more comprehensive way. The results offer insights into the design of curriculum and classroom interdisciplinary experiences in engineering education.

Conceptests for a Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Falconer, John L.

2007-01-01

Examples of conceptests and suggestions for preparing them for use in an undergraduate, chemical engineering thermodynamics course are presented. Conceptests, combined with hand-held transmitters (clickers), is an effective method to engage students in class. This method motivates students, improves their functional understanding of…

Engaging Engineering Students in Geoscience through Case Studies and Active Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holley, Elizabeth A.

2017-01-01

This study reports on a case study-based curricular intervention designed to help undergraduate engineering students make connections between geoscience and its applications. Teaching through case studies resulted in a measurable and significant improvement in the confidence that students had in their ability to apply geoscience concepts in an…

Discontinuities in University Student Experiences of Learning through Discussions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellis, Robert A.; Calvo, Rafael A.

2006-01-01

This article reports on research into the student experience of learning through discussions in a third-year undergraduate engineering subject. Information engineering students studying e-commerce were required to engage in face-to-face and online discussions as a key aspect of their learning experience. This study investigates the quality of the…

Effects of Brief Integrated Information Literacy Education Sessions on Undergraduate Engineering Students' Interdisciplinary Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Talikka, Marja; Soukka, Risto; Eskelinen, Harri

2018-01-01

Engineering students often conduct information searches without sufficient consideration of the context of their research topic. This article discusses how development of a new information literacy (IL) mindset through instruction in integrated IL education affects students' understanding of research problems and formulation of information search…

Retaining Students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Majors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watkins, Jessica; Mazur, Eric

2013-01-01

In this paper we present results relating undergraduate student retention in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors to the use of Peer Instruction (PI) in an introductory physics course at a highly selective research institution. We compare the percentages of students who switch out of a STEM major after taking a physics…

Undergraduate Research Participation and STEM Graduate Degree Aspirations among Students of Color

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strayhorn, Terrell L.

2010-01-01

Increasing the number of students who complete advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields is a compelling national interest. Although college science and engineering degree completion rates have improved considerably over the past few decades, significant gaps persist among women and students of color. Gaps…

A case study of undergraduate female students majoring in math, science and engineering: An analysis of persistence and success

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hyde, Michelle Smoot

This dissertation provides information concerning the educational experience of females studying in undergraduate fields of math, engineering and science at a large research institution in the West. The majority of the participants were Project Access students, chosen because of their high achievements in science and mathematics during their secondary education. The study identifies and attempts to understand critical factors within the academic environment of science that contribute to female persistence in math, engineering and science (MES) disciplines. The study postulates that universities can make a difference in the education of women by providing programs that assure quality education and the fostering of female interest in science domains. The study recommends the incorporation of collaborative learning processes and teaching methods, cohort involvement and the fostering of study groups, encouragement of professorial associations with students, and internship and lab programs in an attempt to provide a more holistic and less fragmented education, thus benefiting women seeking MES degrees. Also, the research presented in this paper determined that the formation of positive associations and support networks was crucial to college female population studied. The interpretive study's aim is to enhance persistence rates among undergraduate students studying in math, engineering and science fields.

Princeton Science and Engineering Education Initiative: Revising Undergraduate Environmental Science Courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riihimaki, C. A.; Sealfon, C. D.; Paine, E. N.; O'Donnell, F. C.; Caylor, K. K.; Wilcove, D. S.

2012-12-01

The Science and Engineering Education Initiative at Princeton University aims to inspire and prepare all undergraduates, irrespective of their majors, to become scientifically and technologically literate citizens and decision-makers. Launched by the faculty on the Council on Science and Technology in September 2011, the initiative involves revising and creating science and engineering courses that emphasize the role of science in society. The course "Fundamentals of Environmental Studies" will serve as a model course for the initiative starting with revisions to the course in Fall 2012. Given the general interest undergraduates have for sustainability topics and the obvious connections between sustainability and society, this course should generate ample interest from students across the campus. We have begun the Initiative by defining student-centered learning goals and surveying students' attitudes towards science and engineering. Course by course, we are also gradually applying research-based teaching methods to better align course activities with learning goals, assessing learning gains, and creating a repository of successful methods and courses. Among the changes to "Fundamentals of Environmental Studies" will be a greater emphasis on science communication, such as incorporating an assignment in which students track the evolution of communicating a research project, from journal article to newspaper coverage to editorials.

A Combustion Laboratory for Undergraduates.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peters, James E.

1985-01-01

Describes a combustion laboratory facility and experiments for a senior-level (undergraduate) course in mechanical engineering. The experiment reinforces basic thermodynamic concepts and provides many students with their first opportunity to work with a combustion system. (DH)

The Educational Needs of Graduate Mechanical Engineers in New Zealand.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deans, J.

1999-01-01

Surveys graduate and undergraduate mechanical engineering students at the University of Auckland. Shows that the dominant work activities of New Zealand mechanical engineers include design and consultancy and that graduate engineers rapidly migrate into management. (Author/CCM)

Competition preparation guideline in undergraduate program of information system school of Industrial Engineering Telkom University based on knowledge conversion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Darmawan, F. R.; Soesanto, R. P.; Kurniawati, A.; Kurniawan, M. T.

2017-12-01

The role of higher education in the development of science and technology is not only from the contribution of the high-quality alumni but also from the research and relevant competition with the needs of development in such a country. In a competition, the student can improve their soft skill and academic skill such as analytical and critical thinking, communication skills and mental. The number of relevant competition by students is also included in accreditation clause, therefore student involvement in competition is seen as important for the undergraduate program in University. The most problem in university is the high turnover from the student. Bachelor program in Indonesia usually takes 4 years to complete, and the high turnover causes the student come and go as they are a graduate from the institution without preserving the knowledge and experience from the competition to other students. This research aims to develop a guidance for competition preparation in the university by using knowledge conversion. The object of this research is an information system undergraduate program in the school of industrial engineering Telkom University. The best practice selection is done by using factor rating method. Delphi method is used to identify the criteria, and AHP method is used to calculate the weight of each criterion. From the factor rating result it is known that from 3 respondent, best practice from respondent A (7.321) is used for preparing the programming competition in an undergraduate program of information system in the school of industrial engineering Telkom University. FGD is done to disseminate the selected best practice into the process stakeholder which is head of the student affair of the school of industrial engineering, students, and laboratory assistants. Future research can be done to create more comprehensive criteria for selecting the best practice.

#BlackGirlMagic: The Influence of Identity Expression on STEM Identity and Retention for Black Females in Undergraduate Research Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morton, Terrell Roderick

2017-01-01

Research and reports promote targeted interventions such as the undergraduate research experience to address issues with Black student retention and matriculation in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). The effectiveness of these interventions are purported to be their ability to foster strong associations between Black students and…

Is It the Intervention or the Students? Using Linear Regression to Control for Student Characteristics in Undergraduate STEM Education Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Theobald, Roddy; Freeman, Scott

2014-01-01

Although researchers in undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education are currently using several methods to analyze learning gains from pre- and posttest data, the most commonly used approaches have significant shortcomings. Chief among these is the inability to distinguish whether differences in learning gains are due…

Early Engagement in Course-Based Research Increases Graduation Rates and Completion of Science, Engineering, and Mathematics Degrees

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodenbusch, Stacia E.; Hernandez, Paul R.; Simmons, Sarah L.; Dolan, Erin L.

2016-01-01

National efforts to transform undergraduate biology education call for research experiences to be an integral component of learning for all students. Course-based undergraduate research experiences, or CUREs, have been championed for engaging students in research at a scale that is not possible through apprenticeships in faculty research…

Early Engagement in Course-Based Research Increases Graduation Rates and Completion of Science, Engineering, and Mathematics Degrees

PubMed Central

Rodenbusch, Stacia E.; Hernandez, Paul R.; Simmons, Sarah L.; Dolan, Erin L.

2016-01-01

National efforts to transform undergraduate biology education call for research experiences to be an integral component of learning for all students. Course-based undergraduate research experiences, or CUREs, have been championed for engaging students in research at a scale that is not possible through apprenticeships in faculty research laboratories. Yet there are few if any studies that examine the long-term effects of participating in CUREs on desired student outcomes, such as graduating from college and completing a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) major. One CURE program, the Freshman Research Initiative (FRI), has engaged thousands of first-year undergraduates over the past decade. Using propensity score–matching to control for student-level differences, we tested the effect of participating in FRI on students’ probability of graduating with a STEM degree, probability of graduating within 6 yr, and grade point average (GPA) at graduation. Students who completed all three semesters of FRI were significantly more likely than their non-FRI peers to earn a STEM degree and graduate within 6 yr. FRI had no significant effect on students’ GPAs at graduation. The effects were similar for diverse students. These results provide the most robust and best-controlled evidence to date to support calls for early involvement of undergraduates in research. PMID:27252296

Class and Home Problems: Modeling of an Industrial Anaerobic Digester: A Case Study for Undergraduate Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Durruty, Ignacio; Ayude, María A.

2014-01-01

The case study discussed in this work is used at the chemical reaction engineering course, offered in fifth-year of the chemical engineering undergraduate program at National University of Mar del Plata (UNMdP). A serial-parallel reaction system based on the anaerobic degradation of particulate-containing potato processing wastewater is presented.…

A Curricular Analysis of Undergraduate Technology & Engineering Teacher Preparation Programs in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Litowitz, Len S.

2014-01-01

Technology & engineering teacher preparation programs at colleges and universities in the United States have been in a state of decline since the 1970's. In the fall of 2013 a study was conducted to compare the required curricula of the 24 undergraduate programs that maintain enrollment of 20 students or more in order to determine what a…

First Generation College Students in Engineering: A Grounded Theory Study of Family Influence on Academic Decision Making

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simmons, Denise Rutledge

2012-01-01

This work develops a constructivist grounded theory describing the influence of family and those that serve a role similar to family on the academic decision making of undergraduate first generation in college (FGC) students majoring in engineering. FGC students, in this study, are students with neither parent having attained a bachelor's…

77 FR 64794 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-23

... join in a partnership to encourage outstanding undergraduate students to pursue careers in science and engineering. The Program also provides research opportunities for students to work with internationally known... in science and engineering. The information is used for evaluation and selection, and includes...

Collaborative Learning in Engineering Design.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newell, Sigrin

1990-01-01

Described is a capstone experience for undergraduate biomedical engineering students in which student teams work with children and adults with cerebral palsy to produce devices that make their lives easier or more enjoyable. The collaborative approach, benefits to the clients, and evaluation of the projects are discussed. (CW)

A broadly implementable research course in phage discovery and genomics for first-year undergraduate students.

PubMed

Jordan, Tuajuanda C; Burnett, Sandra H; Carson, Susan; Caruso, Steven M; Clase, Kari; DeJong, Randall J; Dennehy, John J; Denver, Dee R; Dunbar, David; Elgin, Sarah C R; Findley, Ann M; Gissendanner, Chris R; Golebiewska, Urszula P; Guild, Nancy; Hartzog, Grant A; Grillo, Wendy H; Hollowell, Gail P; Hughes, Lee E; Johnson, Allison; King, Rodney A; Lewis, Lynn O; Li, Wei; Rosenzweig, Frank; Rubin, Michael R; Saha, Margaret S; Sandoz, James; Shaffer, Christopher D; Taylor, Barbara; Temple, Louise; Vazquez, Edwin; Ware, Vassie C; Barker, Lucia P; Bradley, Kevin W; Jacobs-Sera, Deborah; Pope, Welkin H; Russell, Daniel A; Cresawn, Steven G; Lopatto, David; Bailey, Cheryl P; Hatfull, Graham F

2014-02-04

Engaging large numbers of undergraduates in authentic scientific discovery is desirable but difficult to achieve. We have developed a general model in which faculty and teaching assistants from diverse academic institutions are trained to teach a research course for first-year undergraduate students focused on bacteriophage discovery and genomics. The course is situated within a broader scientific context aimed at understanding viral diversity, such that faculty and students are collaborators with established researchers in the field. The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Science Education Alliance Phage Hunters Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science (SEA-PHAGES) course has been widely implemented and has been taken by over 4,800 students at 73 institutions. We show here that this alliance-sourced model not only substantially advances the field of phage genomics but also stimulates students' interest in science, positively influences academic achievement, and enhances persistence in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. Broad application of this model by integrating other research areas with large numbers of early-career undergraduate students has the potential to be transformative in science education and research training. Engagement of undergraduate students in scientific research at early stages in their careers presents an opportunity to excite students about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines and promote continued interests in these areas. Many excellent course-based undergraduate research experiences have been developed, but scaling these to a broader impact with larger numbers of students is challenging. The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Science Education Alliance Phage Hunting Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science (SEA-PHAGES) program takes advantage of the huge size and diversity of the bacteriophage population to engage students in discovery of new viruses, genome annotation, and comparative genomics, with strong impacts on bacteriophage research, increased persistence in STEM fields, and student self-identification with learning gains, motivation, attitude, and career aspirations.

A Systematic Approach to Teaching Critical Thinking Skills to Electrical and Computer Engineering Undergraduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Welch, Karla Conn; Hieb, Jeffrey; Graham, James

2015-01-01

Coursework that instills patterns of rigorous logical thought has long been a hallmark of the engineering curriculum. However, today's engineering students are expected to exhibit a wider range of thinking capabilities both to satisfy ABET requirements and to prepare the students to become successful practitioners. This paper presents the initial…

Acquire an Bruker Dimension FastScan (trademark) Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) for Materials, Physical and Biological Science Research and Education

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-04-14

two super users, Drs. Biswajit Sannigrahi and Guangchang Zhou were trained by the Senior Engineer for Product Service, Dr. Teddy Huang from the... Engineering : The number of undergraduates funded by your agreement who graduated during this period and intend to work for the Department of Defense The...science, mathematics, engineering or technology fields: Student Metrics This section only applies to graduating undergraduates supported by this

An Inquiry-Based Approach to Teaching Space Weather to Undergraduate Non-Science Majors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cade, W. B., III

2016-12-01

Undergraduate Space Weather education is an important component of creating a society that is knowledgeable about space weather and its societal impacts. The space physics community has made great strides in providing academic education for students, typically physics and engineering majors, who are interested in pursuing a career in the space sciences or space weather. What is rarely addressed, however, is providing a broader space weather education to undergraduate students as a whole. To help address this gap, I have created an introductory space weather course for non-science majors, with the idea of expanding exposure to space weather beyond the typical physics and engineering students. The philosophy and methodologies used in this course will be presented, as well as the results of the first attempts to teach it. Using an approach more tailored to the non-scientist, courses such as this can be an effective means of broadening space weather education and outreach.

Concept Development and Meaningful Learning among Electrical Engineering Students Engaged in a Problem-Based Laboratory Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bledsoe, Karen E.; Flick, Lawrence

2012-01-01

This phenomenographic study documented changes in student-held electrical concepts the development of meaningful learning among students with both low and high prior knowledge within a problem-based learning (PBL) undergraduate electrical engineering course. This paper reports on four subjects: two with high prior knowledge and two with low prior…

An Intensive Presentations Course in English for Aeronautical Engineering Students Using Cyclic Video Recordings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tatzl, Dietmar

2017-01-01

This article presents the design and evaluation of an intensive presentations course for aeronautical engineering students based on cyclic video recordings. The target group of this course in English for specific purposes (ESP) were undergraduate final-year students who needed to improve their presentation and foreign language skills to prepare…

Breaking Ground: Improving Undergraduate Engineering Projects through Flipped Teaching of Literature Search Techniques

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maddison, Tasha; Beneteau, Donna; Sokoloski, Brandy

2014-01-01

This case study describes the use of flipped teaching for information literacy instruction in a new course, "Drill, Blast, and Excavate GeoE 498," within the mining option for geological engineering (GeoE) students. These students will enter the mining industry with less discipline-specific knowledge than a student that graduated with a…

The Effects of a Collaborative Problem-Based Learning Experience on Students' Motivation in Engineering Capstone Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Brett D.; Epler, Cory M.; Mokri, Parastou; Bryant, Lauren H.; Paretti, Marie C.

2013-01-01

We identified and examined how the instructional elements of problem-based learning capstone engineering courses affected students' motivation to engage in the courses. We employed a two-phase, sequential, explanatory, mixed methods research design. For the quantitative phase, 47 undergraduate students at a large public university completed a…

Examining the Impact of the Engineering Successful/Unsuccessful Grading (SUG) Program on Student Retention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Novak, Heather; Paguyo, Christina; Siller, Thomas

2016-01-01

In this study, we analyzed the Successful/Unsuccessful Grading (SUG) program, an intervention that was founded at a large public university to support students during their transition into the first year of undergraduate engineering (EG) coursework. To understand how the SUG program impacts student retention of EG majors, we conducted an analysis…

Bringing Art, Music, Theater and Dance Students into Earth and Space Science Research Labs: A New Art Prize Science and Engineering Artists-in-Residence Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moldwin, M.; Mexicotte, D.

2017-12-01

A new Arts/Lab Student Residence program was developed at the University of Michigan that brings artists into a research lab. Science and Engineering undergraduate and graduate students working in the lab describe their research and allow the artists to shadow them to learn more about the work. The Arts/Lab Student Residencies are designed to be unique and fun, while encouraging interdisciplinary learning and creative production by exposing students to life and work in an alternate discipline's maker space - i.e. the artist in the engineering lab, the engineer in the artist's studio or performance space. Each residency comes with a cash prize and the expectation that a work of some kind will be produced as a response to experience. The Moldwin Prize is designed for an undergraduate student currently enrolled in the Penny W. Stamps School of Art & Design, the Taubman School of Architecture and Urban Planning or the School of Music, Theatre and Dance who is interested in exchange and collaboration with students engaged in research practice in an engineering lab. No previous science or engineering experience is required, although curiosity and a willingness to explore are essential! Students receiving the residency spend 20 hours over 8 weeks (February-April) participating with the undergraduate research team in the lab of Professor Mark Moldwin, which is currently doing work in the areas of space weather (how the Sun influences the space environment of Earth and society) and magnetic sensor development. The resident student artist will gain a greater understanding of research methodologies in the space and climate fields, data visualization and communication techniques, and how the collision of disciplinary knowledge in the arts, engineering and sciences deepens the creative practice and production of each discipline. The student is expected to produce a final work of some kind within their discipline that reflects, builds on, explores, integrates or traces their experience in the residency. This talk will describe the program, the inaugural year's outcomes, and plans to expand the program to other research labs.

Predicting Academic Performance of Master's Students in Engineering Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Calisir, Fethi; Basak, Ecem; Comertoglu, Sevinc

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors affecting academic achievement of the master's students who are enrolling in the executive engineering management master's programs in Turkey. These factors include admission requirements (entrance examination, undergraduate grade point average, English proficiency) and demographic attributes…

A NOVEL PROCESS FOR BIOLOGICAL NITROGEN REMOVAL FROM DAIRY WASTEWATER IN CONSTRUCTED WETLANDS

EPA Science Inventory

SUNY-ESF has a multidisciplinary P3 Team, although it is mainly composed of undergraduate students in forest engineering and graduate students in environmental and resources engineering. The Team has successfully enriched anammox bacteria in two vertical flow baffled biofilter...

A Case Study of a College-Wide First-Year Undergraduate Engineering Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aloul, Fadi; Zualkernan, Imran; Husseini, Ghaleb; El-Hag, Ayman; Al-Assaf, Yousef

2015-01-01

Introductory engineering courses are either programme specific or expose students to engineering as a broad discipline by including materials from various engineering programmes. A common introductory engineering course that spans different engineering programmes raises challenges, including the high cost of resources as well as the lack of…

A Course in... Biochemical Engineering.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ng, Terry K-L.; And Others

1988-01-01

Describes a chemical engineering course for senior undergraduates and first year graduate students in biochemical engineering. Discusses five experiments used in the course: aseptic techniques, dissolved oxygen measurement, oxygen uptake by yeast, continuous sterilization, and cultivation of microorganisms. (MVL)

Undergraduate Electronics Projects Based on the Design of an Optical Wireless Audio Transmission System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oliveira, Luis Bica; Paulino, Nuno; Oliveira, João P.; Santos-Tavares, Rui; Pereira, Nuno; Goes, João

2017-01-01

The two projects presented in this paper can be used either as two separate assignments in two different semesters or as a final assignment for undergraduate students of electrical engineering. They have two main objectives: first, to teach basic electronic circuit design concepts and, second, to motivate the students to learn more about analog…

Faculty as Undergraduate Research Mentors for Students of Color: Taking into Account the Costs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwartz, Joni

2012-01-01

This article is based on the findings of a 2-year study that examined the nature of effective faculty/student undergraduate research (UR) science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) relationships. The study site was a large urban public college where three fourths of all incoming freshmen receive need-based aid; and although not a…

Development and Evaluation of the "Tigriopus" Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience: Impacts on Students' Content Knowledge, Attitudes, and Motivation in a Majors Introductory Biology Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olimpo, Jeffrey T.; Fisher, Ginger R.; DeChenne-Peters, Sue Ellen

2016-01-01

Within the past decade, course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) have emerged as a viable mechanism to enhance novices' development of scientific reasoning and process skills in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines. Recent evidence within the bioeducation literature suggests that student engagement in…

Engineering for Liberal Arts and Engineering Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

The Weaver, 1986

1986-01-01

Describes courses designed to develop approaches for teaching engineering concepts, applied mathematics and computing skills to liberal arts undergraduates, and to teach the history of scientific and technological innovation and application to engineering and science majors. Discusses courses, course materials, enrichment activities, and…

Microteaching as a Self-Learning Tool. Students' Perceptions in the Preparation and Exposition of a Microlesson in a Tissue Engineering Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campos-Sánchez, Antonio; del Carmen Sánchez-Quevedo, María; Crespo-Ferrer, Pascual Vicente; García-López, José Manuel; Alaminos, Miguel

2013-01-01

Microteaching is a didactic tool of recent application to undergraduate and postgraduate students as a way to promote self-learning. In this work we compared the perceptions of the students who provide instruction in tissue engineering using microteaching and the perceptions of the same students when they receive such instructions. Two similar…

Why Work with Undergraduate Researchers? Differences in Research Advisors’ Motivations and Outcomes by Career Stage

PubMed Central

Hayward, Charles N.; Laursen, Sandra L.; Thiry, Heather

2017-01-01

Undergraduate research is often hailed as a solution to increasing the number and quality of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics graduates needed to fill the high-tech jobs of the future. Student benefits of research are well documented but the emerging literature on advisors’ perspectives is incomplete: only a few studies have included the graduate students and postdocs who often serve as research advisors, and not much is known about why research advisors choose to work with undergraduate researchers. We report the motivations for advising undergraduate researchers, and the related costs and benefits of doing so, from 30 interviews with research advisors at various career stages. Many advisors stated intrinsic motivations, but a small group of early-career advisors expressed only instrumental motivations. We explore what this means for how advisors work with student researchers, the benefits students may or may not gain from the experience, and the implications for training and retaining research advisors who can provide high-quality research experiences for undergraduate students. PMID:28213583

Advancing Space Sciences through Undergraduate Research Experiences at UC Berkeley's Space Sciences Laboratory - a novel approach to undergraduate internships for first generation community college students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raftery, C. L.; Davis, H. B.; Peticolas, L. M.; Paglierani, R.

2015-12-01

The Space Sciences Laboratory at UC Berkeley launched an NSF-funded Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program in the summer of 2015. The "Advancing Space Sciences through Undergraduate Research Experiences" (ASSURE) program recruited heavily from local community colleges and universities, and provided a multi-tiered mentorship program for students in the fields of space science and engineering. The program was focussed on providing a supportive environment for 2nd and 3rd year undergraduates, many of whom were first generation and underrepresented students. This model provides three levels of mentorship support for the participating interns: 1) the primary research advisor provides academic and professional support. 2) The program coordinator, who meets with the interns multiple times per week, provides personal support and helps the interns to assimilate into the highly competitive environment of the research laboratory. 3) Returning undergraduate interns provided peer support and guidance to the new cohort of students. The impacts of this program on the first generation students and the research mentors, as well as the lessons learned will be discussed.

From Beginning to End: How Engineering Students Think and Talk about Sustainability across the Life Cycle. Research Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kilgore, Deborah; Jocuns, Andrew; Yasuhara, Ken; Atman, Cynthia J.

2009-01-01

The Academic Pathways Study (APS) is a multi-institution, mixed-methods, longitudinal study which examines engineering students' learning and development as they move into, through, and beyond their undergraduate institutions (Atman et al., 2008; Sheppard et al., 2004). It is part of the Center for the Advancement of Engineering Education…

Women's Experiences in the Engineering Laboratory in Japan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hosaka, Masako

2014-01-01

This qualitative study aims to examine Japanese women undergraduate engineering students' experiences of interacting with departmental peers of the same year in the laboratory setting by using interview data of 32 final-year students at two modestly selective national universities in Japan. Expectation state theory that explains unequal…

Be(com)ing an Excellent Student: A Qualitative Study with Engineering Undergraduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Monteiro, Sílvia; Almeida, Leandro S.; Vasconcelos, Rosa M.; Cruz, José Fernando A.

2014-01-01

This study explores the factors affecting the development of academic excellence on a group of 33 high-achieving engineering students. Participants were interviewed individually to explore several personal and contextual aspects of their past and current academic pathways. The results obtained reflect three main contributions to the…

Identifying Student Difficulties with Entropy, Heat Engines, and the Carnot Cycle

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Trevor I.; Christensen, Warren M.; Mountcastle, Donald B.; Thompson, John R.

2015-01-01

We report on several specific student difficulties regarding the second law of thermodynamics in the context of heat engines within upper-division undergraduate thermal physics courses. Data come from ungraded written surveys, graded homework assignments, and videotaped classroom observations of tutorial activities. Written data show that students…

Industrial Work Placement in Higher Education: A Study of Civil Engineering Student Engagement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tennant, Stuart; Murray, Mike; Gilmour, Bob; Brown, Linda

2018-01-01

For civil engineering undergraduates, short-term industrial work placement provides an invaluable learning experience. Notwithstanding the near-universal endorsement of short-term placement programmes, the resulting experience is rarely articulated through the student voice. This article provides an analysis of 174 questionnaires returned by…

A Multicontextual Model for Broadening Participation in STEM Related Disciplines

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Edward E., Jr.

2011-01-01

This paper argues that the "pipeline", leading to the production and increase of undergraduate engineering and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) related degrees by underrepresented student populations (which include female and AALANA (African American, Latin American and Native American) students), has become more of a "funnel".…

Distributed Collaborative Homework Activities in a Problem-Based Usability Engineering Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carroll, John M.; Jiang, Hao; Borge, Marcela

2015-01-01

Teams of students in an upper-division undergraduate Usability Engineering course used a collaborative environment to carry out a series of three distributed collaborative homework assignments. Assignments were case-based analyses structured using a jigsaw design; students were provided a collaborative software environment and introduced to a…

Building an Understanding of Heat Transfer Concepts in Undergraduate Chemical Engineering Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nottis, Katharyn E. K.; Prince, Michael J.; Vigeant, Margot A.

2010-01-01

Understanding the distinctions among heat, energy and temperature can be difficult for students at all levels of instruction, including those in engineering. Misconceptions about heat transfer have been found to persist, even after students successfully complete relevant coursework. New instructional methods are needed to address these…

Southwell's Relaxation Search in Computer Aided Advising: An Intelligent Information System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Song, Xueshu

1992-01-01

Describes the development and validation of a microcomputer software system that enhances undergraduate students' interests in becoming engineering graduate students. The development of a database with information on engineering graduate programs is discussed, and a model that matches individual and institutional needs using Southwell's Relaxation…

Integrating undergraduate research into the electro-optics and laser engineering technology program at Indiana University of Pennsylvania

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Andrew F.

2014-07-01

Bringing research into an undergraduate curriculum is a proven and powerful practice with many educational benefits to students and the professional rewards to faculty mentors. In recent years, undergraduate research has gained national prominence as an effective problem-based learning strategy. Developing and sustaining a vibrant undergraduate research program of high quality and productivity is an outstanding example of the problem-based learning. To foster student understanding of the content learned in the classroom and nurture enduring problem-solving and critical-thinking abilities, we have created a collaborative learning environment by building research into the Electro-Optics curriculum for the first- and second-year students. The teaching methodology is described and examples of the research projects are given. Such a research-integrated curriculum effectively enhances student learning and critical thinking skills, and strengthens the research culture for the first- and second-year students.

Use of Engineering Design Competitions for Undergraduate and Capstone Projects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kundu, Sumit; Fowler, Michael W.

2009-01-01

There are many professional benefits to pursuing undergraduate design opportunities and capstone projects to both students and faculty advisors. Using a case study on a group of graduates and undergraduates who took part in the Hydrogen Ambassador Competition in 2005 this study will examine the benefits and challenges from the point of view of all…

Reforming Undergraduate Biology Teaching through Graduate Assistants: Identifying Bridges and Barriers to Making Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hill, Kathleen M.; Orchinik, Miles

2016-01-01

Among policy makers, there is an ongoing discussion about the need to improve undergraduate education in science and engineering. With many undergraduate students being taught by graduate teaching assistants (GTAs), it is important to explore the development of STEM knowledge for teaching by GTAs. This study follows ten GTAs as they participated…

A hermeneutic phenomenological study of the experiences of female African American undergraduate engineering students at a predominantly White and an historically Black institution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frillman, Sharron Ann

2011-12-01

This phenomenological study examined the experiences of twelve female African Americans enrolled as fulltime undergraduate engineering students at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, an historically Black university, and seven female African Americans enrolled as undergraduate engineering students at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, a traditionally White institution. Interviews provided insights into the "lived" experiences of these young women and the factors they believe have contributed to their success in their respective engineering programs. Data analysis involved coding each participant's responses to interview questions using Atlas.ti, a powerful qualitative data analysis tool. This generated 181 codes that were further categorized into nine emergent themes, indicating the potential for extensive associations among the variables. The emergent themes are as follows: (1) Demographic information/special circumstances, (2) Personal attributes and characteristics, (3) Personal insights, (4) Sense of mission, (5) Sources of negative stress, (6) Success strategies, (7) Various forms of support, (8) Would/would not have made it to where she is now, and (9) Being African American and female in engineering. Analysis of these themes and their relationships led to the development of the Frillman Model of Emergent Themes in Female African American Engineering Students. Success. In addressing similarities and differences, three overriding theme categories emerged. These were: (1) Four personhood themes and dual social identity theme; (2) Environmental input and response theme; and (3) Outcome emergent theme of Would/Would not have made it to where she is now. Recommendations were made for future research to expand upon this exploratory study.

The Engineer and the Societal Dilemma: An Interdisciplinary Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coleman, Robert J.

The University of North Carolina's Electrical Engineering Department developed and delivered a course for undergraduate engineering students. The course integrated technical, social, and ethical perspectives on problems and issues faced in the world of practicing engineers. It achieved this integration by making use of professors in engineering,…

Study on diversified cultivation orientation and pattern of optoelectronic major undergraduates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Zhiying

2017-08-01

To improve the research quality preparation for graduate study and looking for job competition ability of undergraduates students, the education orientation objective need to be explicit. Universities need develop undergraduates' cultivation plan according to students' classification. Based on analysis of students export characteristic, there will be corresponding cultivation plan. Keep tracking study during the cultivation plan implantation process, the Curriculum system and related manage documents are revised corresponding to exist problems. There are mainly three kinds of undergraduates' career direction plan for opto-electronic major undergraduates. In addition to the vast majority university graduates opting for direct employment, nearly one third of university students choose to take part in the postgraduate entrance exams and other further education abroad, and also one-tenth choose their own businesses, university chooses are diversified. The exports are further studying as graduates, working and study abroad. Because national defense students are also recruited, the cultivation plan will be diversified to four types. For students, who go to work directly after graduation, the "Excellence engineers plan" is implemented to enhance their practice ability. For students, who will study further as graduate student, the scientific innovation research ability cultivation is paid more attention to make good foundation for their subsequent development. For students, who want to study abroad after graduation, the bilingual teaching method is introduced, and the English environment is built. We asked foreign professionals to give lectures for students. The knowledge range is extending, and the exchange and cooperation chance is provided at the same time. And the cultivation plan is revised during docking with Universities abroad. For national defense students, combat training and other defense theory courses are added to make them familiar with force knowledge. And with national defense students' excellence engineer plan, more army practice chance is provided. The students can integrate into army life much faster. The advantages of national defense students are much more highlighted. The graduates can serve motherland better than before. It is shown from the practice process that the revised cultivation plan is suitable for diversified undergraduates. And the education result is improved in a large amount consequently.

ERM TLB Teaching-Learning Behavior News

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LeBold, William K., Ed.

1978-01-01

Describes a graduate electrical engineering mini-course, computer graphics gaming and simulation, classroom management and student progress records, student reaction to instruction, and computer graphics in undergraduate education. (SL)

University of Maryland MRSEC - Research: Highlights

Science.gov Websites

; National Labs International Educational Education Pre-College Programs Homeschool Programs Undergraduate Perspective at UMD MRSEC Nanoscience Camp Annual Middle School Student Science Conference (SSC) Pre ) Activities UMD-MRSEC Research Experience for Undergraduates Program (REU) Pre-Engineering Program

Research and Teaching: Transforming Discussion in General Chemistry with Authentic Experiences for Engineering Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crippen, Kent J.; Boyer, Treavor H.; Korolev, Maria; de Torres, Trisha; Brucat, Phil J.; Wu, Chang-Yu

2016-01-01

Undergraduate engineering education in the United States is in need of reform that addresses the recruitment and retention of a diverse population of students. Change Chem is a curriculum reform model that has been created to address this issue for freshman students. This article reports on a mixed method efficacy study of Change Chem, which uses…

Improving Engineering Student Team Collaborative Discussions by Moving Them Online: An Investigation of Synchronous Chat and Face-to-Face Team Conversations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fowler, Robin Revette

2014-01-01

Collaborative learning, particularly in the context of team-based, project-based learning, is common in undergraduate engineering education and is associated with deeper learning and enhanced student motivation and retention. However, grouping students in teams for project-based learning sometimes has negative outcomes, which can include lowered…

Progress update on a 2015 USIP interdisciplinary undergraduate student microgravity experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dove, A.; Colwell, J. E.; Brisset, J.; Kirstein, J.; Brightwell, K.; Hayden, R.; Jorges, J.; Schwartzberg, D.; Strange, J.; Yates, A.

2016-12-01

Our team was selected by the 2016 USIP program to build, fly, and analyze the results from a granular dynamics experiment that will fly in 2017 on a suborbital flight. The experiment will be designed to test technology and enable science relevant to low-gravity planetary objects, such as asteroids, comets, and small moons. Following on the success of previous NASA Flight Opportunities Program (FOP) and Undergraduate Student Instrumentation Project (USIP) projects, however, the primary driver of the project is to enable undergraduate student participation in the entire lifetime of a science and technology development project. Our mentoring team consists of faculty, postdoctoral researchers, and graduate students, who have experience with the past USIP program and similar projects, as well as with mentoring undergraduate students. The undergraduate team includes a diversity of major disciplines, including physics, mechanical/aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, business (accounting), and marketing. Each team member has specific project tasks, as outlined in the proposal, and all members will also help develop and participate in outreach events. In additional to their project roles, students will also be responsible for presentations and milestones, such as design reviews. Through these reviews and the outreach events, all team members have the chance to develop their technical and non-technical communication skills. Previous experience with the NASA USIP program demonstrated that students achieve significant growth through these projects -gaining a better understanding of the entire lifecycle of a project, and, likely more importantly, how to work with a diverse team. In this talk, we will discuss the status of the project, and present student impressions and thoughts on the project thus far.

Persistence of deaf students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics undergraduate programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marchut, Amber E.

Diversifying the student population and workforce under science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is a necessity if innovations and creativity are to expand. There has not been a lot of literature regarding Deaf students in STEM especially regarding understanding how they persist in STEM undergraduate programs to successfully become STEM Bachelor of Science degree recipients. This study addresses the literature gap by investigating six students' experiences as they navigate their STEM undergraduate programs. The investigation uses narrative inquiry methodology and grounded theory method through the lens of Critical Race Theory and Critical Deaf Theory. Using videotaped interviews and observations, their experiences are highlighted using narratives portraying them as individuals surviving in a society that tends to perceive being deaf as a deficit that needs to be treated or cured. The data analysis also resulted in a conceptual model providing a description of how they persist. The crucial aspect of the conceptual model is the participants learned how to manage being deaf in a hearing-dominated society so they can reach their aspirations. The essential blocks for the persistence and managing their identities as deaf undergraduate STEMs include working harder, relying on familial support, and affirming themselves. Through the narratives and conceptual model of the six Deaf STEM undergraduates, the goal is to contribute to literature to promote a better understanding of the persistence of Deaf students, members of a marginalized group, as they pursue their dreams.

Making developmental biology relevant to undergraduates in an era of economic rationalism in Australia.

PubMed

Key, Brian; Nurcombe, Victor

2003-01-01

This report describes the road map we followed at our university to accommodate three main factors: financial pressure within the university system; desire to enhance the learning experience of undergraduates; and motivation to increase the prominence of the discipline of developmental biology in our university. We engineered a novel, multi-year undergraduate developmental biology program which was "student-oriented," ensuring that students were continually exposed to the underlying principles and philosophy of this discipline throughout their undergraduate career. Among its key features are introductory lectures in core courses in the first year, which emphasize the relevance of developmental biology to tissue engineering, reproductive medicine, therapeutic approaches in medicine, agriculture and aquaculture. State-of-the-art animated computer graphics and images of high visual impact are also used. In addition, students are streamed into the developmental biology track in the second year, using courses like human embryology and courses shared with cell biology, which include practicals based on modern experimental approaches. Finally, fully dedicated third-year courses in developmental biology are undertaken in conjunction with stand-alone practical courses where students experiencefirst-hand work in a research laboratory. Our philosophy is a "cradle-to-grave" approach to the education of undergraduates so as to prepare highly motivated, enthusiastic and well-educated developmental biologists for entry into graduate programs and ultimately post-doctoral research.

Physics Problems Based on Up-to-Date Science and Technology.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Folan, Lorcan M.; Tsifrinovich, Vladimir I.

2007-03-01

We observe a huge chasm between up-to-date science and undergraduate education. The result of this chasm is that current student interest in undergraduate science is low. Consequently, students who are graduating from college are often unable to take advantage of the many opportunities offered by science and technology. Cutting edge science and technology frequently use the methods learned in undergraduate courses, but up-to-date applications are not normally used as examples or for problems in undergraduate courses. There are many physics problems which contain information about the latest achievements in science and technology. But typically, the level of these problems is too advanced for undergraduates. We created physics problems for undergraduate science and engineering students, which are based on the latest achievements in science and technology. These problems have been successfully used in our courses at the Polytechnic University in New York. We believe that university faculty may suggest such problems in order to provide information about the frontiers of science and technological, demonstrate the importance of undergraduate physics in solving contemporary problems and raise the interest of talented students in science. From the other side, our approach may be considered an indirect way for advertising advanced technologies, which undergraduate students and, even more important, future college graduates could use in their working lives.

Study of the undergraduate student's innovation and entrepreneurship training strategy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sui, Guorong; Liang, Binming; Jia, Hongzhi

2017-08-01

With the development of science and technology, all teachers in the college will face how to stimulate the undergraduate student's ability and make them to be an excellent engineer. For solving these questions, a new scheme with three steps has been designed. First, students will participate in the class teaching activity not only teacher. It will encourage them to read many extracurricular books and articles. Second, they will be required to think and design more new experiments after complete all experiment about the textbook and join more competition of the innovation and entrepreneurship. Third, some students who have more time and ability can early enter into his advisor professor's lab to join various science and technology project. By this scheme, it will be realized to improve student's innovation ability and be a brilliant engineer.

Building an Undergraduate STEM Team Using Team-Based Learning Leading to the Production of a Storyboard Appropriate for Elementary Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cutright, Teresa J.; Evans, Edward; Brantner, Justin S.

2014-01-01

A unique undergraduate team that spans five different engineering disciplines, chemistry, biology, and mathematics was formed. The team was formed to promote cross-disciplinary learning, to improve retention, and to prepare the students for the kind of problems they will face in their careers. This paper describes the variety of activities used…

Undergraduate Research Opportunities in OSS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boldyreff, Cornelia; Capiluppi, Andrea; Knowles, Thomas; Munro, James

Using Open Source Software (OSS) in undergraduate teaching in universities is now commonplace. Students use OSS applications and systems in their courses on programming, operating systems, DBMS, web development to name but a few. Studying OSS projects from both a product and a process view also forms part of the software engineering curriculum at various universities. Many students have taken part in OSS projects as well as developers.

University of Wyoming, College of Engineering, undergraduate design projects to aid Wyoming persons with disabilities.

PubMed

Barrett, Steven F; Laurin, Kathy M; Bloom, Janet K Chidester

2003-01-01

In Spring 2002 the University of Wyoming received NSF funding from the Division of Bioengineering and Environmental Systems to provide a meaningful design experience for University of Wyoming, College of Engineering students that will directly aid individuals with disabilities within the state of Wyoming. Other universities have participated in this very worthwhile program [1, 2, 3]. To achieve the program purpose, the following objectives were established: Provide engineering students multi-disciplinary, meaningful, community service design projects, Provide persons with disabilities assistive devices to empower them to achieve the maximum individual growth and development and afford them the opportunity to participate in all aspects of life as they choose, Provide engineering students education and awareness on the special needs and challenges of persons with disabilities, and Provide undergraduate engineering students exposure to the biomedical field of engineering. To accomplish these objectives the College of Engineering partnered with three organizations that provide education and service related to disability. Specifically, the college has joined with the Wyoming Institute for Disabilities (WIND) assistive technology program, Wyoming New Options in Technology (WYNOT) and their Sports and Outdoor Assistive Recreation (SOAR) project along with the university's Special Education program. In this paper we will describe how the program was created, developed, and its current status.

Persistence of undergraduate women in STEM fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pedone, Maggie Helene

The underrepresentation of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is a complex problem that continues to persist at the postsecondary level, particularly in computer science and engineering fields. This dissertation explored the pre-college and college level factors that influenced undergraduate women's persistence in STEM. This study also examined and compared the characteristics of undergraduate women who entered STEM fields and non-STEM fields in 2003-2004. The nationally representative Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study (BPS:04/09) data set was used for analysis. BPS:04/09 study respondents were surveyed three times (NPSAS:04, BPS:04/06, BPS:04/09) over a six-year period, which enabled me to explore factors related to long-term persistence. Astin's Input-Environment-Output (I-E-O) model was used as the framework to examine student inputs and college environmental factors that predict female student persistence (output) in STEM. Chi-square tests revealed significant differences between undergraduate women who entered STEM and non-STEM fields in 2003-2004. Differences in student demographics, prior academic achievement, high school course-taking patterns, and student involvement in college such as participation in study groups and school clubs were found. Notably, inferential statistics showed that a significantly higher proportion of female minority students entered STEM fields than non-STEM fields. These findings challenge the myth that underrepresented female minorities are less inclined to enter STEM fields. Logistic regression analyses revealed thirteen significant predictors of persistence for undergraduate women in STEM. Findings showed that undergraduate women who were younger, more academically prepared, and academically and socially involved in college (e.g., lived on campus, interacted with faculty, participated in study groups, fine arts activities, and school sports) were more likely to persist in STEM fields. This longitudinal study showed that both pre-college and college level factors influenced undergraduate women's persistence in STEM. The research findings offer important implications for policy and practice initiatives in higher education that focus on the recruitment and retention of women in postsecondary STEM fields.

WebGURU: The Web-Based Guide to Research for Undergraduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mabrouk, Patricia; McIntyre, Ryan; Virrankoski, Milena; Jeliffe, Kirsten

2007-01-01

Undergraduate research (UR) is widely promoted by faculty, administrators, institutions of higher learning, government laboratories, private industry, professional associations, and funding agencies as an effective method of training college students pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines at…

Evaluation of students' perception of their learning environment and approaches to learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valyrakis, Manousos; Cheng, Ming

2015-04-01

This work presents the results of two case studies designed to assess the various approaches undergraduate and postgraduate students undertake for their education. The first study describes the results and evaluation of an undergraduate course in Water Engineering which aims to develop the fundamental background knowledge of students on introductory practical applications relevant to the practice of water and hydraulic engineering. The study assesses the effectiveness of the course design and learning environment from the perception of students using a questionnaire addressing several aspects that may affect student learning, performance and satisfaction, such as students' motivation, factors to effective learning, and methods of communication and assessment. The second study investigates the effectiveness of supervisory arrangements based on the perceptions of engineering undergraduate and postgraduate students. Effective supervision requires leadership skills that are not taught in the University, yet there is rarely a chance to get feedback, evaluate this process and reflect. Even though the results are very encouraging there are significant lessons to learn in improving ones practice and develop an effective learning environment to student support and guidance. The findings from these studies suggest that students with high level of intrinsic motivation are deep learners and are also top performers in a student-centered learning environment. A supportive teaching environment with a plethora of resources and feedback made available over different platforms that address students need for direct communication and feedback has the potential to improve student satisfaction and their learning experience. Finally, incorporating a multitude of assessment methods is also important in promoting deep learning. These results have deep implications about student learning and can be used to further improve course design and delivery in the future.

Retention and Recruitment Programs for Female Undergraduate Students in Engineering at The University of Toledo, Ohio, USA

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Franchetti, Matthew; Ravn, Tina; Kuntz, Vicki L.

2010-01-01

This paper summarizes the findings of a five year study aimed at improving both recruitment and retention of female students pursuing careers in engineering. The study analyzed a series of five programs implemented at the College of Engineering at The University of Toledo in Ohio, USA. The effectiveness of the programs over time is measured from…

Synthesis of Hollow Gold-Silver Alloyed Nanoparticles: A "Galvanic Replacement" Experiment for Chemistry and Engineering Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jenkins, Samir V.; Gohman, Taylor D.; Miller, Emily K.; Chen, Jingyi

2015-01-01

The rapid academic and industrial development of nanotechnology has led to its implementation in laboratory teaching for undergraduate-level chemistry and engineering students. This laboratory experiment introduces the galvanic replacement reaction for synthesis of hollow metal nanoparticles and investigates the optical properties of these…

The Research Proposal in Biomechanical and Biological Engineering Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrison, Roger G.; Nollert, Matthias U.; Schmidtke, David W.; Sikavitsas, Vassilios I.

2006-01-01

Students in four biochemical and biological engineering courses for upper-­level undergraduates and graduate students were required to write a research proposal. Breaking the requirements down into segments (such as a summary with specific aims, rough draft, and final draft) due on different dates helped make the assignment more manageable for the…

Learning to Become Graduate Students: Japanese Women's Experience in the Research Unit in Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hosaka, Masako

2010-01-01

Based on the analysis of 16 interviews with women first-year master's students at two national engineering schools in Japan, this article examines the socialisation role of compulsory undergraduate research experience in Japanese women's decisions to pursue graduate education and choices of the programme. The findings suggest that research…

Technology to Advance High School and Undergraduate Students with Disabilities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leddy, Mark H.

2010-01-01

Americans with disabilities are underemployed in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) at higher rates than their nondisabled peers. This article provides an overview of the National science Foundation's Research in Disabilities Education (RDE) program, of technology use by students with disabilities (SWD) in STEM, and of…

"Star Power" for Teaching Professional Skills to Engineering Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goh, Suk Meng

2012-01-01

The objective of this study is to evaluate the potential of a game called "Star Power" to teach professional skills to mechanical engineering undergraduates. The game was conducted as an activity in a final year Professional Practice unit. A survey in the form of a questionnaire was administered to participating students in the following…

Virtual Placements to Develop Employability Skills for Civil and Environmental Engineering Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paul, Parneet

2015-01-01

This project work addresses the crucial need to encourage undergraduate civil and environmental engineering students to gain employment skills and training right from the start of their studies so that their overall employability increases; their confidence level in networking with industry and within the workplace increases; and so that they are…

Studying Faculty Members' and Students' Perspective in an Affiliated Undergraduate Engineering Institution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kumari, Neeraj

2015-01-01

The study aims to examine the relationship between parameters affecting the quality of Education in affiliated Under Graduate Engineering institution from the faculty members' and students' perspective. It is a descriptive research. The data has been collected with the help of "Questionnaire Based Survey". The sample size for the study…

Methodology for Developing Teaching Activities and Materials for Use in Fluid Mechanics Courses in Undergraduate Engineering Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gamez-Montero, P. Javier; Raush, Gustavo; Domènech, Lluis; Castilla, Robert; García-Vílchez, Mercedes; Moreno, Hipòlit; Carbó, Albert

2015-01-01

"Mechanics" and "Fluids" are familiar concepts for any newly-registered engineering student. However, when combined into the term "Fluid Mechanics", students are thrust into the great unknown. The present article demonstrates the process of adaptation employed by the Fluid Mechanics course in the undergraduate…

Podcasting in Engineering Education: A Preliminary Study of Content, Student Attitudes, and Impact

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berger, Edward

2007-01-01

Edward Berger describes a pilot project implemented in an undergraduate engineering mechanics course, entitled Strength of Materials to investigate whether and how students would perceive a benefit from podcasting as a pedagogical tool. Three types of podcasting content were produced: (a) video problem solutions, (b) roundtable discussions, and…

Investigating the Use of Design Methods by Capstone Design Students at Clemson University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, W. Stuart; Summers, Joshua D.

2013-01-01

The authors describe a preliminary study to understand the attitude of engineering students regarding the use of design methods in projects to identify the factors either affecting or influencing the use of these methods by novice engineers. A senior undergraduate capstone design course at Clemson University, consisting of approximately fifty…

Preparedness Portfolios and Portfolio Studios: Supporting Self-Authoring Engineers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sattler, Brook; Turns, Jennifer

2015-01-01

In this work, we engaged engineering undergraduate students in constructing an ePortfolio. The purpose of the research presented here was to explore the question, "If and in what ways do students report experiencing the construction of a preparedness portfolio in a portfolio studio as an opportunity to develop into self-authoring…

Brief 76 Nuclear Engineering Enrollments and Degrees Survey, 2015 Data

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None, None

The 2015 Nuclear Engineering Enrollments and Degrees Survey reports degrees granted between September 1, 2014 and August 31, 2015. Enrollment information refers to the fall term 2015. The enrollments and degrees data comprises students majoring in nuclear engineering or in an option program equivalent to a major. Thirty-five academic programs reported having nuclear engineering programs during 2015, and data was received from all thirty-five programs. The report includes enrollment information on undergraduate students and graduate students and information by degree level for post-graduation plans.

Students' attitudes towards interdisciplinary education: a course on interdisciplinary aspects of science and engineering education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gero, Aharon

2017-05-01

A course entitled 'Science and Engineering Education: Interdisciplinary Aspects' was designed to expose undergraduate students of science and engineering education to the attributes of interdisciplinary education which integrates science and engineering. The core of the course is an interdisciplinary lesson, which each student is supposed to teach his/her peers. Sixteen students at advanced stages of their studies attended the course. The research presented here used qualitative instruments to characterise students' attitudes towards interdisciplinary learning and teaching of science and engineering. According to the findings, despite the significant challenge which characterises interdisciplinary teaching, a notable improvement was evident throughout the course in the percentage of students who expressed willingness to teach interdisciplinary classes in future.

An Engineering Research Program for High School Science Teachers: Year Two Changes and Results

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeJong, Brian P.; Yelamarthi, Kumar; Kaya, Tolga

2016-01-01

The research experiences for teachers program at Central Michigan University was initiated to team in-service and pre-service teachers with undergraduate engineering students and engineering faculty, in an engineering research setting. During the six-week program, teachers learn engineering concepts and develop high-school instructional material…

What Engineering Sophomores Know and Would Like to Know about Engineering Information Sources and Access

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ercegovac, Zorana

2009-01-01

This exploratory study reports on what engineering undergraduate students know and would like to learn about engineering information sources and access. Responses were obtained on selected performance measures within the framework of "Information Literacy Standards for Science and Engineering/Technology" (ACRL/ALA/STS 2006). The results are based…

A photovoltaics module for incoming science, technology, engineering and mathematics undergraduates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dark, Marta L.

2011-05-01

Photovoltaic-cell-based projects have been used to train eight incoming undergraduate women who were part of a residential summer programme at a women's college. A module on renewable energy and photovoltaic cells was developed in the physics department. The module's objectives were to introduce women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) majors to physical phenomena, to develop quantitative literacy and communication skills, and to increase the students' interest in physics. The students investigated the performance of commercially available silicon semiconductors through experiments they designed, carried out and analysed. They fabricated and tested organic dye-based solar cells. This article describes the programme, the solar cell module, and presents some experimental results obtained by the students.

Teaching Agile Software Engineering Using Problem-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

El-Khalili, Nuha H.

2013-01-01

Many studies have reported the utilization of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) in teaching Software Engineering courses. However, these studies have different views of the effectiveness of PBL. This paper presents the design of an Advanced Software Engineering course for undergraduate Software Engineering students that uses PBL to teach them Agile…

Integrating Research and Extension for the Nsf-Reu Program in Water Resources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Judge, J.; Migliaccio, K.; Gao, B.; Shukla, S.; Ehsani, R.; McLamore, E.

2011-12-01

Providing positive and meaningful research experiences to students in their undergraduate years is critical for motivating them to pursue advanced degrees or research careers in science and engineering. Such experiences not only offer training for the students in problem solving and critical thinking via hands-on projects, but also offer excellent mentoring and recruiting opportunities for the faculty advisors. The goal of the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Program in the Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department (ABE) at the University of Florida (UF) is to provide eight undergraduate students a unique opportunity to conduct research in water resources using interdisciplinary approaches, integrating research and extension. The students are selected from diverse cultural and educational backgrounds. The eight-week REU Program utilizes the extensive infrastructure of UF - Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) through the Research and Education Centers (RECs). Two students are paired to participate in their own project under the direct supervision of one of the four research mentors. Four of the eight students are located at the main campus, in Gainesville, Fl, and four remaining students are located off-campus, at the RECs, where some of the ABE faculty are located. The students achieve an enriching cohort experience through social networking, daily blogs, and weekly video conferences to share their research and other REU experiences. The students are co-located during the Orientation week and also during the 5-day Florida Waters Tour. Weekly group meetings and guest lectures are conducted via synchronously through video conferencing. The integration of research and extension is naturally achieved through the projects at the RECs, the guest lectures, Extension workshops, and visits to the Water Management Districts in Florida. In the last two years of the Program, we have received over 80 applicants, from four-year and advanced degree offering institutions and a variety of majors such as Geology, Meteorology, Environmental Sciences & Engineering, Civil Engineering, Water Resources, Agricultural Engineering, Physics, Geography, Chemical Engineering, to name a few. This model of providing integrated research and extension opportunities in hydrology where not all the REU participants are physically co-located, is unique and can be extended to other disciplines.

Proceedings of the ninth national conference on undergraduate research, 1995. Volume 2

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yearout, R.D.

1995-07-01

The Ninth National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR 95) was held at Union College in Schenectady, New York. This annual celebration of undergraduate scholarly activity continues to elicit strong nation-wide support and enthusiasm among both students and faculty. Attendance was nearly 1,650, which included 1,213 student oral and poster presenters. For the second year in a row, many student papers had to be rejected for presentation at NCUR due to conference size limitations. Thus, submitted papers for presentation at NCUR 95 were put through a careful review process before acceptance. Those students who have been selected to have their papermore » appear in these Proceedings have been through yet a second review process. As a consequence, their work has been judged to represent an impressive level of achievement at the undergraduate level. Volume 2 contains papers related to Engineering and Mathematics (41 papers) and Physical Science (18 papers).« less

Final report to DOE: Matching Grant Program for the Penn State University Nuclear Engineering Program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jack S. Brenizer, Jr.

2003-01-17

The DOE/Industry Matching Grant Program is designed to encourage collaborative support for nuclear engineering education as well as research between the nation's nuclear industry and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Despite a serious decline in student enrollments in the 1980s and 1990s, the discipline of nuclear engineering remained important to the advancement of the mission goals of DOE. The program is designed to ensure that academic programs in nuclear engineering are maintained and enhanced in universities throughout the U.S. At Penn State, the Matching Grant Program played a critical role in the survival of the Nuclear Engineering degree programs.more » Funds were used in a variety of ways to support both undergraduate and graduate students directly. Some of these included providing seed funding for new graduate research initiatives, funding the development of new course materials, supporting new teaching facilities, maintenance and purchase of teaching laboratory equipment, and providing undergraduate scholarships, graduate fellowships, and wage payroll positions for students.« less

English Education for Engineers in the World of Globalization : A Report of an Undergraduate and Graduate English Program with an Emphasis on Writing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shimazu, Nobuko

In an increasingly globalized world, demand for engineers well versed in English remains strong. As a professor of English in the Faculty of Computer Science and Systems Engineering at the Kyushu Institute of Technology, I have sought with the aid of two associate professors to improve the English program for our engineering students together to help meet that very demand. In order to assist other English teachers in similar situations to improve their own English programs, I would like to report on the ideas and methods presently used in our undergraduate English program, specifically the first-year compulsory and common course with its emphasis on paragraph writing which students from each of the five departments within the Faculty of Computer Science and Systems Engineering are required to take. In addition, I would also like to report my ideas and teaching methods for a graduate research paper writing course. The objective of this course is to teach graduate students how to write presentations for conferences and papers for journals at the international level.

Empathy among students in engineering programmes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rasoal, Chato; Danielsson, Henrik; Jungert, Tomas

2012-10-01

Engineers face challenges when they are to manage project groups and be leaders for organisations because such positions demand skills in social competence and empathy. Previous studies have shown that engineers have low degrees of social competence skills. In this study, the level of empathy as measured by the four subscales of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index, perspective taking, fantasy, empathic distress and empathic concern, among engineering students was compared to students in health care profession programmes. Participants were undergraduate students at Linköping University, 365 students from four different health care profession programmes and 115 students from two different engineering programmes. When the empathy measures were corrected for effects of sex, engineering students from one of the programmes had lower empathy than psychology and social worker students on the fantasy and perspective-taking subscales. These results raise questions regarding opportunities for engineering students to develop their empathic abilities. It is important that engineering students acquire both theoretical and practical knowledge and skills regarding empathy.

An Undergraduate Research Experience that Integrates Traditional Field Mapping, LiDAR, and 3D Numerical Modeling: Applying Lessons from a Recent Report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in an Intermediate-Level Tectonic Landscapes Course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reinen, L. A.; Brenner, K.

2017-12-01

Ongoing efforts to improve undergraduate education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields focus on increasing active student participation and decreasing traditional lecture-based teaching. Undergraduate research experiences (UREs), which engage students in the work of STEM professionals, are an example of these efforts. A recent report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (Undergraduate Research Experiences for STEM Students: Successes, Challenges, and Opportunities; 2017) provides characteristics of UREs, and indicates that participation in UREs increases student interest and persistence in STEM as well as provides opportunities to broaden student participation in these fields. UREs offer an excellent opportunity to engage students in research using the rapidly evolving technologies used by STEM professionals. In the fall of 2016, students in the Tectonic Landscapes class at Pomona College participated in a course-based URE that combined traditional field mapping methods with analysis of high-resolution topographic data (LiDAR) and 3D numerical modeling to investigate questions of active local faulting. During the first ten weeks students developed skills in: creation of fault maps from both field observations (GPS included) and high-resolution digital elevation models (DEMs), assessment of tectonic activity through analyses of DEMs of hill slope diffusion models and geomorphic indices, and evaluation of fault geometry hypotheses via 3D elastic modeling. Most of these assignments were focused on a single research site. While students primarily used Excel, ArcMap, and Poly3D, no previous knowledge of these was required or assumed. Through this iterative approach, students used increasingly more complex methods as well as gained greater ownership of the research process with time. The course culminated with a 4-week independent research project in which each student investigated a question of their own choosing using skills developed earlier in the course. We will provide details of the course, scaffolding of the technical skills, growing the independence of students in the research process, and discuss early outcomes of student confidence, engagement and retention.

Mentoring Undergraduate Students through the Space Shuttle Hitchhiker GoldHELOX Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moody, J. Ward; Barnes, Jonathan; Roming, Peter; Durfee, Dallin; Campbell, Branton; Turley, Steve; Eastman, Paul

2015-01-01

In the late 1980s a team of four BYU undergraduate students designed a space-based telescope to image the sun in soft x-rays from 171-181 Angstroms to gain information on microflares and their relation to the corona-chromosphere transition region. The telescope used a near-normal incidence multi-layered mirror imaging onto film through a micro-channel plate. The system was capable of 1.0 sec time resolution and 2.5 arcsec spatial resolution. Aided by a NASA grant in 1991, a system was built and successfully tested in 1998 at Marshall Space Flight Center. Originally designed to be deployed from a Get-Away-Special (GAS) canister in the bay of a space shuttle, the good results of this test elevated GoldHelox to greater-priority Hitchhiker status. Even so technical and procedural difficulties delayed a launch until after 2003. Unfortunately after the Columbia re-entry break-up in February 2003, the Hitchhiker program was cancelled and the GoldHelox project ended.Well over 200 undergraduate students worked on GoldHelox. Many of these have since earned advanced degrees in a variety of technical fields. Several have gone on to work in the space industry, becoming NASA scientists and engineers with one becoming a PI on the Swift satellite. The broad range of talent on the team has included students majoring in physics, astronomy, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, manufacturing engineering, design engineering, business and even English majors who have written technical and public relations documents. We report on lessons learned and the pitfalls and successes of this unique mentoring experience.

Final Technical Report: Hydrogen Energy in Engineering Education (H2E3)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lehman, Peter A.; Cashman, Eileen; Lipman, Timothy

2011-09-15

Schatz Energy Research Center's Hydrogen Energy in Engineering Education curriculum development project delivered hydrogen energy and fuel cell learning experiences to over 1,000 undergraduate engineering students at five California universities, provided follow-on internships for students at a fuel cell company; and developed commercializable hydrogen teaching tools including a fuel cell test station and a fuel cell/electrolyzer experiment kit. Monitoring and evaluation tracked student learning and faculty and student opinions of the curriculum, showing that use of the curriculum did advance student comprehension of hydrogen fundamentals. The project web site (hydrogencurriculum.org) provides more information.

Engineering a Cause and Cure to Climate Change; Working a culture change with our Future Engineers.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hudier, E. J. J.

2014-12-01

Where scientist unravel the laws of nature giving the human race the means to remodel their environment, engineers are the tools that put together the very technologies that give humans this power. Early on, along our first steps through this industrialization era, development was the key word, nature could digest our waste products no matter what. We have managed to tamper with our atmosphere's gas composition and the climate is slowly remodelling our way of life. Engineers are now expected to be a key part of the solution. Engineering programs have evolved to include new dimensions such as ethics, communication and environment. We want future engineers to put these dimensions first while working on new machine designs, concepts and procedures. As undergraduate students with a deep science background we also want them to be a source of information for their co-workers and more. How well are we getting through? How good teachers our future engineers will be? This work take a look at the teaching/learning successes comparing engineering students with students attending an undergraduate program in biology. Methods emphasizing the acquisition of knowledge through lectures and reading assignments are tested along with activities aiming at unraveling the scientific fundamental behind environmental issues and putting forward original solutions to specific problematic. Concept knowledge scores, communications' quality and activities evaluations by students are discussed.

EST: Evading Scientific Text.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ward, Jeremy

2001-01-01

Examines chemical engineering students' attitudes to text and other parts of English language textbooks. A questionnaire was administered to a group of undergraduates. Results reveal one way students get around the problem of textbook reading. (Author/VWL)

[Research-oriented experimental course of plant cell and gene engineering for undergraduates].

PubMed

Xiaofei, Lin; Rong, Zheng; Morigen, Morigen

2015-04-01

Research-oriented comprehensive experimental course for undergraduates is an important part for their training of innovation. We established an optional course of plant cell and gene engineering for undergraduates using our research platform. The course is designed to study the cellular and molecular basis and experimental techniques for plant tissue culture, isolation and culture of protoplast, genetic transformation, and screening and identification of transgenic plants. To develop undergraduates' ability in experimental design and operation, and inspire their interest in scientific research and innovation consciousness, we integrated experimental teaching and practice in plant genetic engineering on the tissue, cellular, and molecular levels. Students in the course practiced an experimental teaching model featured by two-week teaching of principles, independent experimental design and bench work, and ready-to-access laboratory. In this paper, we describe the contents, methods, evaluation system and a few issues to be solved in this course, as well as the general application and significance of the research-oriented experimental course in reforming undergraduates' teaching and training innovative talents.

A systemic analysis of cheating in an undergraduate engineering mechanics course.

PubMed

Bertram Gallant, Tricia; Van Den Einde, Lelli; Ouellette, Scott; Lee, Sam

2014-03-01

Cheating in the undergraduate classroom is not a new problem, and it is recognized as one that is endemic to the education system. This paper examines the highly normative behavior of using unauthorized assistance (e.g., a solutions manual or a friend) on an individual assignment within the context of an upper division undergraduate course in engineering mechanics. The findings indicate that there are varying levels of accepting responsibility among the students (from denial to tempered to full) and that acceptance of responsibility can lead to identification of learning and necessary behavioral changes. The findings have implications for institutions and engineering faculty, in particular the need for consistent academic integrity education and the teaching of professional integrity and ethics.

The Fu Foundation School of Engineering & Applied Science - Columbia

Science.gov Websites

Room Reservation Contact Us Admissions - Undergraduate Admissions - Graduate Office of the Dean Alumni Partnerships Distance Learning (CVN) Current Students Undergraduate Graduate Career Development Distance GradZone Faculty Search Alumni Programs and Events Benefits & Services Get Involved Giving to Columbia

Elevating Learner Achievement Using Formative Electronic Lab Assessments in the Engineering Laboratory: A Viable Alternative to Weekly Lab Reports

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Baiyun; DeMara, Ronald F.; Salehi, Soheil; Hartshorne, Richard

2018-01-01

A laboratory pedagogy interweaving weekly student portfolios with onsite formative electronic laboratory assessments (ELAs) is developed and assessed within the laboratory component of a required core course of the electrical and computer engineering (ECE) undergraduate curriculum. The approach acts to promote student outcomes, and neutralize…

A Triangulated Study of Academic Language Needs of Iranian Students of Computer Engineering: Are the Courses on Track?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Atai, Mahmood Reza; Shoja, Leila

2011-01-01

Even though English for Specific Academic Purposes (ESAP) courses constitute a significant part of the Iranian university curriculum, curriculum developers have generally developed the programs based on intuition. This study assessed the present and target situation academic language needs of undergraduate students of computer engineering. To this…

The Attitude of Civil Engineering Students towards Health and Safety Risk Management: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petersen, A. K.; Reynolds, J. H.; Ng, L. W. T.

2008-01-01

The highest rate of accidents and injuries in British industries has been reported by the construction industry during the past decade. Since then stakeholders have recognised that a possible solution would be to inculcate a good attitude towards health and safety risk management in undergraduate civil engineering students and construction…

Interactive Computer Simulation and Animation for Improving Student Learning of Particle Kinetics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fang, N.; Guo, Y.

2016-01-01

Computer simulation and animation (CSA) has been receiving growing attention and wide application in engineering education in recent years. A new interactive CSA module was developed in the present study to improve student learning of particle kinetics in an undergraduate engineering dynamics course. The unique feature of this CSA module is that…

The Effect of Curricular Activities on Learner Autonomy: The Perspective of Undergraduate Mechanical Engineering Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duarte, M.; Leite, C.; Mouraz, A.

2016-01-01

This study researches how first-year engineering students perceived the influence of curricular activities on their own learning autonomy, measured with an adaptation of the Personal Responsibility Orientation to Self-direction in Learning Scale (PRO-SDLS). Participants were questioned to assess the influence of the teacher's role. The results…

From Archi Torture to Architecture: Undergraduate Students Design and Implement Computers Using the Multimedia Logic Emulator

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stanley, Timothy D.; Wong, Lap Kei; Prigmore, Daniel; Benson, Justin; Fishler, Nathan; Fife, Leslie; Colton, Don

2007-01-01

Students learn better when they both hear and do. In computer architecture courses "doing" can be difficult in small schools without hardware laboratories hosted by computer engineering, electrical engineering, or similar departments. Software solutions exist. Our success with George Mills' Multimedia Logic (MML) is the focus of this paper. MML…

Writing in the Natural Sciences and Engineering: Implications for ESL Composition Courses.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Braine, George

A study investigated the types of writing assignments commonly found in undergraduate natural sciences and engineering courses. The study was used as a basis for the development of composition courses for limited-English-speaking students in these fields, the most popular fields of study among foreign students. Eighty take-home assignments given…

A Longitudinal Evaluation of a Project-Based Learning Initiative in an Engineering Undergraduate Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Wayne; Palmer, Stuart; Bennett, Mitchell

2012-01-01

Project-based learning (PBL) is a well-known student-centred methodology for engineering design education. The methodology claims to offer a number of educational benefits. This paper evaluates the student perceptions of the initial and second offering of a first-year design unit at Griffith University in Australia. It builds on an earlier…

Lincoln Advanced Science and Engineering Reinforcement (LASER) program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, Willie E.

1989-01-01

Lincoln University, under the Lincoln Advanced Science and Engineering Reinforcement (LASER) Program, has identified and successfully recruited over 100 students for majors in technical fields. To date, over 70 percent of these students have completed or will complete technical degrees in engineering, physics, chemistry, and computer science. Of those completing the undergraduate degree, over 40 percent have gone on to graduate and professional schools. This success is attributable to well planned approaches to student recruitment, training, personal motivation, retention, and program staff. Very closely coupled to the above factors is a focus designed to achieve excellence in program services and student performance. Future contributions by the LASER Program to the pool of technical minority graduates will have a significant impact. This is already evident from the success of the students that began the first year of the program. With program plans to refine many of the already successful techniques, follow-on activities are expected to make even greater contributions to the availability of technically trained minorities. For example, undergraduate research exposure, broadened summer, and co-op work experiences will be enhanced.

Encouraging the learning of hydraulic engineering subjects in agricultural engineering schools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodríguez Sinobas, Leonor; Sánchez Calvo, Raúl

2014-09-01

Several methodological approaches to improve the understanding and motivation of students in Hydraulic Engineering courses have been adopted in the Agricultural Engineering School at Technical University of Madrid. During three years student's progress and satisfaction have been assessed by continuous monitoring and the use of 'online' and web tools in two undergraduate courses. Results from their application to encourage learning and communication skills in Hydraulic Engineering subjects are analysed and compared to the initial situation. Student's academic performance has improved since their application, but surveys made among students showed that not all the methodological proposals were perceived as beneficial. Their participation in the 'online', classroom and reading activities was low although they were well assessed.

A Cross-Sectional Study of Engineering Students' Self-Efficacy by Gender, Ethnicity, Year, and Transfer Status

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Concannon, James P.; Barrow, Lloyd H.

2009-01-01

This is a cross-sectional study of 519 undergraduate engineering majors' self-efficacy beliefs at a large, research extensive, Midwestern university. Engineering self-efficacy is an individual's belief in his or her ability to successfully negotiate the academic hurdles of the engineering program. Engineering self-efficacy was obtained from four…

The Effect of Individual Learning Styles on Student GPA in Engineering Education at Morgan State University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hargrove, S. Keith, Sr.; Wheatland, John A.; Ding, Duowen; Brown, Cordelia M.

2008-01-01

The Clarence M. Mitchell School of Engineering at Morgan State University (MSU) is one of nine historically Black colleges and universities with undergraduate engineering programs accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). Since 2001, the School of Engineering at MSU has been a participant in a multi-school…

Research Laboratory for Engineering and Tehnology (ReLEnT)-Summer Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Okhio, Cyril B.

1996-01-01

During the fiscal years 1994-1995 students at Central State University (CSU) have worked diligently under the supervision of the PI and associates to plan, design and conduct a four-week hands on summer program for high school students in grades 9 to 12. These workshops consists of experiments and computer aided design and manufacturing, designed to constructively stimulate interests in engineering and technology, and promote enrollment at CSU after they matriculate from high school. The experience gained in two years will be utilized to realize one of the deliverables for CSU engineering program during 1996. In FY-96 a new total of 30 students are now being interviewed for the 1996 program. This grant also provides resource for students enrolled in CSU's engineering program to work as undergraduate research assistants and ReLEnT tuition scholarship awards. These students are involved in the development of research, design projects, workshop procedures, laboratory exercises and seminars. Undergraduate students receiving tuition scholarships are required to maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher. Finally, the ReLEnT award has made it possible for CSU to acquire some experimental and CFD capability which now provides us with the opportunity to compete and respond to RFP's on a competitive basis and a timely manner.

Elementary Students' Engagement in Failure-Prone Engineering Design Tasks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andrews, Chelsea Joy

2017-01-01

Although engineering education has been practiced at the undergraduate level for over a century, only fairly recently has the field broadened to include the elementary level; the pre-college division of the American Society of Engineering Education was established in 2003. As a result, while recent education standards require engineering in…

The Characteristics and Experiences of Successful Undergraduate Latina Students Who Persist in Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robinson, Carrie

2012-01-01

Females and underrepresented ethnic minorities earn a small percentage of engineering and computer science bachelor's degrees awarded in the United States, earn an even smaller proportion of master's and doctoral degrees, and are underrepresented in the engineering workforce (Engineering Workforce Commission, [2006], as cited in National Science…

Deconstructing Engineering Education Programmes: The DEEP Project to Reform the Mechanical Engineering Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Busch-Vishniac, Ilene; Kibler, Tom; Campbell, Patricia B.; Patterson, Eann; Guillaume, Darrell; Jarosz, Jeffrey; Chassapis, Constantin; Emery, Ashley; Ellis, Glenn; Whitworth, Horace; Metz, Susan; Brainard, Suzanne; Ray, Pradosh

2011-01-01

The goal of the Deconstructing Engineering Education Programmes project is to revise the mechanical engineering undergraduate curriculum to make the discipline more able to attract and retain a diverse community of students. The project seeks to reduce and reorder the prerequisite structure linking courses to offer greater flexibility for…

Teaching transportation systems thinking concepts to undergraduates.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-05-01

Systems thinking is thought by many academics to be a graduate level educational venture. : Many traditional educators in the engineering field argue that first a student should gain a : grounding in some traditional branch of engineering (civil and ...

An examination of the identity development of African American undergraduate engineering students attending an HBCU

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, Kenneth J.

This study examined the identity development for a sample of 90 African American undergraduate engineering male and female students attending an HBCU. Using the Student Development Task and Lifestyle Assessment (SDTLA), which is based on Chickering and Reisser's identity development theory, differences in identity development were examined with respect to gender, academic classification, and grade point average. Previous research has shown the need to look beyond academic factors to understand and influence the persistence of African American engineering students. Non-cognitive factors, including identity development have proven to be influential in predicting persistence, especially for African American engineering students. Results from the analysis revealed significant means for academic classification and five of the dependent variables to include career planning peer relations, emotional autonomy, educational involvement, and establishing and clarifying purpose. Post hoc analysis confirmed significant differences for four of those dependent variables. However, the analysis failed to confirm statistical significant differences in peer relations due to academic classification. The significant decline in the mean scores for development in these four areas, as students progressed from sophomore to senior year revealed strong implications for the need to provide programming and guidance for those students. Institutions of higher education should provide more attention to the non-cognitive areas of development as a means of understanding identity development and working toward creating support systems for students.

The Characteristics and Experiences of Successful Undergraduate Latina Students Who Persist in Engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robinson, Carrie

Females and underrepresented ethnic minorities earn a small percentage of engineering and computer science bachelor's degrees awarded in the United States, earn an even smaller proportion of master's and doctoral degrees, and are underrepresented in the engineering workforce (Engineering Workforce Commission, [2006], as cited in National Science Foundation, 2012; United States Department of Education, [2006], as cited in National Science Foundation, 2009a; United States Department of Education, [2006], as cited in National Science Foundation, 2009b). Considerable research has examined the perceptions, culture, curriculum, and pedagogy in engineering that inhibits the achievement of women and underrepresented ethnic minorities. This action research study used a qualitative approach to examine the characteristics and experiences of Latina students who pursued a bachelor's degree in the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University (ASU) as part of the 2008 first-time full-time freshman cohort. The researcher conducted two semi-structured individual interviews with seven undergraduate Latina students who successfully persisted to their fourth (senior) year in engineering. The researcher aimed to understand what characteristics made these students successful and how their experiences affected their persistence in an engineering major. The data collected showed that the Latina participants were motivated to persist in their engineering degree program due to their parents' expectations for success and high academic achievement; their desire to overcome the discrimination, stereotyping, and naysayers that they encountered; and their aspiration to become a role model for their family and other students interested in pursuing engineering. From the data collected, the researcher provided suggestions to implement and adapt educational activities and support systems within the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering to improve the retention and graduation rates of Latinas in engineering at ASU.

Insights into Engineering Education Administration.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Society for Engineering Education, Washington, DC.

Twelve articles that are designed to provide ideas to engineering department heads are presented. Articles and authors are as follows: "Estimating Undergraduate Student Capacity for an Engineering Department," (T. W. F. Russell, R. L. Daughtery, A. F. Graziano); "Financial Evaluation of Education Programs," (George DePuy and Ralph Swalm); "The…

Investigating Knowledge Creation Technology in an Engineering Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jalonen, Satu; Lakkala, Minna; Paavola, Sami

2011-01-01

The aim of the present study was to examine the technological affordances of a web-based collaborative learning technology, Knowledge Practices Environment (KPE), for supporting different dimensions of knowledge creation processes. KPE was used by engineering students in a practically oriented undergraduate engineering course. The study…

Labour Market Motivation and Undergraduates' Choice of Degree Subject

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davies, Peter; Mangan, Jean; Hughes, Amanda; Slack, Kim

2013-01-01

Labour market outcomes of undergraduates' choice of subject are important for public policy and for students. Policy interest is indicated by the prominence of "employability" in public discourse and in proposals to concentrate government funding in England in supporting STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).…

Negotiating Identity: A Look at the Educational Experiences of Black Undergraduates in Stem Disciplines

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McClain, Oren L.

2014-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative study is to investigate the mathematics educational experiences of Black undergraduate students majoring in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines at the University of Virginia. Using Murrell's (2009) situated-mediated identity theory as the theoretical framework, this study examines factors…

Undergraduate Research at Two-Year Community Colleges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schuster, Matthew

2018-01-01

There is a growing movement in academia that focuses on increased efforts at undergraduate research. Historically, this movement has been driven by faculty in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields and has only recently become a focus for social sciences in general and political science in particular. For students to…

Assisting Instructional Assessment of Undergraduate Collaborative Wiki and SVN Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Jihie; Shaw, Erin; Xu, Hao; Adarsh, G. V.

2012-01-01

In this paper we examine the collaborative performance of undergraduate engineering students who used shared project documents (Wikis, Google documents) and a software version control system (SVN) to support project collaboration. We present an initial implementation of TeamAnalytics, an instructional tool that facilitates the analyses of the…

Use of rich-media resources by engineering undergraduates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gillie, Martin; Dahli, Ranim; Saunders, Fiona C.; Gibson, Andrew

2017-11-01

The ability to develop and distribute digital teaching resources in higher education has developed rapidly over the last decade but research into how students use such resources has received limited attention. This study uses questionnaire results, Internet analytic data and semi-structured interviews to examine the use of three types of rich-media teaching resources - lecture podcasts, key-concept videos and tutorial solution videos - by engineering undergraduates. It is found that students value all three types of resource, especially for revision and as a supplement to lectures. Students find short, focused resources more useful than longer ones. Non-native English speakers and those with disabilities derive particular benefits from the resources. The effect of rich-media resources on lecture attendance is found to be small, and two-way.

Strategies to Improve Learning of All Students in a Class

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Suraishkumar, G. K.

2018-01-01

The statistical distribution of the student learning abilities in a typical undergraduate engineering class poses a significant challenge to simultaneously improve the learning of all the students in the class. With traditional instruction styles, the students with significantly high learning abilities are not satisfied due to a feeling of…

Developing Systems Engineering Skills Through NASA Summer Intern Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bhasin, Kul; Barritt, Brian; Golden, Bert; Knoblock, Eric; Matthews, Seth; Warner, Joe

2010-01-01

During the Formulation phases of the NASA Project Life Cycle, communication systems engineers are responsible for designing space communication links and analyzing their performance to ensure that the proposed communication architecture is capable of satisfying high-level mission requirements. Senior engineers with extensive experience in communications systems perform these activities. However, the increasing complexity of space systems coupled with the current shortage of communications systems engineers has led to an urgent need for expedited training of new systems engineers. A pilot program, in which college-bound high school and undergraduate students studying various engineering disciplines are immersed in NASA s systems engineering practices, was conceived out of this need. This rapid summerlong training approach is feasible because of the availability of advanced software and technology tools and the students inherent ability to operate such tools. During this pilot internship program, a team of college-level and recently-hired engineers configured and utilized various software applications in the design and analysis of communication links for a plausible lunar sortie mission. The approach taken was to first design the direct-to-Earth communication links for the lunar mission elements, then to design the links between lunar surface and lunar orbital elements. Based on the data obtained from these software applications, an integrated communication system design was realized and the students gained valuable systems engineering knowledge. This paper describes this approach to rapidly training college-bound high school and undergraduate engineering students from various disciplines in NASA s systems engineering practices and tools. A summary of the potential use of NASA s emerging systems engineering internship program in broader applications is also described.

Students Across Borders: A Summer Earth Science Workshop for Hispanic High School Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Butler, R. F.; Kresan, P.; Baez, A.; Sheppard, P.; Forger, G.; Rendon-Coke, G.; Gray, F.

2003-12-01

Southern Arizona has a high school (HS) population that is 28% Hispanic. However this fast-growing minority group represents only 14% of undergraduate students at the University of Arizona and 11% of science and engineering majors. The Students Across Borders Program was designed to assist Hispanic HS students across borders that often separate them from higher education and careers in science. In June 2003, five person student-teacher teams from Tucson, Yuma, and northern Sonora, Mexico lived in dormitories and participated in a weeklong program based on the University of Arizona campus. Activities included: field trips featuring inquiry-based investigations of geology, water quality, and tree rings; tours of engineering and science laboratories; introduction to student support organizations such as the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers; and counseling by Career Services and Admissions personnel. Technology training included instruction in web design, digital imaging and online communication tools. Web sites developed by the student teams were presented to participants and families at the conclusion of the on-campus program. Web site development is continuing during the academic year to foster continuing communication between the student teams and presentation of results of follow-on projects assisted by graduate and undergraduate CATTS fellows and university faculty.

Undergraduate Students As Effective Climate Change Communicators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharif, H. O.; Joseph, J.; Mullendore, G. L.

2014-12-01

The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), San Antonio College (SAC), and the University of North Dakota (UND) have partnered with NASA to provide underrepresented undergraduates from UTSA, SAC, and other community colleges climate-related research and education experiences through the Climate Change Communication: Engineer, Environmental science, and Education (C3E3) project. The program aims to develop a robust response to climate change by providing K-16 climate change education; enhance the effectiveness of K-16 education particularly in engineering and other STEM disciplines by use of new instructional technologies; increase the enrollment in engineering programs and the number of engineering degrees awarded by showing engineering's usefulness in relation to the much-discussed contemporary issue of climate change; increase persistence in STEM degrees by providing student research opportunities; and increase the ethnic diversity of those receiving engineering degrees and help ensure an ethnically diverse response to climate change. Students participated in the second summer internship funded by the project. The program is in its third year. More than 75 students participated in a guided research experiences aligned with NASA Science Plan objectives for climate and Earth system science and the educational objectives of the three institutions. The students went through training in modern media technology (webcasts), and in using this technology to communicate the information on climate change to others, especially high school students, culminating in production of webcasts on investigating the aspects of climate change using NASA data. Content developed is leveraged by NASA Earth observation data and NASA Earth system models and tools. Three Colleges were involved in the program: Engineering, Education, and Science.

The University of Texas Science and Engineering Apprentice Program as a Model for an REU Site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, M. B.; Blankenship, D. D.; Ellins, K. E.

2004-12-01

The University of Texas Institute for Geophysics at (UTIG) is one of five research labs in the Austin area that hosts recent high school graduates for summer research projects through the Applied Research Lab Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP). The SEAP is a program designed to provide summer research opportunities to recent high school undergraduates who excel in science and math. UTIG has been a large proponent of the SEAP and has typically mentored two to four students each year and a total alumni of about twenty. The program has successfully targeted groups that are typically underrepresented in sciences and engineering. Current statistics show that 25% of past SEAP students are members of an ethnic minority and 80% of SEAP students are female. Many of these students have stayed on after the summer program and continued to work part-time or return during summers to UTIG while completing their undergraduate careers. A significant portion of these students present results at professional meetings and ultimately commit to careers in science and engineering, both in industry and academia. SEAP students at UTIG work alongside scientists and graduate students as part of a team, and, through this interaction, improve their scientific knowledge and problem solving skills. Both graduate and undergraduate students involved in NSF-funded research grants mentor the SEAP students, giving them the opportunity to work on their own research problem while contributing data and interpretation to a more fundamental research problem. By uniting student research under the umbrella of Antarctic ice sheet research, students learn how their individual research projects relate to the more unifying science problem centered on ice sheet variability, and Antarctic continental evolution. They also gain an understanding of how research is carried out. At the same time, scientists and graduate students learn how to communicate their knowledge so that it is interesting and relevant to student learning. We are interested in expanding the SEAP model for student research to a scale that can support multidisciplinary REU site activities by extending research possibilities into polar research, marine studies, seismology, planetary science, and science education at UTIG in future years.

Women Engineering Faculty: Expanding the Pipeline

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greni, Nadene Deiterman

2006-01-01

The purpose for this case study was to explore the features of undergraduate engineering departmental and college support that influenced the persistence of women students. Women engineering faculty members were among the participants at three Land Grant universities in the Midwest. The data revealed the theme, Expanding the Pipeline, and…

Engineering Sustainable Engineers through the Undergraduate Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weatherton, Yvette Pearson; Sattler, Melanie; Mattingly, Stephen; Chen, Victoria; Rogers, Jamie; Dennis, Brian

2012-01-01

In order to meet the challenges of sustainable development, our approach to education must be modified to equip students to evaluate alternatives and devise solutions that meet multi-faceted requirements. In 2009, faculty in the Departments of Civil, Industrial and Mechanical Engineering at the University of Texas at Arlington began implementation…

Implementation of Effective Capstone Projects in Undergraduate Manufacturing Design Engineering Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Viswanathan, Shekar

2017-01-01

Final program projects (capstone course) in manufacturing design engineering technology at National University are intensive experiences in critical thinking and analysis, designed to broaden students' perspectives and provide an opportunity for integration of coursework in the area of manufacturing design engineering. This paper focuses on three…

Engineering in Communities: Learning by Doing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goggins, J.

2012-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to focus on a number of initiatives in civil engineering undergraduate programmes at the National University of Ireland, Galway (NUIG) that allow students to complete engineering projects in the community, enabling them to learn by doing. Design/methodology/approach: A formal commitment to civic engagement was…

An Option in Applied Microbiology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, William E., III

1988-01-01

Describes a program option for undergraduate chemical engineering students interested in biotechnology. Discusses how this program is deployed at the University of Southern Florida. Lists courses which apply to this program. Discusses the goals of teaching applied microbiology to engineering majors. (CW)

Evaluating the Development of Chemistry Undergraduate Researchers' Scientific Thinking Skills Using Performance-Data: First Findings from the Performance Assessment of Undergraduate Research (PURE) Instrument

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harsh, Joseph; Esteb, John J.; Maltese, Adam V.

2017-01-01

National calls in science, technology, engineering, and technology education reform efforts have advanced the wide-scale engagement of students in undergraduate research for the preparation of a workforce and citizenry able to attend to the challenges of the 21st century. Awareness of the potential benefits and costs of these experiences has led…

Fermilab Science Education Office - Classroom Presentations

Science.gov Websites

| Fermilab Home | Employees | Students | Visitors | Undergraduates Fermilab Ed Site Search Google Custom and provide your students with the opportunity to meet a Fermilab scientist or engineer. We put on engaging interactive physics presentations. These presentations will expose students to Next Generation

The ASSURE Summer REU Program: Introducing research to first-generation and underserved undergraduates through space sciences and engineering projects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barron, Darcy; Peticolas, Laura; Multiverse Team at UC Berkeley's Space Sciences Lab

2018-01-01

The Advancing Space Science through Undergraduate Research Experience (ASSURE) summer REU program is an NSF-funded REU site at the Space Sciences Lab at UC Berkeley that first started in summer 2014. The program recruits students from all STEM majors, targeting underserved students including community college students and first-generation college students. The students have little or no research experience and a wide variety of academic backgrounds, but have a shared passion for space sciences and astronomy. We will describe our program's structure and the components we have found successful in preparing and supporting both the students and their research advisors for their summer research projects. This includes an intensive first week of introductory lectures and tutorials at the start of the program, preparing students for working in an academic research environment. The program also employs a multi-tiered mentoring system, with layers of support for the undergraduate student cohort, as well as graduate student and postdoctoral research advisors.

Supporting active learning in an undergraduate geotechnical engineering course using group-based audience response systems quizzes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Donohue, Shane

2014-01-01

The use of audience response systems (ARSs) or 'clickers' in higher education has increased over the recent years, predominantly owing to their ability to actively engage students, for promoting individual and group learning, and for providing instantaneous feedback to students and teachers. This paper describes how group-based ARS quizzes have been integrated into an undergraduate civil engineering course on foundation design. Overall, the ARS summary quizzes were very well received by the students. Feedback obtained from the students indicates that the majority believed the group-based quizzes were useful activities, which helped to improve their understanding of course materials, encouraged self-assessment, and assisted preparation for their summative examination. Providing students with clickers does not, however, necessarily guarantee the class will be engaged with the activity. If an ARS activity is to be successful, careful planning and design must be carried out and modifications adopted where necessary, which should be informed by the literature and relevant student feedback.

Learning physical biology via modeling and simulation: A new course and textbook for science and engineering undergraduates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelson, Philip

To a large extent, undergraduate physical-science curricula remain firmly rooted in pencil-and-paper calculation, despite the fact that most research is done with computers. To a large extent, undergraduate life-science curricula remain firmly rooted in descriptive approaches, despite the fact that much current research involves quantitative modeling. Not only does our pedagogy not reflect current reality; it also creates a spurious barrier between the fields, reinforcing the narrow silos that prevent students from connecting them. I'll describe an intermediate-level course on ``Physical Models of Living Systems.'' The prerequisite is first-year university physics and calculus. The course is a response to rapidly growing interest among undergraduates in a broad range of science and engineering majors. Students acquire several research skills that are often not addressed in traditional undergraduate courses: •Basic modeling skills; •Probabilistic modeling skills; •Data analysis methods; •Computer programming using a general-purpose platform like MATLAB or Python; •Pulling datasets from the Web for analysis; •Data visualization; •Dynamical systems, particularly feedback control. Partially supported by the NSF under Grants EF-0928048 and DMR-0832802.

Can Diversity in the Undergraduate Engineering Population BE Enhanced Through Curricular Change?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Busch-Vishniac, Ilene J.; Jarosz, Jeffrey P.

The lack of diversity in the engineering workforce is a persistent problem, with no signs of pending improvement. The situation continues despite a serious technical workforce shortage in the United States. Efforts to promote diversity in the student body in U.S. engineering schools, such as industrial partnerships, academic services, and the establishment of social networks, have produced modest gains. The authors intend to pursue a distinctly different approach to the problem of encouraging a diverse engineering student population, one that focuses on the curriculum. This study reviews curricular innovations attempted to date as a basis for rebuilding the undergraduate engineering curriculum from the ground up. The goal is to produce a curriculum that retains the salient technical material but enhances the link between fundamentals and applications, reduces critical path lengths in the course sequence, introduces team experiences into all courses, and creates an atmosphere of inclusion rather than exclusion. The new curriculum will require trial, assessment, and revision before it is ready for adoption.

More than Just a Game: The Role of Simulation in The Teaching of Product Design and Entrepreneurship to Mechanical Engineering Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Costello, Gabriel J.

2017-01-01

The purpose of this work is to contribute to the debate on the best pedagogical approach to developing undergraduate mechanical engineering skills to meet the requirements of contemporary complex working environments. The paper provides an example of using student-entrepreneur collaboration in the teaching of modules to Mechanical Engineering…

ARO in Review 2011

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-10-01

high school or undergraduate student research apprenticeships through HSAP/URAP. Seven institutions were funded under HSAP/URAP in FY11, totaling...The JSHS Program promotes original research and experimentation in the sciences, engineering, and mathematics at the high school level and publicly...national symposia. B. Research and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (REAP) REAP is designed to offer high school students the opportunity to expand their

Reported Ideal Traits of a Mentor as Viewed by African American Students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Mary L.

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine undergraduate students majoring in science, technology, engineering, and math disciplines perception of traits an ideal mentor should possess, and to determine if these traits had positive results on their identification with science. With a large number of workers in STEM disciplines retiring, there is a…

Influence of Social Cognitive and Ethnic Variables on Academic Goals of Underrepresented Students in Science and Engineering: A Multiple-Groups Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Byars-Winston, Angela; Estrada, Yannine; Howard, Christina; Davis, Dalelia; Zalapa, Juan

2010-01-01

In this study we investigated the academic interests and goals of 223 African American, Latino/a, Southeast Asian, and Native American undergraduate students in 2 groups: biological science (BIO) and engineering (ENG) majors. Using social cognitive career theory (Lent, Brown, & Hackett, 1994), we examined the relationships of social cognitive…

Measuring the Silver Composition of Nanocolloids by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectroscopy: A Laboratory Experiment for Chemistry and Engineering Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brittle, Seth W.; Baker, Joshua D.; Dorney, Kevin M.; Dagher, Jessica M.; Ebrahimian, Tala; Higgins, Steven R.; Pavel Sizemore, Ioana E.

2015-01-01

The increased worldwide exploitation of nanomaterials has reinforced the importance of introducing nanoscale aspects into the undergraduate and graduate curriculum. To meet this need, a novel nano-laboratory module was developed and successfully performed by science and engineering students. The main goal of the experiment was to accurately…

Applicability of Online Education to Large Undergraduate Engineering Courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bir, Devayan Debashis

With the increase in undergraduate engineering enrollment, many universities have chosen to teach introductory engineering courses such as Statics of Engineering and Mechanics of Materials in large classes due to budget limitations. With the overwhelming literature against traditionally taught large classes, this study aims to see the effects of the trending online pedagogy. Online courses are the latest trend in education due to the flexibility they provide to students in terms of schedule and pace of learning with the added advantage of being less expensive for the university over a period. In this research, the effects of online lectures on engineering students' course performances and students' attitudes towards online learning were examined. Specifically, the academic performances of students enrolled in a traditionally taught, lecture format Mechanics of Materials course with the performance of students in an online Mechanics of Materials course in summer 2016 were compared. To see the effect of the two different teaching approaches across student types, students were categorized by gender, enrollment status, nationality, and by the grades students obtained for Statics, one of the prerequisite courses for Mechanics of Materials. Student attitudes towards the online course will help to keep the process of continuously improving the online course, specifically, to provide quality education through the online medium in terms of course content and delivery. The findings of the study show that the online pedagogy negatively affects student academic performance when compared to the traditional face-to-face pedagogy across all categories, except for the high scoring students. Student attitudes reveal that while they enjoyed the flexibility schedule and control over their pace of studying, they faced issues with self-regulation and face-to-face interaction.

Development of an advanced undergraduate course in acoustics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gee, Kent L.; Neilsen, Tracianne B.; Sommerfeldt, Scott D.

2016-03-01

Within many physics undergraduate programs, acoustics is given only a cursory treatment, usually within an introductory course. Because acoustics is a natural vehicle for students to develop intuition about wave phenomena, an advanced undergraduate acoustics course has been developed at Brigham Young University. Although it remains an elective course, enrollment has increased steadily since its inception. The course has been taken by students in physics, applied physics, physics teaching, and mechanical and electrical engineering. In addition to providing training for students motivated by interest in undergraduate research, internship, employment, and graduate schooling opportunities in acoustics, the course facilitates connections between various areas of physics. Explicit connections are made to mechanics, electricity and magnetism, thermodynamics, optics, quantum mechanics, and experimental and computational laboratory courses. Active learning is emphasized through Just-in-Time-Teaching and course structure. Homework exercises are both theoretical and practical and often require making and interpreting of graphs. For example, students may model traffic noise as a series of uncorrelated monopoles or examine highway barrier effectiveness using Fresnel diffraction techniques. Additionally, students participate in resumé-building measurements and learn to report their results in the form of technical memoranda. Course evaluations and post-graduation student surveys rate it among the most valuable undergraduate student courses offered.

Alternative Pathways to Engineering Success--Using Academic and Social Integration to Understand Two-Year Engineering Student Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marra, Rose M.; Tsai, Chia-Lin; Bogue, Barbara; Pytel, Jean Landa

2015-01-01

The need for educating engineers in the United States continues as the projected demand is rising the number of high school seniors planning to enter engineering careers has remained relatively stable (Sargent, 2014). Additionally, figures show that attrition rates in undergraduate engineering continue to be an area of concern, (Sargent, 2014;…

Targeting Undergraduate Students for Surveys: Lessons from the Academic Pathways of People Learning Engineering Survey (APPLES). Research Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donaldson, Krista M.; Chen, Helen L.; Toye, George; Sheppard, Sheri D.

2007-01-01

The Academic Pathways of People Learning Engineering Survey (APPLES or APPLE survey) is a component of the Academic Pathways Study (APS) of the Center for the Advancement of Engineering Education (CAEE). The APS aims to provide a comprehensive account of how people become engineers by exploring key questions around the engineering learning…

An Australian study of possible selves perceived by undergraduate engineering students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bennett, Dawn; Male, Sally A.

2017-11-01

In this study, we worked with second-year engineering students at an Australian university to examine previously identified threshold concepts within the theoretical framework of Possible Selves. Using workshops as the context for intensive work with students, students were encouraged to consider their future lives and work, including their engineering fears, expectations, and aspirations. The findings revealed many students to have a poor understanding of the realities of engineering work. Moreover, perceived gaps between self-efficacy and the requirements of engineering work appeared to be motivating if students deemed it possible to reduce the gap, but demotivating if they identified a characteristic over which there was perceived to be no control. The study suggests that these engineering students needed more opportunities to explore both the roles of engineers and their own possible selves. Overall, the findings indicate that higher education students may need encouragement and support to explore potential future roles, and they strengthen calls for further research in this area.

To promote the engineering innovative abilities of undergraduates by taking projects as the guidance and competitions as the promotion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Yishen; Wu, Di; Chen, Daqing; Gu, Jihua; Gao, Lei

2017-08-01

According to the inherent requirements of education for talents' knowledge, quality and comprehensive ability and the major training goals of optoelectronics information science and engineering, in order to enhance the undergraduates' comprehensive practical ability and consciousness of innovation, we carried out the reforms of teaching method and teaching mode, which took the training programs of innovation and entrepreneurship for undergraduates, extracurricular academic research fund, "Chun-Tsung Scholar" program or research projects of their tutors as the guidance, and took the all levels of relevant discipline competitions as the promotion. And the training mainline of engineering innovation talents as "undergraduate's tutorial system ->innovative training program or tutor's research project ->academic competition ->graduation projects (thesis)" was constructed stage by stage by combining the undergraduates' graduation projects and their participated academic competition into one for improving the quality of the graduation projects (thesis). The practical results of the last several years illuminate that the proposed training model can effectively stimulate the students' awareness of autonomous learning, enhance their comprehensive ability of analyzing and solving problems and improve their ability of engineering practice and innovation as well as their teamwork spirit.

Minority Undergraduate Training for Energy-Related Careers (MUTEC)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Levy, C.; Yih, T.C.; Ebadian, M.A.

1995-12-01

OAK-B135 Minority Undergraduate Training for Energy-Related Careers (MUTEC). First, all the co-investigators would like to thank the Department of Energy's Minority Impact Office for awarding FIU with the MUTEC grant for the past five years. We believe it has made a difference, especially in the creation of a new, streamlined curriculum that began with the Mechanical Engineering Program and has now become college wide. Second, we have given 774 students an introduction to engineering, something that did not exist 3 years ago. Third, we have given FLAME the opportunity to participate in this program through the equivalent introduction to engineeringmore » course. Over 150 of those students have participated and have a 100% record of completing the program once, they start. Over 80% of those students have gone on to college. Fourth, we have aided 32 undergraduates continue in their engineering studies. Of those half have already graduated, and half of those have gone on to graduate school. One of these graduate school students has graduated with an MSME and another has won an NSF Scholarship. Fifth, we have created a bank of 51 2-hour tapes in 10 science and engineering science areas and covered the spectrum of math courses from geometry/trigonometry to differential equations. Sixth, we have created two examinations for use in preparation for entry into the engineering programs and in preparation for the EIT. Seventh, we have created a streamlined curriculum and four options, two of which are energy related. From these points, we believe that the program was very successful and for that we wish to thank the Department of Energy and specifically Ms. Estela Romo for her unwavering support.« less

An Undergraduate-Built Prototype Altitude Determination System (PADS) for High Altitude Research Balloons.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verner, E.; Bruhweiler, F. C.; Abot, J.; Casarotto, V.; Dichoso, J.; Doody, E.; Esteves, F.; Morsch Filho, E.; Gonteski, D.; Lamos, M.; Leo, A.; Mulder, N.; Matubara, F.; Schramm, P.; Silva, R.; Quisberth, J.; Uritsky, G.; Kogut, A.; Lowe, L.; Mirel, P.; Lazear, J.

2014-12-01

In this project a multi-disciplinary undergraduate team from CUA, comprising majors in Physics, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Biology, design, build, test, fly, and analyze the data from a prototype attitude determination system (PADS). The goal of the experiment is to determine if an inexpensive attitude determination system could be built for high altitude research balloons using MEMS gyros. PADS is a NASA funded project, built by students with the cooperation of CUA faculty, Verner, Bruhweiler, and Abot, along with the contributed expertise of researchers and engineers at NASA/GSFC, Kogut, Lowe, Mirel, and Lazear. The project was initiated through a course taught in CUA's School of Engineering, which was followed by a devoted effort by students during the summer of 2014. The project is an experiment to use 18 MEMS gyros, similar to those used in many smartphones, to produce an averaged positional error signal that could be compared with the motion of the fixed optical system as recorded through a string of optical images of stellar fields to be stored on a hard drive flown with the experiment. The optical system, camera microprocessor, and hard drive are enclosed in a pressure vessel, which maintains approximately atmospheric pressure throughout the balloon flight. The experiment uses multiple microprocessors to control the camera exposures, record gyro data, and provide thermal control. CUA students also participated in NASA-led design reviews. Four students traveled to NASA's Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility in Palestine, Texas to integrate PADS into a large balloon gondola containing other experiments, before being shipped, then launched in mid-August at Ft. Sumner, New Mexico. The payload is to fly at a float altitude of 40-45,000 m, and the flight last approximately 15 hours. The payload is to return to earth by parachute and the retrieved data are to be analyzed by CUA undergraduates. A description of the instrument is presented here as well as a preliminary analysis of the anticipated data, which were not available at the time of abstract submission. Acknowledgements: NASA grant NNX13AR61 under NASA's Undergraduate Student Instrument Program (USIP). Participating Brazilian students acknowledge support through Brazil's "Science without Borders" program.

Interview with Dr. Charles Nolan: Dean of Admissions, Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Helms, Robin Matross

2003-01-01

This article presents an interview with Dr. Charles Nolan, the former Dean of Admission at the Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering, in Needham, Massachusetts. Chartered in 1997, Olin College has taken a new approach to undergraduate engineering education by providing its students with both a solid engineering background and knowledge in the…

Selective Guide to Literature on Engineering Geology. Engineering Literature Guides, Number 7.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mullen, Cecilia P., Comp.

This guide has been prepared for use by the undergraduate or graduate student in engineering geology. Because of the broad scope of the field, the major disciplines of soil mechanics, rock mechanics, and foundations are primarily emphasized. This document is a survey of information sources in engineering geology and is intended to identify those…

Team-Based Programs: The EMP. An Industry/University Partnership-The Educational Model for the 21st Century.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haynes, Ray; And Others

California Polytechnic State University's College of Business and College of Engineering have joined forces to create a joint Engineering Management Program (EMP). Students holding undergraduate engineering or equivalent degrees enter and earn both Masters in Business Administration and Masters of Science in Engineering in 24 months. The program…

Teaching bioprocess engineering to undergraduates: Multidisciplinary hands-on training in a one-week practical course.

PubMed

Henkel, Marius; Zwick, Michaela; Beuker, Janina; Willenbacher, Judit; Baumann, Sandra; Oswald, Florian; Neumann, Anke; Siemann-Herzberg, Martin; Syldatk, Christoph; Hausmann, Rudolf

2015-01-01

Bioprocess engineering is a highly interdisciplinary field of study which is strongly benefited by practical courses where students can actively experience the interconnection between biology, engineering, and physical sciences. This work describes a lab course developed for 2nd year undergraduate students of bioprocess engineering and related disciplines, where students are challenged with a real-life bioprocess-engineering application, the production of recombinant protein in a fed-batch process. The lab course was designed to introduce students to the subject of operating and supervising an experiment in a bioreactor, along with the analysis of collected data and a final critical evaluation of the experiment. To provide visual feedback of the experimental outcome, the organism used during class was Escherichia coli which carried a plasmid to recombinantly produce enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) upon induction. This can easily be visualized in both the bioreactor and samples by using ultraviolet light. The lab course is performed with bioreactors of the simplest design, and is therefore highly flexible, robust and easy to reproduce. As part of this work the implementation and framework, the results, the evaluation and assessment of student learning combined with opinion surveys are presented, which provides a basis for instructors intending to implement a similar lab course at their respective institution. © 2015 by the International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Journal of Undergraduate Research, Volume IX, 2009

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stiner, K. S.; Graham, S.; Khan, M.

Each year more than 600 undergraduate students are awarded paid internships at the Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Laboratories. Th ese interns are paired with research scientists who serve as mentors in authentic research projects. All participants write a research abstract and present at a poster session and/or complete a fulllength research paper. Abstracts and selected papers from our 2007–2008 interns that represent the breadth and depth of undergraduate research performed each year at our National Laboratories are published here in the Journal of Undergraduate Research. The fields in which these students worked included: Biology; Chemistry; Computer Science; Engineering; Environmentalmore » Science; General Science; Materials Science; Medical and Health Sciences; Nuclear Science; Physics; Science Policy; and Waste Management.« less

Enhancing Women's Undergraduate Experience in Physics and Chemistry Through a PUI/MRSEC Collaboration Emphasizing Materials Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldberg, Velda; Malliaras, George; Schember, Helene; Singhota, Nevjinder

2002-04-01

This three-year collaboration between a predominately undergraduate women's college (Simmons College) and a NSF-supported Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (the Cornell Center for Materials Research (CCMR)) provides opportunities for physics and chemistry students to participate in materials-related research throughout their undergraduate careers, have access to sophisticated instrumentation, and gain related work experience in industrial settings. As part of the project, undergraduate students are involved in all aspects of a collaborative Simmons/Cornell research program concentrating on degradation processes in electroluminescent materials. This work is particularly interesting because an understanding and control of these processes will ultimately influence the use of these materials in various types of consumer products.

Training the next generation of scientists: Modeling Infectious Disease and Water Quality of Montana Streams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fytilis, N.; Wyman, S.; Lamb, R.; Stevens, L.; Kerans, B.; Rizzo, D. M.

2010-12-01

The University of Vermont College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences and the Barrett Foundation have established a scholarship program for undergraduate students. The Barrett Scholarship program, aware of the importance of developing research quantitative and writing skills for undergraduate students, provides scholarships to outstanding undergraduate students for environmental engineering research projects. The intent is to help retain student interest early in their undergraduate engineering careers when few of their first or second year classes have little engineering or real-world application. We focus on one Barrett research project, derived from a NSF Biodiversity and Infectious Disease grant, because of the multiple disciplines (engineering, ecology, biology) and education levels (spanning secondary to graduate) involved. In this research, students across three departments at two universities (University of Vermont, Montana State University) and one independent high school (Vermont Commons School) formed a cohesive collaboration with faculty members to identify different worm taxa of T. Tubifex. Whirling disease has had a severe impact on the native population of salmonids in the upper Madison River MT, USA, resulting in the death of most fish that contract the parasite. T. Tubifex is the intermediate host for Myxobolus cerebralis, the parasite that causes whirling disease in salmonids. Samples collected from eight locations along the Madison River varied in the prevalence of whirling disease. The site-specific worm community structure has been measured and identified using molecular genetic probes and a taxonomic key to link worm communities to geochemical features (e.g. site elevation, slope, pH, conductivity, temperature, dissolved oxygen and percent of organic soil matter). Using a unique clustering algorithm, we group geochemical features to discriminate over a range of water quality gradients (i.e., “clean” to “dirty”). The link between water quality and the presence of these taxa is important in determining stream health. In addition, system dynamics software (STELLA) is used to model the non-linear relationships and feedback between worm prevalence and disease dynamics. These types of collaborations between engineers, biologists, field ecologists and geneticists from secondary, post-secondary and higher institutions proved useful in linking complex geochemical data, worm community structure and molecular genetics to develop the next-generation scientists and better understand disease dynamics.

Educational initiative for EE/RE engineering skills: Solar Two student interns. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Norbeck, J.M.

1997-07-01

The US Department of Energy sponsored five student interns from the University of California, Riverside, College of Engineering to work during the summer of 1996 at the Solar Two Energy facility in the Mojave Desert. Through the DOE intern program, engineering students supported the Solar Two Project under the supervision of engineers from Southern California Edison. The prime purpose was to provide outreach and educational support for expanding interactions with university students to increase awareness of careers in renewable energy and energy efficiency fields. The College of Engineering-Center for Environmental Research and Technology (CE-CERT) coordinated this project. CE-CERT is primarilymore » a research facility focusing on air pollution and energy efficiency. CE-CERT serves undergraduate and graduate students by employing them on research projects, supporting them in the research and experimentation required for Senior Design Projects, and sponsoring them in student engineering competitions.« less

Early Engagement in Course-Based Research Increases Graduation Rates and Completion of Science, Engineering, and Mathematics Degrees.

PubMed

Rodenbusch, Stacia E; Hernandez, Paul R; Simmons, Sarah L; Dolan, Erin L

2016-01-01

National efforts to transform undergraduate biology education call for research experiences to be an integral component of learning for all students. Course-based undergraduate research experiences, or CUREs, have been championed for engaging students in research at a scale that is not possible through apprenticeships in faculty research laboratories. Yet there are few if any studies that examine the long-term effects of participating in CUREs on desired student outcomes, such as graduating from college and completing a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) major. One CURE program, the Freshman Research Initiative (FRI), has engaged thousands of first-year undergraduates over the past decade. Using propensity score-matching to control for student-level differences, we tested the effect of participating in FRI on students' probability of graduating with a STEM degree, probability of graduating within 6 yr, and grade point average (GPA) at graduation. Students who completed all three semesters of FRI were significantly more likely than their non-FRI peers to earn a STEM degree and graduate within 6 yr. FRI had no significant effect on students' GPAs at graduation. The effects were similar for diverse students. These results provide the most robust and best-controlled evidence to date to support calls for early involvement of undergraduates in research. © 2016 S. Rodenbusch et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2016 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Undergraduate courses for enhancing design ability in naval architecture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Kyu-Yeul; Ku, Namkug; Cha, Ju-Hwan

2013-09-01

Contemporary lectures in undergraduate engineering courses typically focus on teaching major technical knowledge-based theories in a limited time. Therefore, most lectures do not allow the students to gain understanding of how the theories are applied, especially in Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering departments. Shipyards require students to acquire practical ship design skills in undergraduate courses. To meet this requirement, two lectures are organized by the authors; namely, "Planning Procedure of Naval Architecture & Ocean Engineering" (PNAOE) and "Innovative Ship Design" (ISD). The concept of project-based and collaborative learning is applied in these two lectures. In the PNAOE lecture, sophomores receive instruction in the designing and building of model ships, and the students' work is evaluated in a model ship contest. This curriculum enables students to understand the concepts of ship design and production. In the ISD lecture, seniors learn how to develop their creative ideas about ship design and communicate with members of group. They are encouraged to cooperate with others and understand the ship design process. In the capstone design course, students receive guidance to facilitate understanding of how the knowledge from their sophomore or junior classes, such as fluid mechanics, statics, and dynamics, can be applied to practical ship design. Students are also encouraged to compete in the ship design contest organized by the Society of Naval Architects of Korea. Moreover, the effectiveness of project-based and collaborative learning for enhancing interest in the shipbuilding Industry and understanding the ship design process is demonstrated by citing the PNAOE and ISD lectures as examples.

System-on-Chip Design and Implementation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brackenbury, L. E. M.; Plana, L. A.; Pepper, J.

2010-01-01

The system-on-chip module described here builds on a grounding in digital hardware and system architecture. It is thus appropriate for third-year undergraduate computer science and computer engineering students, for post-graduate students, and as a training opportunity for post-graduate research students. The course incorporates significant…

Scholarship program to benefit future engineers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1993-02-01

ASDSO this year launched a new scholarship program for undergraduate students interested in dam safety engineering as a career. Two scholarships of $2,500 each will be granted to one junior and one senior, beginning with the 1993 school year. Students taking a full college course load and majoring in civil or agricultural engineering, geology, or a related field, were elgible. ASDSO, which plans to name the recipients by May 1993, received about two dozen applications for the scholarships.

a Matter of Confidence: Gender Differences in Attitudes Toward Engaging in Lab and Course Work in Undergraduate Engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Micari, Marina; Pazos, Pilar; Hartmann, Mitra J. Z.

Although there has been a great deal of research on women's experiences in engineering study, there has been little attempt to connect experiential factors to performance in both course and lab. This two-phase study investigated gender differences in undergraduates' experiences in a fluid mechanics course as well as the relationship between experiential factors and student performance in that course. One hundred forty-seven students at a Midwestern research university completed questionnaires related to course experience and perceived engagement. Data were also collected on final grade for 89 students in the second round of data collection. Relative to men, women reported less confidence that they could avoid mistakes in the lab, less experience with mechanical items, less perceived ability in engineering relative to classmates, and less perceived skill in tasks requiring navigation or maneuvering through space. Feelings of engagement were related to grade, but no gender differences were found in either engagement or grade.

Final Report: An Undergraduate Minor in Wind Energy at Iowa State University

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

James McCalley

This report describes an undergraduate minor program in wind energy that has been developed at Iowa State University. The minor program targets engineering and meteorology students and was developed to provide interested students with focused technical expertise in wind energy science and engineering, to increase their employability and ultimate effectiveness in this growing industry. The report describes the requirements of the minor program and courses that fulfill those requirements. Five new courses directly addressing wind energy have been developed. Topical descriptions for these five courses are provided in this report. Six industry experts in various aspects of wind energy sciencemore » and engineering reviewed the wind energy minor program and provided detailed comments on the program structure, the content of the courses, and the employability in the wind energy industry of students who complete the program. The general consensus is that the program is well structured, the course content is highly relevant, and students who complete it will be highly employable in the wind energy industry. The detailed comments of the reviewers are included in the report.« less

Changing Attitudes and Facilitating Understanding in the Undergraduate Statistics Classroom: A Collaborative Learning Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Curran, Erin; Carlson, Kerri; Celotta, Dayius Turvold

2013-01-01

Collaborative and problem-based learning strategies are theorized to be effective methods for strengthening undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education. Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) is a collaborative learning technique that engages students in problem solving and discussion under the guidance of a trained peer…

Wikipedia and Psychology: Coverage of Concepts and Its Use by Undergraduate Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schweitzer, N. J.

2008-01-01

The online encyclopedia Wikipedia is a frequently referred-to source of information for Internet users. A series of 3 studies examined Wikipedia's coverage of psychology-related concepts, examined how accessible Wikipedia's psychology content is when using Internet search engines, and described how both first-year and senior undergraduates use…

Changing the Scholarly Sources Landscape with Geomorphology Undergraduate Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blackburn, Heidi; Dere, Ashlee

2016-01-01

Science is a core discipline in academia yet the focus of most undergraduate technical writing is generally on the data and results, not the literature review. The Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) librarian and a new geology professor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) collaborated to develop an information literacy…

Computer Based Data Acquisition in the Undergraduate Lab.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wepfer, William J.; Oehmke, Roger L. T.

1987-01-01

Describes a data acquisition system developed for an undergraduate engineering students' instructional laboratory at Georgia Tech. Special emphasis is placed on the design of an A/D Converter Board used to measure the viscosity and temperature of motor oil. The Simons' BASIC Program Listing for the Commodore 64 microcomputer is appended. (LRW)

Advancing STEM Undergraduate Learning: Preparing the Nation's Future Faculty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pfund, Christine; Mathieu, Robert; Austin, Ann; Connolly, Mark; Manske, Brian; Moore, Katie

2012-01-01

Graduate students and post-doctoral scholars at research universities will shape the future of undergraduate education in the natural and social sciences, technology, engineering, and mathematics (the STEM disciplines) in the United States. In 2009 alone, more than 41,000 doctorates were awarded in STEM fields, and if employment trends hold,…

Biology Faculty at Large Research Institutions: The Nature of Their Pedagogical Content Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hill, Kathleen M.

2013-01-01

To address the need of scientists and engineers in the United States workforce and ensure that students in higher education become scientifically literate, research and policy has called for improvements in undergraduate education in the sciences. One particular pathway for improving undergraduate education in the science fields is to reform…

Millennial Undergraduate Research Strategies in Web and Library Information Retrieval Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Porter, Brandi

2011-01-01

This article summarizes the author's dissertation regarding search strategies of millennial undergraduate students in Web and library online information retrieval systems. Millennials bring a unique set of search characteristics and strategies to their research since they have never known a world without the Web. Through the use of search engines,…

One more thing: Faculty response to increased emphasis on project teams in undergraduate engineering education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hunter, Jane

Tenured and tenure-track faculty members at institutions of higher education, especially those at Research I institutions, are being asked to do more than ever before. With rapidly changing technology, significant decreases in public funding, the shift toward privately funded research, and the ever increasing expectations of students for an education that adequately prepares them for professional careers, engineering faculty are particularly challenged by the escalating demands on their time. In 1996, the primary accreditation organization for engineering programs (ABET) adopted new criteria that required, among other things, engineering programs to teach students to function on multidisciplinary teams and to communicate effectively. In response, most engineering programs utilize project teams as a strategy for teaching these skills. The purpose of this qualitative study of tenured and tenure track engineering faculty at a Research I institution in the southwestern United States was to explore the variety of ways in which the engineering faculty responded to the demands placed upon them as a result of the increased emphasis on project teams in undergraduate engineering education. Social role theory and organizational climate theory guided the study. Some faculty viewed project teams as an opportunity for students to learn important professional skills and to benefit from collaborative learning but many questioned the importance and feasibility of teaching teamwork skills and had concerns about taking time away from other essential fundamental material such as mathematics, basic sciences and engineering sciences. Although the administration of the College of Engineering articulated strong support for the use of project teams in undergraduate education, the prevailing climate did little to promote significant efforts related to effective utilization of project teams. Too often, faculty were unwilling to commit sufficient time or effort to make project teamwork a truly valuable learning opportunity because those efforts were not perceived to be valuable and were rarely rewarded. Few formal professional development opportunities were available and few incentives were in place to encourage other informal efforts to develop the necessary skills. Those who committed significant effort to project teams were challenged by concerns about team composition, student accountability and assigning individual grades for group teamwork.

The essence of student visual-spatial literacy and higher order thinking skills in undergraduate biology.

PubMed

Milner-Bolotin, Marina; Nashon, Samson Madera

2012-02-01

Science, engineering and mathematics-related disciplines have relied heavily on a researcher's ability to visualize phenomena under study and being able to link and superimpose various abstract and concrete representations including visual, spatial, and temporal. The spatial representations are especially important in all branches of biology (in developmental biology time becomes an important dimension), where 3D and often 4D representations are crucial for understanding the phenomena. By the time biology students get to undergraduate education, they are supposed to have acquired visual-spatial thinking skills, yet it has been documented that very few undergraduates and a small percentage of graduate students have had a chance to develop these skills to a sufficient degree. The current paper discusses the literature that highlights the essence of visual-spatial thinking and the development of visual-spatial literacy, considers the application of the visual-spatial thinking to biology education, and proposes how modern technology can help to promote visual-spatial literacy and higher order thinking among undergraduate students of biology.

Academic Mentoring and Dropout Prevention for Students in Math, Science and Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larose, Simon; Cyrenne, Diane; Garceau, Odette; Harvey, Marylou; Guay, Frederic; Godin, Fanny; Tarabulsy, George M; Deschenes, Claire

2011-01-01

In this study, we examined the impact of a new academic mentoring program aimed at preventing student dropout in math, science and technology. The MIRES program entails bimonthly meetings between students entering college and university students completing their undergraduate degree in science and engineering. A randomized pretest-posttest control…

College Students' Responses to New Communication Technologies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vicario, Terra; Henninger, Erica; Austin, Megan; Chambliss, Catherine

This study examined the risks associated with increased reliance upon technology, including e-mail, instant messages, and cellular phones. Subjects were undergraduate college students ranging in age from 17 to 29. A sample of 40 students was taken from a small liberal arts college in Pennsylvania. A second sample of 25 engineering students was…

International Engineering Students--Avoiding Plagiarism through Understanding the Western Academic Context of Scholarship

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duff, Andrea H.; Rogers, Derek P.; Harris, Michael B.

2006-01-01

Despite the best attempts of academic staff to teach students the mechanics of citation, the rules of referencing continue to be broken, particularly by those new to Western university systems (either first-year undergraduate students or international students from different cultural backgrounds). In late 2003, 16 postgraduate international…

Bayer Facts of Science Education XV: A View from the Gatekeepers—STEM Department Chairs at America's Top 200 Research Universities on Female and Underrepresented Minority Undergraduate STEM Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bayer Corporation

2012-06-01

Diversity and the underrepresentation of women, African-Americans, Hispanics and American Indians in the nation's science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields are the subjects of the XV: A View from the Gatekeepers—STEM Department Chairs at America's Top 200 Research Universities on Female and Underrepresented Minority Undergraduate STEM Students. Annual public opinion research project commissioned by Bayer Corporation, the Bayer Facts surveys examine science education and science literacy issues. The 15th in the series and the fifth to explore diversity and underrepresentation, this research is a direct outgrowth of last year's results which found 40 percent of the country's female and underrepresented minority (URM) chemists and chemical engineers working today were discouraged from pursuing their STEM career at some point in their lives. US colleges were cited as places where this discouragement most often happened and college professors as the individuals most likely responsible. Does such discouragement still occur in American colleges today? To answer this and other questions about the undergraduate environment in which today's students make their career decisions, the survey polls 413 STEM department chairs at the nation's 200 top research universities and those that produce the highest proportion of female and URM STEM graduates. The survey also asks the chairs about their institutions track record recruiting and retaining female and URM STEM undergraduates, preparedness of these students to study STEM, the impact of traditional introductory STEM courses on female and URM students and barriers these students face pursuing their STEM degrees.

Teaching Synthetic Biology, Bioinformatics and Engineering to Undergraduates: The Interdisciplinary Build-a-Genome Course

PubMed Central

Dymond, Jessica S.; Scheifele, Lisa Z.; Richardson, Sarah; Lee, Pablo; Chandrasegaran, Srinivasan; Bader, Joel S.; Boeke, Jef D.

2009-01-01

A major challenge in undergraduate life science curricula is the continual evaluation and development of courses that reflect the constantly shifting face of contemporary biological research. Synthetic biology offers an excellent framework within which students may participate in cutting-edge interdisciplinary research and is therefore an attractive addition to the undergraduate biology curriculum. This new discipline offers the promise of a deeper understanding of gene function, gene order, and chromosome structure through the de novo synthesis of genetic information, much as synthetic approaches informed organic chemistry. While considerable progress has been achieved in the synthesis of entire viral and prokaryotic genomes, fabrication of eukaryotic genomes requires synthesis on a scale that is orders of magnitude higher. These high-throughput but labor-intensive projects serve as an ideal way to introduce undergraduates to hands-on synthetic biology research. We are pursuing synthesis of Saccharomyces cerevisiae chromosomes in an undergraduate laboratory setting, the Build-a-Genome course, thereby exposing students to the engineering of biology on a genomewide scale while focusing on a limited region of the genome. A synthetic chromosome III sequence was designed, ordered from commercial suppliers in the form of oligonucleotides, and subsequently assembled by students into ∼750-bp fragments. Once trained in assembly of such DNA “building blocks” by PCR, the students accomplish high-yield gene synthesis, becoming not only technically proficient but also constructively critical and capable of adapting their protocols as independent researchers. Regular “lab meeting” sessions help prepare them for future roles in laboratory science. PMID:19015540

Teaching synthetic biology, bioinformatics and engineering to undergraduates: the interdisciplinary Build-a-Genome course.

PubMed

Dymond, Jessica S; Scheifele, Lisa Z; Richardson, Sarah; Lee, Pablo; Chandrasegaran, Srinivasan; Bader, Joel S; Boeke, Jef D

2009-01-01

A major challenge in undergraduate life science curricula is the continual evaluation and development of courses that reflect the constantly shifting face of contemporary biological research. Synthetic biology offers an excellent framework within which students may participate in cutting-edge interdisciplinary research and is therefore an attractive addition to the undergraduate biology curriculum. This new discipline offers the promise of a deeper understanding of gene function, gene order, and chromosome structure through the de novo synthesis of genetic information, much as synthetic approaches informed organic chemistry. While considerable progress has been achieved in the synthesis of entire viral and prokaryotic genomes, fabrication of eukaryotic genomes requires synthesis on a scale that is orders of magnitude higher. These high-throughput but labor-intensive projects serve as an ideal way to introduce undergraduates to hands-on synthetic biology research. We are pursuing synthesis of Saccharomyces cerevisiae chromosomes in an undergraduate laboratory setting, the Build-a-Genome course, thereby exposing students to the engineering of biology on a genomewide scale while focusing on a limited region of the genome. A synthetic chromosome III sequence was designed, ordered from commercial suppliers in the form of oligonucleotides, and subsequently assembled by students into approximately 750-bp fragments. Once trained in assembly of such DNA "building blocks" by PCR, the students accomplish high-yield gene synthesis, becoming not only technically proficient but also constructively critical and capable of adapting their protocols as independent researchers. Regular "lab meeting" sessions help prepare them for future roles in laboratory science.

The effects of computer-aided design software on engineering students' spatial visualisation skills

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kösa, Temel; Karakuş, Fatih

2018-03-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of computer-aided design (CAD) software-based instruction on the spatial visualisation skills of freshman engineering students in a computer-aided engineering drawing course. A quasi-experimental design was applied, using the Purdue Spatial Visualization Test-Visualization of Rotations (PSVT:R) for both the pre- and the post-test. The participants were 116 freshman students in the first year of their undergraduate programme in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at a university in Turkey. A total of 72 students comprised the experimental group; they were instructed with CAD-based activities in an engineering drawing course. The control group consisted of 44 students who did not attend this course. The results of the study showed that a CAD-based engineering drawing course had a positive effect on developing engineering students' spatial visualisation skills. Additionally, the results of the study showed that spatial visualisation skills can be a predictor for success in a computer-aided engineering drawing course.

Framework for Implementing Engineering Senior Design Capstone Courses and Design Clinics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Franchetti, Matthew; Hefzy, Mohamed Samir; Pourazady, Mehdi; Smallman, Christine

2012-01-01

Senior design capstone projects for engineering students are essential components of an undergraduate program that enhances communication, teamwork, and problem solving skills. Capstone projects with industry are well established in management, but not as heavily utilized in engineering. This paper outlines a general framework that can be used by…

A Holistic Approach to Delivering Sustainable Design Education in Civil Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vemury, Chandra Mouli; Heidrich, Oliver; Thorpe, Neil; Crosbie, Tracey

2018-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present pedagogical approaches developed and implemented to deliver sustainable design education (SDE) to second-year undergraduate students on civil engineering programmes in the (then) School of Civil Engineering and Geosciences at Newcastle University. In doing so, the work presented offers an example of…

Measurement System for Energetic Materials Decomposition

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-01-05

scholarships or fellowships for further studies in science, mathematics, engineering or technology fields: Student Metrics This section only applies to...science, mathematics, engineering, or technology fields: The number of undergraduates funded by your agreement who graduated during this period and...will continue to pursue a graduate or Ph.D. degree in science, mathematics, engineering, or technology fields

Incorporating Critical Thinking into an Engineering Undergraduate Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adair, Desmond; Jaeger, Martin

2016-01-01

Critical thinking extends to all aspects of professional engineering, especially in technical development, and, since the introduction of the ABET 2000 criteria, there has been an increased emphasis in engineering education on the development of critical thinking skills. What is hoped for is that the students obtain critical thinking skills to…

Examining the Relationship between Resistance to Change and Undergraduate Engineering Students' Environmental Knowledge and Attitudes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dyehouse, Melissa; Weber, Nicole; Fang, Jun; Harris, Constance; David, Ray; Hua, Inez; Strobel, Johannes

2017-01-01

Engineering professional associations identified environmental sustainability as a key responsibility of the educated engineer. Data from national surveys of the general public demonstrate low environmental knowledge levels and a high level of resistance when it comes to environmental behavior. The purpose of this study was to examine the…

Bringing Space Science to the Undergraduate Classroom: NASA's USIP Mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vassiliadis, D.; Christian, J. A.; Keesee, A. M.; Spencer, E. A.; Gross, J.; Lusk, G. D.

2015-12-01

As part of its participation in NASA's Undergraduate Student Instrument Project (USIP), a team of engineering and physics students at West Virginia University (WVU) built a series of sounding rocket and balloon missions. The first rocket and balloon missions were flown near-simultaneously in a campaign on June 26, 2014 (image). The second sounding rocket mission is scheduled for October 5, 2015. Students took a course on space science in spring 2014, and followup courses in physics and aerospace engineering departments have been developed since then. Guest payloads were flown from students affiliated with WV Wesleyan College, NASA's IV&V Facility, and the University of South Alabama. Students specialized in electrical and aerospace engineering, and space physics topics. They interacted regularly with NASA engineers, presented at telecons, and prepared reports. A number of students decided to pursue internships and/or jobs related to space science and technology. Outreach to the campus and broader community included demos and flight projects. The physics payload includes plasma density and temperature measurements using a Langmuir and a triple probe; plasma frequency measurements using a radio sounder (WVU) and an impedance probe (U.S.A); and a magnetometer (WVWC). The aerospace payload includes an IMU swarm, a GPS experiment (with TEC capability); a cubesat communications module (NASA IV&V), and basic flight dynamics. Acknowledgments: staff members at NASA Wallops Flight Facility, and at the Orbital-ATK Rocket Center, WV.

Student development and ownership of ethical and professional standards.

PubMed

Hall, Kevin D

2004-04-01

Ethics and professional conduct are vital to civil engineering undergraduate curricula. Many programs struggle to ensure that students are given an adequate exposure to and appreciation of ethical and professional conduct issues. This paper describes a two-part ethics/professionalism project used in a senior-level course taught at the University of Arkansas. Initially, students scrutinize ethical canons and standards of professional conduct published by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE), and prepare an essay concerning the applicability of these standards. The second part of the project builds on the first: based on the opinion(s) generated in Part 1, students are asked to develop a set of canons or standards targeted specifically to the undergraduate student, and suggest processes for implementing those standards within the department. Project objectives include: (1) exposure to nationally-recognized ethical canons and standards of professional conduct; (2) personal formulation of ethical and professional standards; (3) skill enhancement for non-technical written communications. Feedback by students prior to and after the project indicates success in meeting all objectives. The feedback also indicates that for some students, definitions and applications of ethics and professionalism are being broadened to include more than academic honesty issues.

Hierarchical Mentoring: A Transformative Strategy for Improving Diversity and Retention in Undergraduate STEM Disciplines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilson, Zakiya S.; Holmes, Lakenya; Degravelles, Karin; Sylvain, Monica R.; Batiste, Lisa; Johnson, Misty; McGuire, Saundra Y.; Pang, Su Seng; Warner, Isiah M.

2012-02-01

In the United States, less than half of the students who enter into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) undergraduate curricula as freshmen will actually graduate with a STEM degree. There is even greater disparity in the national STEM graduation rates of students from underrepresented groups with approximately three-fourths of minority students leaving STEM disciplines at the undergraduate level. A host of programs have been designed and implemented to model best practices in retaining students in STEM disciplines. The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Professors Program at Louisiana State University, under leadership of HHMI Professor Isiah M. Warner, represents one of these programs and reports on a mentoring model that addresses the key factors that impact STEM student attrition at the undergraduate level. By integrating mentoring and strategic academic interventions into a structured research program, an innovative model has been developed to guide STEM undergraduate majors in adopting the metacognitive strategies that allow them to excel in their programs of study, as they learn to appreciate and understand science more completely. Comparisons of the persistence of participants and nonparticipants in STEM curricular, at the host university and with other national universities and colleges, show the impact of the model's salient features on improving STEM retention through graduation for all students, particularly those from underrepresented groups.

Entering research: A course that creates community and structure for beginning undergraduate researchers in the STEM disciplines.

PubMed

Balster, Nicholas; Pfund, Christine; Rediske, Raelyn; Branchaw, Janet

2010-01-01

Undergraduate research experiences have been shown to enhance the educational experience and retention of college students, especially those from underrepresented populations. However, many challenges still exist relative to building community among students navigating large institutions. We developed a novel course called Entering Research that creates a learning community to support beginning undergraduate researchers and is designed to parallel the Entering Mentoring course for graduate students, postdocs, and faculty serving as mentors of undergraduate researchers. The course serves as a model that can be easily adapted for use across the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines using a readily available facilitator's manual. Course evaluations and rigorous assessment show that the Entering Research course helps students in many ways, including finding a mentor, understanding their place in a research community, and connecting their research to their course work in the biological and physical sciences. Students in the course reported statistically significant gains in their skills, knowledge, and confidence as researchers compared with a control group of students, who also were engaged in undergraduate research but not enrolled in this course. In addition, the faculty and staff members who served as facilitators of the Entering Research course described their experience as rewarding and one they would recommend to their colleagues.

Students' Risk Perceptions of Nanotechnology Applications: Implications for Science Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gardner, Grant; Jones, Gail; Taylor, Amy; Forrester, Jennifer; Robertson, Laura

2010-01-01

Scientific literacy as a goal of a science education reform remains an important discourse in the research literature and is a key component of students' understanding and acceptance of emergent technologies like nanotechnology. This manuscript focuses on undergraduate engineering students' perceptions of the risks and benefits posed by…

More than Meets the Eye--Infrared Cameras in Open-Ended University Thermodynamics Labs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Melander, Emil; Haglund, Jesper; Weiszflog, Matthias; Andersson, Staffan

2016-01-01

Educational research has found that students have challenges understanding thermal science. Undergraduate physics students have difficulties differentiating basic thermal concepts, such as heat, temperature, and internal energy. Engineering students have been found to have difficulties grasping surface emissivity as a thermal material property.…

Lessons from High-Achieving Students of Color in Physics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fries-Britt, Sharon L.; Younger, Toyia K.; Hall, Wendell D.

2010-01-01

Despite changing demographics in the United States, students of color have remained woefully underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. While African American, Native Americans, and Latinos make up over 30 percent of the undergraduate student population in this country, less than 12 percent of…

Understanding How Peer Mentoring and Capitalization Link Stem Students to Their Majors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holland, Jonathan M.; Major, Debra A.; Orvis, Karin A.

2012-01-01

This study investigated the role of peer mentoring and voluntary self-development activities (i.e., capitalization) in anchoring science, technology, engineering, and mathematics students to their college majors. Online data were collected from 214 undergraduate students. As hypothesized, mentoring was positively related to capitalization, and…

Undergraduate Students' Perceptions of the Mathematics Courses Included in the Primary School Teacher Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Serin, Mehmet Koray; Incikabi, Semahat

2017-01-01

Mathematics educators have reported on many issues regarding students' mathematical education, particularly students who received mathematics education at different departments such as engineering, science or primary school, including their difficulties with mathematical concepts, their understanding of and preferences for mathematical concepts.…

Implementing Sustainable Engineering Education through POPBL

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lioe, D. X.; Subhashini, G. K.

2013-06-01

This paper presents the implementation of sustainable engineering education to undergraduate student in Asia Pacific University of Technology and Innovation, Malaysia (APU) through Project-Oriented Problem Based Learning (POPBL). Sustainable engineering has already been the paramount term where it is no longer limited to environment, but also to the entire lifetime of the individual engineer. To inculcate every engineering individual with sustainability, education is the way to start off.

Education through Experience.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fowler, Brian D.

1995-01-01

Describes the Langley Aerospace Research Summer Scholars Program, a 10-week internship program for junior and senior undergraduates and first-year graduate students who are pursuing degrees in engineering or science. The program enables participants to conduct research under the supervision of NASA scientists and engineers. Profiles American…

Collaboration and Community Building in Summer Undergraduate Research Programs in the School of Earth Sciences at Stanford University

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nevle, R. J.; Watson Nelson, T.; Harris, J. M.; Klemperer, S. L.

2012-12-01

In 2012, the School of Earth Sciences (SES) at Stanford University sponsored two summer undergraduate research programs. Here we describe these programs and efforts to build a cohesive research cohort among the programs' diverse participants. The two programs, the Stanford School of Earth Sciences Undergraduate Research (SESUR) Program and Stanford School of Earth Sciences Summer Undergraduate Research in Geoscience and Engineering (SURGE) Program, serve different undergraduate populations and have somewhat different objectives, but both provide students with opportunities to work on strongly mentored yet individualized research projects. In addition to research, enrichment activities co-sponsored by both programs support the development of community within the combined SES summer undergraduate research cohort. Over the course of 6 to 9 months, the SESUR Program engages Stanford undergraduates, primarily rising sophomores and juniors, with opportunities to deeply explore Earth sciences research while learning about diverse areas of inquiry within SES. Now in its eleventh year, the SESUR experience incorporates the breadth of the scientific endeavor: finding an advisor, proposal writing, obtaining funding, conducting research, and presenting results. Goals of the SESUR program include (1) providing a challenging and rewarding research experience for undergraduates who wish to explore the Earth sciences; (2) fostering interdisciplinary study in the Earth sciences among the undergraduate population; and (3) encouraging students to major or minor in the Earth sciences and/or to complete advanced undergraduate research in one of the departments or programs within SES. The SURGE Program, now in its second year, draws high performing students, primarily rising juniors and seniors, from 14 colleges and universities nationwide, including Stanford. Seventy percent of SURGE students are from racial/ethnic backgrounds underrepresented in STEM fields, and approximately one-third are the first in their families to attend college. For eight weeks, SURGE scholars conduct independent research with the guidance of faculty, research group mentors, and program assistants. The primary objectives of the SURGE program are to (1) provide undergraduates with a research experience in SES; (2) prepare undergraduates for the process of applying to graduate school; (3) introduce undergraduates to career opportunities in the geosciences and engineering; and (4) increase diversity in SES graduate programs. Independent research, network building, and intense mentoring culminate in a final oral and poster symposium. SESUR and SURGE scholars jointly participate in enrichment activities including faculty research seminars; career, graduate school, and software training workshops; GRE preparation classes; and geoscience-oriented field trips. Interaction among our students takes place through both research and enrichment activities, creating a critical mass of undergraduate scholars and promoting community development. Pre- and post-program surveys indicate that the overall goals of both programs are being achieved.

A Broadly Implementable Research Course in Phage Discovery and Genomics for First-Year Undergraduate Students

PubMed Central

Jordan, Tuajuanda C.; Burnett, Sandra H.; Carson, Susan; Caruso, Steven M.; Clase, Kari; DeJong, Randall J.; Dennehy, John J.; Denver, Dee R.; Dunbar, David; Elgin, Sarah C. R.; Findley, Ann M.; Gissendanner, Chris R.; Golebiewska, Urszula P.; Guild, Nancy; Hartzog, Grant A.; Grillo, Wendy H.; Hollowell, Gail P.; Hughes, Lee E.; Johnson, Allison; King, Rodney A.; Lewis, Lynn O.; Li, Wei; Rosenzweig, Frank; Rubin, Michael R.; Saha, Margaret S.; Sandoz, James; Shaffer, Christopher D.; Taylor, Barbara; Temple, Louise; Vazquez, Edwin; Ware, Vassie C.; Barker, Lucia P.; Bradley, Kevin W.; Jacobs-Sera, Deborah; Pope, Welkin H.; Russell, Daniel A.; Cresawn, Steven G.; Lopatto, David; Bailey, Cheryl P.; Hatfull, Graham F.

2014-01-01

ABSTRACT Engaging large numbers of undergraduates in authentic scientific discovery is desirable but difficult to achieve. We have developed a general model in which faculty and teaching assistants from diverse academic institutions are trained to teach a research course for first-year undergraduate students focused on bacteriophage discovery and genomics. The course is situated within a broader scientific context aimed at understanding viral diversity, such that faculty and students are collaborators with established researchers in the field. The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Science Education Alliance Phage Hunters Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science (SEA-PHAGES) course has been widely implemented and has been taken by over 4,800 students at 73 institutions. We show here that this alliance-sourced model not only substantially advances the field of phage genomics but also stimulates students’ interest in science, positively influences academic achievement, and enhances persistence in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. Broad application of this model by integrating other research areas with large numbers of early-career undergraduate students has the potential to be transformative in science education and research training. PMID:24496795

Senior Thesis Research at Princeton.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prud'homme, Robert K.

1981-01-01

Reviews a senior undergraduate research program in chemical engineering at Princeton University. Includes strengths and requirements for a successful program. Senior thesis research provides creative problem solving experiences for students and is congruent with departmental research objectives. Selected student comments are included. (SK)

Using CASE Software to Teach Undergraduates Systems Analysis and Design.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilcox, Russell E.

1988-01-01

Describes the design and delivery of a college course for information system students utilizing a Computer-Aided Software Engineering program. Discusses class assignments, cooperative learning, student attitudes, and the advantages of using this software in the course. (CW)

NASA/DOD Aerospace Knowledge Diffusion Research Project. Paper 44: Becoming an aerospace engineer: Some thoughts on the career goals and educational preparation of AIAA student members

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pinelli, Thomas E.; Barclay, Rebecca O.; Kennedy, John M.; Hecht, Laura M.

1994-01-01

Similarities and differences between undergraduate and graduate engineering students in the context of two general aspects of educational experience are described. Considered first is the extent to which students differ regarding the factors that led to the choice of a career in aerospace engineering, their current levels of satisfaction with that choice, and career-related goals and objectives. Second, the importance of certain information-use skills for professional success, and the frequency of use and importance of specific information sources and products to meet students' educational needs, are explored.

Development of a global education environment to study the Equatorial Ionosphere with Cognitive Radars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Urbina, J. V.

2011-12-01

The author has recently been awarded the NSF Career award to develop a radar with cognitive sensing capabilities to study Equatorial plasma instabilities in the Peruvian Andes. Educational research has shown that a rich learning environment contributes tremendously toward improvement in learning achievements and also attitudes toward studies. One of the benefits of this project is that it provides such an environment and a global platform to involve several students at both graduate and undergraduate levels from the US, Puerto Rico, and Peru, and who will benefit from designing, installing, and deploying a radar in multi-instrument science campaigns. In addition to working in the laboratories, students will gain invaluable real world experience building this complex instrument and making it work under challenging conditions at remote sites. The PI will describe how these components are being developed in a Freshman Seminar course and Graduate courses in the Department of Electrical Engineering at Penn State University, and how they are aligned well with the department's and university's strategy for greater global engagement through a network of Global Engagement Nodes in South America (GENSA). The issues of mentoring, recruitment, and retention become particularly important in consideration of the educational objective of this career project to involve underrepresented students with diverse backgrounds and interest them in research projects. The author is working very closely with the Office of Engineering Diversity to leverage existing programs at Penn State designed to increase the participation of women and minority students in science and engineering research: (a) WISER (Women In Science and Engineering Research), and (b) MURE (Minority Undergraduate Research Experience). The Electrical Engineering Department at Penn State is also currently an NSF REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) site. The PI will also present his efforts in connecting his career project in providing research experiences during summer to underrepresented groups as well as students from schools without extensive research environments.

Teaching Engineering Students Team Work

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Levi, Daniel

1998-01-01

The purpose of this manual is to provide professor's in engineering classes which the background necessary to use student team projects effectively. This manual describes some of the characteristics of student teams and how to use them in class. It provides a set of class activities and films which can be used to introduce and support student teams. Finally, a set of teaching modules used in freshmen, sophomore, and senior aeronautical engineering classes are presented. This manual was developed as part of a NASA sponsored project to improve the undergraduate education of aeronautical engineers. The project has helped to purchase a set of team work films which can be checked out from Cal Poly's Learning Resources Center in the Kennedy Library. Research for this project has included literature reviews on team work and cooperative learning; interviews, observations, and surveys of Cal Poly students from Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, Aeronautical Engineering and Psychology; participation in the Aeronautical Engineering senior design lab; and interviews with engineering faculty. In addition to this faculty manual, there is a student team work manual which has been designed to help engineering students work better in teams.

Mathematics and online learning experiences: a gateway site for engineering students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masouros, Spyridon D.; Alpay, Esat

2010-03-01

This paper focuses on the preliminary design of a multifaceted computer-based mathematics resource for undergraduate and pre-entry engineering students. Online maths resources, while attractive in their flexibility of delivery, have seen variable interest from students and teachers alike. Through student surveys and wide consultations, guidelines have been developed for effectively collating and integrating learning, support, application and diagnostic tools to produce an Engineer's Mathematics Gateway. Specific recommendations include: the development of a shared database of engineering discipline-specific problems and examples; the identification of, and resource development for, troublesome mathematics topics which encompass ideas of threshold concepts and mastery components; the use of motivational and promotional material to raise student interest in learning mathematics in an engineering context; the use of general and lecture-specific concept maps and matrices to identify the needs and relevance of mathematics to engineering topics; and further exploration of the facilitation of peer-based learning through online resources.

Fitting in and feeling good: the relationships among peer alignment, instructor connectedness, and self-efficacy in undergraduate satisfaction with engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Micari, Marina; Pazos, Pilar

2016-07-01

This study examined the relationships among peer alignment (the feeling that one is similar in important ways to one's engineering peers), instructor connectedness (the sense that one knows and looks up to academic staff/faculty members in the department), self-efficacy for engineering class work (confidence in one's ability to successfully complete engineering class work), and engineering students' satisfaction with the major. A total of 135 sophomore (second-year university students) and junior (third-year students) engineering students were surveyed to measure these three variables. A multiple regression analysis showed that self-efficacy, peer alignment, and instructor connectedness predicted student satisfaction with the major, and that self-efficacy acted as a mediator between both peer alignment and instructor connectedness on the one hand, and satisfaction on the other. The authors offer suggestions for practice based on the results.

Stereotype Threat: A Qualitative Study of the Challenges Facing Female Undergraduate Engineering Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Entsminger, J. R., II

From a sociocultural point of view, this qualitative case study explored how upper-level, female undergraduate engineering students perceived the possibility of or experience with stereotype threat as shaping their experiences. The study also investigated how these students explained their reasons for choosing their engineering major, the challenges they encountered in the major, and their reasons for persevering in spite of those challenges. Using Steele and Aronson's (1995) stereotype threat theory as a framework, and considering the documented underrepresentation of females in engineering, the study sought to examine how stereotype threat shaped the experiences of these students and if stereotype threat could be considered a valid reason for the underrepresentation. The study was conducted at a large, four-year public university. First, students in the College of Engineering and Engineering Technology completed the Participant Screening Survey. Based on responses from the survey, six female engineering students from the college were identified and invited to participate in the study. The participants came from the following majors: Electrical Engineering, Industrial and Systems Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering. After receiving the study consent letter and agreeing to participate, the students were involved in a 90-minute focus group meeting, a 45-minute one-on-one interview, and a 30-minute follow-up interview. After conducting the data collection methods, the data were then transcribed, analyzed, and coded for theme development. The themes that emerged coincided with each research question. The themes highlighted the complex interactions and experiences shared by the female engineering majors. The female students were enveloped in an environment where there existed an increased risk for activating stereotype threat. In addition, the female students described feeling pushed to prove to themselves and to others that the negative stereotype that 'females are bad at engineering' was untrue. The findings illustrated the need for systematic changes at the university level. Intervention recommendations were provided. In regards to female underrepresentation in science fields, including engineering, stereotype threat certainly had the potential to cause the female students to question themselves, their abilities, their choice of an academic major, and subsequently remove themselves from a hostile learning or working environment. Thus, educational institutions and workplace organizations are responsible for not only educating themselves regarding stereotype threat, but also for taking steps to alleviate the pernicious effects of stereotype threat.

Teaching an engine-driven preparation technique to undergraduates: initial observations.

PubMed

Hänni, S; Schönenberger, K; Peters, O A; Barbakow, F

2003-07-01

This paper describes the initial experiences following the introduction of a rotary engine-driven preparation technique into the undergraduate endodontic programme at the Zurich University Dental Centre. Forty third-year students practised the ProFile.04 (PF.04) technique between January and July 2001 in a preclinical course. Between November 2001 and February 2002, 20 of these students (Group A) root-treated 51 teeth in their clinical course using either PF.04, the balanced force technique (BFT) or a combination of both. The second group of 20 students (Group B) similarly treated another 36 randomly selected teeth between April and July 2002. Types of teeth treated by the students and the canal preparation techniques were recorded. The students also completed a short questionnaire, evaluating their opinions of the new course. Of the 87 teeth endodontically treated during the clinical course, 34, 14 and 39 were shaped using PF.04 alone, a combination of PF.04 and BFT and BFT alone, respectively. No rotary instruments were fractured during the 1-year clinical course, although some instruments were fractured during the preclinical laboratory course. Overall, the students rated the rotary technique as positive. A rotary technique was successfully introduced into an undergraduate endodontic programme (this will be continued in the foreseeable future). However, the continuity between the preclinical and the clinical courses was poor as a result of the constraints of the general teaching programme.

Partnerships for building strong internship and research experiences for undergraduates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goehring, L.; Haacker-Santos, R.; Dutilly, E.

2013-12-01

REU and internship site directors often operate in geographic and institutional isolation from each other, unable to share best practices or resources. When collaboration is possible, benefits for both the students and leaders of these programs can be achieved. In 2013, the SOARS REU program, hosted at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), supported the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) in creating a new internship program aimed at engaging undergraduate science and engineering students in NEON's work. Both student programs share the objective of reaching underrepresented groups in STEM. The year long collaboration allowed NEON to learn best practices in recruitment and support of students, mentor training, and program development, and to customize its internship according to its organization i.e., a science/engineering observatory under construction. Both programs shared several elements: students were housed together so that interns could tap into a larger cohort of supportive peers; students participated in a joint leadership training to strengthen cross program mentoring; and students met weekly for a scientific communications workshop. Having multiple science disciplines represented enhanced the workshop as students learned about writing styles and cultures of each other's fields, fostering an appreciation of different scientific disciplines and interdisciplinary thinking. Finally, at the end of the summer, students presented their findings in a joint poster session. We found that collaboration between programs led to increased recruitment of students from diverse backgrounds and support of students through stronger cohorts, shared trainings, and enhanced program content. In this presentation we share findings of our programs' evaluations and make recommendations on building collaborative partnerships for internships and research experiences for undergraduates.

Changing academic culture to improve undergraduate STEM education.

PubMed

Suchman, Erica L

2014-12-01

Improving undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education requires faculty with the skills, resources, and time to create active learning environments that foster student engagement. Current faculty hiring, promotion, and tenure practices at many universities do not measure, reward, nor encourage faculty pursuit of these skills. A cultural change is needed to foster improvement. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Why Work with Undergraduate Researchers? Differences in Research Advisors' Motivations and Outcomes by Career Stage

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayward, Charles N.; Laursen, Sandra L.; Thiry, Heather

2017-01-01

Undergraduate research is often hailed as a solution to increasing the number and quality of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics graduates needed to fill the high-tech jobs of the future. Student benefits of research are well documented but the emerging literature on advisors' perspectives is incomplete: only a few studies have…

A Comparison of Internal Dispositions and Career Trajectories after Collaborative versus Apprenticed Research Experiences for Undergraduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frantz, Kyle J.; Demetrikopoulos, Melissa K.; Britner, Shari L.; Carruth, Laura L.; Williams, Brian A.; Pecore, John L.; DeHaan, Robert L.; Goode, Christopher T.

2017-01-01

Undergraduate research experiences confer benefits on students bound for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers, but the low number of research professionals available to serve as mentors often limits access to research. Within the context of our summer research program (BRAIN), we tested the hypothesis that a team-based…

Japanese Educational Patterns in Science and Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Birnbaum, Henry

1973-01-01

Describes the Japanese educational system, and outlines some of the obstacles faced by students in progressing through successive levels from elementary school to university. Emphasizes undergraduate education, especially in science and engineering. The organization of the Japanese school system is schematically presented in a diagram. (JR)

Intending to Stay: Images of Scientists, Attitudes Toward Women, and Gender as Influences on Persistence among Science and Engineering Majors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wyer, Mary

Contemporary research on gender and persistence in undergraduate education in science and engineering has routinely focused on why students leave their majors rather than asking why students stay. This study compared three common ways of measuring persistence-commitment to major, degree aspirations, and commitment to a science or engineering career-and emphasized factors that would encourage students to persist, including positive images of scientists and engineers, positive attitudes toward gender equity in science and engineering, and positive classroom experiences. A survey was administered in classrooms to a total of 285 female and male students enrolled in two required courses for majors. The results indicate that the different measures of persistence were sensitive to different influences but that students' gender did not interact with their images, attitudes, and experiences in predicted ways. The study concludes that an individual student's gender may be a more important factor in explaining why some female students leave their science and engineering majors than in explaining why others stay.

A community-based, interdisciplinary rehabilitation engineering course.

PubMed

Lundy, Mary; Aceros, Juan

2016-08-01

A novel, community-based course was created through collaboration between the School of Engineering and the Physical Therapy program at the University of North Florida. This course offers a hands-on, interdisciplinary training experience for undergraduate engineering students through team-based design projects where engineering students are partnered with physical therapy students. Students learn the process of design, fabrication and testing of low-tech and high-tech rehabilitation technology for children with disabilities, and are exposed to a clinical experience under the guidance of licensed therapists. This course was taught in two consecutive years and pre-test/post-test data evaluating the impact of this interprofessional education experience on the students is presented using the Public Service Motivation Scale, Civic Actions Scale, Civic Attitudes Scale, and the Interprofessional Socialization and Valuing Scale.

Change is necessary in a biological engineering curriculum.

PubMed

Johnson, Arthur T; Montas, Hubert; Shirmohammadi, Adel; Wheaton, Fredrick W

2006-01-01

Success of a Biological Engineering undergraduate educational program can be measured in a number of ways, but however it is measured, a presently successful program can translate into an unsuccessful program if it cannot adjust to different conditions posed by technical advances, student characteristics, and academic pressures. Described in this paper is a Biological Engineering curriculum that has changed significantly since its transformation from Agricultural Engineering in 1993. As a result, student numbers have continued to climb, specific objectives have emerged, and unique courses have been developed. The Biological Resources Engineering program has evolved into a program that emphasizes breadth, fundamentals, communications skills, diversity, and practical engineering judgment.

Bringing STEM to Life

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berkeihiser, Mike; Ray, Dori

2013-01-01

The interdisciplinary approach that science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) projects inspire in both teachers and students "brings to light a larger picture that promotes real-world scientific applications, which has in turn been shown to increase undergraduate persistence in STEM." The high school students have been…

Challenges in Teaching Modern Manufacturing Technologies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ngaile, Gracious; Wang, Jyhwen; Gau, Jenn-Terng

2015-01-01

Teaching of manufacturing courses for undergraduate engineering students has become a challenge due to industrial globalisation coupled with influx of new innovations, technologies, customer-driven products. This paper discusses development of a modern manufacturing course taught concurrently in three institutions where students collaborate in…

Computer Education with "Retired" Industrial Systems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nesin, Dan; And Others

1980-01-01

Describes a student-directed computer system revival project in the Electrical and Computer Engineering department at California State Polytechnic University, which originated when an obsolete computer was donated to the department. Discusses resulting effects in undergraduate course offerings, in student extracurricular activities, and in…

Learning analytics: Dataset for empirical evaluation of entry requirements into engineering undergraduate programs in a Nigerian university.

PubMed

Odukoya, Jonathan A; Popoola, Segun I; Atayero, Aderemi A; Omole, David O; Badejo, Joke A; John, Temitope M; Olowo, Olalekan O

2018-04-01

In Nigerian universities, enrolment into any engineering undergraduate program requires that the minimum entry criteria established by the National Universities Commission (NUC) must be satisfied. Candidates seeking admission to study engineering discipline must have reached a predetermined entry age and met the cut-off marks set for Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE), Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), and the post-UTME screening. However, limited effort has been made to show that these entry requirements eventually guarantee successful academic performance in engineering programs because the data required for such validation are not readily available. In this data article, a comprehensive dataset for empirical evaluation of entry requirements into engineering undergraduate programs in a Nigerian university is presented and carefully analyzed. A total sample of 1445 undergraduates that were admitted between 2005 and 2009 to study Chemical Engineering (CHE), Civil Engineering (CVE), Computer Engineering (CEN), Electrical and Electronics Engineering (EEE), Information and Communication Engineering (ICE), Mechanical Engineering (MEE), and Petroleum Engineering (PET) at Covenant University, Nigeria were randomly selected. Entry age, SSCE aggregate, UTME score, Covenant University Scholastic Aptitude Screening (CUSAS) score, and the Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of the undergraduates were obtained from the Student Records and Academic Affairs unit. In order to facilitate evidence-based evaluation, the robust dataset is made publicly available in a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet file. On yearly basis, first-order descriptive statistics of the dataset are presented in tables. Box plot representations, frequency distribution plots, and scatter plots of the dataset are provided to enrich its value. Furthermore, correlation and linear regression analyses are performed to understand the relationship between the entry requirements and the corresponding academic performance in engineering programs. The data provided in this article will help Nigerian universities, the NUC, engineering regulatory bodies, and relevant stakeholders to objectively evaluate and subsequently improve the quality of engineering education in the country.

Undergraduate Students as Climate Communicators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharif, H. O.; Joseph, J.; Mullendore, G. L.

2012-12-01

The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), San Antonio College (SAC), and the University of North Dakota (UND) are partnering with NASA to provide underrepresented undergraduates from UTSA, SAC, and other community colleges climate-related research and education experiences. The program aims to develop a robust response to climate change by providing K-16 climate change education; enhance the effectiveness of K-16 education particularly in engineering and other STEM disciplines by use of new instructional technologies; increase the enrollment in engineering programs and the number of engineering degrees awarded by showing engineering's usefulness in relation to the much-discussed contemporary issue of climate change; increase persistence in STEM degrees by providing student research opportunities; and increase the ethnic diversity of those receiving engineering degrees and help ensure an ethnically diverse response to climate change. Students will have the opportunity to participate in guided research experiences aligned with NASA Science Plan objectives for climate and Earth system science and the educational objectives of the three institutions. An integral part of the learning process will include training in modern media technology (webcasts), and in using this technology to communicate the information on climate change to others, especially high school students, culminating in production of a webcast about investigating aspects of climate change using NASA data. Content developed is leveraged by NASA Earth observation data and NASA Earth system models and tools. Several departments are involved in the educational program.

Foreign Language Learning: Strategies in the Context of STEM Education (Estrategias de Aprendizaje de Lenguas Extranjeras en el Contexto de la Educación STEM)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Han, Turgay

2015-01-01

This study aims at providing an insightful evaluation of the EFL strategies used by first-year STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) students, and their perceptions of their own use of strategies. The 147 participants were undergraduate level, first-year engineering students at a state university in Turkey. Their ages ranged…

Bioengineering and Bioinformatics Summer Institutes: Meeting Modern Challenges in Undergraduate Summer Research

PubMed Central

Dong, Cheng; Snyder, Alan J.; Jones, A. Daniel; Sheets, Erin D.

2008-01-01

Summer undergraduate research programs in science and engineering facilitate research progress for faculty and provide a close-ended research experience for students, which can prepare them for careers in industry, medicine, and academia. However, ensuring these outcomes is a challenge when the students arrive ill-prepared for substantive research or if projects are ill-defined or impractical for a typical 10-wk summer. We describe how the new Bioengineering and Bioinformatics Summer Institutes (BBSI), developed in response to a call for proposals by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation (NSF), provide an impetus for the enhancement of traditional undergraduate research experiences with intense didactic training in particular skills and technologies. Such didactic components provide highly focused and qualified students for summer research with the goal of ensuring increased student satisfaction with research and mentor satisfaction with student productivity. As an example, we focus on our experiences with the Penn State Biomaterials and Bionanotechnology Summer Institute (PSU-BBSI), which trains undergraduates in core technologies in surface characterization, computational modeling, cell biology, and fabrication to prepare them for student-centered research projects in the role of materials in guiding cell biology. PMID:18316807

A Basic Engineering English Word List for Less Proficient Foundation Engineering Undergraduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ward, Jeremy

2009-01-01

This paper concerns the teaching of English to learners who are studying, or will soon study, engineering and who are expected to do at least part of their studying through textbooks written in English. Such students, especially in universities in developing countries, often find themselves very poorly equipped by their secondary education for…

The Effective Use of Professional Software in an Undergraduate Mining Engineering Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kecojevic, Vladislav; Bise, Christopher; Haight, Joel

2005-01-01

The use of professional software is an integral part of a student's education in the mining engineering curriculum at The Pennsylvania State University. Even though mining engineering represents a limited market across U.S. educational institutions, the goal still exists for using this type of software to enrich the learning environment with…

A Qualitative Evaluation of the Use of Multimedia Case Studies in an Introductory Engineering Course at Two Southeastern Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huett, Kim C.; Kawulich, Barbara

2015-01-01

Collaborating at two universities to improve teaching and learning in undergraduate engineering, an interdisciplinary team of researchers, instructors, and evaluators planned and implemented the use of multimedia case studies with students enrolled in an introductory engineering course. This qualitative action evaluation study focuses on results…

The Use of Physical and Virtual Manipulatives in an Undergraduate Mechanical Engineering (Dynamics) Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pan, Edward A.

2013-01-01

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education is a national focus. Engineering education, as part of STEM education, needs to adapt to meet the needs of the nation in a rapidly changing world. Using computer-based visualization tools and corresponding 3D printed physical objects may help nontraditional students succeed in…

Influence of an Environmental Studies Course on Attitudes of Undergraduates at an Engineering University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuo, Shih-Yun; Jackson, Nancy L.

2014-01-01

Studies suggest that at engineering universities, where the percentage of males and engineering majors is high, pro-environmental attitudes are likely to be weak and may not change. The 15-item New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) scale was used to measure differences in student attitudes before and after an environmental studies course. Results revealed…

Perceptions and Problems of English Language and Communication Abilities: A Final Check on Thai Engineering Undergraduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rajprasit, Krich; Pratoomrat, Panadda; Wang, Tuntiga

2015-01-01

English language and communication abilities are an essential part of the global engineering community. However, non-native English speaking engineers and students tend to be unable to master these skills. This study aims to gauge the perceived levels of their general English language proficiency, to explore their English communicative problems,…

A Quantitative Analysis of Students' Perception of Generic Skills within an Undergraduate Electronics/mechanical Engineering Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duggan, Louise

2014-01-01

Generic skills are considered as key essential skills which are required by all individuals in the engineering profession and are considered vital for success. Integrating generic skills into engineering education is a key concern for universities and colleges involved in delivering such courses. The accreditation criteria for engineering…

A Critical Discourse Analysis of Engineering Course Syllabi and Recommendations for Increasing Engagement among Women in STEM

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Savaria, Michael; Monteiro, Kristina

2017-01-01

Men outnumber women in the enrollment of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) undergraduate majors. Course syllabi are distributed to students during open enrollment and provide key insights into the courses. A critical discourse analysis of introductory engineering syllabi at a 4-year public university revealed limited to no…

Consequences of Team Charter Quality: Teamwork Mental Model Similarity and Team Viability in Engineering Design Student Teams

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conway Hughston, Veronica

2014-01-01

Since 1996 ABET has mandated that undergraduate engineering degree granting institutions focus on learning outcomes such as professional skills (i.e. solving unstructured problems and working in teams). As a result, engineering curricula were restructured to include team based learning--including team charters. Team charters were diffused into…

An Engineering Educator's Decision Support Tool for Improving Innovation in Student Design Projects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ozaltin, Nur Ozge; Besterfield-Sacre, Mary; Clark, Renee M.

2015-01-01

Learning how to design innovatively is a critical process skill for undergraduate engineers in the 21st century. To this end, our paper discusses the development and validation of a Bayesian network decision support tool that can be used by engineering educators to make recommendations that positively impact the innovativeness of product designs.…

Collaborative Writing in Engineering: Perspectives from Research and Implications for Undergraduate Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gimenez, J.; Thondhlana, J.

2012-01-01

In engineering, like in many other disciplines, collaborative writing (CW) has been identified as a central practice in both the academy and industry. A number of studies have shown that both students and professionals in this field write most discipline-specific genres collaboratively. Despite its centrality, CW in engineering is still an…

Teaching the Next Generation of Scientists and Engineers the NASA Design Process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Caruso, Pamela W.; Benfield, Michael P. J.; Justice, Stefanie H.

2011-01-01

The Integrated Product Team (IPT) program, led by The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), is a multidisciplinary, multi-university, multi-level program whose goal is to provide opportunities for high school and undergraduate scientists and engineers to translate stakeholder needs and requirements into viable engineering design solutions via a distributed multidisciplinary team environment. The current program supports three projects. The core of the program is the two-semester senior design experience where science, engineering, and liberal arts undergraduate students from UAH, the College of Charleston, Southern University at Baton Rouge, and Ecole Suprieure des Techniques Aronautiques et de Construction Automobile (ESTACA) in Paris, France form multidisciplinary competitive teams to develop system concepts of interest to the local aerospace community. External review boards form to provide guidance and feedback throughout the semester and to ultimately choose a winner from the competing teams. The other two projects, the Innovative Student Project for the Increased Recruitment of Engineering and Science Students (InSPIRESS) Level I and Level II focus exclusively on high school students. InSPIRESS Level I allows high schools to develop a payload to be accommodated on the system being developed by senior design experience teams. InSPIRESS Level II provides local high school students first-hand experience in the senior design experience by allowing them to develop a subsystem or component of the UAH-led system over the two semesters. This program provides a model for NASA centers to engage the local community to become more involved in design projects.

Research Ethics with Undergraduates in Summer Research Training Programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheung, I.; Yalcin, K.

2016-02-01

Many undergraduate research training programs incorporate research ethics into their programs and some are required. Engaging students in conversations around challenging topics such as conflict of interest, cultural and gender biases, what is science and what is normative science can difficult in newly formed student cohorts. In addition, discussing topics with more distant impacts such as science and policy, intellectual property and authorship, can be difficult for students in their first research experience that have more immediate concerns about plagiarism, data manipulation, and the student/faculty relationship. Oregon State University's Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) in Ocean Sciences: From Estuaries to the Deep Sea as one model for incorporating a research ethics component into summer undergraduate research training programs. Weaved into the 10-week REU program, undergraduate interns participate in a series of conversations and a faculty mentor panel focused on research ethics. Topics discussed are in a framework for sharing myths, knowledge and personal experiences on issues in research with ethical implications. The series follows guidelines and case studies outlined from the text, On Being A Scientist: Responsible Conduct In Research Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy, National Academy of Sciences.

DOE Chair of Excellence in Environmental Disciplines-Final Technical Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kurunganty, Sastry; Loran, Roberto; Roque-Malherbe, Rolando

The report Massie Chair of Excellence Program at Universidad del Turabo, contract DE-FG02-95EW12610, during the period of 9/29/1995 to 9/29/2011. The initial program aims included development of academic programs in the Environmental Sciences and Engineering, and Research and Development focused initially on environmentally friendly processes and later revised also include: renewable energy and international cooperation. From 1995 -2005, the Program at UT lead the establishment of the new undergraduate program in electrical engineering at the School of Engineering (SoE), worked on requirements to achieve ABET accreditation of the SoE B.S. Mechanical Engineering and B.S. Electrical Engineering programs, mentored junior faculty,more » taught undergraduate courses in electrical engineering, and revised the electrical engineering curriculum. Engineering undergraduate laboratories were designed and developed. The following research sub-project was developed: Research and development of new perovskite-alumina hydrogen permeable asymmetrical nanostructured membranes for hydrogen purification, and extremely high specific surface area silica materials for hydrogen storage in the form of ammonia, Dr. Rolando Roque-Malherbe Subproject PI, Dr. Santander Nieto and Mr. Will Gómez Research Assistants. In 2006, the Massie Chair of Excellence Program was transferred to the National Nuclear Security Agency, NNSA and DNN. DoE required a revised proposal aligned with the priorities of the Administration. The revised approved program aims included: (1) Research (2) Student Development: promote the development of minority undergraduate and graduate students through research teams, internships, conferences, new courses; and, (3) Support: (a) Research administration and (b) Dissemination through international conferences, the UT Distinguished Lecturer Series in STEM fields and at the annual Universidad del Turabo (UT) Researchers Conference. Research included: Sub-Project 1: Synthesis and Characterization of low Refractive Index Aerogel Silica for Cherenkov Counters- Dr. Rolando Roque-Malherbe Sub-project PI, Dr. Jose Duconge Sub-project Co-PI, Dr. Santander Nieto Assistant Researcher, Francisco Diaz and Carlos Neira Associate Researchers. The initial aim of this sub-project was changed to the synthesis and characterization of extremely high specific surface area aerogel silica for gas storage. A high specific surface area silica gel that has applications in gas drying, cleaning operation useful in nuclear industry in process was developed. Sub-Project 2: Investigation Study of Magnetic and Electronic Transport Properties at Material Interfaces in Magnetic Multilayer Heterostructure using Gd. – Dr. Yazan Hijazi, Sub-project Co-PI. UT developed the capability and infrastructure to produce high quality thin-film magnetic films and magnetic multilayer structures with fine control over film quality and thickness using sputter deposition capability to perform in-house electric and magnetic characterization of these films. The research experimentally quantified the effect of Gd incorporation within the magnetic multilayer structure and produce magnetic media with exchanged decoupled multilevel magnetic anisotropy. From September 2006 to September 2011 the Massie Chair produced nineteen (19) publications, (including 3 books), five (5) presentations and three (3) international conferences abstracts. A total of fourteen (14) undergraduates and (6) graduate students acquired research experience. Two Ph.D. students presented their dissertations on topics related to nuclear energy and graduated as follows: María Cotto (May 2009) and Eric Calderón (May 2011). Five of the participating undergraduate students graduated: Ramon Polanco (BSME, May 2009), Jason Pérez (BSEE, May 2008), Rafael Colón (BSME, May 2008), Jessenia Marfisi (BS Chemistry, May 2008). Eleven (11) students were sent to National Laboratories (LANL, SNL and LLNL), NNSA and DoE facilities for summer internships. Twenty eight (28) undergraduate students participated in Summer Internships (2010, 2011) at the Puerto Rico Energy Center (PREC). Four international energy symposiums were held aligned with the DoE and the NNSA missions and dissemination of Massie Chair research activities (660 attendees). Academic programs developed or revised under advice of the Massie Chair: Ph.D. in Environmental Sciences (revised); MSc in Environmental Sciences (revised); MSc in Mechanical Engineering with concentration in Alternative Energy (new); BS in Industrial Management & Engineering (revised to fulfill the ABET requirements); BS in Civil Engineering including an environmental option (new); BS in Electrical Engineering (revised); and, Associate in Renewable Energy (new). The Puerto Rico Energy Center (PREC) was designed and developed under the Massie Chair initiative. Thirty-three (33) proposals were developed and submitted during the period of which 12 were approved in the amount of $ $1,931,306.« less

Perceptions of Active Learning between Faculty and Undergraduates: Differing Views among Departments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patrick, Lorelei E.; Howell, Leigh Anne; Wischusen, William

2016-01-01

There have been numerous calls recently to increase the use of active learning in university science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) classrooms to more actively engage students and enhance student learning. However, few studies have investigated faculty and student perceptions regarding the effectiveness of active learning or the…

Computer Literacy in Learning Academic English: Iranian EAP Students' and Instructors' Attitudes and Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alavi, Seyed Mohammad; Borzabadi, Davood; Dashtestani, Reza

2016-01-01

This study aimed to analyze perceptions of Iranian English for Academic Purposes (EAP) students on their computer literacy levels. A total of 641 undergraduate students of civil engineering and 34 EAP instructors participated in the study. Data collection instruments included questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Findings confirmed that…

Best Practices When Using Student Survey Results in Academic Program Review. SERU Project Technical Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chatman, Steve

2011-01-01

Using the example of responses from civil engineering students at a very highly ranked participating university, this guide demonstrates the importance of comparative data when using student questionnaire data for undergraduate academic program review. It also emphasizes the advantage of using factor structures for better questionnaire-based…

Experiences of Judeo-Christian Students in Undergraduate Biology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barnes, M. Elizabeth; Truong, Jasmine M.; Brownell, Sara E.

2017-01-01

A major research thrust in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education is focused on how to retain students as STEM majors. The accumulation of seemingly insignificant negative experiences in STEM classes can, over time, lead STEM students to have a low sense of belonging in their disciplines, and this can lead to lower…

Creating a High Impact Learning Environment for Engineering Technology Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhan, Wei; Wang, Jyhwen; Vanajakumari, Manoj; Johnson, Michael D.

2018-01-01

This paper discusses an initiative called Product Innovation and Development (PID) that was launched at Texas A&M University. The goal of PID is to create a high impact learning environment that focuses on innovative product development. Undergraduate students are hired to develop innovative new products. The student teams generate ideas for…

A case study of pedagogy of mathematics support tutors without a background in mathematics education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walsh, Richard

2017-01-01

This study investigates the pedagogical skills and knowledge of three tertiary-level mathematics support tutors in a large group classroom setting. This is achieved through the use of video analysis and a theoretical framework comprising Rowland's Knowledge Quartet and general pedagogical knowledge. The study reports on the findings in relation to these tutors' provision of mathematics support to first and second year undergraduate engineering students and second year undergraduate science students. It was found that tutors are lacking in various pedagogical skills which are needed for high-quality learning amongst service mathematics students (e.g. engineering/science/technology students), a demographic which have low levels of mathematics upon entering university. Tutors teach their support classes in a very fast didactic way with minimal opportunities for students to ask questions or to attempt problems. It was also found that this teaching method is even more so exaggerated in mandatory departmental mathematics tutorials that students take as part of their mathematics studies at tertiary level. The implications of the findings on mathematics tutor training at tertiary level are also discussed.

Academic Integrity and Cultural Capital: A Case Study of Incoming Indian Graduate Students in Engineering and Computing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burger, Catherine E.

As the number of international students studying in the United States continues to grow, it is important that educators and administrators at postsecondary institutions understand the diverse educational backgrounds of these students, which has the potential to influence their chances for academic success. Nowhere is this truer than at the graduate-level, where international students now earn more than one-quarter of all doctoral research degrees. Through the lens of academic integrity, this study explores the undergraduate educational experiences of incoming Indian graduate students in engineering and computing disciplines at one southeastern research university, and compares the academic preparedness of these students to the expectations of the graduate faculty. This project demonstrates that the nature of undergraduate education at Indian institutions does not adequately prepare incoming graduate students for the expectations present at US institutions, specifically regarding academic writing and cheating. However, this lack of cultural capital does not appear to disadvantage the student population over the course of their academic careers, as the graduate faculty working with these students spend a significant amount of time and energy helping them socialize into Western educational practices.

Challenges and Opportunities in Interdisciplinary Materials Research Experiences for Undergraduates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vohra, Yogesh; Nordlund, Thomas

2009-03-01

The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) offer a broad range of interdisciplinary materials research experiences to undergraduate students with diverse backgrounds in physics, chemistry, applied mathematics, and engineering. The research projects offered cover a broad range of topics including high pressure physics, microelectronic materials, nano-materials, laser materials, bioceramics and biopolymers, cell-biomaterials interactions, planetary materials, and computer simulation of materials. The students welcome the opportunity to work with an interdisciplinary team of basic science, engineering, and biomedical faculty but the challenge is in learning the key vocabulary for interdisciplinary collaborations, experimental tools, and working in an independent capacity. The career development workshops dealing with the graduate school application process and the entrepreneurial business activities were found to be most effective. The interdisciplinary university wide poster session helped student broaden their horizons in research careers. The synergy of the REU program with other concurrently running high school summer programs on UAB campus will also be discussed.

Understanding the Changing Dynamics of the Gender Gap in Undergraduate Engineering Majors: 1971-2011

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sax, Linda J.; Kanny, M. Allison; Jacobs, Jerry A.; Whang, Hannah; Weintraub, Dayna S.; Hroch, Amber

2016-01-01

In this paper we examine the level and determinants of entering college students' plans to major in engineering. While the overall level of interest in engineering has fluctuated between 1971 and 2011, a very large gender gap in freshman interest remains. We find that the percent of first-year women who plan to major in engineering is roughly the…

A Structured Approach to Honours Undergraduate Research Course, Evaluation Rubrics and Assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khoukhi, Amar

2013-10-01

This paper presents a new approach to the Honours Undergraduate Research Course design and implementation. The course design process, assessment and evaluation rubrics are provided. Lessons learned and the experience of the faced challenges and opportunities for two cohort offerings of the course during the winter terms of 2011 and 2012 are highlighted. Assessments show that major benefits include increasing interaction with the faculty and increasing intellectual maturity, skills, knowledge and confidence for the students and for the faculty, the furthering of research projects by the participation of undergraduate students. The course can serve as a model that can be easily adapted for use across the disciplines of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Engineering Veterinary Education: A Clarion Call for Reform in Veterinary Education--Let's Do It!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Radostits, Otto M.

2003-01-01

Supports an engineering model of tracking programs in veterinary medical education and suggests that undergraduate student quotas need to be considered in order to educate a sufficient number of new veterinary graduates in the different fields needed by society. (SLD)

German for Engineers and Scientists: Initiatives in International Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weinmann, Sigrid

The Michigan Technological University program in German area studies is described. The program is designed for science and engineering students at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Its components include: a 1-year scientific German sequence, stressing specialized vocabulary, reading skills, use of reference materials, translation into…

Flipping Core Courses in the Undergraduate Mechanical Engineering Curriculum: Heat Transfer

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schrlau, Michael G.; Stevens, Robert J.; Schley, Sara

2016-01-01

Flipped classrooms support learner-centered approaches to improve conceptualization, comprehension, and problem solving skills by delivering content outside the classroom and actively engaging students inside the classroom. While literature in engineering and science education supports and encourages the use of inverted instruction, many core…

Meta-Assessment in a Project-Based Systems Engineering Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wengrowicz, Niva; Dori, Yehudit Judy; Dori, Dov

2017-01-01

Project-based learning (PBL) facilitates significant learning, but it poses a major assessment challenge for assessing individual content knowledge. We developed and implemented an assessment approach and tool for a mandatory undergraduate systems engineering PBL-based course. We call this type of assessment "student-oriented"…

Teaching Cellular Automation Concepts through Interdisciplinary Collaborative Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Biernacki, Joseph J.; Ayers, Jerry B.

2000-01-01

Reports on the experiences of 12 students--three senior undergraduates majoring in chemical engineering, five master-level, and four doctoral students--in a course titled "Interdisciplinary Studies in Multi-Scale Simulation of Concrete Materials". Course objectives focused on incorporating team-oriented interdisciplinary experiences into the…

A psychological model that integrates ethics in engineering education.

PubMed

Magun-Jackson, Susan

2004-04-01

Ethics has become an increasingly important issue within engineering as the profession has become progressively more complex. The need to integrate ethics into an engineering curriculum is well documented, as education does not often sufficiently prepare engineers for the ethical conflicts they experience. Recent research indicates that there is great diversity in the way institutions approach the problem of teaching ethics to undergraduate engineering students; some schools require students to take general ethics courses from philosophical or religious perspectives, while others integrate ethics in existing engineering courses. The purpose of this paper is to propose a method to implement the integration of ethics in engineering education that is pedagogically based on Kohlberg's stage theory of moral development.

Engaging Actively with Issues in the Responsible Conduct of Science: Lessons from International Efforts Are Relevant for Undergraduate Education in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clements, John D.; Connell, Nancy D.; Dirks, Clarissa; El-Faham, Mohamed; Hay, Alastair; Heitman, Elizabeth; Stith, James H.; Bond, Enriqueta C.; Colwell, Rita R.; Anestidou, Lida; Husbands, Jo L.; Labov, Jay B.

2013-01-01

Numerous studies are demonstrating that engaging undergraduate students in original research can improve their achievement in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields and increase the likelihood that some of them will decide to pursue careers in these disciplines. Associated with this increased prominence of research in…

Gender and Belonging in Undergraduate Computer Science: A Comparative Case Study of Student Experiences in Gateway Courses. WCER Working Paper No. 2016-2

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benbow, Ross J.; Vivyan, Erika

2016-01-01

Building from findings showing that undergraduate computer science continues to have the highest attrition rates proportionally for women within postsecondary science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines--a phenomenon that defies basic social equity goals in a high status field--this paper seeks to better understand how student…

Evaluating Psychosocial Mechanisms Underlying STEM Persistence in Undergraduates: Evidence of Impact from a Six-Day Pre-College Engagement STEM Academy Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Findley-Van Nostrand, Danielle; Pollenz, Richard S.

2017-01-01

The persistence of undergraduate students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines is a national issue based on STEM workforce projections. We implemented a weeklong pre-college engagement STEM Academy (SA) program aimed at addressing several areas related to STEM retention. We validated an instrument that was…

An Analysis of Retention Factors in Undergraduate Degree Programs in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Michael H.

2012-01-01

This mixed-methodological study explored the factors that predict a student's likelihood to complete an undergraduate program in a STEM discipline at one campus reliant upon that mission. Offered in response to a national imperative for the U.S. to compete globally, researchers contend educators must better prepare a STEM foundation and inspire…

Self-Regulated Learning Skills and Online Activities between Higher and Lower Performers on a Web-Intensive Undergraduate Engineering Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawanto, Oenardi; Santoso, Harry B.; Lawanto, Kevin N.; Goodridge, Wade

2017-01-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate students' self-regulated learning (SRL) skills used in a Web-intensive learning environment. The research question guiding the study was: How did the use of student SRL skills and student engagement in online activities compare between higher- and lower-performing students participating in a…

The Effects of Self-Explanation and Metacognitive Instruction on Undergraduate Students' Learning of Statistics Materials Containing Multiple External Representations in a Web-Based Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsu, Yu-Chang

2009-01-01

Students in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields are confronted with multiple external representations (MERs) in their learning materials. The ability to learn from and communicate with these MERs requires not only that students comprehend each representation individually but also that students recognize how the…

Morehouse Physics & Dual Degree Engineering Program: We C . A . R . E . Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rockward, Willie S.

2015-03-01

Growing the physics major at any undergraduate institution, especially Morehouse College - a private, all-male, liberal arts HBCU, can be very challenging. To address this challenge at Morehouse, the faculty and staff in the Department of Physics and Dual Degree Engineering Program (Physics & DDEP) are applying a methodology and pedagogical approach called ``We C . A . R . E '' which stands for Curriculum,Advisement,Recruitment/Retention/Research, andExtras. This approach utilizes an integrated strategy of cultural (family-orientated), collaborative (shared-governance), and career (personalized-pathways) modalities to provide the momentum of growing the physics major at Morehouse from 10-12 students to over 100 students in less than 5 years. Physics & DDEP at Morehouse, creatively, altered faculty course assignments, curriculum offerings, and departmental policies while expanding research projects, student organizations, and external collaborations. This method supplies a variety of meaningful, academic and research experiences for undergraduates at Morehouse and thoroughly prepares students for graduate studies or professional careers in STEM disciplines. Thus, a detailed overview of the ``We C . A . R . E . '' approach will be presented along with the Physics & DDEP vision, alterations and expansions in growing the physics major at Morehouse College. Department of Physics and Dual Degree Engineering Program, Atlanta, Georgia 30314.

Learning to become graduate students: Japanese women's experience in the research unit in engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hosaka, Masako

2010-12-01

Based on the analysis of 16 interviews with women first-year master's students at two national engineering schools in Japan, this article examines the socialisation role of compulsory undergraduate research experience in Japanese women's decisions to pursue graduate education and choices of the programme. The findings suggest that research experiences in a small independent research unit within the major department convinced Japanese women engineering students of their academic and social success as graduate students in the current environment. Although participants generally adapted themselves to the research unit through their research, there is a variation in the degree to which they were smoothly integrated into the research unit, reflecting organisational and individual differences.

Photonics education development for electrical engineering students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Yang; Luo, Yuan; Liu, Yu; Hu, ZhangFang; Cai, Xuemei

2017-08-01

We describe the contents of an advanced undergraduate course on photonics at School of Electrical Engineering, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications. The main goal of the course is to equip the student with the necessary theoretical and practical knowledge to participate in photonics-related industry and further graduate level study and research if they choose. The prerequisites include college-level physics and higher mathematics which a general engineering student has already had in his/her first and second year college study. Although applications of photonics are ubiquitous such as telecommunications, photonic computing, spectroscopy, military technology, and biophotonics etc. Telecommunication information system application is more emphasized in our course considering about the potential job chances for our students.

Ocean Instruments Web Site for Undergraduate, Secondary and Informal Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farrington, J. W.; Nevala, A.; Dolby, L. A.

2004-12-01

An Ocean Instruments web site has been developed that makes available information about ocean sampling and measurement instruments and platforms. The site features text, pictures, diagrams and background information written or edited by experts in ocean science and engineering and contains links to glossaries and multimedia technologies including video streaming, audio packages, and searchable databases. The site was developed after advisory meetings with selected professors teaching undergraduate classes who responded to the question, what could Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution supply to enhance undergraduate education in ocean sciences, life sciences, and geosciences? Prototypes were developed and tested with students, potential users, and potential contributors. The site is hosted by WHOI. The initial five instruments featured were provided by four WHOI scientists and engineers and by one Sea Education Association faculty member. The site is now open to contributions from scientists and engineers worldwide. The site will not advertise or promote the use of individual ocean instruments.

A Dynamic Action in the Engineering Teaching.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pegollo, Carlos Alberto Goebel; Shiga, Alberto Akio

The main proposal of this paper is to present research performed during a practical subject in the last year of the electrical engineer undergraduate course, emphasis in electrotechnics, at the Universidade Sao Judas Tadeu. Several activities are developed to provide the students variable and continued information about their performance in many…

Environmental Engineering Teaching Reference Community.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bell, John M.; Brenchley, David L.

Dawson, Fairfax County/U.S.A. is a hypothetical community developed by the authors as a teaching aid for undergraduate and graduate courses in environmental engineering, providing a context for problem solving and role playing. It was contrived to provide students opportunities to: (1) identify important community relationships, (2) appreciate the…

Biomedical Engineering Education: A Conservative Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Niemi, Eugene E., Jr.

1973-01-01

Describes the demand for graduates from biomedical engineering programs as being not yet fully able to absorb the supply. Suggests small schools interested in entering the field consider offering their programs at the undergraduate level via a minor or an option. Examples of such options and student projects are included. (CC)

A Course on Energy Technology and Policy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edgar, Thomas F.

2007-01-01

The emerging energy situation in the United States puts chemical engineering at the forefront of the large research and education effort that will need to be undertaken during the next 20 years. Chemical engineering undergraduates and graduate students will need to be literate on energy alternatives and the interconnection of technology,…

Undergraduate Astronautics at the United States Naval Academy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bagaria, William J.

1991-01-01

The aerospace engineering curriculum at the U.S. Naval Academy which includes an astronautical and an aeronautical track is described. The objective of the program is to give students the necessary astronautical engineering background to perform a preliminary spacecraft design during the last semester of the program. (KR)

Understanding One Institutions' Process in Preparing Civil Engineering Students to Be Globally Competent

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mavroudhis, Vasiliki Goudanas

2017-01-01

Civil engineering is an increasingly dynamic and global industry experiencing expansion cross borders, resulting in new required competencies sought out by employers and reflected in updated undergraduate program outcomes. These new competencies include attributes that result in global competence. Institutions of higher learning need to…

Women and Men of the Engineering Path: A Model for Analyses of Undergraduate Careers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adelman, Clifford

This monograph provides college academic administrators, institutional researchers, professional and learned societies, and academic advisors with information to improve understanding of the paths students take through engineering programs in higher education. The evidence used in this study comes principally from the 11-year college transcript…

Lectures and Simulation Laboratories to Improve Learners' Conceptual Understanding

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brophy, Sean P.; Magana, Alejandra J.; Strachan, Alejandro

2013-01-01

We studied the use of online molecular dynamics simulations (MD) to enhance student abilities to understand the atomic processes governing plastic deformation in materials. The target population included a second-year undergraduate engineering course in the School of Materials Engineering at Purdue University. The objectives of the study were to…

Mathematical Building-Blocks in Engineering Mechanics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyajian, David M.

2007-01-01

A gamut of mathematical subjects and concepts are taught within a handful of courses formally required of the typical engineering student who so often questions the relevancy of being bound to certain lower-division prerequisites. Basic classes at the undergraduate level, in this context, include: Integral and Differential Calculus, Differential…

Understanding Initial Undergraduate Expectations and Identity in Computing Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kinnunen, Päivi; Butler, Matthew; Morgan, Michael; Nylen, Aletta; Peters, Anne-Kathrin; Sinclair, Jane; Kalvala, Sara; Pesonen, Erkki

2018-01-01

There is growing appreciation of the importance of understanding the student perspective in Higher Education (HE) at both institutional and international levels. This is particularly important in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics subjects such as Computer Science (CS) and Engineering in which industry needs are high but so are…

Exploring Engineering instructors' views about writing and online tools to support communication in Engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Howard, Sarah K.; Khosronejad, Maryam; Calvo, Rafael A.

2017-11-01

To be fully prepared for the professional workplace, Engineering students need to be able to effectively communicate. However, there has been a growing concern in the field about students' preparedness for this aspect of their future work. It is argued that online writing tools, to engage numbers of students in the writing process, can support feedback on and development of writing in engineering on a larger scale. Through interviews and questionnaires, this study explores engineering academics' perceptions of writing to better understand how online writing tools may be integrated into their teaching. Results suggest that writing is viewed positively in the discipline, but it is not believed to be essential to success in engineering. Online writing tools were believed to support a larger number of students, but low knowledge of the tools limited academics' understanding of their usefulness in teaching and learning. Implications for innovation in undergraduate teaching are discussed.

A Study of The Influence of Advising on Underrepresented Minority Undergraduate Student Persistence in STEM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weir, Michael J.

In the United States, undergraduate underrepresented minority (URM) students tend to change out of declared majors in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) disciplines at a rate of nearly sixty percent prior to earning a post secondary degree. This phenomenon contributes to a general concern that the United States is not producing enough STEM trained skilled workers to meet future employment needs of industry and government. Although there has been research developed to examine how to increase the numbers of URM students enrolling in STEM programs at higher education institutions, retention of these students remains critical. One area of increasing focus for researchers is to understand how multiple factors impact the college experience of URM students and how those factors may contribute to the student decision to persist in earning a STEM disciple degree. This research study is a phenomenological mixed method study that examines how students experience the phenomenon of advising and the influence of the advising experience of undergraduate URM students on their likelihood of persisting in STEM at a northeast US technology oriented post secondary institution. Persistence, from the perspective of the student, is driven by cognitive psychological attributes such as confidence, motivation and self-efficacy. Utilizing a Social Cognitive theoretical framework, this study examines how three distinct undergraduate URM student populations enrolled in; an Academic Services Program, Honors College, and the general undergraduate population at this institution experience advising and how their experiences may influence their propensity to persist in earning a STEM oriented degree.

Comprehensive Cross-Training among STEM Disciplines in Geothermal Energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nunn, J. A.; Dutrow, B. L.

2012-12-01

One of the foremost areas of sustainability is society's need for energy. The US uses more energy per capita than any other country in the world with most of this energy coming from fossil fuels. With its link to climate change coupled with declining resources, renewable alternatives are being pursued. Given the high demand for energy, it is not a question of if these alternatives will be utilized but when and where. One of the "greenest" of the green technologies is geothermal energy. It is a renewable resource with a small environmental footprint. To educate advanced undergraduate and graduate students from across STEM disciplines in geothermal energy, a series of three distinct but linked and related courses are being developed and taught. Courses are focused on one of the STEM disciplines to provide students with essential discipline-specific knowledge and taught by different faculty members in the departments of geology, petroleum engineering and mathematics. These courses provide the foundation necessary for interdisciplinary research projects. The first course on Geologic Properties and Processes of Geothermal Energy was developed and taught in 2012. The class had an enrollment of 27 students including: 5 undergraduates and 4 graduate students in Geology, 12 undergraduates and two graduate students in Petroleum Engineering, and 4 non-matriculated undergraduate students. The course began with the essentials of heat and mass transfer, a common deficiency for all students, then progressed to the geologic materials of these systems: minerals, rocks and fluids. To provide students with first hand experience, two short research projects were embedded into the course. The first project involved analyses of cuttings from a well-studied geothermal system (Salton Sea, CA). Students were in teams consisting of both engineers and geologists. The first assignment was to identify minerals in the cuttings. They were then provided with XRD patterns for their cuttings to more precisely identify the mineralogy of the cuttings. Based on this data with depth, they were asked to predict an approximate temperature range and calculate various fluid parameters for these conditions. The second research project was completed individually, each student covered aspects of heat transport and geologic materials on a specific geothermal field of their choice, created a poster, and gave a brief oral presentation of the poster similar to what is done at scientific meetings. This not only helped students develop communication skills it also provide the class and the instructors information on the breath and diversity of geothermal projects already underway throughout the world and helped to improve critical thinking skills. Continued integration of our research and graduate training programs in Geology and Geophysics, Petroleum Engineering, and Mathematics will occur in 2012-2013. The Petroleum Engineering course will be offered in the fall semester of 2012 and the Mathematics class in the spring semester of 2013. Providing this three semester sequence of courses across the STEM disciplines promotes comprehensive cross-training among disciplines and provides a template for future directions of teaching sustainability across the disciplines.

The Importance of Field in Understanding Persistence among Science and Engineering Majors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wyer, Mary

Many contemporary studies of persistence in science and engineering majors find that students' gender is an important explanatory variable in understanding why students leave and stay in their majors. This study revisits an earlier report by this author to explore the relative impact of gender on persistence when field of major is held constant, using the same data as the earlier work, drawing on survey responses from 285 students in required biology and engineering courses. The author argues two points: that effects of field on students' persistence are often misinterpreted as gender effects and that gender is too often understood in the narrow sense of students' sex. The author finds that when field is taken into account, students' sex has little explanatory power for understanding persistence rates. In contrast, students' positive experiences with and positive attitudes about gender equity significantly enhance commitments to science and engineering majors, advanced degrees, and careers. The results suggest the need for field-specific interventions to promote the advancement of undergraduate women in science and engineering.

Designing Effective Undergraduate Research Experiences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Severson, S.

2010-12-01

I present a model for designing student research internships that is informed by the best practices of the Center for Adaptive Optics (CfAO) Professional Development Program. The dual strands of the CfAO education program include: the preparation of early-career scientists and engineers in effective teaching; and changing the learning experiences of students (e.g., undergraduate interns) through inquiry-based "teaching laboratories." This paper will focus on the carry-over of these ideas into the design of laboratory research internships such as the CfAO Mainland internship program as well as NSF REU (Research Experiences for Undergraduates) and senior-thesis or "capstone" research programs. Key ideas in maximizing student learning outcomes and generating productive research during internships include: defining explicit content, scientific process, and attitudinal goals for the project; assessment of student prior knowledge and experience, then following up with formative assessment throughout the project; setting reasonable goals with timetables and addressing motivation; and giving students ownership of the research by implementing aspects of the inquiry process within the internship.

Role of Human Factors and Engineering Psychology in Undergraduate and Graduate Engineering Curriculum

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Piyush Sabharwall; Jesse Rebol

The engineering discipline is a profession of acquiring and applying technical knowledge, and the focus of engineering psychology is to optimize the effectiveness and efficiency with which human activities are conducted. Having human factors and engineering psychology be a permanent part of the engineering curriculum will make students aware of them, so they can learn from past experiences and avoid making the same mistakes their peers made. (Should be close to 200 words)

Catalog of Training and Education Sources in Concurrent Engineering

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-11-01

Undergraduate degree in engineering or hard science. TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) of 550 or better for international students and GMAT (Graduate...Graduate Record Examination)of 1000 0 (Verbal + Quantitative); TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) of 550 for students whose first language...Graduate Record Examination) and TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) 0 scores. Comments: Recipient of the CASA/SME 1988 University LEAD

Advanced Physics Labs and Undergraduate Research: Helping Them Work Together

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peterson, Richard W.

2009-10-01

The 2009 Advanced Lab Topical Conference in Ann Arbor affirmed the importance of advanced labs that teach crucial skills and methodologies by carefully conducting a time-honored experiment. Others however argued that such a constrained experiment can play a complementary role to more open-ended, project experiences. A genuine ``experiment'' where neither student or faculty member is exactly sure of the best approach or anticipated result can often trigger real excitement, creativity, and career direction for students while reinforcing the advanced lab and undergraduate research interface. Several examples are cited in areas of AMO physics, optics, fluids, and acoustics. Colleges and universities that have dual-degree engineering, engineering physics, or applied physics programs may especially profit from interdisciplinary projects that utilize optical, electromagnetic, and acoustical measurements in conjunction with computational physics and simulation.

Power factor of power educators. [Undergraduate and graduate programs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Barthold, L.O.

1979-01-01

Undergraduate engineering schools are doing an excellent job in offering technical material and preparing students for careers in industry or graduate schools. At the undergraduate level, the burden of adequately covering a widening range of engineering fundamentals precludes offering industry-oriented undergraduate courses. The lack of communication skills is a serious handicap to many graduates. Furthermore, the ability to identify problems and structure approaches to their solutions needs more attention in undergraduate education. The quality of graduate programs in power is closely linked to the accuracy and realism with which graduate faculty perceive the industry and its problems as well asmore » their skill in teaching. It is important for graduate faculty to maintain close working ties with industry. Part-time assignments with utilities, manufacturers, or consultants are the best way to do so. Doing so through research grants can also help but can likewise be counterproductive if faculty are not discriminating in the subject matter pursued.« less

Scaling up: Taking the Academic Pathways of People Learning Engineering Survey (APPLES) National. Research Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donaldson, Krista M.; Chen, Helen L.; Toye, George; Clark, Mia; Sheppard, Sheri D.

2008-01-01

The Academic Pathways of People Learning Engineering Survey (APPLES) was deployed for a second time in spring 2008 to undergraduate engineering students at 21 US universities. The goal of the second deployment of APPLES was to corroborate and extend findings from the Academic Pathways Study (APS; 2003-2007) and the first deployment of APPLES…

A Paperless Course on Structural Engineering Programming: Investing in Educational Technology in the Times of the Greek Financial Recession

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sextos, Anastasios G.

2014-01-01

This paper presents the structure of an undergraduate course entitled "programming techniques and the use of specialised software in structural engineering" which is offered to the fifth (final) year students of the Civil Engineering Department of Aristotle University Thessaloniki in Greece. The aim of this course is to demonstrate the…

Wind energy curriculum development at GWU

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hsu, Stephen M

A wind energy curriculum has been developed at the George Washington University, School of Engineering and Applied Science. Surveys of student interest and potential employers expectations were conducted. Wind industry desires a combination of mechanical engineering training with electrical engineering training. The curriculum topics and syllabus were tested in several graduate/undergraduate elective courses. The developed curriculum was then submitted for consideration.

Core Skills Assessment to Improve Mathematical Competency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carr, Michael; Bowe, Brian; Ní Fhloinn, Eabhnat

2013-01-01

Many engineering undergraduates begin third-level education with significant deficiencies in their core mathematical skills. Every year, in the Dublin Institute of Technology, a diagnostic test is given to incoming first-year students, consistently revealing problems in basic mathematics. It is difficult to motivate students to address these…

Teaching Mathematics Using Steplets

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bringslid, Odd; Norstein, Anne

2008-01-01

This article evaluates online mathematical content used for teaching mathematics in engineering classes and in distance education for teacher training students. In the EU projects Xmath and dMath online computer algebra modules (Steplets) for undergraduate students assembled in the Xmath eBook have been designed. Two questionnaires, a compulsory…

Redefining Scientist-Educator Partnerships: Science in Service at Stanford

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beck, K.

2005-05-01

The Stanford Solar Observatories Group and Haas Center for Public Service have created an innovative model for scientist-educator partnerships in which science students are trained and mentored by public service education professionals to create outreach events for local communities. The program, Science in Service, is part of the EPO plan for the Solar Group's participation in NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory mission. Based on the principles of service learning, the Science in Service Program mentors college science students in best practices for communicating science and engages these students in public service projects that center on teaching solar science. The program goals are to - Enhance and expand the learning experiences that pre-college students, from underserved and underrepresented groups in particular, have in science and technology. - Promote leadership in community service in the area of science and engineering among the next generation of scientists and engineers, today's undergraduate students. - Encourage science and engineering faculty to think creatively about their outreach requirements and to create a community of faculty committed to quality outreach programs. This talk will describe the unique advantages and challenges of a research-public service partnership, explain the structure of Stanford's Science in Service Program, and present the experiences of the undergraduates and the outreach communities that have been involved in the program.

Explicating mathematical thinking in differential equations using a computer algebra system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeynivandnezhad, Fereshteh; Bates, Rachel

2018-07-01

The importance of developing students' mathematical thinking is frequently highlighted in literature regarding the teaching and learning of mathematics. Despite this importance, most curricula and instructional activities for undergraduate mathematics fail to bring the learner beyond the mathematics. The purpose of this study was to enhance students' mathematical thinking by implementing a computer algebra system and active learning pedagogical approaches. students' mathematical thinking processes were analyzed while completing specific differential equations tasks based on posed prompts and questions and Instrumental Genesis. Data were collected from 37 engineering students in a public Malaysian university. This study used the descriptive and interpretive qualitative research design to investigate the students' perspectives of emerging mathematical understanding and approaches to learning mathematics in an undergraduate differential equations course. Results of this study concluded that students used a variety of mathematical thinking processes in a non-sequential manner. Additionally, the outcomes provide justification for continued use of technologies such as computer algebra systems in undergraduate mathematics courses and the need for further studies to uncover the various processes students utilize to complete specific mathematical tasks.

Students' Strengths and Weaknesses in Evaluating Technical Arguments as Revealed through Implementing Calibrated Peer Review™ in a Bioengineering Laboratory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Volz, Tracy; Saterbak, Ann

2009-01-01

In engineering fields, students are expected to construct technical arguments that demonstrate a discipline's expected use of logic, evidence, and conventions. Many undergraduate bioengineering students struggle to enact the appropriate argument structures when they produce technical posters. To address this problem we implemented Calibrated Peer…

The Role of Work Experience and Self-Efficacy in STEM Student Retention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raelin, Joseph A.; Bailey, Margaret B.; Hamann, Jerry; Pendleton, Leslie K.; Reisberg, Rachelle; Whitman, David L.

2015-01-01

The authors report the results of a three-year longitudinal study of retention among undergraduate engineering students enrolled at four major universities. The study demonstrates that self-efficacy can be a critical factor in student persistence and can be broken down into three components: work, career, and academic self-efficacy. The authors…

STEM in Postsecondary Education: Entrance, Attrition, and Coursetaking among 2003-04 Beginning Postsecondary Students. Web Tables. NCES 2013-152

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Xianglei; Ho, Phoebe

2012-01-01

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields are widely regarded as critical to the national economy. To provide a nationally representative portrait of undergraduate students' experiences in STEM education, these Web Tables summarize longitudinal data from a cohort of first-time, beginning students who started postsecondary…

The Role of Electronic Pocket Dictionaries as an English Learning Tool among Chinese Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jian, Hua-Li; Sandnes, Frode Eika; Law, Kris M. Y.; Huang, Yo-Ping; Huang, Yueh-Min

2009-01-01

This study addressed the role of electronic pocket dictionaries as a language learning tool among university students in Hong Kong and Taiwan. The target groups included engineering and humanities students at both undergraduate and graduate level. Speed of reference was found to be the main motivator for using an electronic pocket dictionary.…

A Model for Engaging Students in a Research Experience Involving Variational Techniques, Mathematica, and Descent Methods.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mahavier, W. Ted

2002-01-01

Describes a two-semester numerical methods course that serves as a research experience for undergraduate students without requiring external funding or the modification of current curriculum. Uses an engineering problem to introduce students to constrained optimization via a variation of the traditional isoperimetric problem of finding the curve…

The Tao of Microelectronics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yumin

2014-12-01

Microelectronics is a challenging course to many undergraduate students and is often described as very messy. Before taking this course, all the students have learned circuit analysis, where basically all the problems can be solved by applying Kirchhoff's laws. In addition, most engineering students have also learned engineering mechanics: statics and dynamics, where Newton's laws and related principles can be applied in solving all the problems. However, microelectronics is not as clean as these courses. There are hundreds of equations for different circuits, and it is impossible to remember which equation should be applied to which circuit. One of the common pitfalls in learning this course is over-focusing at the equation level and ignoring the ideas (Tao) behind it. Unfortunately, these ideas are not summarized and emphasized in most microelectronics textbooks, though they cover various electronic circuits comprehensively. Therefore, most undergraduate students feel at a loss when they start to learn this topic. This book tries to illustrate the major ideas and the basic analysis techniques, so that students can derive the right equations easily when facing an electronic circuit.

The Effective and Evolving Role of Graduate Students in the SURFO REU Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pockalny, R. A.

2005-12-01

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships in Oceanography (SURFO) program is a 10-week research/educational program designed to expose 9 undergraduates per year to cutting-edge, authentic oceanographic research at the Graduate School of Oceanography/University of Rhode Island. The SURFO program primarily focuses on the more quantitative aspects of oceanography (e.g., physical oceanography, geophysical fluid dynamics and marine geophysics), which closely parallel the strengths of GSO/URI. Thus, the primary undergraduate population targeted by the program includes students from various disciplines, but with strong backgrounds in math, physics, computer science, and engineering. Over its 20-year existence, the SURFO program has continuously evolved; however, three basics goals of the program have been maintained: 1) expose students to the breadth and depth of oceanography, 2) provide students with an authentic research experience, and 3) integrate/assimilate students into the lifestyle and community of a graduate research institution. An integral component for achieving these goals has been the inclusion of graduate students as workshop leaders/instructors, research mentors, and social directors. In these roles the graduate students act as a 'big brother/sister' to transition the undergraduates into the academic and research community. The graduate students also initially behave as liaisons between the senior researcher and the SURFO participant by fielding questions and concerns the undergraduate may be too intimidated to voice. As the summer progresses, the graduate students typically evolve into a lead research advisor and begin to learn effective techniques for advising students. Responses from SURFO participants on exit questionnaires frequently comment on how their experience and research project were directly affected by the extent of graduate student participation during the summer. Anecdotal evidence also indicates the participating graduate students gain maturity in their approach to research and become more willing advisees.

Educating the engineers of 2020: An outcomes-based typology of engineering undergraduates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knight, David B.

Members of government and industry have called for greater emphasis within U.S. colleges and universities on producing engineers who can enter and advance a more competitive, globally connected workforce. Looking toward this future, engineers will need to exhibit strong analytical skills as in the past, but they also will need to be proficient in a cadre of new abilities to compete. This study examines, in combination, an array of knowledge and skills aligned with the National Academy of Engineering's "engineer of 2020." The study has two major goals. The first is to develop a typology of engineering students based on the learning outcomes associated with the engineer of E2020. The second is to understand the educational experiences that distinguish these groups of students who resemble, more or less, the engineer of 2020. This approach acknowledges that engineering graduates need a complex skill set to succeed in the new global economy; it is the combination of skills associated with the engineer of 2020, not the individual skills in isolation, which will ensure graduates can respond to workforce needs of the future. To date, research on student outcomes has studied learning outcomes independent of one another rather than investigating student learning holistically. The study uses student data from the Prototype to production: Processes and conditions for preparing the Engineer of 2020 study, sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF EEC-0550608). Engineering students from a nationally representative sample of engineering programs in the United States answered a survey that collected information on their pre-college academic preparation and sociodemographic characteristics, their curricular and co-curricular experiences in their engineering programs, and their self-ratings of their engineering-related competencies. Only data on engineering students in their senior year (n=2,422) were utilized in analyses. Analyses were conducted in multiple phases for each of five engineering disciplines in the data set (biomedical/bioengineering, chemical, civil, electrical, and mechanical engineering). First, cluster analyses produced typologies (or groupings) of engineering seniors (one for each of five engineering disciplines studied and an "all engineering" analysis) based on nine self-reported learning outcomes, including fundamental skills, design skills, contextual awareness, interdisciplinary competence, and professional skills. Second, profiles of pre-college characteristics as well as student experiences in college were developed for each discipline and the five disciplines combined. Using analyses of variance, Chi-square analyses, and multinomial logistic regression, this phase also identified differences in student characteristics and college experiences between clusters of students reporting high proficiencies on the array of outcomes and students in other clusters. This second phase informed the third phase, which produced parsimonious models that used pre-college characteristics and student experience variables to predict cluster membership. As a whole, the findings demonstrate that analyses that include the full array of E2020 learning outcomes produce meaningful typologies that distinguish between groupings of students in different engineering fields. Findings demonstrate that a subset of students - the engineers of 2020 - report high skills and abilities on the full array of learning outcomes. These are the graduates sought by both the federal government and industry who most closely resemble the engineers of 2020. In addition, distinctive curricular and co-curricular experiences distinguish this E2020 group of students in each engineering discipline from other groupings of students in that same discipline. These findings have valuable implications for practice because they identify an array of discipline-specific, in- and out-of-class learning experiences that appear to promote the development of this multi-dimensional set of outcomes. Overall, however, greater curricular emphases on broad and systems perspectives in the engineering curriculum most consistently set apart the students who report high proficiencies on the E2020 outcomes. The findings also indicate that strategies for improving undergraduate engineering outcomes should be tailored by engineering discipline. The study contributes to both practice and research by developing a technique that can be used to create an outcomes-based typology that can be applied to any set of learning outcomes. Graphical representations of results consolidate large quantities of information into an easily accessible format so that findings can guide both practitioners and policymakers who seek to improve this multi-dimensional set of undergraduate engineering learning outcomes. Future directions for research, including operationalizing organizational contexts influencing E2020 learning outcomes as well as anticipated career trajectories of students across the typology, are also discussed.

The women in science and engineering scholars program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Falconer, Etta Z.; Guy, Lori Ann

1989-01-01

The Women in Science and Engineering Scholars Program provides scientifically talented women students, including those from groups underrepresented in the scientific and technical work force, with the opportunity to pursue undergraduate studies in science and engineering in the highly motivating and supportive environment of Spelman College. It also exposes students to research training at NASA Centers during the summer. The program provides an opportunity for students to increase their knowledge of career opportunities at NASA and to strengthen their motivation through exposure to NASA women scientists and engineers as role models. An extensive counseling and academic support component to maximize academic performance supplements the instructional and research components. The program is designed to increase the number of women scientists and engineers with graduate degrees, particularly those with an interest in a career with NASA.

PID Controller Settings Based on a Transient Response Experiment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Silva, Carlos M.; Lito, Patricia F.; Neves, Patricia S.; Da Silva, Francisco A.

2008-01-01

An experimental work on controller tuning for chemical engineering undergraduate students is proposed using a small heat exchange unit. Based upon process reaction curves in open-loop configuration, system gain and time constant are determined for first order model with time delay with excellent accuracy. Afterwards students calculate PID…

A Five-Year University/Community College Collaboration to Build STEM Pipeline Capacity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strawn, Clare; Livelybrooks, Dean

2012-01-01

This article investigates the mechanisms through which undergraduate research experiences for community college students can have second-order and multiplier effects on other students and home community college science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) departments and thus build STEM pipeline capacity. Focus groups with the science…

Computing Aspects of Interactive Video.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Butcher, P. G.

1986-01-01

Describes design and production of the award-winning software used to control Great Britain's Open University Materials Science videodisc, the Teddy Bear Disc, which is used to teach undergraduate students about materials engineering. The disc is designed for use in one-week sessions, which students attend in July or August. (MBR)

Assessing Reading Strategies of Engineering Students: Think Aloud Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nalliveettil, George Mathew

2014-01-01

Literacy in reading and understanding printed words is significant for all undergraduate students to succeed in their academic career. Developments in digital technology improved the quality of academic texts in terms of design, format and layout. Further, availability of academic related English language resources in electronic versions gave…

Enhancing Diversity in Undergraduate Science: Self-Efficacy Drives Performance Gains with Active Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ballen, Cissy J.; Wieman, Carl; Salehi, Shima; Searle, Jeremy B.; Zamudio, Kelly R.

2017-01-01

Efforts to retain underrepresented minority (URM) students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) have shown only limited success in higher education, due in part to a persistent achievement gap between students from historically underrepresented and well-represented backgrounds. To test the hypothesis that active learning…

Incorporating High School Outreach into ChE Courses.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ross, Julia M.; Bayles, Taryn M.

2003-01-01

Describes an undergraduate-level introductory course in biomedical engineering introduced at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County which allows students to delve deeply into an area of interest not covered in the lecture material and provide a forum for students to hone their presentation and group interaction skills through outreach…

Graduate Students as Middle School Content Experts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luedeman, John K.; Leonard, William H.; Horton, Robert M.; Wagner, John R.

2003-01-01

Describes the Graduate K-12 Project, which is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and provides fellowship to graduate and highly qualified undergraduate students in the areas of science, mathematics, engineering, and technology to serve in K-12 schools with teachers. Aims to improve communication and teaching skills of fellows,…