Advances in engineering education 

About: Advances in engineering education is an academic journal published by American Society for Engineering Education. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Engineering education & Teaching method. It has an ISSN identifier of 1941-1766. It is also open access. Over the lifetime, 357 publications have been published receiving 3677 citations. The journal is also known as: AEE.

The evolution of a flipped classroom: Evidence-based recommendations

Abstract: Engineering students benefit from an active and interactive classroom environment where they can be guided through the problem solving process. Typically faculty members spend class time presenting the technical content required to solve problems, leaving students to apply this knowledge and problem solve on their own at home. There has recently been a surge of the flipped, or inverted, classroom where the technical content is delivered via online videos before class. Students then come to class prepared to actively apply this knowledge to solve problems or do other activities. In this paper, recommendations are made for applying this educational technique to large engineering classrooms. These recommendations are based both on a literature review of flipped classes and the evaluation of a case study of a large Introduction to Environmental Engineering class. The case study evolved from a traditional lecture-based classroom through two different versions of a flipped classroom. Evaluation of students’ interaction, preferences and performance are used to make rec ommendations about the video time, use of class time, course organization and student assessment.

A Model for Freshman engineering r etention

Abstract: With the current concern over the growing need for more engineers, there is an immediate need to improve freshman engineering retention. A working model for freshman engineering retention is needed. This paper proposes such a model based on Tinto’s Interactionalist Theory. Emphasis in this model is placed on pre-college characteristics as predictors for student academic success and retention. Through a literature search of both engineering education and general empirical studies, a list of significant pre-college characteristics important for modeling freshman engineering student success and retention was developed. Significant differences were found between the engineering education and general empirical studies. The final model is described in terms of a block diagram with an extension to statistical modeling. Tables of empirical studies that have included pre-college characteristics as predictors for student success and retention are included. An application using data from a University of Michigan study is discussed.

Model-eliciting activities (MEAs) as a bridge between engineering education research and mathematics education research

Abstract: This article introduces Model-Eliciting Activities (MEAs) as a form of case study team problem-solving. MEA design focuses on eliciting from students conceptual models that they iteratively revise in problem-solving. Though developed by mathematics education researchers to study the evolution of mathematical problem-solving expertise in middle school students, MEAs are increasingly used in undergraduate engineering at the introductory course level, and are the subject of several NSF grants to expand their implementation. A primary implementation challenge involves finding appropriate blends of MEAs with other pedagogies. Current research and development efforts include five areas of expanding the theoretical and empirical scope of the MEA construct. These include development and use of Reflection Tools, a device to nurture problem-solving personalities; implementation of current and futuristic learning technologies; elicitation and repair of misconceptions among undergraduates; development of engineering students’ ethical frameworks; and implementation of the elicitation model in higher level engineering courses.

Design and Validation of a Web-Based System for Assigning Members to Teams Using Instructor-Specified Criteria

Abstract: A significant body of research identifies a large number of team composition characteristics that affect the success of individuals and teams in cooperative learning and project-based team environments. Controlling these factors when assigning students to teams should result in im proved learning experiences. However, it is very difficult for instructors to consider more than a few criteria when assigning teams, particularly in large classes. As a result, most instructors allow students to self-select teams, randomly assign teams, or, at best, balance teams on a very limited number of criteria. This paper describes the design of Team-Maker, a web-based software tool that surveys students about criteria that instructors want to use when creating teams and uses a max-min heuristic to determine team assignments based on distribution criteria specified by the instructor. The TeamMaker system was validated by comparing the team assignments generated by the Team-Maker software to assignments made by experienced faculty members using the same criteria. This vali dation experiment showed that Team-Maker consistently met the specified criteria more closely than the faculty members. We suggest that Team-Maker can be used in combination with the Comprehensive Assessment of Team-Member Effectiveness (CATME) peer evaluation instrument to form a powerful faculty support system for team-based and cooperative learning and for a va riety of research purposes. Internet access to both the Team-Maker and CATME systems is freely available to college faculty in all disciplines by selecting the “request faculty account” button at https://www.catme.or g.

The Invention Studio: A University Maker Space and Culture.

Abstract: Creativity, invention, and innovation are values championed as central pillars of engineering education. However, university environments that foster open-ended design-build projects are uncommon. Fabrication and prototyping spaces at universities are typically ‘machine shops’ where students relinquish actual fabrication activities to trained professionals or are only accessible for academic assignments to highly trained students. The desire to make design and prototyping more integral to the engineering experience led to the creation of The Invention Studio, a free-to-use, 3000 ft maker space and culture at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Though initially founded specifically for the Capstone Design course, the Invention Studio has taken on a life and culture of its own, far beyond just a capstone design prototyping lab. There, 1000 student users per month create things (using $1M of capital equipment), meet, and mentor each other for at least 25 courses as well as independent personal projects. The Invention Studio is centrally managed and maintained by an undergraduate student group with support from the university staff and courses. In this descriptive program implementation report, the underlying motivation, organization, facilities, outreach, safety, funding, and challenges are presented in order to guide others in the creation of similar environments. The Invention Studio’s primary uses and impacts on students are described.