ABETS accreditation criterio provides odditionol impetus for preparing engineering groduotes to oct in o n ethically responsible manner. However, methods to ossess the effectiveness of educotionol efforts to do this remain primitive at best. We describe thefirst phose of o joint study ot the University of Pittsburgh and the Colorodo School of Mines to develop a meosurement tool for assessing students' abilities to recognize and resolve ethical dilemmas. Pre-ondpost-tests ol the beginning ond end of o semester-long course focusing on engineering e thics ore used to ossess students' comprehension, onolysis, and resolution of ethical dilemmas. Eoch test consists of two ethical dilemmos addressed rhrough o response essoy that is then holisticolly scored using o mbric that classifies students' level ofochievement. Results ore analyzed using stotistical methods to defermine Yony "shifrs" hove occurred to indicote o significant positive chonge in the cohort's collective ability. A second phose will involve the development of o web-based assessmen' instrument similar IO CSMs CogitoO that can be easily used by engineering faculty.

Innovative didactive strategies such as online learning and flipped classroom can improve student performance while maximizing university resources and personnel. Assessing how students perceive courses designed using these strategies, as well as perform within them, is becoming increasingly important. An introductory soil science course at a 4-year land-grant university was taught (1) face-to-face (FTF, n = 110) with one 50-minute lecture per week and a 2-hour lab twice per week, using (2) flipped classroom (FC, n = 31) design in which most instruction occurred online with a 2-hour lab once per week, and (3) fully and asynchronously online (OL, n = 23). Students completed an end of the semester survey designed to assess perceptions of course utility, the utility of course components, and engagement level in the course. Proportional odds regression models and log odds ratios were used to assess how student perceptions of and performance in this course were influenced by teaching method or student class standing. Class standing had the strongest influence on responses to perception and engagement questions, while teaching method minimally influenced responses to perception and engagement questions. Furthermore, students with the largest odds of expressing potentially less positive perceptions -in this case sophomores -also had the largest odds of performing poorly in the course. These results suggest that FC and OL are viable options which can extend university resources, impact, and accessibility, and that student perceptions of college courses, which in this study varied by class standing, can influence their performance.

Phosphorus runoff from agricultural land to surface water bodies, such as the Great Lakes, is an important environmental concern. Soil amendments, such as gypsum, may alter the chemistry of the soil solution to reduce the amount of water‐soluble P (WSP) available for loss to runoff, and as such, the NRCS now recommends gypsum application as a Conservation Practice Standard (Code 333) for improving water quality. Interest in gypsum use has also increased as availability has increased from production of flue gas desulfurization (FGD) gypsum at many coal‐burning power plants throughout the United States. This study tested three rates of unincorporated, surface‐broadcast FGD gypsum application at 23 field sites in Wisconsin. The optimal rate for reducing WSP concentration and the relationship between selected soil properties and the beneficial effect of FGD gypsum application were evaluated. The FGD gypsum reduced WSP (P < 0.0001), with a significant effect compared with the control at the lowest tested rate of 1120 kg ha−1 at 5 of the 23 sites. Few other sites saw a significant benefit. Correlation indicated that sites showing a beneficial reduction of WSP from FGD gypsum application were those with greater soil test P (P = 0.0002) and lower cation exchange capacity (P = 0.0087) values. Core Ideas Not all sites benefit from flue gas desulfurization (FGD) gypsum application. FGD gypsum is useful in reducing water‐soluble P in soil and the potential for P in runoff. Sites with high soil test P and low cation exchange capacity benefit more from FGD gypsum.

The Soil Nutrient Relationships course serves juniors and seniors with a major or minor in agronomy at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Pre-pandemic enrollment averaged 65 students. In 2021 and 2022, course enrollment was 42 and 55, respectively. The course was adjusted to a flipped design in 2017. Moving into 2021, the Soil Nutrient Relationships course underwent a major overhaul by changing the content source materials and organization of lab activities while maintaining the flipped delivery format. While responding to the COVID-19 pandemic limitations, the redesign was intended to focus limited face-to-face meetings (in person or webconference) on problem-solving activities. This paper reports on course redesign emphasizing changes for and since the pandemic. Surveys were used in both 2021 and 2022 to assess students' learning and reception to the course design. In surveys, students responded that they gained knowledge in all course learning objectives and increased both problem-solving and systems approach skills. The overall responses were similar between 2021 and 2022; however, one difference was that students placed a higher value on the in-person discussion and lecture in 2022 relative to Zoom discussion or video lecture in 2021. Despite working on similar problem-solving activities, 81% responded that discussion helped with problem solving skills when done via Zoom in 2021 while 88% responded that in person discussion helped with problem-solving skills in 2022. Smaller group sizes used in 2021 seemed to improve student opinions of learning; this is the one change that instructors plan to use in the future.

Core Ideas Portfolios are useful for students to organize and reflect upon course content. Portfolios can serve as a knowledge toolbox that students can use in future work. The portfolio assignment used in a soil fertility course is described. Students who have completed the Soil Nutrient Relationships course at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln often contact instructors once they have begun full‐time work, seeking reminders of specific concepts. These students either did not take or keep detailed notes during the course. To assist students, instructors have developed a portfolio requirement for the course. One important learning objective from each recitation exercise was summarized as deliverable knowledge in the student's portfolio. Feedback was then provided on portfolio components each week with resubmission encouraged, so that students leave with accurate information in their own words. The objective of this article is to summarize the details of the portfolio assignment used in Soil Nutrient Relationships to assist other instructors in developing student assignments and assessments. Following completion of the knowledge portfolio, students were surveyed with more than 75% response rate in both the 2016 and 2017 semesters. More than 44% of respondents agreed that they thought they would use the portfolio in their future work, and more than 15% of respondents agreed that the portfolio would be the most important component of class toward their future work.

An introductory plant science lab offered by the Department of Agronomy & Horticulture at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln was adapted for online delivery. This paper describes the adjustments made for online delivery and examines students’ perceptions of learning and engagement from surveys administered in both the in‐person and online plant science laboratory course over two academic years. The in‐person course was offered in Fall. The online course was offered twice per year, as a fully independent course in Summer and with synchronous web‐conferencing discussion groups in Spring. The goal of this study was to examine differences or similarities in satisfaction and learning across the three course models. There was no difference in assessment scores or student perception of learning across models. The students in the in‐person model and the web‐conferencing model reported similar levels of understanding value and implication of course content while the fully independent students did not understand the implication of course content toward their future management decisions as well. Overall, content on plant biology was well‐translated to the online audience but implication was not as well‐translated. Having just a few opportunities for real‐time discussions with students per semester went a long way to elevating their learning and appreciation of course content as compared to working fully independently.