Assessment of the teaching-learning effectiveness of a freshman design course

We describe the background and rationale for a new freshman course incorporating construction and testing of a small mobile robot. The custom robot kit is assembled in stages as the novice students learn basic electrical principles, the terminal characteristics of circuit components, and the basic practical skills necessary to build and test a printed circuit board. In this paper we explain the risks and difficulties overcome during the course development, the features and capabilities of the custom robot kits, and the assessment results for our first group of 90 students during the Fall 2004 semester. This effort is supported by an Educational Enhancement Award from the Montana Space Grant Consortium.

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“…Thus, our level of confidence was boosted by the success of such highly-qualified pioneers. 9,10 History: the previous EE 101…”

Section: Objectivesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development And Implementation Of A Robot Based Freshman Engineering Course

Maher

Becker²,

Sharpe³

et al.

2005 Annual Conference Proceedings

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“…Develop student design and problem solving skills. This type of introductory course has a positive impact on developing these abilities 6 . ECE 123 provides design and problem solving experiences primarily by offering choices during circuit construction and in troubleshooting hardware and software.…”

Section: Course Objectives and Supporting Evidencementioning

confidence: 99%

Benefits Of A Hands On Introduction To Electrical And Computer Engineering

Suchowski

Miller

2003 Annual Conference Proceedings

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This paper presents qualitative and quantitative assessment and evaluation results for an introduction to electrical and computer engineering (ECE) course sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF) 1. This class is centered on construction of a walking robot 2. Initial results suggest that the following course goals are being met: (1) improving student design and problem solving skills; (2) motivating students and fostering confidence; (3) instilling an appreciation for the importance of prerequisite courses; (4) developing effective team players; (5) improving basic instrumentation and construction skills needed for the practice of ECE; (6) developing a physical intuition for electrical and mechanical systems; (7) clarifying career choices by learning if ECE is a good fit; (8) making students feel like part of the ECE department; and (9) forming long-lasting peer support structures. Assessment results also reinforce the benefits of close instructor involvement, hands-on learning, and project-based courses. Additional details of the course are provided. Note This paper is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0088158 1. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

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“…As a constituent institution of the ECSEL (Engineering Coalition of Schools for Excellence in Education and Leadership) program, University of Maryland has developed the concept of learning by design to "renovate undergraduate engineering education through the infusion of design experiences across the curriculum and to increase the diversity of the profession" as the "Year 9 Report for ECSEL 2,3 " states. This approach yielded the idea of introducing engineering design at the freshman level, starting the first day students enter the school of engineering 4,5,6 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Freshman Design Experience: Solar Powered Irrigation System For A Remote Farm

Soysal¹

2000 Annual Conference Proceedings

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Introduction to Engineering Design" is offered at Frostburg State University for freshman students interested in engineering major. The main objective of this freshman design course is to introduce basic design concepts and to motivate the students towards their majors. The selected design topic in Fall-1999 was an automatic irrigation system powered by solar energy. During the design and prototype development process, students learned energy conversion principles, discussed various issues related to power generation, and gained hands-on experience on technical drawings and workshop activities. The paper discusses the educational impacts of the freshman design course on the motivation and professional orientation of students. At FSU, "Introduction to Engineering Design" is the first engineering course in both electrical and mechanical engineering collaborative programs. The course is modeled on its counterpart at UMCP, and coordinated by resident faculty on FSU campus. The objective of this course is to motivate the students towards an engineering career by introducing basic design concepts, communication and survival skills through a practical problem. Students learn characteristics and different phases of a design process, such as brainstorming, refining the ideas, prototype development, and product evaluation. Professional communication skills including technical drawings, report writing, data analysis by using spreadsheets, and preparation of presentations are learned and applied in different phases of the product development. Students work in teams throughout the product development process. The selected theme for fall 1999 was a "Solar Powered Irrigation System for a Remote farm." The paper will present the experience gained throughout the course from the engineering education perspective. II. Student Enrollment and Distribution In which area would you like to work when you graduate?

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Assessment of the teaching-learning effectiveness of a freshman design course

Cited by 3 publications

References 2 publications

Development And Implementation Of A Robot Based Freshman Engineering Course

Development And Implementation Of A Robot Based Freshman Engineering Course

Benefits Of A Hands On Introduction To Electrical And Computer Engineering

Freshman Design Experience: Solar Powered Irrigation System For A Remote Farm

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