EC2000 and Measurement: How Much Precision is Enough?

As engineering faculty engage in the process of developing assessment plans to implement continuous quality improvement and satisfy the requirement of Engineering Criteria 2000 (EC2000), there is a concern about what measures are adequate to provide evidence that an engineering program is meeting its stated objectives. Some engineering programs are looking at using course grades as evidence that students are meeting the learning outcomes mandated by Criterion 3 of EC2000. After all, if there is a course in engineering design, why shouldn't grades be used to demonstrate that students are acquiring the skills necessary to meet the required outcome? The question remains as to whether or not course grades are adequate and/or efficient as a means to evaluate program effectiveness. This paper will define what is meant by educational inputs, processes, outputs, and outcomes in order to clarify the focus of the new “outcomes assessment” model of engineering education accreditation. A framework will be presented to clarify the meaning and scope of assessment activities needed to meet the information needs of academic programs and institutions. Models for course assessment and program assessment will be presented and the similarities and differences discussed.     

Developing a Comprehensive Assessment Program for Engineering Education*

This paper provides an overview of one institution's efforts to establish a comprehensive assessment program for continuous improvement of engineering education. A five step systematic process to develop an integrated assessment program from identifying educational objectives to applying measurement methods is explained in detail. Activities to encourage faculty participation and commitment are outlined. Four integrated assessment processes used by both faculty and students to assess and provide performance feedback are described. The focus of these assessment methods is on the measurement, development, and improvement of student learning outcomes aligned with ABET Engineering Criteria 2000. Preliminary results and lessons learned from the overall experience are highlighted.     

The Use of Focus Groups for Minority Engineering Program Assessment

To increase the attraction and retention of minority engineering students, many higher-education institutions have implemented programs to help address academic and social pressures these students face. A key question for administrators of such programs is their actual impact on the targeted students. Since these programs seek to improve retention rates by positively improving students' experience with their institutional environment, it becomes crucial to assess students' perceptions of their college experience. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how focus groups can be used for educational program assessment, in particular minority engineering programs. An evaluative study of minority engineering programs at a state university is used to illustrate this methodology. In this paper, we describe how the study was designed and conducted, the resources required, the types of results obtained from the study, and the follow-up strategies.     

Using Total Quality Principles for Strategic Planning and Curriculum Revision

This paper describes the long-term strategic planning process of the College of Engineering at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, a process that began in the Fall of 1992 and continues today. The chronology of activities comprising this process, as well as the output of the process thus far, are presented in enough detail that they may serve as a blue print for others. First, we discuss some of the forces driving the college's educational reform efforts, especially those related to the use of TQM as the vehicle for change. Throughout the case study, we point out how (and why) certain Total Quality principles, including customer relationships, shared vision, assessment and continuous improvement, and sub-systems alignment, became integral parts of the strategic planning process.     

Outcomes Assessment of Engineering Writing at the University of Washington

Effective writing skills are crucial for engineers, and engineering programs have always struggled with how to prepare their students for the writing they will do as professionals. Now, programs must also show the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) that they have clear educational outcomes for engineering communication and have a process for assessing student performance on those outcomes. At the University of Washington, we have spent the last five years developing an outcomes‐based assessment program for engineering writing. In spring 2001, the first round of writing assessment was completed. The assessment indicated that most of our students are competent in the outcomes we have developed. It also uncovered several weak areas, particularly in regard to working with sources and to adequately stating and supporting the purpose of the writing. We will be addressing these areas with additional instruction in the stand‐alone technical writing courses taken by engineering students. The process described in this paper could be helpful for other engineering programs preparing for ABET accreditation visits.     

Assessing K‐12 Pre‐Engineering Outreach Programs*

Motivated by a desire to excite K‐12 students about the joys of engineering and spark their interest in pre‐engineering subjects, the Integrated Teaching and Learning (ITL) Program at the University of Colorado at Boulder has developed a pre‐engineering outreach program targeted at K‐12 teachers and students. To supplement anecdotal success indicators, ITL developed several assessment tools to measure the impact of these programs. Assessment strategies consist of three key components: 1) assessment of workshop participant feedback (teachers and students), 2) assessment of long‐term outcomes (teachers), and 3) assessment tools developed for the teachers' classroom use (i.e., embedded assessment). This paper reviews the process used to develop the assessment plans and tools. Examples of the tools used to assess participant feedback and preliminary outcomes are provided. Additionally, the process used to develop embedded assessment tools is described, including development of performance criteria and assessment tools that are linked to the learning goals, objectives, and K‐12 State educational standards.     

RAMS+C informed decision-making with application to multi-objective optimization of technical specifications and maintenance using genetic algorithms

The role of technical specifications and maintenance (TSM) activities at nuclear power plants (NPP) aims to increase reliability, availability and maintainability (RAM) of Safety-Related Equipment, which, in turn, must yield to an improved level of plant safety. However, more resources (e.g. costs, task force, etc.) have to be assigned in above areas to achieve better scores in reliability, availability, maintainability and safety (RAMS). Current situation at NPP shows different programs implemented at the plant that aim to the improvement of particular TSM-related parameters where the decision-making process is based on the assessment of the impact of the change proposed on a subgroup of RAMS+C attributes.This paper briefly reviews the role of TSM and two main groups of improvement programs at NPP, which suggest the convenience of considering the approach proposed in this paper for the Integrated Multi-Criteria Decision-Making on changes to TSM-related parameters based on RAMS+C criteria as a whole, as it can be seem as a decision-making process more consistent with the role and synergic effects of TSM and the objectives and goals of current improvement programs at NPP. The case of application to the Emergency Diesel Generator system demonstrates the viability and significance of the proposed approach for the Multi-objective Optimization of TSM-related parameters using a Genetic Algorithm.     

Creating a Truly Multidisciplinary Entrepreneurial Educational Environment*

In our age of technological growth and change, the role of the engineer has evolved from lone specialist to team player, from internally focused to globally aware, from reactionary to entrepreneur. The entrepreneur has created much of our social wealth. The characteristics of the entrepreneur transcend academic disciplines, and social as well as economic status. To foster these characteristics among its students, Lehigh University is developing a multidisciplinary educational environment where entrepreneurial spirit can flourish. Lehigh's academic programs in Integrated Product Development (IPD), Integrated Business and Engineering (IBE), and Integrated Design Arts (IDA) integrate across Engineering, Business and Design Arts through sponsored projects and entrepreneurial teams, or E‐Teams, consisting of students, faculty advisors, staff support and company mentors. Project sponsors include the full range from student entrepreneurs and other start‐up companies, to established small, medium and large corporations. The multi‐level approach to curricular integration includes pre‐college outreach, freshman projects, curricula support, capstone projects and graduate projects. The educational environment includes a Campus Center; an entire building designed to support students project teams. This paper will discuss the design and implementation of these programs, our assessment and evaluation methods, lessons learned and future plans for improving this environment.     

Standards Education Programs' Strategic Value and CNIS Practice

This paper reviews the efforts made in educational programs on standardization by the CNIS.Based on their study and field practice,CNIS proposes that different types of programs have different aspects of strategic value for the standardization of academic and standard development institutions.The paper explains CNIS' strategy for educating institutions about standardization.     

Use of Subject‐specific FE Exam Results in Outcomes Assessment

Engineering programs seeking accreditation are required by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) to document their continuous program improvement efforts and their outcomes. In this paper, we propose the subject‐specific results of the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Examination as one of the metrics suitable for assessing the outcomes of such efforts in individual courses. Statistical approaches appropriate for analyzing the FE Exam results and some caveats about their use are discussed. The application of this approach in the hydraulic engineering area of our program is illustrated.     

Expert computer knowledge-based methodology using fuzzy sets for evaluating water conservation programs in Jordan

This paper aims to devise a new methodology for evaluating water conservation programs based on expert computer knowledge-based systems and fuzzy set analyses. Computer-programmed surveys were carried out on a random sample of water users in Amman City, Jordan, before and after they received water educational material. Relative weights were given for each response and a cumulative grade was estimated. The follow-up surveys reveal that a reasonable rise of water-related knowledge is achieved after respondents are exposed to water educational material. Fuzzy set analyses reveal that some fluctuations in the relative rise of public awareness programs may be attributed to insufficient knowledge. The fuzzy set logic technique enabled us to condense a great many data into a small set of variable rules. This in turn made our expert system effective in evaluating water conservation programs. Electronic Publication     

Outcomes Assessment at WPI: A Pilot Accreditation Visit Under Engineering Criteria 2000

Accreditation under Engineering Criteria 2000 (EC 2000) requires institutions 1) to define engineering unit and program missions in such a way that success of the mission goals may be measured; 2) to devise a curriculum that fulfills institutional, program, and EC 2000 goals for students and graduates; 3) to devise metrics that indicate when students meet these goals; and 4) to construct feedback mechanisms to ensure that the assessment of student outcomes metrics drive continuous improvement of the whole educational system. Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) was one of the first two institutions to undergo accreditation under EC 2000 because of WPI's project-based curriculum which provided some experience with each of the four EC 2000 requirements above. This article reviews how WPI prepared for the EC 2000 visit (which occurred in November 1996), discusses what strategies for conducting an EC 2000 visit worked well, and concludes with some short- and long-term issues that all institutions must address to realize the full benefits of EC 2000.     

浅谈自动化学院的办学思想、定位与特色

文章通过对自动化学院办学思想及定位特色的讨论，结合学院实际情况，重点思考和论述了自动化学院办学思想和特色的形成要素，以及办学过程中面临的若干现实问题，提出了“凝聚办学思想，强化定位特色”的发展模式和思路。     

Developing and Assessing Statewide Competencies for Engineering Design

An assessment system was developed and piloted in Washington state to evaluate the engineering design competence of community college transfer students and continuing students at Washington State University (WSU) and the University of Washington (UW). A multiple measured approach was employed consisting of a multiple-choice assessment, a team design performance assessment, and an essay, each administered to junior level students at WSU and UW. These assessments covered important design and design-related outcomes valued by the engineering community in Washington and expected of junior level engineering students. Scoring criteria were developed by engineering faculty for the team design and essay components. The assessment results provide faculty and other decision makers at community colleges and four-year institutions with data they need to determine the extent to which students are meeting design competency expectations. Moreover, the approach described in this paper illustrates how institutions can productively address the ABET Engineering Criteria 2000 requirements by developing the assessment support that engineering educators need to make informed programmatic decisions and achieve continuous quality improvement.     

能力成熟度模型和ISO/IEC15504的比较

能力成熟度模型（CMM）和ISO/IEC 15504是国际上关于软件过程能力评价的两个主要标准，它们分别从不同的角度为组织的软件过程改进提供了方向。CMM着重于组织整体的软件过程能力，为组织指引了一条软件过程改进的阶段性道路。ISO/IEC 15504则提供了一个两维的框架模型。通过软件过程和过程能力的定义，为过程能力改进设计了一条连续性的道路。     

从宇航企业的实践看我国中小企业质量管理体系的持续改进

持续改进是企业运营的永恒主题,是增强企业能力、满足市场要求的循环活动。本文分析了我国目前中小企业质量管理体系持续改进中存在的问题,并结合宇航企业质量管理体系持续改进的实践,提出了一些持续改进的途径和方法。     

Advanced Engineering Communication: An Integrated Writing and Communication Program for Materials Engineers

This paper describes the disciplinary program for writing and communications developed by the Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) Department at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, which has been integrated into eight required core courses spread across our student's three years of study. Preliminary quantitative assessment of the program indicates positive acceptance by the students and faculty, significant improvement in the quality of writing over three semesters, and significant differences in both the quality and style of writing between senior engineering students who have not participated in our program and our MSE students. We have found a positive correlation between four different indices designed to measure a student's self-assessment of communication skills and a student's grade point average (GPA). Surprisingly, there is no correlation between either student's grades on papers and projects, or our measure of their improvement in communication skills, and their GPA's. This result has important implications for the design and implementation of writing-within-the-discipline programs such as the one described here.     

Validity,Reliability and the Assessment of Engineering Education

Educational measurement represents a field of study that has been intensely researched and that provides a framework for designing assessment programs. The purpose of this paper is to clarify two key measurement concepts, validity and reliability, and to illustrate how these concepts can be used to improve assessment efforts in engineering education.