A Curricula Assessment And Improvement Quantitative Model For Higher Education: A Design For Six Sigma Methodology

Curricula assessment is an integrated process to assist higher education institutions in addressing the challenges in a designated field of study and in exploring the opportunities to better educate and prepare their students for an increasingly complex world. Although assessment as a topic has been researched extensively, there has been a lack of quantitative tools that address the requirements of many of the stakeholders that may be critical to the curriculum design and assessment processes. This research proposes the utilization of Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) to develop a quantitative model for curriculum assessment and improvement for higher education institutions. A review of the literature indicates that there is a lack of quantitative tools that enhance the reliability and efficiency of gathering customer requirements for curriculum in higher education environment. In addition, there is a lack of tools to translate these requirements into actual characteristics that can be used for curriculum design and assessment purposes. The literature also indicates that curriculum assessment is one of several educational processes that affect the quality of education. This research proposes a quantitative model for curriculum assessment and improvement in higher education institutions, utilizing design for six sigma methodology. The proposed model explores the use of the Kano model concept to translate needed requirements into desirable curriculum attributes and the general concept of establishing transfer function to determine the level at which those requirements have been satisfied. The use of the developed model can help improve student learning and provide curriculum stakeholders with timely feedback about the curriculum and identify areas in need of improvement. To validate the capability of the proposed model, an ABET accredited department of Industrial Engineering in a US university was used a case study

Faculty perceptions of online learning in engineering education

textResearch indicates there is a gap in the implementation of online courses and programs in engineering education compared to other academic disciplines (Allen & Seaman, 2008, 2011, 2013). Using a mixed methods approach, this study collected both quantitative survey and qualitative interview data to identify which factors engineering faculty members perceived influence the implementation of online engineering courses. The survey items, based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology Model (UTAUT) (Davis, 1989; Venkatesh, Morris, Davis, & Davis, 2003), included important factors specific to engineering education as indicated the literature. The interview instrument was developed based on the significant results of the survey portion of the study. The initial survey was sent to every engineering faculty member at all 31 institutions and 125 ABET accredited engineering programs in the state of Texas, with a final response population of n=266. The findings identified three major factors that influenced the implementation of online engineering courses: online teaching experience, course development issues, and implementation of technical aspects particular to engineering in an online format. The results are discussed within the context of the literature and recommendations to address the identified factors and barriers to implementation of online engineering are provided.Curriculum and Instructio

The development and evaluation of a lean six sigma advanced manufacturing methodologies course for aeronautical engineering technology curriculum

Successful completion of the Lean Six Sigma advanced manufacturing methodologies practicum course provides undergraduate Aeronautical Engineering Technology (AET) students with the experience and knowledge appropriate to perform successfully in an advanced manufacturing environment. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine (a) Did the knowledge level of AET students increase following exposure to Lean Six Sigma and completion of the advanced manufacturing methodologies course? and (b) Did the course meet the AET students’ expectations following participation in the Lean Six Sigma advanced manufacturing course? The expected outcomes of the course included: 1. AET students will have the competencies to utilize required advanced manufacturing processes to operate a manufacturing facility. 2. AET students will have the ability to utilize advanced process quality planning methods to implement a quality program in a manufacturing facility. 3. AET students will have the knowledge and experience required to effectively implement supply chain management techniques and logistic programs in a manufacturing facility. 4. An effective continuous improvement process will be utilized and promoted throughout the curriculum. Currently, students are using the lab space in the School of Aviation and Transportation Technology (SATT) to perform practical hands-on projects related to their aviation major. This study required undergraduate AET students to receive instruction in logistics, quality, and manufacturing terms and descriptions. Students utilized the information learned and basic lean manufacturing and continuous improvement philosophies to complete course projects. The course projects included a focus on transforming the School’s powerplant laboratory into a more typical aerospace manufacturing cell layout, enabling students to explore ways of operating an advanced manufacturing facility. Students in the advanced aviation manufacturing course developed and implemented manufacturing simulations. This study focused on developing a world-class course utilizing an operating laboratory facility to prepare future aviation manufacturing professionals with industry leading skill sets. This study was used to gather data for the development and evaluation of a Lean Six Sigma advanced manufacturing course with future goals of scaffolding with other SATT courses to provide a minor for the AET curriculum in advanced aviation manufacturing. The findings of the study indicated that student knowledge levels of Lean Six Sigma methodologies increased significantly after receiving instruction. Additional findings of the study revealed that students felt the course met their expectations. However, due to several limitations of this study, further research is recommended in focused areas to provide students the tools to compete in the aviation and advanced manufacturing world

Do Classes in Cooperative Classrooms Have a Positive Influence on Creativity and Teamwork Skills for Engineering Students?

Contributing to the acquisition of professional creativity and teamwork skills has been a special challenge for some of the subjects taught at the Technical University of Madrid (UPM), and this has been a starting point for the work described in this paper. Some professors have intuited that the use of cooperative classrooms could facilitate the acquisition of these skills. We describe the new methodologies applied within cooperative classrooms by some professors, and present the procedure for measuring students’ perception of their own learning outcomes, skill improvements, and overall satisfaction with the use of this kind of classroom. For this project, 250 students enrolled in several subjects answered a questionnaire. The featuresof thesubjectsinvolved intheproject arewidely disparate. We present the results of the statistical analysis with special emphasis on creativity and teamwork skills, and we conclude that the use of cooperative classroom has a positive influence on the acquisition of these skills. This work has the added value of being the first analysis of student perception of the use of cooperative classroom in the acquisition of creativity and teamwork skills

Evaluating the Implementation of Design Heuristic Cards in an Industry Sponsored Capstone Design Course

Using Design Heuristics to Develop Concept Generation Skills in an Industry Sponsored Capstone Design Course Concept generation is a key skill for success in capstone design courses. Yet, this skill is rarely emphasized in traditional design courses. The present study investigates the introduction of Design Heuristics to facilitate expanded concept generation in an applied setting, a capstone design course in mechanical engineering charged with developing real-world projects for paying industry clients.Design Heuristics are cognitive prompts that enable exploration of the design space during concept generation. There are 77 Design Heuristics strategies, validated by research, and represented on a separate card in a deck. Each card includes a description of the heuristic, an abstract image depicting the application of the heuristic, and two product sketches showing how the heuristic is evident in existing consumer products. In this study, we explored design teams’ use of the Design Heuristics as well as the success of teams during concept generation as a whole.Participants in the study were 120 upper division students enrolled in a year-long, team-based,industry-sponsored capstone design course in mechanical engineering. Students developed projects for industry clients with support from faculty Project Directors. Students were trained on applying the Design Heuristic cards during class. Feedback on the Design Heuristics cards was collected and concept generation progress was assessed via pre, mid, and post surveys of students, Industry Clients, and Faculty Directors.Considering the success of concept generation as a whole, results from triangulated ratings indicated that clients, faculty, and students expressed satisfaction for the concept generation phase of the project at the end of the year with regards to the quantity (combined mean = 3.91/5),creativity (combined mean = 3.90/5), and diversity of ideas (combined mean = 3.93/5) generated within the teams. One faculty director commented, “It would be difficult to improve their final product. They had an incredible array of ideas and were able to implement most of them.” With regards to Design Heuristics, one student commented, “Design Heuristics was a really interesting facet of the project. This was really fun and if it could be expanded that would be helpful,however, with limited time it seemed to be balanced well.”Suggestions for improvement in concept generation focused on generating an even wider range of ideas. One Faculty Director commented, “They seemed a little hesitant to throw out ideas or they would rally behind a single idea versus a brainstorm. They seemed like they wanted an answer versus a list of options.” One industry client wished the team would have, “come up with at least 5 ideas that the company mentor and customer had not thought of.” Similarly, one student team member suggested the team should have, “thought outside of the box more,considered wilder ideas prior to latching on to a design path.” Further tips for thinking outside the box included more research, less defensiveness around personal preferences for ideas, and more time using Design Heuristics. Additional results and conclusions will be discussed in the paper

Data Driven Course Improvements: Using Artifact Analysis to Conquer ABET Criterion 4

This evidence based practice describes a process to evaluate a course within the spirit of ABET Criteria 4, continuous improvement. Faculty and staff are often asked to collaborate on the design and instruction of core engineering courses. Over time, these courses may evolve to accommodate new subject matter, pedagogical approaches, political and personal preferences, or other criteria as dictated by a dynamic group of stakeholders. Many changes originate from a clearly defined need or mandate, while others may sneak in without a full analysis of the course. Repeated and often subtle changes compound to have a significant impact on the course, creating a narrative reflecting the intents of the faculty and the concerns of the institution as course goals and methods are updated in each subsequent semester. This paper describes a process to employ engineering education research methods to describe the nature, development, implications, and motivation behind of course changes. We define a six step process focused on the use of artifact analysis to provide instructional teams with concrete historical data, allowing them to better understand the structure of their course and how it has changed over time. A case study examining a large-format, First Year Engineering course is included at a part of this paper, providing context and serving to describe the process in action. The case study includes methodological choices, analysis, and findings as a guide to practitioners seeking to follow or further develop our process for gathering data. The data produced can be used to inform future changes to the course design to ensure alignment of the course objectives, assessment, and pedagogy, while at the same time systematically meeting the requirements of ABET Criteria 4

Student Achievement and Affective Traits in Electrical Engineering Laboratories Using Traditional and Computer-Based Instrumentation

Distance education has the ability to transcend distance and time, reaching students anywhere at any time, particularly those underrepresented in engineering. Engineering is a practice-oriented profession requiring an interweaving of scientific theory and applied hands-on activities. Despite the need for distance education in engineering, few studies have systematically investigated the impact of student achievement and attitude in distance engineering laboratories. This quasi-experimental research addressed that need by studying the cognitive and affective domains of achievement in engineering laboratories while employing computer-based and traditional oscilloscopes. The students from two courses, electrical engineering for nonmajors and electronic fundamentals, were randomly assigned into treatment and comparison groups. The students\u27 achievement and attitudes were gauged using assessment instruments and an attitudinal survey. These results were statistically analyzed and conclusions are discussed. The results suggested that computer-based instruments were viable in engineering laboratories