Assessment Methods for Virtual Laboratories in Civil Engineering Technology

Old Dominion University has developed an extensive distance learning system that includes 40 remote sites. A majority of the sites are located at community colleges. There are 30 sites in Virginia, three sites in North Carolina, one site in Washington State and one site in Arizona. In addition, there are four sites at Higher Education Centers in Virginia and one site at a local industrial facility. The Civil Engineering Technology curriculum requires three laboratory courses, which are a challenge in the distance learning environment because of the lack of laboratory equipment and computers at the broadcast sites. The three courses include a laboratory in materials testing, a laboratory in soils testing and a laboratory using commercially available structural analysis and design software. In an effort to better evaluate the performance of students in the distant classes in comparison to that of the students in the on-site classes, changes have been implemented for these courses. This paper discusses concerns with this process and provides a summary of our efforts to improve assessment for these courses

Project-Based Freshmen Engineering Courses in Civil Engineering Technology

Old Dominion University (ODU) has developed two fundamental courses for freshmen engineering students. The first course introduces the fundamentals of the practice of engineering including innovation, creativity, design and manufacturing, commercialization, teaming skills, environmental impact, and ethics. The second course is an exploration of engineering and engineering technology disciplines with an emphasis on projects. The purpose of these courses is to engage the students in the application of engineering early in their course of study with the hope that their interest will be reinforced and the likelihood of their being retained as students will increase. The courses are divided into three five-week modules that are distributed among departments within the college. The Engineering Technology department is responsible for two of the five-week modules in the second, projects-based course. One module is comprised of the civil, mechanical and electrical engineering technology curricula and the other module is comprised of strictly civil engineering technology. This paper describes the freshmen engineering courses and outlines the projects that have been developed for Civil Engineering Technology at Old Dominion University. The Civil Engineering Technology program has seen an increase in students since the implementation of this freshmen project based courses, and the program has seen an increase in interest from freshmen students

Strategies for Effective Online Course Development

Old Dominion University\u27s Civil Engineering Technology (CET) program has a successful history of distance education, with more than half of the student population comprised of distance learners. Distance learning delivery has traditionally been via satellite and videostreaming with students having the choice of asynchronous or synchronous options. The university is in the process of updating their distance learning technologies and has encouraged programs to migrate to an online modality of distance learning. Developing and delivering online courses requires different competencies and facilitation skills than video streamed synchronous delivery or face to face instruction. A course delivered online changes the teaching and learning dynamics. Courses must be learner-centered with a learning environment that addresses the new roles of the student and instructor. The instructor needs to get to know the students, and empower students to manage their learning experience while creating an online community among the students. The instructor takes on the role of a facilitator of learning, and students must take a more active role in the learning process. Students must be self-motivated, self-disciplined and willing to take ownership of their learning. The course content and layout are critical to successful student engagement and interaction with the instructor, the material, and with other students. Online courses must be developed for longevity, separated from a text that can be revised soon after the online course is launched. Course modules, focused on course topics, should use multiple resources, readings, mini-lectures, assignments, online quizzes, discussion boards, web links, and others, to achieve learning outcomes. As more programs move to online courses, understanding effective strategies for planning, designing and facilitating these courses becomes critical to success

Preparing Students to Solve Challenges Related to a Changing Climate

The National Academy of Engineering has identified restoring and improving urban infrastructure as one of the grand challenges for engineering. Urban coastal communities are particularly at risk as their infrastructure is experiencing frequent inundation related to climate change impacts. Rising sea levels in coastal communities create backflow into stormwater systems and deplete capacity. In addition, the increase in rainfall intensity, duration, and frequency related to climate change create additional challenges for aging infrastructure systems. To prepare students to solve these challenges, the Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) and Civil Engineering Technology (CET) programs at Old Dominion University (ODU) are introducing a new minor titled Engineering Solutions for Climate Adaptation and Resilience. This minor ensures that graduates understand how climate is changing, how it will impact society, and what solutions can be adopted to mitigate the impacts of climate change. The minor will incorporate two new classes, Managing the Climate Crisis, which will provide an understanding of climate science, the impacts, the associated hazards, and what solutions can be adopted to mitigate the impacts of climate change, and Adaptation to Sea Level Rise, which will explore solutions at the community and individual property scale to mitigate stormwater impacts related to climate change. The approach balances theory with practical engineering and technology solutions which can be adopted to mitigate the impacts of climate change related to stormwater in coastal communities. The minor is supported by existing courses in both curriculums related to sustainability, pollution prevention and green engineering, hydrology and hydraulics, and coastal engineering. This paper describes the need for the minor, the minor requirements, the methodology for establishing what coursework the minor requires, and the minor\u27s availability to students. Furthermore, the learning objectives and course outlines for the two proposed courses that will be developed to support the minor will be thoroughly discussed. The new minor is part of a broader research, engagement, and education initiative at ODU to support adaptation and resilience for coastal communities

Lessons Learned and Best Practices for Using an Analytic Strategy Approach for the Creation of Virtual Laboratories for Distance Learning in Engineering Technology

This paper describes the use of an Analytic Strategy Approach used in the development of a Virtual Automation and Controls Lab in the Mechanical Engineering Technology Program of the Engineering Technology Department at Old Dominion University. This paper looks at the three phases, as applied to the development of a virtual lab using an analytic strategy design: (1) Formulation of the quantitative and qualitative approach to assist in decision process, (2) Quantitative and qualitative analysis of the decision alternatives - within the decision context, (3) Interpretation of the analysis results and implications for decision

A Hybrid Course in Fundamentals of Building Construction Using Combination Archived Video and Live Session Distance Learning

A course in the Fundamentals of Building Construction has been a curricular requirement of the Civil Engineering Technology Program (CET) since its inception. This course was taught traditionally as an on-campus class. Over the last ten years, the CET program has expanded to contain an extensive distance learning component, with at least half of the enrollment located off campus. The model for the typical distance-learning class is to meet for three hours, once a week, with a fully interactive (voice) live class. In consideration of the demand of a growing distance learning system, it was decided to restructure this class into a hybrid class using archived video segments available online for student access through a distance learning system. A limitation of the system is that the fully live interactive courses require a separate classroom with special configuration at each remote site. Limitations on the number of the available classrooms at remote sites hinder the expansion of all programs. This change in format will permit a reduction in the time allocated to the live interactive component, with associated advantages and disadvantages for both the student and the system. This paper will discuss the presentation and organization of the hybrid class, the advantages and disadvantages of the approach and an assessment of the hybrid class outcomes compared o the fully interactive model

Transition from electron accumulation to depletion at InGaN surfaces

The composition dependence of the Fermi-level pinning at the oxidized (0001) surfaces of n-type InxGa1−xN films (0<=x<=1) is investigated using x-ray photoemission spectroscopy. The surface Fermi-level position varies from high above the conduction band minimum (CBM) at InN surfaces to significantly below the CBM at GaN surfaces, with the transition from electron accumulation to depletion occurring at approximately x=0.3. The results are consistent with the composition dependence of the band edges with respect to the charge neutrality level

Privatization Initiatives: A Source for Engineering Economy Case Studies

A case study method which reviews the basic structure of the circular A-76 privatization decision model is discussed. It highlights the possibilities for development of case studies that can challenge student teams to apply engineering economy tools while developing skills in a range of circular areas that are important to undergraduate engineering education and career success in engineering practice. Beyond building quantitative and qualitative business analysis skills, engineering economy cases can enhance student skills in other topical areas such as technical presentations, and report writing. The privatization initiatives and related decision models can also enhance human relations oriented skills in a team based learning environment

Examining ‘gender-sensitive’ approaches to nuclear weapons policy: a study of the Non-Proliferation Treaty

The past decade has seen a push for ‘gender sensitive’ approaches within nuclear policy-making. Yet the significance of this approach, and how it understands ‘gender sensitivity’ are unclear and have not been studied. This article asks the question: how does work done on ‘gendering’ nuclear policy to date understand what a gender sensitive approach to nuclear weapons means and requires? The article provides an overview of the movement to include gender in nuclear policymaking before conducting an analysis of the discourse on gender in a core institution of nuclear politics, the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Through qualitative analysis of five years of NPT texts, we find that dominant understandings of a ‘gender sensitive approach’ centre on the inclusion of women. We further find that there is almost no mention of men and masculinity in the NPT discourse; women are constructed as a homogenous category of outsiders; and women's inclusion is understood mainly as a means of increasing institutional efficiency. We suggest that the next steps in ‘gendering’ nuclear policy engage more with feminist policy analysis and the experiences of those already working within the policy space, and consider further how and if one can meaningfully link gender sensitive approaches to the practice of nuclear deterrence. The findings of this study also have significance beyond nuclear weapons, illuminating the broader dynamics and challenges of ‘gendering’ international security spaces

Green Infrastructure Training for Veterans

The Environmental Protection Agency launched a Strategic Agenda to Protect Waters and Build More Livable Communities through Green Infrastructure in April of 2011. This initiative supports local communities in using green infrastructure to manage rain water while creating co-benefits of green space, which makes communities more attractive and livable. (EPA) In the fall of 2014 the Environmental Protection Agency along with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, U.S. Department of the Interior and U.S. Department of Transportation signed a federal letter of support for green infrastructure recognizing it as an important tool for building resilience to climate change impacts such as increased heavy rainfall and heat island effect. Each agency committed to taking specific action to promote green infrastructure including but not limited to: creating alliances, providing community assistance, funding, training, development of metrics to assess performance of green infrastructure, and promotion best practices. (Federal) The City of XXXX, the Green Infrastructure Center, Inc., and X University have collaborated on a National Fish and Wildlife Federation Grant titled Developing a Green Infrastructure Plan and Network for the X River Network . As part of the project X University will provide a training program to prepare Veterans for the green jobs of the future. Green infrastructure projects can provide business and employment opportunities for veterans. This project includes a 20 hour educational course for veterans to educate them about the green infrastructure industry, business and employment opportunities in green infrastructure and green infrastructure storm water management techniques. Hands-on training will be incorporated in the course work. This program will develop a base level certification that will qualify recipients for more advanced and specialized programs. This green infrastructure training certificate will be coordinated with other green infrastructure education certifications and programs in a stackable manner to provide a transparent track for career advancement, which will benefit employers and the green infrastructure industry. This paper will highlight pre- and post training survey results and provide insight into the progress of the veterans transitioning to this employment area