Emphasizing Decision Analysis Techniques in the Design Curriculum

2001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reid Bailey ◽  
Phil Doepker
Keyword(s):  
Utility Theory ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Decision Tool ◽  
Analysis Techniques ◽  
Decision Tools ◽  
Undergraduate Engineering ◽  
Senior Design ◽  
Factors Influencing

Abstract Theoretically strong decision approaches such as utility theory are currently being researched for use in engineering design. Countless ad hoc decision tools have preceded this recent work, yet only a handful of these tools are used by industry or taught in universities. Reasons for the emergence of such a small number of acceptable decision tools are not known. In this paper, the opinions of undergraduate engineering students in an industry-sponsored senior design class and their sponsor mentors are studied to identify reasons why some decision tools are more popular than others. Two established decision tools were introduced to the class and used in the projects. A survey was used to gather student and sponsor opinions about the two tools and important aspects of decision tools. Results indicate a variety of factors influencing the students’ preference of one decision tool, including simplicity, clarity of results, the ability to give more emphasis to certain criteria, and ease of communication of results to their sponsors. Other results from the study include information about strategies for integrating decision tools into a design process and the role of projects in promoting reflection and learning by students.

scholarly journals Who Is Part of the “Mindset Context”? The Unique Roles of Perceived Professor and Peer Mindsets in Undergraduate Engineering Students’ Motivation and Belonging

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine Muenks ◽  
Veronica X. Yan ◽  
Nina K. Telang
Keyword(s):  
Sense Of Belonging ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Intrinsic Value ◽  
Mastery Goals ◽  
Unique Role ◽  
Undergraduate Engineering ◽  
Negative Beliefs

In the current study, we explore the unique roles that perceived professor and peer beliefs play in creating a mindset context for undergraduate engineering students. We found that students (N = 304) perceived their peers, as compared to their professors, to endorse stronger fixed beliefs about intelligence and more negative beliefs about effort and failure, what we refer to as “unproductive mindsets”. Students’ perceptions of their professors’ unproductive mindsets negatively predicted their motivation (utility, attainment, and intrinsic value of engineering) and sense of belonging, even controlling for students’ own mindsets. Further, students’ perceptions of their peers’ unproductive mindsets negatively predicted their motivation (intrinsic value and mastery goals), sense of belonging, and choice of a difficult assignment, even controlling for students’ own mindsets and their perceptions of their professors’ unproductive mindsets. These results suggest that when considering the mindsets that permeate academic contexts, it is important to consider the unique role of perceptions of both teachers (professors) and peers.

scholarly journals THE ROLE OF RESILIENCE ON EUDAIMONIC WELL-BEING OF FIRST-YEAR UNDERGRADUATE ENGINEERING STUDENTS

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sahil Saxena ◽  
Chirag Variawa
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Students ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
First Year ◽  
Undergraduate Engineering ◽  
Resilience Scale ◽  
Study Population ◽  
Low Prevalence

First-year undergraduate engineering students are exposed to numerous stressors, including high academic demands and adjusting to new social support networks. Positive adaptations through the use of personal resources e.g. resilience has been associated with improved well-being outcomes in literature. A sample of 8 first-year undergraduate engineering students was examined in terms of i) the prevalence of Eudaimonic Well-Being (EWB) and resilience and ii) the role of resilience on EWB. EWB was assessed using the Flourishing Scale and resilience was measured using the Brief Resilience Scale. Findings uncovered low prevalence of EWB and resilience in the study population. The means of both FS and BRS scores were found to be significantly lower in the study population, compared to findings from other empirical studies. No significant relationship was found between resilience and EWB. Areas for future research is discussed.

scholarly journals THE ROLE OF SUB-DISCIPLINE CHOICE IN WOMEN’S ENROLLMENT AND SUCCESS WITHIN CANADIAN UNDERGRADUATE ENGINEERING PROGRAMS.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliette Sweeney
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Students ◽  
Female Students ◽  
Institutional Factors ◽  
Female Undergraduate ◽  
Engineering Programs ◽  
Undergraduate Engineering ◽  
Social And Academic Integration ◽  
Trends Over Time ◽  
The Impact

In Canada, the proportion of female students in engineering is considerably lower than the proportion of female students in higher education. Using Tinto’s (1993) theories concerning social and academic integration, this study investigated the relationships between the proportion of female undergraduate engineering students, and the proportion of female faculty, and departmental lead faculty.  Using descriptive statistics, the study established that distinct and persistent differences exist in the proportions of female enrolment among schools and among sub-disciplines. This paper addresses a gap in the literature concerning the impact of sub-discipline choice on women's engagement and success within undergraduate engineering programs in Canada. The proportion of female students was found to vary considerably across the sub-disciplines, from 48% in biosystems to 15% in software engineering [14]. The paper will present female sub-discipline enrolment trends over time and discuss the impact of sub-discipline choice and institutional factors on female students' successful academic and social integration within Canadian engineering schools.  

Project Management in an Interdisciplinary Senior Design Team

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Ruby Mawasha ◽  
Kumar Yelamarthi
Keyword(s):  
Creative Thinking ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Interdisciplinary Collaboration ◽  
Opportunity To Learn ◽  
Management Plan ◽  
Engineering Systems ◽  
Undergraduate Engineering ◽  
Senior Design ◽  
Efficient Management ◽  
Interdisciplinary Projects

Innovation in the changing undergraduate engineering curriculum mandates efficient management of interdisciplinary capstone senior design projects. This effort requires collaboration and management by students and faculty from multiple disciplines, and provides students an opportunity to learn from other engineering systems. In addition, this approach will i) emphasize problem solving and creative thinking; ii) provide first-hand experience in generating a management plan; iii) expose students to multiple engineering and management disciplines, and to work in diverse, multi-cultural teams; and iv) prepare students with a keen understanding of the interdisciplinary environment necessary for success. The senior design project (SDP) presented is based on the interdisciplinary collaboration of electrical, computer, and mechanical engineering students and faculty to design an integrated high altitude balloon system that would reach an altitude of 100,000 feet and return safely to earth. This paper presents the modes by which all the above issues in SDP are addressed, results obtained and improvements planned for the next interdisciplinary projects.

HOW STUDENTS DEFINE THEIR SUCCESS: A RESEARCH STUDY

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Max Ullrich ◽  
David S. Strong
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Research Study ◽  
Survey Instrument ◽  
Undergraduate Engineering ◽  
Diversity And Inclusion ◽  
Full Study ◽  
Definition Of Success ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Diverse Groups

How undergraduate engineering students define their success and plan for their future differs notably amongst students. With a push for greater diversity and inclusion in engineering schools, it is valuable to also better understand the differences in these areas among different students to allow institutions to better serve the needs of these diverse groups.  The purpose of this research study is to explore students’ definition of success both in the present and projecting forward 5 to 10 years, as well as to understand to what level students reflect on, and plan for, the future. The proposed survey instrument for the pilot stage of this research includes 56 closed-ended questions and 3 open-ended questions. Evidence for the validity of the research instrument is established through a mixed-method pilot study. This paper will discuss the survey instrument, the pilot study, and outline plans for the full study.

“Consideration of patients as networked units to identify opportunities and motivation to enhance capability”: A mixed methods study to explore a personalised Digital Health Hub Model of Care for hip fractures in South Australia (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lalit Yadav ◽  
Tiffany K Gill ◽  
Anita Taylor ◽  
Jen DeYoung ◽  
Mellick J Chehade
Keyword(s):  
Hip Fractures ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Family Members ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Aged Care ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
Residential Aged Care ◽  
Model Of Care ◽  
Factors Influencing

UNSTRUCTURED Introduction Majority of older people with hip fractures once admitted to acute hospital care are unable to return to their pre-fracture level of independence and a significant number are either newly admitted or return to residential aged care. Patient education involves family members and/or residential aged care staff as networked units, crucial for empowerment through improving health literacy. Advancement of digital technology has led to evolving solutions around optimising health care including self-management of chronic disease conditions and telerehabilitation. The aim of this study is to understand perspectives of older patients with hip fractures, their family members and residential aged carers, to inform the development of a digitally enabled model of care using a personalised digital health hub (pDHH). Methods A mixed methods study was conducted at a public tertiary care hospital in South Australia involving patients aged 50 years and above along with their family members and residential aged carers. Quantitative data, including basic demographic characteristics, access to computers and Internet were analysed using descriptive statistics. Spearman’s Rank Order Correlation was used to examine correlations between the perceived role of a pDHH in improving health and likelihood of subsequent usage. Whereas qualitative data included series of open-ended questions and findings were interpreted using constructs of capability, opportunity and motivation to help understand the factors influencing the likelihood of potential pDHH use Results Overall, 100 people were recruited in the study, representing 55 patients, 13 family members and 32 residential aged carers. The mean age of patients was 76.4 years (SD-8.4, age range 54-88) and females represented 60% of patients. Although a moderate negative correlation existed with increasing age and likelihood of pDHH usage (ρ= -0.50, p<0.001) the perceived role of the DHH in improving health had a strong positive correlation with the likelihood of pDHH usage by self (ρ=0.71, p<0.001) and by society, including friends and family members (ρ=0.75, p<0.001). Of particular note, almost all the patients (98%) believed they had a family member or friend /carer who would be able to help them to use a digital health platform. Whereas our qualitative findings suggest emphasising on complex interplay of capability, opportunity and motivation as crucial factors while designing a pDHH enabled model of care for hip fractures at a local context level. Conclusion Findings from this study contributed to understand the dynamics around capabilities, motivation and opportunities of patients, family members and formal carers as a “patient networked unit”. Future research recommendation must involve co-creation guided by iterative processes through improving understanding of factors influencing development and successful integration of complex digital healthcare interventions in real-world scenarios.

Cartographic production in Russia: main stages and trends

2020 ◽  
Vol 963 (9) ◽  
pp. 30-43
Author(s):  
M.Yu. Orlov
Keyword(s):  
Chronological Order ◽  
Xviii Century ◽  
New Methods ◽  
Current State ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
The Future ◽  
History Of ◽  
State Enterprises ◽  
Further Development

Studying the current state of cartography and ways of further developing the industry, the role of the map in the future of the society, new methods of promoting cartographic products is impossible without a deep scientific analyzing all the paths, events and factors influencing its formation and development throughout all the historic steps of cartographic production in Russia. In the article, the history of cartographic production in Russia is considered together with the development of private, state and military cartography, since, despite some differences, they have a common technical, technological and production basis. The author describes the stages of originating, formation and growth of industrial cartographic production from the beginning of the XVIII century until now. The connection between the change of political formations and technological structures with the mentioned stages of maps and atlases production is considered. Each stage is studied in detail, a step-by-step analysis was carried out, and the characteristics of each stage are described. All the events and facts are given in chronological order, highlighting especially significant moments influencing the evolution of cartographic production. The data on the volumes of printing and sales of atlases and maps by commercial and state enterprises are presented. The main trends and lines of further development of cartographic production in Russia are studied.

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