scholarly journals DESIGN OF A CONSISTENT INTERDISCIPLINARY AND DUAL FACULTY CAPSTONE EXPERIENCE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
W.C.D. DeGagne ◽  
Paul E. Labossiere
Keyword(s):  
Real Life ◽  
Engineering Program ◽  
Engineering Discipline ◽  
Respective Discipline ◽  
University Of Manitoba ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Interdisciplinary Courses ◽  
The University ◽  
Capstone Design Courses ◽  
Capstone Design

Abstract - One of the most effective and efficient ways for an engineering program to facilitate compliance with the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB) accreditation criteria is through capstone design projects and courses, [1]. Currently, the University of Manitoba Faculty of Engineering has several capstone design courses; however, each is independently focused on its own respective discipline. The resulting educational experience for students, though rigorous and challenging, is maintained within the boundaries of the students’ engineering discipline, thereby neglecting to provide the opportunity for students to work with people from multiple disciplines and across different faculties. This style/mode of education, where students work in silos, arguably does not reflect real world engineering. Program representatives from the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Manitoba agree that the capstones should be more reflective of real life situations. For this paper, we were hoping to present the research results of a pilot interdisciplinary capstone that was to be launch in the winter of 2017. Unfortunately, the pilot course was not offered because of low student enrollment. So we decided to take an innovative and creative approach to the research. Since, at the University of Manitoba, the Dean of Engineering is also the Dean of the Faculty of Architecture, rather than team with an outside industry focus group, we decided to develop a holistic course with the Faculty of Architecture. The Dean supports this strategy. Interdisciplinary courses are most important because they "…articulate the difference between educational problems and workplace problems" [2]. And allow "(students) persons from different disciplines to work collaboratively and are integrated to combine their knowledge to solve a problem"[3]. This paper explores and explains how that Engineering/Architecture Multidiscipline Capstone and Dual Faculty course will be developed, touches on the early stages of its initiation and implementation, and outlines how the success of the new course will be evaluated.  

scholarly journals DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A CROSS DISCIPLINE CAPSTONE DESIGN EXPERIENCE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
W.C.D. DeGagne ◽  
Paul Labossiere
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Education ◽  
Real World ◽  
Capstone Course ◽  
Engineering Program ◽  
Engineering Discipline ◽  
Respective Discipline ◽  
University Of Manitoba ◽  
The University ◽  
Capstone Design Courses ◽  
Capstone Design

One of the most effective and efficient ways for an engineering program to facilitate compliance with the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB) accreditation criteria is through capstone design projects and courses. Currently, the University of Manitoba Faculty of Engineering has several capstone design courses; however, each is independently focused on its own respective discipline. The resulting educational experience for students, though rigorous and challenging, is maintained within the boundaries of the students’ engineering discipline, thereby neglecting to provide the opportunity for students to work with people from multiple disciplines and across multiple fields. This style/mode of education, where students work in silos, arguably does not reflect real world engineering. Program representatives from the Faculty of Engineering agree. An interdisciplinary capstone course would provide a more rounded engineering education for students. Exposing students to other disciplines and facilitating their learning of the knowledge, skills and behaviours required to work in a multidisciplinary capacity will more effectively prepare students for the real world. Thus, to better comply with CEAB requirements and to increase the breadth and depth of students’ engineering education, an interdisciplinary capstone pilot course will be launched at the University of Manitoba.This paper explains how this multidisciplinary capstone pilot program has been developed, and touches on the early stages of its initiation and implementation.

scholarly journals Improving Classroom Engagement to Maximize Learning in an Interdisciplinary Dual Faculty Capstone Experience at the University of Manitoba

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
William C.D. DeGagne ◽  
Paul E. Labossiere
Keyword(s):  
Real Life ◽  
Capstone Course ◽  
Engineering Program ◽  
Capstone Courses ◽  
Future Assessment ◽  
Education Association ◽  
University Of Manitoba ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The University ◽  
Capstone Design

One of the most effective and efficient ways for an engineering program to facilitate compliance with the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB) accreditation criteria is through capstone design projects and courses [2]. Currently, The University of Manitoba Faculty of Engineering has several capstone design courses; however, each is independently focused on its own respective discipline. The resulting educational experience for students, though rigorous and challenging, is maintained within the boundaries of the students’ engineering discipline, thereby neglecting to provide the opportunity for students to work with people from multiple disciplines and across different faculties. This method of education, where students work in isolation, arguably does not reflect real world engineering. Through internal focus group meetings, program representatives from the Faculty of Engineering at The University of Manitoba agree that the capstones should be more reflective of real life situations. Interdisciplinary courses are most important because they “…articulate the difference between educational problems and workplace problems” [1]. Hence, to allow “(students) persons from different disciplines to work collaboratively and are integrated to combine their knowledge to solve a problem” (sic)[4], interdisciplinary capstone courses are essential to a rounded engineering education. Furthermore, teaming with the Faculty of Architecture will provide several benefits for both facilities such as: develop lifelong learning patterns; foster cooperative and collaborative team relationships; and, allow both facilities to learn the other’s cultures and technical languages.Since 2016, The University of Manitoba has presented research papers at the Canadian Engineering and Education Association (CEEA) conferences on the development and future assessment of an interdisciplinary capstone course. These papers have shown the evolution of the course from a multidisciplinary engineering program to an interdisciplinary Engineering and Architectural dual faculty offering. The course was launched in January, 2018, and will be evaluated through the winter session and into the fall.This paper, will explore, define, and explain how the proposed new engineering/architecture interdisciplinary capstone and dual faculty course will be developed, highlight the early stages of its initiation, describe the ongoing implementation, outline how the performance of the new course will be evaluated, delve into how the new course will be improved to make it more meaningful and practical to both faculties and students, and; discover how engagement can improved student learning.

Mechatronics as a Capstone Design Course

1999 ◽  
Author(s):  
William R. Murray ◽  
Joseph L. Garbini
Keyword(s):  
Real World ◽  
Mechanical Engineering ◽  
Learning Experiences ◽  
University Of Washington ◽  
High Regard ◽  
The University ◽  
Capstone Design Courses ◽  
Capstone Design

Abstract Capstone design courses in engineering, which provide students the opportunity to tackle open-ended, real-world projects, are generally held in high regard as learning experiences. A relatively new and increasingly important component of engineering is the area of mechatronics. In this paper, we review the goals of capstone design courses and examine how well suited mechatronics projects are for use as projects in capstone design courses. Our experiences in using mechatronics projects in the senior-level capstone design course in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Washington are presented. From these experiences, we demonstrate that mechatronics projects are particulary well suited for use in capstone design.

scholarly journals Effective Coordination of Capstone Design Work Using Milestones

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michel F. Couturier ◽  
Guida Bendrich ◽  
Francis Lang
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Engineering ◽  
Final Report ◽  
Design Work ◽  
Management Framework ◽  
Engineering Program ◽  
Continuous Feedback ◽  
Added Benefit ◽  
The University ◽  
Better Than ◽  
Capstone Design

 Abstract – A universal management framework has been developed for coordinating the work of students and mentors in the capstone design course offered in the Chemical Engineering program at the University of New Brunswick. The framework makes use of seven evenly spaced milestones to pace the students through their design project. The milestone documents describe the main tasks to be completed by students and apply to any client-based project. They also provide the marking scheme to be used by mentors when evaluating the team reports submitted at the end of each milestone. As an added benefit, the universal milestone framework also enables the progressive assembly of a high-quality final report since each milestone report is tailored to be a section of the final report. As expected, the performance of students on the final report is generally better than the average of their milestone grades. Furthermore, the universal framework ensures deliverables are consistent for every group regardless of their project, which results in a streamlined experience for both students and instructors. Student opinion surveys suggest that students appreciate the frequency of the milestones, which allows for continuous feedback and appropriate pacing.

scholarly journals INTEGRATING COMMUNICATION INTO SENIOR ENGINEERING DESIGN COURSES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Parker ◽  
Gary Wang ◽  
Kim Hewlett
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Design ◽  
Assessment Process ◽  
Design Element ◽  
Computer Engineering ◽  
Communication Course ◽  
Engineering Communication ◽  
University Of Manitoba ◽  
The University ◽  
Capstone Design Courses ◽  
Do So

In this paper, we will describe how we integrated communication into two capstone design courses in the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Manitoba. We will first look briefly at how the stand-alone technical communication course (offered early in the curriculum) serves as a cornerstone because it introduces students to the various genres of engineering communication and emphasizes the importance of communication within the practice of engineering. Integrating communication into courses like the Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering design course (MECH 4860) and the Electrical and Computer Engineering design course (ENG 4600) means that technical and communications specialists work together toward helping senior engineering design students achieve their goal: designing a solution to an industry-based problem and then presenting their design in written, graphical and oral form. To do so, communications specialists become partners in the delivery of the course and in the assessment process. At the same time, the technical specialists can focus on assessing the design itself. Together, we can then evaluate a design according to what engineers must do on the job: solve problems and communicate solutions. The rubrics used to assess written communications are also intended as ways to help students see how each design element (like “project specifications”) is important to the “deliverable,” the report to the client. Finally, we will conclude with some observations about this past year and indicate what we would like to do next year.

scholarly journals How do you Hug a Porcupine? by L. Isop

2012 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
David Sulz
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Elementary Education ◽  
Real Life ◽  
General Rule ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Religious Studies ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Library Studies ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The University

Isop, Laurie. Illustrated by Gwen Millward. How do you Hug a Porcupine? New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Your Readers, 2011. Print. A charming and hopefully harmless little book.  The variety of animals is illustrated realistically enough to be recognizable on the page and probably even in real-life. The text is nicely lyrical with a rhythm and rhyme that makes you want to sing while reading. The message, however, is not all positive. On the good side, the portrayal of animals as worthy of human attention, respect, and appreciation (although not particularly original in children’s books) is always welcome.  Also nice is the mix of familiar animals (e.g. cow, horse, pig, giraffe) with some that don’t get much attention (e.g. hedgehog, yak, ostrich) so young readers might learn something new. On the negative side, however, is the encouragement to hug any-and-all animals. Knowledge of the difference between tame (domestic) animals and wild animals should be instilled from a young age and, even if not taught explicitly, children’s authors should at least not introduce ideas that must be unlearned in real life. Pandas, yaks, porcupines, kangaroos, and dolphins should NOT, as a general rule, ever be hugged and people should NOT be convinced that everything needs a hug. For one thing, animals are unpredictable and potentially dangerous to the hugger. For another, hugging or touching a wild animal can be dangerous for the hugged - hugging a porcupine would dislodge many quills and reduce its defenses against predators. Sometimes I wonder if the national park tourists who slather honey on their child’s arm to get a picture of the cute bear licking it or approach a fully-grown elk to touch its antler velvet were maybe too exposed to this sort of book. In short, the answer to “how do you hug a porcupine?” should be, “you don’t!” Stick to hugging your own kitty-cat or puppy-dog instead that you know will probably appreciate it and not attack you. Recommended with reservations: 2 out of 4 stars (charming and lyrical but potentially dangerous in later life). Reviewer: David Sulz David is a librarian at the University of Alberta working mostly with scholars in Economics, Religious Studies, and Social Work. His university studies included: Library Studies, History, Elementary Education, Japanese, and Economics. On the education front, he taught various grades and subjects for several years in schools as well as museums. His interest in Japan and things Japanese stands above his other diverse interests.    

scholarly journals ALUMNI SURVEY FOR UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA DEPARTMENT OF BIOSYSTEMS ENGINEERING

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.L. Mackie ◽  
D.D. Mann
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Design ◽  
Communication Skills ◽  
Life Experience ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Team Work ◽  
University Of Manitoba ◽  
The University ◽  
Competency Level ◽  
Alumni Survey

This paper presents the results of a survey of61 alumni from the University of Manitoba Department ofBiosystems Engineering. A three-section survey wasdeveloped to evaluate 12 attributes outlined by theCanadian Engineering Accreditation Board. The surveyrequested that alumni assess the 12 attributes in threeways: the importance of each attribute in their currentemployment, the level of preparedness they had receivedin each attribute from their education in the BiosystemsEngineering program, and the competency level requiredin each attribute by their current employment. Using gapanalysis, the level of preparedness received by BiosystemsEngineering alumni was compared with level ofcompetency required in current employment. The level ofpreparedness exceeded competency required on 10 of 12attributes; only attributes of “communication” and“impact of engineering on society and the environment”were found to be deficient using this analysis.Comparison of the importance of attributes to level ofpreparedness showed that level of preparedness ismeeting industry expectations on attributes of “knowledgebase for engineering”, “design”, “use of engineeringtools” with room for improvement on “problemanalysis”, “investigation” and most of the soft skillattributes. Interestingly, alumni who had participated onan extra-curricular team rated their preparedness on“team work” and “communication skills” lower than theoverall response even though these extra-curricularactivities provide real-life experience with theseattributes.

scholarly journals CAPSTONE DESIGN IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN ONTARIO

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ralph O. Buchal
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Engineering ◽  
Primary Sources ◽  
Career Goals ◽  
Engineering Programs ◽  
Engineering Program ◽  
Student Teams ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The University ◽  
Centres Of Excellence ◽  
Capstone Design

All engineering programs in Canada must culminate in a significant design experience. This paper describes the capstone design course in the Mechanical Engineering Program at the University of Western Ontario. Self-selected student teams choose from several types of projects: faculty-defined projects, student-defined entrepreneurial projects, student design competitions, and industry-sponsored projects. These choices accommodate a wide range of interests and career goals. The primary sources of project funding are industry sponsorship fees and matching funding through the Ontario Centres of Excellence Connections Program. The majority of project expenses are for parts, materials, prototype construction and testing.

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