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Redesigning a multi-disciplinary measurement lab and statistics course: An approach for navigating competing priorities

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Conference

2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Location

Baltimore , Maryland

Publication Date

June 25, 2023

Start Date

June 25, 2023

End Date

June 28, 2023

Conference Session

Experimentation and Laboratory-Oriented Studies Division (DELOS) Technical Session 5: Lab Design

Tagged Division

Experimentation and Laboratory-Oriented Studies Division (DELOS)

Tagged Topic

Diversity

Page Count

14

DOI

10.18260/1-2--44050

Permanent URL

https://strategy.asee.org/44050

Download Count

108

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Paper Authors

biography

Nick A. Stites University of Colorado Boulder

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Nick Stites is the Director of the Integrated Teaching and Learning Program at CU Boulder and an instructor with the Integrated Design Engineering program. Dr. Stites is the principal investigator (PI) of the Denver-Metro Engineering Consortium , which is a partnership between local community colleges and universities to support engineering pathways for transfer students. He is also a co-PI for TeachEngineering.org, which provides no-cost, hands-on engineering curricula for K-12 teachers, and is involved with ASPIRE, an NSF Engineering Research Center that is focused on developing the technology and workforce for electrifying the nation's transportation system. Dr. Stites earned degrees in Mechanical Engineering (BS Colorado State University, MS Purdue University) and Engineering Education (PhD Purdue University). His research interests include the development of novel pedagogical methods to teach core engineering courses and leveraging technology to enhance learning experiences and broaden access to engineering education. He has experience as a practicing engineer and has taught at the university and community-college levels.

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Micaela Valentina Bara University of Colorado Boulder

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Abstract

The requirements of learning objectives related to breadth vs. depth, ABET criteria, preparing students for the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam, and maintaining within-institution course equivalencies make modifying or designing an engineering course challenging. These challenges are further exacerbated for the topics of measurement (including data acquisition) and data analysis (including statistics) because many universities package these vast topics into one course. In this paper, we describe the process of redesigning a data analysis and measurement course so that it continues to fulfill its program- and college-level roles, while also satisfying new pedagogical strategies that include a flipped classroom and interweaving the major course topics throughout the curriculum, rather than relying on the more common approach of sequentially arranging the topics. We analyzed the role of this course as related to ABET criteria, the FE exam, and its relationship to similar courses in the college. We then used a curricular-priorities framework to organize the course’s learning objectives into three categories: enduring understanding, important to know and do, and worth being familiar with. With the most important learning objectives identified, we employed a backward-design approach to creating the corresponding assessments and activities. The resulting course curriculum is being classroom tested in Spring 2023.

Stites, N. A., & Bara, M. V. (2023, June), Redesigning a multi-disciplinary measurement lab and statistics course: An approach for navigating competing priorities Paper presented at 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Baltimore , Maryland. 10.18260/1-2--44050

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