Developing and assessing statewide competencies for engineering design

Journal of Engineering Education, Apr 1998 by Trevisan, Michael S, Davis, Denny C, Crain, Richard W, Calkins, Dale E, Gentili, Kenneth E

ABSTRACT

An assessment system was developed and piloted in Washington state to evaluate the engineering design competence of community college transfer students and continuing students at Washington State University (WSU) and the University of Washington (UW). A multiple measured approach was employed consisting of a multiple-choice assessment, a team design performance assessment, and an essay, each administered to junior level students at WSU and UW. These assessments covered important design and design-related outcomes valued by the engineering community in Washington and expected of junior level engineering students. Scoring criteria were developed by engineering faculty for the team design and essay components. The assessment results provide faculty and other decision makers at community colleges and fouryear institutions with data they need to determine the extent to which students are meeting design competency expectations. Moreover, the approach described in this paper illustrates how institutions can productively address the ABET Engineering Criteria 2000 requirements by developing the assessment support that engineering educators need to make informed programmatic decisions and achieve continuous quality improvement.

I. OVERVIEW

Underscoring the connection between assessment and quality engineering education, the Joint Task Force on Engineering

Education Assessment recently issued a report on the importance of program assessment in the pursuit of program improvement.1 This report provides a framework for developing a comprehensive, systematic program assessment plan. The task force highlights the use of assessment data by program decision makers and stakeholders as a means of understanding engineering education programs, determining whether program objectives are being met and taking action to make programmatic changes when necessary.

Of immediate interest and concern for many engineering educators, is the dramatic change in engineering accreditation requirements reflected in ABET Engineering Criteria 2000.2 With the dual goals of fostering high academic achievement and accountability, ABET has rejected the detailed program description and counting approach to accreditation in favor of a competency-based approach, requiring the establishment of program objectives, measures to assess the achievement of the objectives, and use of assessment data for program improvement. In this new accreditation environment, program assessment will be a critical task for engineering educators.

II. PURPOSE

This paper has three purposes. First, the paper describes a unique program assessment approach other programs might emulate, which will in part meet the programmatic assessment requirements addressed in ABET Engineering Criteria 2000 and called for by the Joint Task Force on Engineering Education Assessment. In particular, Criterion 2 calls for engineering programs to systematically develop curriculum and objectives, evaluate the extent to which objectives were achieved, and use the data to improve program effectiveness.2 The process documented in this paper addresses each of these requirements and outlines some of the challenges that must be confronted for successful application of this process.

Second, the paper describes an approach used to assess design competencies, which includes the assessment of productive team participation - competencies industry desires of incoming engineers, and now required by ABET as an outcome of engineering education programs under Criterion 3 2

Third, the paper discusses a process to articulate student competencies and a mechanism to ensure that students transferring from community colleges attain the same competencies as those expected at four-year institutions. In short, the assessment process discussed also meets Criterion 3 of the new accreditation model, which requires programs to specify program outcomes in terms of student achievement of competencies, develop an assessment system to document results, and ensure that transfer students attain the same competencies expected of native students.2

While the assessment process continues in the pilot phase, the principles applied, lessons learned, and insights gained should prove useful for a variety of programs now facing high-stakes accreditation requirements under the new ABET accreditation process.

III. TRANSFERABLE INTEGRATED DESIGN ENGINEERING EDUCATION

The context for the assessment work discussed in this paper is provided by an innovative project titled "Transferable Integrated Design Engineering Education," (TIDEE). Funded by the National Science Foundation, TIDEE is a collaborative effort among Washington State University, the University of Washington, and Tacoma Community College with the purpose of developing and integrating design education into the first two years of engineering education.3 Because a large percentage of junior students at the four-year institutions in Washington state transfer from one of 24 different community colleges, close communication and agreement on achievement expectations among the postsecondary institutions in the state are essential to ensure that students successfully complete their engineering degrees and meet industry expectations.