Outcome based Outcome based Engineering EducationEngineering Education

IT’S NOT WHAT YOU TEACH, IT’S WHAT THEY LEARN

Outcomes-based education: Education evaluated based on what students have learned (learning outcomes) and not just on what has been taught.

Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET): Organization that accredits all U.S. engineering & technology programs

ABET Engineering Criteria: The standards that programs must satisfy to be accredited

Washington Accord: Agreement that establishes equivalence of other countries’ programs with ABET-accredited programs

Program educational objectives: Desired career and professional accomplishments of alumni

Example: To prepare graduates for careers in which they expertly apply scientific and engineering principles to the solution of critical problems facing industry and society.

Program outcomes: Desired knowledge, skills and behaviors of program graduates.

Example: Students will be able to identify an important contemporary regional, national, or global problem that involves engineering and discuss a variety of ways engineers might make important contributions to solving it.

ABET Engineering Criteria Outcomes (a-k)

a) apply knowledge of math, science, & engineering

b) design & conduct experiments, analyze & interpret data

c) design a system/process to meet desired needs within economic, social, political, ethical, health/safety, manufacturability, & sustainability constraints

d) function on multidisciplinary teams

e) identify, formulate, & solve engineering problems

f) understand professional & ethical responsibilities

g) communicate effectively

h) understand impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, & societal context

i) recognize need for & be able to engage in lifelong learning

j) know contemporary issues

k) use techniques, skills, modern tools for engineering practice

Washington Accord Outcomes• Apply mathematics, science, engineering fundamentals and an

engineering specialization to the conceptualization of engineering models

• Identify, formulate, research literature and solve complex engineering problems reaching substantiated conclusions using first principles of mathematics and engineering sciences

• Design solutions for complex engineering problems and design systems, components or processes that meet specified needs with appropriate consideration for public health and safety, cultural, societal, and environmental considerations

• Conduct investigations of complex problems including design of experiments, analysis and interpretation of data, and synthesis of information to provide valid conclusions

• Create, select and apply appropriate techniques, resources, and modern engineering tools, including prediction and modelling, to complex engineering activities, with an understanding of the limitations

• Function effectively as an individual, and as a member or leader in diverse teams and in multi-disciplinary settings

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Washington Accord Outcomes• Communicate effectively on complex engineering activities with

the engineering community and with society at large, such as being able to comprehend and write effective reports and design documentation, make effective presentations, and give and receive clear instructions

• Demonstrate understanding of the societal, health, safety, legal and cultural issues and the consequent responsibilities relevant to engineering practice

• Understand and commit to professional ethics and responsibilities and norms of engineering practice

• Understand the impact of engineering solutions in a societal context and demonstrate knowledge of and need for sustainable development

• Demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of management and business practices, such as risk and change management, and understand their limitations

• Recognize the need for, and have the ability to engage in independent and life-long learning

Outcome indicators: Instruments and methods that will be used to assess students’ attainment of program outcomes

Example: Students will be able to pass the Fundamentals of Engineering exam and the individual portions related to mathematics, chemistry, statistics, and dynamics (evidence that the students have the ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering)

Example 2: Students will be able to identify an important contemporary regional, national, or global problem that involves engineering and discuss a variety of ways engineers might make important contributions to solving it. (evidence that the students have the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global/societal context)

Performance targets: Target conditions for outcome indicators

Examples: The [average score, score earned by at least 80%] of the program graduates on the [FE Exam, standardized test item, portfolio evaluation] must be at least 75/100.

The outcome may be considered to have been achieved in a course if the performance targets for [all, 80%] of the relevant course learning objectives are achieved.

Course learning objectives:

• Observable actions that demonstrate students’ attainment of skills and knowledge in the course

Examples:

• The students will be able to design and carry out an experiment to measure the tensile strength of an unknown metal and determine a 95% confidence interval for the true value of the tensile strength

• Define the four stages of team functioning and the responsibilities of a team coordinator, recorder, checker, and process monitor

Core course learning objectives: • Course learning objectives designed to

address program outcomes, in place regardless of who teaches the course

• Learning objective (or instructional objective): statement of what students should be able to do after receiving instruction, plus (optional)– conditions under which he/she would carry

out the specified action – statement of what constitutes acceptable

performance

• Objectives should be specific and directly observable

Core course learning objectives: • Course learning objectives designed to

address program outcomes, in place regardless of who teaches the course

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Learning Objectives

• Example: Digital Electronics • 1) To introduce the students to the

fundamentals and principles of digital electronics circuits and systems.

• 2) To introduce them to the fundamentals of microprocessors and microcomputers.

• 3) To enable students to analyze and troubleshoot digital circuits.

• 4) To use hands on experiments and computer simulation to supplement their learning.

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Course Objectives to Program Outcomes Digital Electronics

Relationship of Course Objectives to Program Outcomes

A B C D E F G H I J K

1 2 1 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 2

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Learning Objectives

• Example: Electronic Circuits • 1)Strong understanding of biasing

semiconductors.• 2) Ability to explain transistor operating

regions.• 3) Knowledge of diode rectifiers and

transistor amplifiers.• 4) Understanding of different circuit choices

for biasing and amplifier applications.

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Course Objectives to Program Outcomes: Electronic Circuits

Relationship of Course Objectives to Program Outcomes

A B C D E F G H I J K

1 2 1 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 2

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Learning Objectives

• Example: Introduction to Management • 1) Provide students with an overall framework

of management• 2) Improve critical thinking and analysis skills• 3) Establish a baseline for written and oral

presentation skills.• 4) Introduce students to the usage of

electronic databases.

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Course Objectives to Program Outcomes: Introduction to Management

Relationship of Course Objectives to Program Outcomes

A B C D E F G H I J K

1 2 1 2 2 2 2 3 3 - 2,3

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Course Outcome Assessment• EGMU INDICATOR:The EGMU indicator based on rubric scores can be

described as follow.“E=3” Demonstrates a complete and accurate

understanding of the important concepts – Excellent. E can be used for a grade of B+ and A.

• “G=2” Demonstrates strategy or concepts with no significant errors – Good. G can be used for a grade of C+ and B.

• “M= 1” Demonstrates an incomplete understanding of the important concepts and has some notable misconceptions – Minimal.

• “U=0” Demonstrates unsatisfactory, U can be used for a grade of F.

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Course Outcome Assessment, contd.• The EGMU score of 1.5 is a C, average,

therefore represents what a student would need in order to satisfy the requirement for graduation.

• A typical EGMU vector for a class with 8 students in which the task in the first exam might be (4,1,2,1). The score of such EGMU can be evaluated as follow:

4X3+1X2+2X1+1X0 = 2.0, which is good. 8

“At the end of the [course, section, week, lecture], the student will be able to...”

– calculate [the probability that two sample means will differ by more than a specified amount]

– estimate [the break-even selling price of a specified product]

– design (synthesize, optimize) [a separation process for a mixture of volatile hydrocarbons]

explain…

choose…

list…

predict…

plan…

rank-order…

outline…

construct…

distinguish…

justify…

model…

learn

Terms to avoid:

appreciate

understand

know

All critically important goals, but not observable instructional objectives

Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives: Cognitive Domain

Analyzing (Analysis)Explain, interpret, predict the behavior of a system

Applying (Application)Apply known procedures to novel problems

Evaluating (Evaluation)Make criteria-based judgments (choose, prioritize, rate, critique)

Creating (Synthesis) Design, plan, create, formulate

Understanding (Comprehension) Explain, interpret, classify, compareterms, observations, & concepts

Remembering (Knowledge)Recall facts & definitions, replicate known solution procedures

Example: By the end of this course, you (or “the student”) will…

• Unacceptable:…learn how to design and conduct experiments.

• Weak:…be able to design an experiment to measure a heat transfer coefficient and analyze the results.

• Good: …be able to– design an experiment to measure an overall

heat transfer coefficient and perform an error analysis

– evaluate the applicability of different correlations for a film transfer coefficient

Example: By the end of this course, you (or “the student”) will…

• Unacceptable:…understand the requirements of multi-disciplinary teamwork.

• Weak:…be able to function effectively on a multi-disciplinary project team.

• Good: …be able to– function effectively as a team member on a

multi-disciplinary product design project, with effectiveness being determined by peer ratings and self-assessment (Level 3 & Affective)

– discuss the relative importance of the different disciplines in arriving at the final product design (Level 5 & Affective)

Exercise

Why Write Objectives?• Identify & classify course material

Plan syllabus

Plan lectures

Drop extraneous

material

Minimize time spent on low-level material

Identify Bloom Levels

• Make course coherent

Lectures

Activities

Assignments

Exams

• For high-level skills,

Provide a study guide for students

But when?

• Tell faculty colleagues what they can expect

students who pass this course to know

• teachers of follow-on courses

• new faculty• adjunct faculty Curriculum

planning committees

Accreditation visitors

Assessing Learning Objectives

• Use a subset of the following:- Performance on test items clearly linked to

objectives- Performance on standardized tests- Project reports- Videotapes of oral presentations- Research proposals and papers- Resumes, letters, memos

- Written critiques of technical reports or papers- Peer evaluations, self evaluations- Surveys- Learning logs, journals

• Use a grading checklist or rubric for all items that must be evaluated subjectively

People learn only by doing