Susannah Howe

Current Practices in Engineering Capstone Education: Further Results from a 2005 Nationwide Survey

This work further details a survey of engineering capstone design courses nationwide conducted in 2005. The survey is a follow-up to one conducted in 1994 by Todd et al., reprising the questions of its predecessor plus requesting additional information. We implemented the 2005 survey online, with requests sent via email to representatives of all ABET-accredited engineering programs (1724 programs at 350 institutions, as of 2004). The online survey yielded a strong response, with 444 programs from 232 institutions submitting responses. This corresponds to a 26% response rate from engineering programs and a 66% response rate from institutions. This paper focuses on the additional questions in the 2005 survey that provide further insight about the current state of engineering capstone education. In particular, the paper discusses results relating to course management, student deliverables and evaluation, program funding, and perceived capstone course success

Methodology for Selection, Sequencing, and Deployment of Activities in a Capstone Design Course Using the TIDEE Web-Based Assessment System

Assessment of design process, design products, team process, and professional practice are natural fits in an engineering capstone design course. In order for instructors and students to fully experience the value of capstone course assessment activities, the activities must not only be carefully developed but must also be deployed in an appropriate manner. Course designers must choose an optimal set of assignments based on local needs, while balancing time intensive design project activities with professional growth experiences. Instructors must facilitate the complete cycle of usage of a single assignment in order to ensure that the value is understood before and after completion of the assessment. This paper introduces guidelines for achieving effectiveness in selecting, timing, and sequencing assessment activities, preparing for activity deployment, and implementing a facilitation plan. Additionally this paper reports on the feedback from students and faculty using the system that highlights the importance of naturalistically integrating assessment.Copyright