Integration of Freshman and Senior Design Projects in ... · • Senior Design students identify...
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• Students in the introductory Biosystems Engineering class (BAE 1012) are paired with Senior Design teams to work on a small project task • Senior Design students identify small projects, which are a subset of their larger capstone design projects • The two classes have a time overlap, and they meet together several times throughout the semester • Freshman teams create posters to describe their project results • BAE 1012 culminates in a poster session in the department during finals week Integration of Freshman and Senior Design Projects in Biosystems Engineering Paul Weckler 1 and Dani Bellmer 1,2 1 Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, 2 Robert M. Kerr Food and Agricultural Products Center Biosystems Engineering is a broad field of engineering that involves the intersection of the living world and engineering, and covers a wide range of specialty areas involving machinery, water, food, and energy. As freshmen in Biosystems Engineering, students are often unsure of what area they are most interested in, and what types of projects would be involved in a future career. Acknowledgements This concept has been previously published in Advances in Engineering Education: Fox, G., P. Weckler, D. Thomas. 2015. Linking First-Year and Senior Engineering Design Teams: Engaging Early Academic Career Students in Engineering Design. Why Are Integrated Design Projects Needed? INTRODUCTION How Does It Work? BENEFITS TO STUDENTS PROJECT EXAMPLES Benefits to Freshmen Assessment Tools Several different assessment tools have been used to evaluate the effectiveness of this approach: student knowledge of the design process, presentations, and student surveys. More than 90% of introductory students agreed that the design project was worthwhile, that it increased their understanding of engineering, and that it helped them make an informed decision regarding the suitability of Biosystems Engineering for their future career. • Introduction to topics involved in their future career • Develop comradery and teamwork skills with classmates • Sense of accomplishment in completing a project • Get to know upperclassmen in the department • Practice oral and written presentation skills • Increased understanding of engineering Benefits to Seniors • Forces early project planning to identify small subsets of their projects for freshmen • Develop time and project management skills • Practice mentoring skills • Expanded team interactions beyond clients and classmates Senior Design Projects Freshman Design Projects Senior Design Project: Decrease Soil Erosion on City of Enid Landfill Freshman Project: Soil Sampling of the Enid Landfill Senior Design Project: Design of a Self-Propelled MacDon Windrower Freshman Project: Design of a Folding Ladder for MacDon Windrower Senior Design Project: Design of a Cocoa Bean Winnower Freshman Project: Design of a Hopper for Cocoa Bean Winnower
Transcript of Integration of Freshman and Senior Design Projects in ... · • Senior Design students identify...
• Students in the introductory Biosystems
Engineering class (BAE 1012) are paired with Senior
Design teams to work on a small project task
• Senior Design students identify small projects,
which are a subset of their larger capstone design
projects
• The two classes have a time overlap, and they meet
together several times throughout the semester
• Freshman teams create posters to describe their
project results
• BAE 1012 culminates in a poster session in the
department during finals week
Integration of Freshman and Senior Design Projectsin Biosystems Engineering
Paul Weckler1 and Dani Bellmer1,2
1Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, 2Robert M. Kerr Food and Agricultural Products Center
Biosystems Engineering is a broad field of engineering
that involves the intersection of the living world and
engineering, and covers a wide range of specialty areas
involving machinery, water, food, and energy. As freshmen
in Biosystems Engineering, students are often unsure of
what area they are most interested in, and what types of
projects would be involved in a future career.
Acknowledgements
This concept has been previously published in Advances in Engineering
Education: Fox, G., P. Weckler, D. Thomas. 2015. Linking First-Year and
Senior Engineering Design Teams: Engaging Early Academic Career
Students in Engineering Design.
Why Are Integrated Design Projects Needed?
INTRODUCTION
How Does It Work?
BENEFITS TO STUDENTSPROJECT EXAMPLES
Benefits to Freshmen
Assessment Tools
Several different assessment tools have been used
to evaluate the effectiveness of this approach:
student knowledge of the design process,
presentations, and student surveys. More than 90%
of introductory students agreed that the design
project was worthwhile, that it increased their
understanding of engineering, and that it helped
them make an informed decision regarding the
suitability of Biosystems Engineering for their
future career.
• Introduction to topics involved in their future
career
• Develop comradery and teamwork skills with
classmates
• Sense of accomplishment in completing a project
• Get to know upperclassmen in the department
• Practice oral and written presentation skills
• Increased understanding of engineering
Benefits to Seniors
• Forces early project planning to identify small
subsets of their projects for freshmen
• Develop time and project management skills
• Practice mentoring skills
• Expanded team interactions beyond clients and
classmates
Senior Design Projects
Freshman Design Projects
Senior Design Project:
Decrease Soil Erosion on City of Enid Landfill
Freshman Project:
Soil Sampling of the
Enid Landfill
Senior Design Project:
Design of a Self-Propelled MacDon Windrower
Freshman Project:
Design of a Folding Ladder for
MacDon Windrower
Senior Design Project:
Design of a Cocoa Bean Winnower
Freshman Project:
Design of a Hopper for
Cocoa Bean Winnower
