The educational experience of a freshman engineering student at Virginia Tech is by no means a static process. New engineering tools, a deeper understanding of the responsibilities of engineers to society and the environment, and an appreciation for the diverse and global nature of the workplace are continually incorporated into the Engineering Fundamentals (EF) curriculum.
"Members of the EF faculty are committed to working diligently to bring out the innate creativity of our students and foster in them an appreciation and excitement for the engineering profession," says Hayden Griffin, professor and director of the EF Division at Virginia Tech. Today, three new initiatives are providing EF students with a value-added education.
Enhancing an introduction to engineering
To attract the highest-caliber students and to enhance the engineering department's international program, EF has introduced Enhanced Engineering Design and Problem Solving, an intensive and compressed introduction-to-engineering course with an international component.
Originally recommended by a college advisory group, the new four-week program enables students to enroll two courses ahead of other freshmen and to register for second-semester courses in the fall, giving them more time to pursue undergraduate research or a double major.
"These are the students who provide their engineering classmates with a gauge of what can be achieved," explains EF associate professor Michael Gregg. "The excitement that these students developed, rekindled, and nurtured through this course has an obvious impact on those with whom they come in contact."
The initial two weeks of the course were spent in Blacksburg, with computer-intensive activities and tours of local industries involved in international operations. First-hand international content was provided during a trip to Switzerland, Italy, France, and Germany.
"The students benefited from seeing how other parts of the world deal with issues like the environment, transportation, water resources, and government, plus seeing engineering and architecture examples that date back 400 years," says associate professor Richard Goff.
Students note that being selected for this advanced placement course was in many ways better than receiving a financial scholarship. "This program not only gave me a head start in college, but it was also an opportunity to learn about myself," says Kara Smith. "From the very beginning I was interested in this summer program because it would enable me to jump right into an engineering field, which for me ended up to be a double major in geology and mining engineering."
Funding assistance was provided by the Center for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching and the University Office of International Programs.
Learning by laptop
The back-to-school shopping list for engineering freshmen recently changed. Laptop computers are now mandatory, a new requirement that reflects the increased need for students to use technology.
EF faculty members quickly developed innovative ways to incorporate the use of laptops into the curriculum. Assistant professor Vinod Lohani finds it easier to teach Computer Aided Design (CAD) software, such as Inventor. In the past, he demonstrated CAD with his computer while students watched. Now students experience the software for themselves. "Students enjoy trying to create the three-dimensional objects we set before them in class," says assistant professor Jean Kampe.
Students having laptops in the classroom has also allowed faculty to introduce new material much more quickly in a supervised and supportive environment. Goff notes, "We are now able to introduce Inventor CAD software in the fall semester instead of the spring. We have created in-class workshops that allow for more discussion and teamwork rather than presenting material in a more traditional lecture format. This initiative has truly enhanced the learning process."
Laptops have proven to be a time-saver in all aspects of the EF program. Tom Walker, EF associate professor and computer coordinator, reports that "the Software Assistance Team (SWAT) can now spend the vast majority of its time actually helping students with computer software problems at the SWAT office. The amount of service we can provide has gone up by a factor of three for the same dollars spent."
Assistant professor Tamara Knott appreciates the fact that she now can hold her office hours at a coffee shop on campus. "Because the students can bring their laptops, we are able to work on issues that we wouldn't be able to address without a computer."
Students, too, are raving about the laptop requirement. "Having a new, powerful computer is great and helps me use both the engineering computer applications as well as online tools to their fullest extent," said Joshua Mouras. "It is easier to learn new software on my own computer. Having a laptop is helping me prepare for my career since it gives me experience with advanced equipment and software as an integrated part of the learning process."
Another student adds that the laptops are an advantage during group projects. "We all take our laptops to a study area so we have three computers there to be able to work on different aspects of the project while still collaborating," says Alan Rogers.
A hands-on experience
Teamwork is crucial to the success of any large engineering project, and accreditation boards and employers have stressed the need for students to have teamwork skills.
Since 1997, EF has provided several innovative, hands-on engineering experiences that build teamwork. One is a unique, hands-on, early design program in which students are given a standardized kit of tools and materials dubbed the "MacGyver box."
Teams of four students are issued a MacGyver box, introduced to the design process, and then assigned projects to complete throughout the semester. For each project, the student teams are given design criteria (for items such as vehicles and ping-pong-ball launchers), then instructed to develop several design alternatives and build their best design. The catch is that only the tools and materials contained in the MacGyver box can be used for construction and no replacement parts are allowed.
"This initiative has been well received by the students and offers an engaging method to introduce them to design, engineering economy, and the dynamics of teamwork," assistant professor Steve York says.
Student support for the various hands-on efforts is evident--the Student Engineer's Council has provided more than 90 percent of the funding required for materials and supplies. Other support has come from General Motors, Lockheed Martin, Cummins, Briggs & Stratton, Black & Decker, and Lexmark.
The future of fundamentals
Griffin says the key to the future of engineering fundamentals is continual assessment of the engineering educational experience, as well as of the field itself. "Our challenge is to constantly survey the horizon of engineering so that we can predict the optimum direction to point the students before we give them the initial impetus, and then to deliver it in a creative and constructive manner."
And although he says that the challenge of doing so requires reworking the freshman sequence every year, Griffin adds, "We wouldn't have it any other way."
For more details on the Engineering Fundamentals program and a photo album of the international trip, go to http://www.ef.vt.edu.
