Implementing A Program Of Continuous Assessment And Improvement For A New Sophomore Design Course

When implementing a new course, it is essential to include a program of continuous assessment and improvement. This paper discusses how a program of continuous assessment and improvement was included in the development and initial implementation of a new sophomore design course in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Iowa State University. In the Fall of 1998 the faculty decided to add a new required sophomore design course. The course provides engineering design experience that encompasses the full range of the design process including construction of a working prototype of the final design. There are three major goals of the course: 1) To give faculty an opportunity to interact with mechanical engineering students earlier in the curriculum. 2) To prepare and motivate students to later take technical courses in mechanical engineering. 3) To provide a bridge between the introductory design course of the freshman year and the capstone design course of the senior year. Additionally, several other ABET Engineering Criteria 2000 goals were identified as course objectives. These included introducing students to professional practice, developing oral and written communication skills, and gaining an understanding of the impact of engineering decisions on society. The following year these general objectives were expanded to specific goals and assignments, and a pilot course was offered. Simultaneously, a program of assessment and improvement was implemented. Initial assessment results were used to measure success of the pilot course against the original course goals and to provide guidelines for scaling the course up to four or five sections a semester. This assessment included three separate groups. These were a group of 18 students, a faculty group, and an industry group. Developing clear and convincing evidence of the performance of the course was a key concern. This paper discusses the assessment methodology, results, and the changes made during the startup phase of the course.