A Proposal For A Nationally Normed Engineering Graphics Concepts And Skills Test

The sciences and physics in particular have found that nationally normed tests allow educational researchers to measure the effect of changes in methodology and technology. In particular, physics uses the Force Concept Inventory. and the Mechanics Baseline test for testing students in physics mechanics. Another test on the concepts of electricity and magnetism has also been created. These are used and cited frequently in the physics education literature. In Engineering Graphics, we have the Purdue Visualization Tests, Young and Sorby’s placement exam, and some now outdated tests. The question is, ‘Does engineering education need such a test?’ and ‘What form should it take?’. Do we want to measure mastery of concepts (and what are they?), measure sketching skills, measure visualization skills, reading working drawings, etc. This paper will lay the background for a discussion to be held as part of the session at ASEE 2001 and, if this is accepted by the Engineering Design Graphics Division (EDGD) as a worthy task, such discussions and work on creation of a test or tests will continue over the next couple of years.