Assessing the maturity of capstone engineering project courses

Abstract

One of the critical issues facing engineering education today is assessment. Engineering departments are asked to determine their program goals then how students meet the outcomes specified. This assessment is driven by the requirement that data be collected that guides changes to the program based on a determination of the difference between goal and outcome. Assessment offers a new approach to modifying engineering education. The major question to be asked in how well engineering educators will meet the challenges posed. Design projects offer a particular challenging area for assessment. Capstone design projects, are an integral part of engineering education at most institutions. The capstone course is typically taken during the final year of study and involves a one or two semester project, typically involving groups. As engineering programs move to adopt assessment there is an increased need to develop methods to assist faculty in understanding the project course, the outcomes actually realized by the project course, and how to structure improvements. The goal of our project is to provide a framework for determining the capability of an engineering project course.