Abstract
There is a major trend in engineering education to provide students with realistic hands-on learning experiences. This paper reports on the results of work done to develop standardized test instruments to use for student learning outcomes assessment in an experiential hands-on manufacturing engineering and technology environment. The specific outcomes targeted for assessment are those defined under the MILL (Manufacturing Integrated Learning Laboratory) Manufacturing Competency Model. In a unique feature aimed at experiential learning, the test instruments incorporate the use of a physical manipulative to evaluate attainment of particular hands-on skills. The resulting standardized tests have been subjected to extensive psychometric analysis. The results of the analysis indicate excellent structure of the test instruments. The test instruments have shown high levels of stability, internal consistency, and reliability. These tests can be used as instruments for outcomes assessment to help document attainment of targeted learning outcomes for program assessment, accreditation, and other assessment purposes. Outcomes Assessment; Standardized Test; Psychometrically Validated; Experiential Learning
Highlights
T here has been a focus in recent developments in engineering education on improving student learning by providing more hands-on learning experiences
We described how a core common curriculum was developed by five departments at four different institutions to provide experiential hands-on manufacturing education
The results of the all the analyses demonstrate that the test instruments that were developed are internally consistent, and psychometrically reliable and valid
Summary
T here has been a focus in recent developments in engineering education on improving student learning by providing more hands-on learning experiences. It states that as manufacturing becomes more established as a discipline, it is necessary to work towards a strong yet flexible core curriculum and that there is a need for a consistent model that can be used to design and assess programs. We described how a core common curriculum was developed by five departments at four different institutions to provide experiential hands-on manufacturing education. This table summarizes what came to be known as the MILL Manufacturing Competency Model (MILL Model for short).
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