Performance Outcomes in Engineering Design Courses

Abstract

Since the mid-1990s, employers and technical/professional societies have expressed concern about competencies of engineering programs. They have made recommendations to revise the engineering curriculum to better prepare the students to meet the increasing complexities and international aspects of engineering. There is a general belief that engineering education must change so that programs can continue to be recognized at the national and international levels Koehn 1997 . Employers and corporate leaders want to be assured that graduates can perform the competencies needed in the work force. In addition, legislators, taxpayers, and parents want assurance that students have the skills necessary to secure jobs and to keep them. The constituents of engineering education want to know that their money is being well spent Bakos 1996 . Accrediting agencies have also recognized the need to assess student competencies. Outcome assessment is a requirement at most academic institutions. The Council on Post-Secondary Accreditation in the U.S. Department of Education has mandated that accrediting agencies use outcome assessments in evaluating programs. In addition, the six regional associations for schools and colleges require outcome assessments as part of the criteria for granting or renewing accreditation Andersen 1998 . As a result, the Accrediting Board for Engineering and Technology ABET included outcome assessment as part of its accreditation requirements. The ABET Criteria 2000 ABET 2000 required programs to identify educational objectives and learning outcomes that meet the needs of the program’s various constituents. In addition, programs must assess the learning or performance outcomes that students are required to demonstrate in order to complete the program Aldridge and Benefield 1998 . Since the introduction of ABET 2000, there have been several updates and revisions. The current version, 2005–2006 Criteria for Accrediting Engineering Programs, is intended to assure quality and foster improvement in engineering education ABET 2005 . A major change in the new ABET accreditation criteria is the required detailed program outcomes that support the program educational objectives. The ABET criteria establishes a basic standard for programs to meet, and is quality-oriented and flexible