ERIC Number: EJ1077839
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2015
Pages: 20
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-1941-1766
EISSN: N/A
An Evaluation of a Course That Introduces Undergraduate Students to Authentic Aerospace Engineering Research
Mena, Irene B.; Schmitz, Sven; McLaughlin, Dennis
Advances in Engineering Education, v4 n4 Sum 2015
This paper describes the implementation and assessment of an aerospace engineering course in which undergraduate students worked on research projects with graduate research mentors. The course was created using the principles from cooperative learning and project-based learning, and consisted of students working in small groups on a complex, open-ended research project. The course provided undergraduate students the opportunity to learn about and be involved in authentic research within their field. Quantitative and qualitative methods were used to assess the effectiveness of this course by answering the following research questions: (1) What are the experiences of undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty involved in this course?, (2) What skills are developed and/or improved in undergraduate and graduate students?, and (3) What recommendations can the course faculty provide to other faculty interested in implementing a similar course?
Descriptors: Course Evaluation, Engineering Education, Aerospace Education, Mentors, Graduate Students, Undergraduate Students, Qualitative Research, Statistical Analysis, Research Projects, Teacher Attitudes, Student Attitudes, College Faculty, Educational Innovation, Student Surveys, Focus Groups, Semi Structured Interviews
American Society for Engineering Education. 1818 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 412-624-6815; Fax: 412-624-1108; Web site: http://advances.asee.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research; Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A