A Metric for Assessment of ABET Student Outcome "b" – Experimental Design and Analyzing the Results

• Published in: Association for Engineering Education - Engineering Library Division Papers p. 26.67.1
• Main Author: Jones, Allen L
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Atlanta American Society for Engineering Education-ASEE 14.06.2015
• Subjects: Accreditation; Curricula; Data analysis; Design of experiments; Engineering; Environmental engineering; Evaluation; Geotechnical engineering; Laboratories; Science education; Technology assessment
• DOI: 10.18260/p.23408

A Metric for Assessment of ABET Student Outcome b – Designing Experiments and Analyzing the ResultsAbstract: The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc. (ABET) evaluatesstudent outcomes (SOs) as part of the undergraduate engineering program accreditation process.Assessment is one or more processes that identify, collect, and prepare data to evaluate theachievement of student outcomes. The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering atXXXXXXXXXX chose to use student outcomes promulgated by ABET, known as the “a”through “k” outcomes. Evaluation of outcome “b”, “a graduating student should have an abilityto design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data” was accomplishedusing a well-designed assessment rubric. The rubric was established and administered in CEE-346L, Geotechnical Engineering Laboratory; the means of assessment was a specific laboratoryexperiment, One Dimensional Consolidation Test. The rubric consisted of detailed indicators ineach of the categories: “1” – Below Expectation, “2” – Meets Expectation, and “3” – ExceedsExpectations, with a desired metric threshold score of 2.0 or greater. The rubric has been appliedto multiple laboratory sections for the selected laboratory exercise during the years of 2007,2009, and 2011 through 2014, resulting in a robust data set for analysis. Data collected to dateindicates the threshold score is being met; however the analysis has also aided in developingminor course revisions to have resulted in large improvements to student success. This paperoutlines the details of the assessment process, metric results, and changes to the curriculum.