Open-Ended Design Project as Introduction to Design for Civil Engineering Freshmen

A freshman design course -CEGR 105 Introduction to Civil Engineering -was designed and delivered as part of the effort for 'early introduction of design into the engineering curriculum'.The course is a second semester orientation course that follows a broader first semester course called ORIE 104 Orientation to Engineering.With a team-teaching approach, members of the civil engineering faculty with varied technical backgrounds taught the class and assisted with various aspects of the design project.All lectures were focused on supporting the design project, which varied from alternative energy systems to hurricane resistant structures.The required class was primarily composed of freshmen in the Department of Civil Engineering.Typical student teams consisted of 5-6 members.Student teams were guided to follow the process of translating project objectives into specific design tasks, creating a timeline for the project, choosing team leadership and designating specific roles within the team.The teams were also encouraged to establish a formal project monitoring system by defining a schedule of benchmark objectives.The 1 credit course, a with a total meeting time of 30 hours over a 15-week semester, consisted of approximately 10-12 hours in class dedicated to the design project, with an additional 4-6 hours in various forms of reporting.Teams were required to submit a written proposal and a final report, as well as make a formal team presentation of their design.A very detailed course assessment tool was used to obtain student feedback at the conclusion of the exercise.This (assessment) included self and peer assessment by the students in reference to the team design project.Students were also asked to provide detailed feedback about the quality and relevance of lectures and the quality of instructions and specifications about the project.In accordance with ABET 2000 criteria, the student feedback was analyzed, the results of the formal analysis being the basis for a system of continuous improvement to the course delivery.