Making the PSE Assessment Process More Sustainable

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Making the PSE AssessmentProcess More Sustainable

• Med Byrd

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Problems With Current Process

• Too many PEOs (nine)
• Main outcomes (three) OK, but
• Too many sub-outcomes (fifteen)
• Outcomes too wordy and ambitious
• Plan too big

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Problems with Current Process

• Assessment evidence not optimal
• too much required
• too many different courses assessed, some from
  the freshman and sophomore years
• not enough use of existing evidence, such as test
  scores, etc.

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Problems with Current Process

• Hard to get faculty to buy in
• Hard to get faculty to cooperate
• Not tenable
• Not sustainable
• Painfuland much dreaded

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A New Approach

• Must be simpler
• Must be more integrated into existing course
  processes not a painful add-onexperience
• Should rely only on junior- and senior-level
  courses

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A New Approach

• Must continue to use non-course evidence
• Must map to ABETs outcomes a-k!

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Do grades show that the students are capable?
Outcomes Assessment
Do the students think they are capable?
Do the faculty think the students are capable?
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Do grades show that the students are capable?
Graduating Senior Survey -- yearly
Outcomes Assessment
Do the students think they are capable?
Do the faculty think the students are capable?
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Do grades show that the students are capable?
Teaching faculty end-of-year survey yearly
Outcomes Assessment
Do the students think they are capable?
Do the faculty think the students are capable?
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Do grades show that the students are capable?
Collect grades on selected problems/projects
in certain courses
Use rubrics to evaluate capability levels
for reports and presentations
Outcomes Assessment
Do the students think they are capable?
Do the faculty think the students are capable?
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Old PSE Broad Outcome 1

• PSE graduates should be able to apply critical
  thinking skills and knowledge to solving problems
  related to the paper science engineering field
• Six sub-outcomes

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New PSE Outcome 1

• PSE Graduates should have technical capabilities
  that will enable them to function as effective
  engineers, including
• knowledge and application of math, science, and
  engineering principles
• identifying, formulating, and solving problems
• designing and conducting experiments, to collect
  and analyze data
• using modern computing and simulation techniques

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New PSE Outcome 2

• PSE Graduates should have non-technical
  capabilities that will enable them to function as
  better engineers, including
• a broad perspective, so they understand the
  social, global and environmental impacts of
  engineering
• understanding of the economic impacts of
  engineering
• understanding of the ethical and safety impacts
  of engineering

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New PSE Outcome 3

• PSE Graduates should have other capabilities that
  will enable them to function as effective
  professionals, including
• good oral communication skills
• good written communication skills
• the ability to work effectively in teams

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New PSE Outcome 1

• PSE Graduates should have technical capabilities
  that will enable them to function as effective
  engineers, including
• knowledge and application of math, science, and
  engineering principles
• identifying, formulating, and solving problems
• designing a process or product to meet a need
• designing and conducting experiments, to collect
  and analyze data
• using modern computing and simulation techniques

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Courses of Opportunity
Junior 2 Senior 1
Senior 2
WPS 332
WPS 415
WPS 416
WPS 360
WPS 417
WPS 465
WPS 475
WPS 472
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Courses of Opportunity
Junior 2 Senior 1
Senior 2
WPS 332
WPS 415
WPS 416
WPS 360
WPS 417
WPS 465
WPS 475
WPS 472
Wood and Pulping Chemistry assess basic
chemistry knowledge using a start-of-semester
basic knowledge quiz
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Courses of Opportunity
Junior 2 Senior 1
Senior 2
WPS 332
WPS 415
WPS 416
WPS 360
WPS 417
WPS 465
WPS 475
WPS 472
Unit Processes II assess basic engineering
knowledge using test and homework grades
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Courses of Opportunity
Junior 2 Senior 1
Senior 2
WPS 332
WPS 415
WPS 416
WPS 360
WPS 417
WPS 465
WPS 475
WPS 472
Project Economics and Analysis students have to
build an Excel model of a manufacturing
facilitygreat way to assess use of computers
(modern tools)
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Courses of Opportunity
Junior 2 Senior 1
Senior 2
WPS 332
WPS 415
WPS 416
WPS 360
WPS 417
WPS 465
WPS 475
WPS 472
Process Design Analysis Lab students have to
use advanced process simulation
software...perfect place to assess use of modern
tools
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Courses of Opportunity
Junior 2 Senior 1
Senior 2
WPS 332
WPS 415
WPS 416
WPS 360
WPS 417
WPS 465
WPS 475
WPS 472
Process Control use selected test questions to
assess knowledge of advanced math skills (diff.
equations)
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Courses of Opportunity
Junior 2 Senior 1
Senior 2
WPS 332
WPS 415
WPS 416
WPS 360
WPS 417
WPS 465
WPS 475
WPS 472
Senior Design Project the perfect point to
assess a) defining, analyzing and solving
problems and b) designing a process to meet a
specified need
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Courses of Opportunity
Junior 2 Senior 1
Senior 2
WPS 332
WPS 415
WPS 416
WPS 360
WPS 417
WPS 465
WPS 475
WPS 472
Product Design Paper Physics students have to
design a paper productperfect for assessing
designing a product to meet a specified need
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Courses of Opportunity
Junior 2 Senior 1
Senior 2
WPS 332
WPS 415
WPS 416
WPS 360
WPS 417
WPS 465
WPS 475
WPS 472
Paper Process Analysis students run a
pilot-size paper machine and analyze the process
and product perfect for assessing the ability to
design and conduct experiments