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Learning and Teaching > Program Assessment > Process to achieve outcomes

Aerospace Engineering
(December 7, 2005)

Organization:

The department has a standing 8-member Academic Standards and Program Quality committee. The committee meets on a weekly basis to implement, execute, and analyze the assessment plan.

Objectives/Outcomes:

The department has a 6-part Educational Objectives published in the catalog. These departmental objectives are expanded to 30-items of broad outcomes. These 30-items are linked and mapped to ABET 3a-k.

Each course has its own specific objectives that are mapped to the 30-items outcome.

In addition, the College of Engineering 15-item competency matrix is also embedded in the departmental assessment process.

Assessment Measures:

Up till now, the departmental assessment plan included exit interviews and post-graduate surveys. The scope is now expanded to include assessment in the 4-year long design sequence and core laboratory and lecture courses in the three main sub-disciplines, namely, aerodynamics, structures, and performance and control. The work on this expansion started in Fall-2004 and became operational at the end of Spring-2005. The main parts of this assessment plan are shown below.

The designation (I) means that the process is already implemented; the designation (D) means that the process is being designed.

• (I) Objective assessment in one course from each sub-discipline: aerodynamics, aircraft structures, and aircraft control.
• (I) Assessment by following the College of Engineering 15-item competency matrix in four courses. These four courses constitute the 4-year long design sequence.
• (I) Assessment by following the College of Engineering 15-item competency matrix of co-ops and interns.
• (I) Survey of graduating seniors and post-graduates.
• (D) Assessment of communication skills based on ISU-Comm recommendations
  
  Continuous Improvement:

During the previous ABET visit, a few shortcomings in our lab courses have been identified (mainly due to our move from Town Hall to Howe Hall). These shortcomings are now rectified.

In the current cycle of assessment, we plan to focus on three specific items – (a) innovation (b) communication, and (c) courses on aircraft structures.

1. In order to develop free thinking, innovation, and ability to solve open ended problems, the Department has three opportunities – the Spacecraft Systems and Operations Laboratory, AirISU program for designing and building a small aircraft, and an Open Lab for design and synthesis.
2. Communication consists of four components, namely, visual, oral, written, and electronic. Instruction, practice, and evaluation of communication abilities are now being implemented in thirteen aerospace engineering courses.
3. A departmental committee is currently reviewing the contents of the sequence of courses on aircraft structures.  

Documentation and dissemination:

We have a detailed power-point presentation that contains detailed definitions and interpretations of ABET terminology, information about the college of engineering competency matrix, details of our plan, and summary of assessment related publications. This document is for use by our faculty. We plan to upload this document to the WWW, during Spring 2006.

For now, a copy is available by request.

College Role:

• We very much appreciate the availability of OPAL software for student survey.
• We very much appreciate the role of Engineering Career Services in outcomes assessment of co-ops and interns.
• Steven K. Mickelson in his role as the Chairman of the Student Learning Task Force has provided important information, suggestions, and guidance.
  

(Submitted by Ambar K. Mitra, Chairman ASPQ Committee, Dept. of Aerospace Engineering)