Outcome based

Engineering Education
IT’S NOT WHAT YOU TEACH,
IT’S WHAT THEY LEARN
Outcomes-based education: Education
evaluated based on what students have
learned (learning outcomes) and not just on
what has been taught.
Accreditation Board for Engineering and
Technology (ABET): Organization that
accredits all U.S. engineering & technology
programs
ABET Engineering Criteria: The standards
that programs must satisfy to be accredited
Washington Accord: Agreement that
establishes equivalence of other countries’
programs with ABET-accredited programs
Program educational objectives: Desired career
and professional accomplishments of alumni
Example: To prepare graduates for careers in
which they expertly apply scientific and
engineering principles to the solution of
critical problems facing industry and society.
Program outcomes: Desired knowledge, skills
and behaviors of program graduates.
Example: Students will be able to identify an
important contemporary regional,
national, or global problem that involves
engineering and discuss a variety of ways
engineers might make important
contributions to solving it.
 ABET Engineering Criteria Outcomes (a-k)
a) apply knowledge of math, science, & engineering
b) design & conduct experiments, analyze & interpret data
c) design a system/process to meet desired needs within economic,
social, political, ethical, health/safety, manufacturability, &
sustainability constraints
d) function on multidisciplinary teams
e) identify, formulate, & solve engineering problems
f) understand professional & ethical responsibilities
g) communicate effectively
h) understand impact of engineering solutions in global, economic,
environmental, & societal context
i) recognize need for & be able to engage in lifelong learning
j) know contemporary issues
k) use techniques, skills, modern tools for engineering practice
 Washington Accord Outcomes
• Apply mathematics, science, engineering fundamentals and an
engineering specialization to the conceptualization of engineering
models
• Identify, formulate, research literature and solve complex
engineering problems reaching substantiated conclusions using
first principles of mathematics and engineering sciences
• Design solutions for complex engineering problems and design
systems, components or processes that meet specified needs
with appropriate consideration for public health and safety,
cultural, societal, and environmental considerations
• Conduct investigations of complex problems including design of
experiments, analysis and interpretation of data, and synthesis of
information to provide valid conclusions
• Create, select and apply appropriate techniques, resources, and
modern engineering tools, including prediction and modelling, to
complex engineering activities, with an understanding of the
limitations
• Function effectively as an individual, and as a member or leader
in diverse teams and in multi-disciplinary settings
 Washington Accord Outcomes
• Communicate effectively on complex engineering activities with
the engineering community and with society at large, such as
being able to comprehend and write effective reports and design
documentation, make effective presentations, and give and
receive clear instructions
• Demonstrate understanding of the societal, health, safety, legal
and cultural issues and the consequent responsibilities relevant to
engineering practice
• Understand and commit to professional ethics and responsibilities
and norms of engineering practice
• Understand the impact of engineering solutions in a societal
context and demonstrate knowledge of and need for sustainable
development
• Demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of management
and business practices, such as risk and change management,
and understand their limitations
• Recognize the need for, and have the ability to engage in
independent and life-long learning
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Outcome indicators: Instruments and methods that
will be used to assess students’ attainment of
program outcomes

Example: Students will be able to pass the

Fundamentals of Engineering exam and the
individual portions related to mathematics,
chemistry, statistics, and dynamics (evidence
that the students have the ability to apply
knowledge of mathematics, science, and
engineering)
Example 2: Students will be able to
identify an important contemporary
regional, national, or global problem
that involves engineering and discuss
a variety of ways engineers might
make important contributions to
solving it.
(evidence that the students have the
broad education necessary to
understand the impact of engineering
solutions in a global/societal context)
Performance targets: Target conditions for
outcome indicators
Examples:
The [average score, score earned by at least 80%]
of the program graduates on the [FE Exam,
standardized test item, portfolio evaluation] must
be at least 75/100.
The outcome may be considered to have been
achieved in a course if the performance targets
for [all, 80%] of the relevant course learning
objectives are achieved.
Course learning objectives:

• Observable actions that demonstrate students’

attainment of skills and knowledge in the course

Examples:
• The students will be able to design and carry out an
experiment to measure the tensile strength of an
unknown metal and determine a 95% confidence
interval for the true value of the tensile strength
• Define the four stages of team functioning and the
responsibilities of a team coordinator, recorder,
checker, and process monitor
Core course learning objectives:
• Course learning objectives designed to
address program outcomes, in place
regardless of who teaches the course
Core course learning objectives:
• Course learning objectives designed to
address program outcomes, in place
regardless of who teaches the course

• Learning objective (or instructional objective):

statement of what students should be able to
do after receiving instruction, plus (optional)
– conditions under which he/she would carry
out the specified action
– statement of what constitutes acceptable
performance

• Objectives should be specific and directly

observable
 Learning Objectives

• Example: Digital Electronics

• 1) To introduce the students to the
fundamentals and principles of digital
electronics circuits and systems.
• 2) To introduce them to the fundamentals of
microprocessors and microcomputers.
• 3) To enable students to analyze and
troubleshoot digital circuits.
• 4) To use hands on experiments and
computer simulation to supplement their
learning.
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 Course Objectives to Program Outcomes
Digital Electronics

Relationship of Course Objectives to Program Outcomes

A B C D E F G H I J K

1 2 1 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 2

16
 Learning Objectives

• Example: Electronic Circuits

• 1)Strong understanding of biasing
semiconductors.
• 2) Ability to explain transistor operating
regions.
• 3) Knowledge of diode rectifiers and
transistor amplifiers.
• 4) Understanding of different circuit choices
for biasing and amplifier applications.

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 Course Objectives to Program Outcomes:
Electronic Circuits
Relationship of Course Objectives to Program Outcomes

A B C D E F G H I J K

1 2 1 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 2

18
 Learning Objectives

• Example: Introduction to Management

• 1) Provide students with an overall framework
of management
• 2) Improve critical thinking and analysis skills
• 3) Establish a baseline for written and oral
presentation skills.
• 4) Introduce students to the usage of
electronic databases.

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 Course Objectives to Program Outcomes:
Introduction to Management

Relationship of Course Objectives to Program Outcomes

A B C D E F G H I J K

1 2 1 2 2 2 2 3 3 - 2,3

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 Course Outcome Assessment
• EGMU INDICATOR:
The EGMU indicator based on rubric scores can be
described as follow.
“E=3” Demonstrates a complete and accurate
understanding of the important concepts –
Excellent. E can be used for a grade of B+ and
A.
• “G=2” Demonstrates strategy or concepts with no
significant errors – Good. G can be used for a
grade of C+ and B.
• “M= 1” Demonstrates an incomplete
understanding of the important concepts and has
some notable misconceptions – Minimal.
• “U=0” Demonstrates unsatisfactory, U can be21
used for a grade of F.
Course Outcome Assessment, contd.
• The EGMU score of 1.5 is a C, average,
therefore represents what a student would
need in order to satisfy the requirement for
graduation.

• A typical EGMU vector for a class with 8

students in which the task in the first exam
might be (4,1,2,1). The score of such EGMU
can be evaluated as follow:

4X3+1X2+2X1+1X0 = 2.0, which is good.

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“At the end of the [course, section, week,
lecture], the student will be able to...”
– calculate [the probability that two sample
means will differ by more than a specified
amount]
– estimate [the break-even selling price of a
specified product]
– design (synthesize, optimize) [a separation
process for a mixture of volatile hydrocarbons]
 justify…
choose…

plan…
list…
explain…
construct…

predict…
rank-order…
distinguish…
outline…
model…
Terms to avoid:

know
learn

understand
appreciate

All critically important goals, but not observable

instructional objectives
 Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives:
Cognitive Domain

Creating (Synthesis) Design, plan, create, formulate

Make criteria-based judgments

Evaluating (Evaluation) (choose, prioritize, rate, critique)

Explain, interpret, predict the

Analyzing (Analysis) behavior of a system

Apply known procedures to novel

Applying (Application) problems

Understanding (Comprehension) Explain, interpret, classify, compare

terms, observations, & concepts

Recall facts & definitions, replicate

Remembering (Knowledge) known solution procedures
 Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives:
Cognitive Domain

Creating (Synthesis)

Evaluating (Evaluation) Higher-order skills

Analyzing (Analysis)

Applying (Application)

Understanding (Comprehension) Lower-order skills

Remembering (Knowledge)
Example: By the end of this course, you (or
“the student”) will…

• Unacceptable:…learn how to design and

conduct experiments.
• Weak:…be able to design an experiment
to measure a heat transfer coefficient and
analyze the results.
• Good: …be able to
– design an experiment to measure an overall
heat transfer coefficient and perform an
error analysis
– evaluate the applicability of different
correlations for a film transfer coefficient
 Example: By the end of this course, you
(or “the student”) will…

• Unacceptable:…understand the requirements

of multi-disciplinary teamwork.
• Weak:…be able to function effectively on a
multi-disciplinary project team.
• Good: …be able to
– function effectively as a team member on a
multi-disciplinary product design project,
with effectiveness being determined by peer
ratings and self-assessment (Level 3 &
Affective)
– discuss the relative importance of the
different disciplines in arriving at the final
product design (Level 5 & Affective)
Exercise
 Why Write Objectives?
• Identify & classify course material

Plan syllabus

Plan lectures
Drop
extraneous
material
Identify
Bloom
Levels
Minimize time
spent on low-
level material
• Make course coherent

Lectures

Activities

Assignments

Exams
• For high-level skills,

Provide a study guide for students

But when?
• Tell faculty colleagues what they can expect
students who pass this course to know

• teachers of follow-
on courses
• new faculty
• adjunct faculty Curriculum
planning
committees
Accreditation
visitors
 Assessing Learning Objectives
• Use a subset of the following:
- Performance on test items clearly linked to
objectives
- Performance on standardized tests
- Project reports
- Videotapes of oral presentations
- Research proposals and papers
- Resumes, letters, memos
 - Written critiques of technical reports or papers
- Peer evaluations, self evaluations
- Surveys
- Learning logs, journals
• Use a grading checklist or rubric for all items
that must be evaluated subjectively
People learn only by doing