Engineering technology vs. engineering students: Differences in perception and understanding

The demand for RF (Radio Frequency) engineers has been increasing recently due to the proliferation of wireless devices and applications in both commercial and defense settings. There is a shortage of both new and experienced engineers in RF engineering. The complete RF engineering curriculums are not generally offered at the undergraduate level because of the higher level of prerequisites required in physics and math to fully understand the fundamental theories governing various aspects of RF engineering. A curriculum in RF engineering for Engineering Technology students is even harder to find. There are three key qualifications that companies look for in entry-level RF engineering positions. They are education, experience, and certification. A well-designed micro-credential program can provide these three qualifications to Engineering Technology students without overwhelming them with the higher math and physics than the degree requires. When designing the micro-credential program for RF engineering in Engineering Technology programs, the practicality and applicability of the course contents must be carefully investigated before integrating them into the course contents. Direct Inputs from the RF industry for practical skills a new hire must have are essential for the program's success. For engineering technology students, investing valuable class time to help them acquire practical skills with the theories tightly associated with the skills is much more effective and beneficial. This is a different approach than the traditional theory-first and verification-through lab activities. One of the most lacking qualifications for an RF engineering position is experience. Having a practical field experience in RF engineering can provide an advantage in the job market. The micro-credential program proposed in this paper not only provides coursework in RF engineering but also real-world experience through applied learning such as internships, co-op programs, or senior capstone projects. The certification can be achieved by the micro-credential program in collaboration with companies in the RF industry that recognize the certification awarded by the program as proof of attaining fundamental skills in RF engineering. This paper presents the micro-credential program that offers education, experience, and certification desired by the RF industry to Engineering Technology students within the boundary of the current degree requirements. The paper also describes in detail how to design the program to prepare and provide the qualifications.

Many students from structurally disadvantaged groups who are interested in a career in engineering choose an engineering technology (ET) college major over one in engineering. The need to identify the reasons for the over-representation of African American (AA) students in particular in ET, and to better understand the extent to which the apparent popularity of ET results from systemic racism and restricted access to engineering frame this project. The central goal of this project is to gain insight into the racial equity implications of the ET pathway- informed by the voices and experiences of African American ET students, technologists, and engineers. According to data from the ASEE [1], the enrollment in both bachelor's and master's programs in ET has been increasing over the past ten years. Despite this, many in academia, K-12 education, and industry are not familiar with ET and the differences and similarities between technologists (graduates of 4-year bachelors programs in ET), engineers, and technicians. The 2016 report "Engineering Technology Education in the United States" published by the National Academies Press examined many aspects of the status, role, and needs of ET education [2]. The percentage of students earning 4-year ET degrees who are AA is almost three times that of students earning 4-year degrees in engineering who are AA [2]. ASEE annual data shows that there is a significantly higher percentage of AA students enrolled in four-year ET programs than in engineering programs at many of the institutions that offer ABET accredited programs in both engineering and ET [1]. The NAE report recommended that agencies consider funding research 'to better understand the reasons for the preference for ET over engineering of African American students'. Indeed, issues associated with African American students' career pathways within STEM and the choice of ET versus engineering remain largely underexplored in the literature. We conjecture that the factors influencing the choice of ET over engineering for many of these students include systemic issues related to the quality of pre-college mathematics and science preparation, career counseling received (or not received) in high school and college, a preference for a more 'hands-on' curriculum, as well as socioeconomic, institutional, and psychological factors. In addition, hidden stereotypes in the branding and marketing of engineering and ET, and implicit bias in advising may contribute to students' perception that their cultural perspectives are more aligned with ET than with engineering. Here we present preliminary results based on focus group interviews of African American ET students at a predominantly White institution (PWI) where engineering technology is housed within the college of engineering. We also discuss the planned next phases of the research that include focus groups at a large PWI where ET is in its own college which is separate from the college of engineering, as well as a survey which will be informed by the focus group data. This survey will be disseminated to ET students at the two institutions in the study as well as other universities with ABET accredited ET programs. Through this research, we have to gain a better understanding of the factors that influence the decisions of AA students to pursue degrees in ET over engineering and how these relate to systemic racism will contribute to the existing knowledge of how the pipeline to engineering careers and the professoriate might be strengthened. It will help inform strategies and new approaches toward full participation of engineering technologists in engineering. Potential strategies might include the facilitation of pathways from a bachelor's degree in ET to advanced engineering degrees, the engineering professorate, and professional engineering registration, [1] ASEE Editorial Board, "Profiles of engineering and engineering technology colleges," 2018: American Society for Engineering Education, 2018. [2] G. Pearson, R. M. Latanision, and K. G. Frase, Engineering Technology Education in the United States. National Academies Press, 2017.

NOTE: The first page of text has been automatically extracted and included below in lieu of an abstract Laboratory- and Project-Based Course in Lean Six Sigma Nanomanufacturing Abstract This paper describes the implementation of the Introduction to Nanotechnology course developed for undergraduate Applied Engineering Technology (AET) students at the Goodwin College of Drexel University and its expansion into a hands-on laboratory- and project-based course organized on Lean Six Sigma principles. The development of this course represents an innovative new approach for integrating Lean Six Sigma methods and principles and hands-on laboratory- and project-based learning in nanotechnology. This unique combination of learning, training, and assessment will contribute to the knowledge base of undergraduate STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education, research, and practice. AET students will be exposed to exciting discoveries and applications in the emerging field of nanotechnology by working with leading faculty members through classroom instruction, guest lectures, laboratory procedures, and field trips. The developed material will become available to community colleges collaborating with Drexel University as well as middle and high schools through activities organized by the AET faculty. Introduction The development of a hands-on, project-based nanotechnology manufacturing laboratory course based on Six Sigma quality methods and Lean manufacturing principles is described in this paper. The course will consist of two parts. The first part will emphasize the foundations of nanotechnology. In the second part, nanotechnology applications and techniques will be studied through experiments that closely simulate industry-relevant processes or scenarios in a pilot- scale manufacturing processes laboratory. The laboratory work will be supported and supplemented with lectures and seminars on Lean Six Sigma. Experiments and projects will focus on two key areas: nanobiotechnology, such as nanoparticles for diagnostic imaging and therapeutics, and nanostructured energy conversion devices such as solar cells. The objectives of the project are to: 1. Attract students with an interest in nanotechnology to applied engineering technology and engineering programs by developing a laboratory- and project-based course, which simulates commercial nanotechnology processes in biomedical and energy applications using an in-depth case study approach. 2. Prepare students for employment in the emerging nanotechnology field in areas such as process development; scale up and control; product specification development; and raw material and capital costing including ethical, environmental, and sustainability concerns. Special attention will be placed on a breadth of manufacturing activities with emphasis toward developing an engineering and engineering technology employee with a valuable range of skills and expertise to the employer. 3. Train the students in the methodology of Applied Lean Six Sigma to provide an overarching theory to the students’ approach to problems and solutions in the workplace.

Engineering Technology students are underrepresented as compared to other Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) majors. In particular, they are a very small, often neglected population of which little is known to those outside their field of study. One large Midwestern University is studying their engineering technology student population to further understand how best to serve these students. The intent is to improve student services, learning opportunities, and environments with a goal of improving student skills and knowledge. The ultimate objective is to send them into the workplace more fully prepared for the challenges they will encounter. Due to the limited amount of rigorous research in engineering technology education, this data will help inform and encourage future work in this area.

This paper presents the results of the first year of the manufacturing education grant that is being funded by the Technology Reinvestment Program (TRP). Included in this paper are the courses selected for hands-on labs, the description of the labs developed from federal technologies and the use of the labs in undergraduate engineering and engineering lntrOduction d technology courses. The undergraduate manufacturing education program is a joint program between the University of Alabama in Huntsville’s (UAH) College of Engineering and Alabama A&M University’s (AAMU) School of Engineering and Technology (Schroer and Bond, 1995). The objective of the program is to provide more hands-on experiences to undergraduate engineering and engineering technology students. The Alabama Industrial Development Training (AIDT) Huntsville Center is being used as the off-campus manufacturing teaching and learning laboratory. The NASA Marshall Space Flight Center’s Productivity Enhancement Complex is available lor student projects. The Droaram Dlan in the Technoloav Reinvestment Pyogram (TRP) proposal is as follows. UAH and AAMU are developing undergraduate labs based on the resources at AIDT. These labs are being integrated into existing engineering and engineering technology courses at both institutions. AIDT is assisting in the development and review of the labs, providing lab instructors and facilities, and coCopyright

Classroom social environment is very important in academic life because it can affect students' lifestyle in terms of their studies. One of the important elements in getting positive classroom social environment is interaction amongst the students. The objective of this study is to understand and examine the engineering technology students' perceptions towards promoting interaction for the classroom social environment at the Faculty of Engineering Technology (FTK), Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka. This study investigated the perceptions of 177 second year students from four different departments taking mathematics subject. A set of questionnaire that covers questions regarding students' perceptions towards promoting interaction by mathematics lecturers and also their classmates was distributed to the students. From the findings, a conclusion was drawn regarding their perceptions towards promoting interaction for the classroom social environment. The result shows that students have a very good perception in increasing a positive social environment where both parties, which are lecturers and classmates, play an important role in promoting interaction.

The area of autonomous vehicles is not new, but the latest advances in various technologies gave it a new boost in the last decade and it keeps growing in interest. However, undergraduate curricula rarely include courses specific to this area, which is considered mostly an interdisciplinary graduate field. While various programs introduce students to the background needed to understand and approach the field, specific work on autonomous vehicle projects is left for extra curriculum activities or student clubs, and eventually for senior (capstone) projects. This paper presents the work of a team of electrical engineering technology students on an autonomous vehicle project using the Qcar from Quanser, with mentorship from a graduate student in mechanical engineering. The paper discusses the teamwork collaboration, the learning curve, the motivation built by the availability of a Quanser student competition, and how the work was integrated in a senior project design for the engineering technology students.

The senior design project is a capstone course taken in the final year of the electrical and information engineering technology (EIET) program at the University of Northern Iowa (UNI). The EIET program has been recently updated and is Iowa's first four-year Bachelor of Science degree in the electrical engineering technology area. The program has 2+2 articulation agreements with Iowa community colleges. Introduction of renewable energy applications to electrical engineering technology curriculum at the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) has impacted students, faculty, and university community positively and promoted feasibility and adoption of more eco-friendly energy technologies. This paper presents the results of three solar and/or wind power based senior design projects promoting environmentally friendly technologies in Iowa. This paper also illustrates several methods for collaborating with regional corporate partners. The capstone senior projects listed are: (1) design and development of a fiberglass zero emission solar electric boat for Iowa lakes and rivers; (2) computer controlled solar powered outdoor digital display for departmental recruitment; and (3) design and implementation of a wind-solar hybrid power generation and instrumentation station. The first objective of this paper is to show how two of these projects were adapted for the undergraduate teaching and research curriculum. The second objective is to illustrate how student design projects can serve as an excellent marketing tool for engineering and engineering technology programs.

The study of entrepreneurship and the factors that lead people to become entrepreneurs have developed into an interesting topic for research. The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors that determine the entrepreneurial intention among engineering technology students in Universiti Kuala Lumpur Malaysia France Institute. 63 engineering technology students were selected to be the study sample. Samples were drawn using the random sampling technique and a self administered survey. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The study has an implication to the university and the government in developing and planning for entrepreneurship activities, program and education to increase the entrepreneurial intention among engineering technology students.

NOTE: The first page of text has been automatically extracted and included below in lieu of an abstract Session 2534 Advanced Instrumentation for Graduate Students in Engineering Technology Hank Javan, Mark Rajai University of Memphis Abstract Instrumentation is one of the most important courses of engineering curriculum. Almost all programs in engineering technology offer labs and instrumentation, but at undergraduate level. Also most of the textbooks on instrumentation are written for undergraduate programs. On the other hand the emerging technology requires the use of advanced and precision instrument. Thus it becomes the responsibility of academic community to meet the demand of new technology by developing and offering proper advanced instrumentation courses at graduate levels so that upon entering the work place for professional career, students will have the necessary background for advancement. This article explains the content of a new advanced instrumentation course offered to graduate students in the Department of Engineering Technology at the University of Memphis. The development of the course material, the required instruments, and the method of delivery will be the main topics of this article. Introduction The Department of Engineering Technology at the University of Memphis in addition to its major degrees in electronics, computer, and manufacturing technology offers M.S. degree in engineering technology with concentration in electronics, computer, and manufacturing. Students select their field of concentration according to their future professional goal. The graduate study leading to M.S. in Engineering Technology requires [1]: A. A minimum of 18 semester hours of upper division credit in an appropriate area of technology or related area. B. A minimum of 12 semester hours must be taken in one concentration area. C. Maintaining 3.0 in all Technology courses. D. Passing Comprehensive exam. Each concentration offers its own graduate courses outlined in the Graduate Bulletin of the university. Although undergraduate program is highly concentrated but graduate program is diverse and broad. In addition, some of these courses are offered at night making it possible for professional community to enroll in this program. In fact majority of our graduate students come from industries. The structure of the program is such that any individual with an undergraduate degree in technology can enter the program and select the concentration Proceedings of the 2003 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright 2003, American Society for Engineering Education

This article presents a streamlined overview of Fourier, Laplace, and <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline" overflow="scroll"> <mml:mrow> <mml:mrow> <mml:mi mathvariant="script">Z</mml:mi> </mml:mrow> </mml:mrow> </mml:math> -transforms for a sophomore- or junior-level signals and systems course in electrical/computer engineering and engineering technology programs. Transform methods are introduced after foundational circuit analysis and serve as prerequisites to studies in communications, controls, power, and signal processing. Conventional textbooks define transforms formally and rely on tables of properties and transform pairs, often assuming prior mathematical preparation. However, this approach is challenging for engineering technology students, who may have completed only Calculus I and II yet are expected to meet ABET-driven learning outcomes requiring advanced mathematical competencies. To bridge the gap between formal theory and engineering applications, this article suggests an alternative instructional strategy that begins with an exposure to seven interconnected topics over one or two lectures, progressing from familiar to more complex material. These topics are revisited during the semester to reinforce understanding and contextualize applications. The sequence comprises: (i) logarithms and phasors; (ii) vector basis representation; (iii) polynomial functions; (iv) periodic functions and Fourier series; (v) Fourier transform for non-periodic functions; (vi) Laplace transform for functions not suited to Fourier analysis; and (vii) sampling and the <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline" overflow="scroll"> <mml:mrow> <mml:mrow> <mml:mi mathvariant="script">Z</mml:mi> </mml:mrow> </mml:mrow> </mml:math> -transform. By incrementally increasing conceptual complexity and leveraging visualization tools such as MATLAB, this approach demystifies transform theory and enhances students’ appreciation for the application of transforms in engineering contexts. The article offers a valuable resource for students, instructors, and textbook authors seeking a more incremental approach to transform theory instruction.

NOTE: The first page of text has been automatically extracted and included below in lieu of an abstract Session 2548 Impact of Simulation Software in the Engineering Technology Curriculum Stanley J. Pisarski University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown Abstract The University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown (UPJ) offers the Bachelor of Science degree in Civil, Electrical, and Mechanical Engineering Technology Many of the courses offered in UPJ's Engineering Technology Program rely on laboratory experiments to supplement the lectures. Although there is no substitute for the experience that a laboratory environment provides, various software packages allow the user to simulate and predict with great accuracy how a system will react under actual laboratory conditions. The Electrical Engineering Technology Department (EET) at UPJ utilizes several software simulation programs for supplementing laboratory work in the areas of circuits, electronics, digital systems, industrial electronics, digital signal processing, and control systems. Software packages such as PSpice, Logic Works, MATLAB and Simulink are heavily used to verify manual calculations and laboratory results. Additionally, these packages are used to solve theoretical problems which would be too complicated to solve by other means. This paper provides examples of current engineering simulation software usage in the EET curriculum at UPJ, and identifies the ramifications of these experiences in the courses, student's college education and beyond. I. Introduction The objective of this paper is to provide examples of circuits and systems that the electrical engineering technology students simulate with various software simulation packages. Specific courses have been chosen to examine the effect that the software has on student learning of circuit analysis and design concepts. Software simulation has been used in the electrical engineering technology program at UPJ since the early 1970's. Early circuit software was executed on an IBM 1130 mainframe computer that relied on hand-coded information for the circuit, punched computer cards, and submission of the card deck to the computer operator for the initial run. The next day the printed numerical results were obtained from the computer center. Advances in computer technology in the areas of computer software and hardware have paved the road for instant results for circuit simulations. The new computer software packages stimulate the senses with colorful, accurate circuit waveforms in graphical and tabular formats. No longer must the user of this software enter hand-coded data for circuits or systems, but a nudge of the computer mouse is all it takes to create a

Undergraduate students struggle with how to tailor messages adequately for their intended audiences. The use and complexity of technology in healthcare continues to increase. However, little research has looked at tailoring messages in biomedical engineering technology communication contexts. In these contexts, communication about the effective use of technology is critical to patient health, and miscommunications may have dire consequences. In this project, we investigate whether healthcare engineering technology students were able to understand the concept of tailoring messages and show evidence of practical application by tailoring messages in a course designed for technical communication in healthcare professions. Students went beyond the course assignment instructions and demonstrated that they thoroughly thought about how to tailor instructions to support the information needs of a specific user. Research implications extend beyond the classroom into workplace training for healthcare and medical organizations.

This study examined the influence of self-efficacy on the use of library resources among electrical and electronic engineering technology (EEET) students in federal polytechnics in North-West, Nigeria. Given the critical role of libraries in academic success, the study explores how mastery experience, vicarious experience, and verbal persuasion impact students’ engagement with library services. A descriptive survey research design was employed, and data were collected from 533 EEET students using a structured questionnaire. The results revealed that selfefficacy significantly influences library use (β = 0.696, t = 32.94, p &lt; 0.05), leading to the rejection of the null hypothesis. Specifically, students exhibited moderate levels of mastery experience (mean = 2.62) and vicarious experience (mean = 2.67), while verbal persuasion was relatively high (mean = 2.71). Although library usage was at a moderate level (mean = 3.19), students showed a strong preference for digital resources, particularly internet services (mean = 3.55) and online databases (mean = 3.38). These findings align with Bandura’s (1997) SelfEfficacy Theory, reinforcing the notion that students who believe in their research abilities are more likely to engage with academic resources. The study recommends structured library training, peer mentorship programs, and enhanced digital resource accessibility to strengthen self-efficacy and improve library engagement. By fostering a supportive and technologically advanced learning environment, polytechnic institutions can enhance students' research competencies and academic performance. This study contributes to the growing discourse on student selfefficacy, digital literacy, and academic resource utilization in higher education.

This paper describes a pilot collaboration between Queen’s University and Sir Sandford Fleming College of Applied Arts and Technology in Peterborough Ontario. Since 1994 Queen’s has offered projects where students learn by solving problems for fee paying industrial clients. Known as Technology Engineering and Management (TEAM) student participants form multidisciplinary teams to consult for business clients. In addition to engineering students, commerce and arts students have often participated in the teams. In the Applied Projects program at Fleming College, third year engineering technology student teams solve problems for enterprise sponsors. A pilot group of engineering technology students from Fleming College worked with students in two Queen’s University TEAM projects. In industrial practice, engineers and engineering technologists often collaborate on solving problems. This collaboration rarely occurs in an educational setting. In the 2002-2003 academic year the pilot exercise simulated the professional working relationship between engineers and technologists. This paper gives a description of the experience and the motivation to undertake this unique collaboration. The most important aspect of the presentation is a critical assessment of the University/College collaboration -- what worked, what problems arose, and what improvements are suggested.