The Literate Engineer: The Literate Engineer: Infusing Information Infusing Information

Literacy Skills Throughout Literacy Skills Throughout an Engineering Curriculuman Engineering Curriculum

Lisa G. Bullard (Chemical Lisa G. Bullard (Chemical Engineering)Engineering)

Honora N. Eskridge (NCSU Honora N. Eskridge (NCSU Libraries)Libraries)

North Carolina State UniversityNorth Carolina State University

OutlineOutline

• Instruction efforts thus far at NCSUInstruction efforts thus far at NCSU• Courses and assignments in Courses and assignments in

Chemical EngineeringChemical Engineering• Introduction to EngineeringIntroduction to Engineering• Chemical Process PrinciplesChemical Process Principles• Professional Development SeminarProfessional Development Seminar• Capstone Senior DesignCapstone Senior Design

• AssessmentAssessment• ConclusionsConclusions

What We’ve Done…What We’ve Done…

• 8 of 11 engineering departments8 of 11 engineering departments• Chemical Engineering as a modelChemical Engineering as a model

……and what we’ve and what we’ve learned….learned….

Our GoalOur Goal

ThinkingThinking

“ “Beyond The Brickyard”Beyond The Brickyard”

Freshman Year:Freshman Year:Introduction to Introduction to

EngineeringEngineering• 1200 students per year1200 students per year• Presentation by Presentation by

engineering librarians engineering librarians and exercises on library and exercises on library web site, catalog web site, catalog searching, key searching, key databases, and citationdatabases, and citation

• Assignment: Freshman Assignment: Freshman Engineering Design Engineering Design Project (trebuchet, water Project (trebuchet, water rocket, bubble blowing rocket, bubble blowing machine, fountain, pop-machine, fountain, pop-up book, etc.)up book, etc.)

Sophomore Year:Sophomore Year:Chemical Process PrinciplesChemical Process Principles• 150 students per year150 students per year• Introduction to discipline-Introduction to discipline-

specific resources that specific resources that CHE’s useCHE’s use

• Assignment: select a Assignment: select a chemical and provide chemical and provide basic physical properties, basic physical properties, industrial applications, industrial applications, toxicity data, toxicity data, environmental hazards, environmental hazards, manufacturers, manufacturers, demand/sales, and unit demand/sales, and unit pricingpricing

Junior Year:Junior Year:Professional Development Professional Development

SeminarSeminar

• Prepare a 10-15 page Prepare a 10-15 page paper and 15 minute paper and 15 minute oral presentation oral presentation summarizing the summarizing the technical and ethical technical and ethical issues.issues.

• 1-2 small sections 1-2 small sections of 16 students of 16 students

• Focus on writing, Focus on writing, speaking, ethics, speaking, ethics, professional professional development skillsdevelopment skills

• Assignment: Assignment: Choose a technical Choose a technical topic that has an topic that has an ethical dimension. ethical dimension.

Senior Year: Senior Year: Capstone Senior DesignCapstone Senior Design

• 60-90 students per year60-90 students per year• Assignment: research Assignment: research

map based on senior map based on senior design projectdesign project• Scope of projectScope of project• BooksBooks• Journals Journals • Internet resourcesInternet resources• Engineering standardsEngineering standards• PatentsPatents

AssessmentAssessment

• Integrated into the course using Integrated into the course using assignment gradesassignment grades

• Grading done using information Grading done using information literacy rubric (presented at ASEE literacy rubric (presented at ASEE 2003)2003)

• Data still new – still collecting and Data still new – still collecting and figuring out what it meansfiguring out what it means

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Fall2003

Spring2004

Fall2004

Spring2005

Fall2005

CHE 205 CHE 205

ConclusionsConclusions

• Linkage of information Linkage of information competencies to existing or new competencies to existing or new assignmentsassignments

• Need-based contentNeed-based content• Challenge: persuading students Challenge: persuading students

that there is valuable, discipline-that there is valuable, discipline-specific information beyond specific information beyond Wikipedia and Google.com sourcesWikipedia and Google.com sources

Questions?Questions?

Thank you!Thank you!