THE CDIO APPROACH TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF STUDENT SKILLS AND ATTRIBUTES

THE CDIO APPROACH TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF STUDENT SKILLS AND ATTRIBUTES

P. Armstrong, R. Niewoehner (2008).  THE CDIO APPROACH TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF STUDENT SKILLS AND ATTRIBUTES. 33.

The CDIO approach includes a methodology for embedding the development of student skills and attributes in an engineering program. The methodology starts with the CDIO Syllabus which features a comprehensive list of skills and attributes. After progressing through a series of steps, an explicit plan is produced which indicates how the required skills and attributes should be developed within the curriculum. Implementing the methodology poses a number of challenges and these are discussed. It is also noted that other initiatives to improve graduate skills, dating back 10 to 15 years, have not resulted in any discernable improvement. The literature is then consulted and this leads to a number of proposals for enhancing the CDIO methodology. The outcome is a methodology that is more demanding to implement and further work is needed to provide support for the additional tasks that have been proposed. However it is argued that the enhanced methodology is more likely to ensure that students will graduate with the skills and attributes they require to become professional engineers. 

Authors (New): 
Perry Armstrong
Robert Niewoehner
Pages: 
33
Affiliations: 
Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
United States Naval Academy, USA
Keywords: 
Engineering education
CDIO
Student Skills
Year: 
2008
Reference: 
Crawley E.F., Malmqvist J., Ostlund S. and Brodeur D.R., “Rethinking Engineering Education: The CDIO Approach”, Springer Science+Business Media, New York, 2007.: 
Barrie S.C., Jain P. and Carew A., “Generic Graduate Attributes: A Research Based Framework for a Shared Vision”, Staff and Educational Development International, Vol. 7(3), 2003, pp 191-199. : 
Cranmer S., “Enhancing graduate employability: best intentions and mixed outcomes”, Studies in Higher Education, Vol. 31(2), 2006, pp 169-184.: 
Drummond I., Nixon I. and Wiltshire J., “Personal Transferable Skills in Higher Education: The Problems of implementing good Quality Assurance in Education”, Vol. 6(1), 1998, pp 19-27. : 
Drake M.J., Griffin P.M., Kirkman R. and Swann J.L., “Engineering Ethical Curricula: Assessment and Comparison of Two Approaches”, Journal of Engineering Education, Vol. 94(2), 2005, pp 223-231. : 
Welker A.L., Quintiliano B. and Green L., “Information Literacy: Skills for Life”, Proceedings of the 2005 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition. : 
Brumm T.J., Hanneman L.F. and Mickelson S.K., “Assessing and Developing Program Outcomes through Workplace Competencies”, International Journal of Engineering Education, Vol. 22(1), 2006, pp 123-129. : 
Oxnam M., “The Informed Engineer”, Proceedings of the 33rd ASEE/IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference, Boulder, CO, November 5-8, 2003.: 
Yorke M. and Knight P.T., “Embedding Employability into the Curriculum”, Learning and Employability Series 1, The Higher Education Academy, York, 2006.: 
The Higher Education Academy, “Pedagogy for Employability”, Learning and Employability Series 1, The Higher Education Academy, York, 2006. : 
Prince, M., Hanyak M., Hoyt R., Hyde D.C., Mastascusa E.J., Snyder W., Toole T.M., Higgins T., Shooter S., Wagner M., Vigeant M. and Aburdene M., “A Conceptual Framework for Progressively Developing Students' Team and Problem Solving Skills Across the Curriculum”, Proceedings of the 2002 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition.: 
Kedrowicz, A., “Developing Communication Competence: A Comparison of the Intensive Capstone Experience and Developmental Integration”, Proceedings of the 2007 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition. : 
Culver R., McGrann R. and Lehmann G., “Preparing Students for ABET a – k”, Proceedings of the 35th ASEE/IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference, Indianapolis, IN, October 19-22, 2005. : 
Cox S. and King D., “Skill sets: an approach to embed employability in course design”, Education + Training, Vol. 48(4), 2006, pp 262-274: 
Goldsworthy A., “Developing generic Skills: Examples of Best Practice”, B-HERT News, Issue 16, April 2003. : 
Radcliffe D.F., “Innovation as a Meta-Attribute for Graduate Engineers”, International Journal of Engineering Education, Vol. 21(2), 2005, pp 194-199: 
Walther J. and Radcliffe D. F., “The competence dilemma in engineering education: Moving beyond simple graduate attribute mapping”, Australasian Journal of Engineering Education, Vol. 13(1), 2007, pp 41-51. : 
Barrie S.C., “A conceptual framework for the teaching and learning of generic graduate attributes”, Studies in Higher Education, Vol. 32(4), 2007, pp 439-458. : 
Felder R.M. and Brent R., “Designing and Teaching Courses to Satisfy the ABET Engineering Criteria”, Journal of Engineering Education, Vol. 92(1), 2003, pp 7-25. : 
Moore, P.D. Cupp S.M. and Fortenberry N.L., “Linking Student Learning Outcomes to Instructional Practices - Phase II”, Proceedings of the 34th ASEE/IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference, Savannah, GA, October 20-23, 2004. : 
Besterfield-Sacre M., Shuman L.J., Wolfe, H., Atman C.J., McGourty, J., Miller, R.L., Olds B. and Rogers G., “Defining the Outcomes: A Framework for EC 2000”, IEEE Trans on Engineering Education, Vol. 43(2), 2000, pp 100-110. : 
Mourtos N.J., Defining, “Teaching and Assessing Lifelong Learning Skills”, Proceedings of the 33rd ASEE/IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference, Boulder, CO, November 5-8, 2003. : 
Froyd J., Pchenitchnaia L., Fowler D. and Simpson N., “Systems Thinking and Integrative Learning Outcomes”, Proceedings of the 2007 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition: 
Anderson L.W., Krathwohl D.R., Airasian P.W., Cruickshank K.A., Mayer R.E., Pintrich P.R., Raths, J. and Wittrock M.C. (Eds), “A Taxonomy for Learning, Teaching and Assessing: A Revision of Bloom's Taxonomy of Educational Objectives”, Longman, New York, 2001. : 
Ogot M. and Okudan G.E., “Integrating Systematic Creativity into First-Year Engineering Design Curriculum”, International Journal of Engineering Education, Vol. 22(1), 2006, pp 109-115. : 
Howe S. and Wilbarger J., “2005 National Survey of Engineering Capstone Design Courses”, Proceedings of the 2006 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition. : 
Pierrakos O. and Tech V., “Assessing Learning Outcomes of Senior Mechanical Engineers in a Capstone Design Experience”, Proceedings of the 2007 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition. : 
Andersson S.C., Malmqvist J., Knutson Wedel M. and Brodeur D.R., “A Systematic Approach to the Design and Implementation of Design-Build-Test Project Courses”, International Conference on Engineering Design (ICED 05), Melbourne, August 15-18, 2005.: 
Armstrong P., Kee R., Kenny, R. and Cunningham G., “The Development of a Capstone Project Course based on CDIO principles”, World Transactions on Engineering and Technology Education, Vol. 5(2), 2006, pp 299-302 : 
Robley W., Whittle S. and; Murdoch-Eaton D., “Mapping generic skills curricula: a recommended methodology, Journal of Higher and Further Education”, Vol. 29(3), 2005, pp 221-231. : 
Robley W., Whittle S. and; Murdoch-Eaton D., “Mapping generic skills curricula: outcomes and discussion”, Journal of Higher and Further Education, Vol. 29(4), 2005, pp 321-330.: 
Truax D.D., “Improving the Learning Process of Laboratory Instruction”, Proceedings of the 2004 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition. : 
Feisel L.D. and Rosa A.J., “The Role of the Laboratory in Undergraduate Engineering Education”, Journal of Engineering Education, Vol. 94(1), 2005, pp 121-130.: 
Most K.R. and Deisenroth M.P., “ABET and Engineering Laboratory Objectives: A Study at Virginia Tech”, Proceedings of the 2003 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition.: 
McDermott K.J., Nafalski A. and Gol O., “Project-based Teaching in Engineering Programs”, Proceedings of the 37th ASEE/IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference, Milwaukee, WI, October 10-13, 2007. : 
Rowe J.W.K. and Mulroy T.J., “A Qualitative Study of the Student Internship Experience”, Proceedings of the 2004 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition. : 
Brumm T.J., Hanneman L.F. and Mickelson S.K., “The Data are in: Student Workplace Competencies in the Experiential Workplace”, Proceedings of the 2005 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition. : 
Canale R., Cates C. and Duwart E., Co-op and ABET 2000: “The Added Learning Dimension!”, Proceedings of the 2000 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition. : 
Klahr S.C. and Ratti U., “Increasing Engineering Student Participation in Study Abroad: A Study of US and European Programs”, Journal of Studies in International Education, Vol. 4, 2000, pp79-102. : 
Machotka M. and Spodek S., “Study Abroad: Preparing Engineering Students for Success in the Global Economy”, Proceedings of the 2002 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition. : 
Mello N., DiBiasio D. and Vaz R., “Fulfilling ABET Outcomes by Sending Students Away”, Proceedings of the 2007 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition. : 
Kuh G.D., “The Other Curriculum: Out-of-Class Experiences Associated with Student Learning and Personal Development”, The Journal of Higher Education, Vol. 66(2), 1995, pp 123-155. : 
Tchibozo G., “Extra-Curricular Activity and the Transition from Higher Education to Work”: A Survey of Graduates in the United Kingdom, Higher Education Quarterly, Vol. 16(1), 2007, pp 37-56.: 
Armstrong P., Cunningham G., McCartan C., Hermon P. and Kenny R., “Supporting CDIO with Personal Development Planning”, Proceedings of the 4th International CDIO Conference, Hogeschool Gent, Gent, Belgium, June 16-19, 2008.: 
Bjorklund S.A. and Fortenberry N.L., “Linking Student Learning Outcomes to Instructional Practices - Phase III”, Proceedings of the 2005 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition. : 
Shuman L.J., Besterfield-Sacre, M and McGourty J., “The ABET "Professional Skills" - Can They Be Taught? Can They Be Assessed?” Journal of Engineering Education, Vol. 94(1), 2005, pp 41-55.: 
Hoadley P, “The ASCE BOK and Attitudes Assessment”, Proceedings of the 2007 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition: 
ASCE, “Civil Engineering Body of Knowledge for the 21st Century: Preparing the Civil Engineer for the Future”, American Society of Civil Engineers, Reston, Virginia, 2004. : 
McClelland D.C., “Testing for Competence Rather than for Intelligence”, American Psychologist, Vol. 28, 1973, pp 1-14. : 
Walther J. and Radcliffe D.F., “Accidental Competency Formation: An Investigation of Behavioral Learning in Engineering Education”, Proceedings of the 2007 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition. : 
Scott G. and Yates K.W., “Using Successful Graduates to Improve the Quality of Undergraduate Engineering Programmes”, European Journal of Engineering Education, Vol. 27(4), 2002, pp 363-378.: 
Harms P.C., Mickelson S.K. and Brumm T.J., “Using a First-Year Learning Community to Help Meet Program Objectives in Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering”, Proceedings of the 2001 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition. : 
Lengsfeld C.S. and Edelstein G., “Engineering Concepts and Communication: A Two-Quarter Course Sequence”, Journal of Engineering Education, Vol. 93(1), 2004, pp 79-85.: 
Nera H. and Bullard L., “The Literate Engineer: Infusing Information Literacy Skills throughout an Engineering Curriculum”, Proceedings of the 2006 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition.: 
Go to top