This project is creating a versatile system for reliable assessments of student learning outcomes for capstone design courses across engineering disciplines and institutions. It builds on a decade of engineering design education and assessment achievements of the Transferable Integrated Design Engineering Education (TIDEE) consortium in the Pacific Northwest. Prior to this project, the investigators engaged regional and national collaborators to: (a) develop a consensus profile of a top quality engineer; (b) define engineering design learning outcomes at mid-point and end-of-program; (c) develop and test reliable assessment instruments for engineering design; and (d) facilitate dozens of workshops to help faculty define and assess engineering design learning outcomes. In this project, a multi-institution faculty team is developing assessment tools with input from a diverse set of expert consultants and stakeholders. Assessment instruments are being built around frequently used classroom assignments to measure achievement of high-level integrated performances in capstone design courses. Performance expectations are being derived from a profile of a top quality engineer for applicability to a full range of capstone engineering design courses. The developed assessment instruments are being tested for quality in diverse institutions and student populations to demonstrate their transferability.
