Course Assessment Report
College of Engineering, The University of Iowa
(CAR Format Revision Date 14 November 2007)
CAR Completed August 2008
Course: 59:009 Engineering Fundamental III: Thermodynamics (3 semester hours)
Semester and Instructor: Spring 2008, Ching-Long Lin
Coordinator: Charles Stanier
Student Head Count: 39
Teaching Assistants: 3 TAs (0.75 FTE)
I. Assessment Techniques
Indicate how the students’ achievement of each course goal was assessed.
Course Learning Goal
Assessment Technique
1. The student will become familiar with fundamental concepts and definitions used in the
study of thermodynamics.
EASY Survey; Exams
2. The student will learn about properties of pure, simple, compressible substances and
property relations relevant to engineering thermodynamics.
EASY Survey; Exams
3. The student will have an understanding of macroscopic and microscopic energy modes,
energy transfer, and energy transformation.
EASY Survey; Exams
4. The student will understand the basic laws of classical thermodynamics for open and
closed systems.
EASY Survey; Exams
5. The student will learn about some important thermodynamic cycles and their
applications.
EASY Survey; Exams
6. The student will utilize a computer software tool to learn about the design aspect of
engineering thermodynamics.
EASY Survey; design
problems.
1
II. Course Goals and Program Outcomes
Course Learning Goal
Program Outcome
1. The student will become familiar with fundamental concepts and definitions used
in the study of thermodynamics.
2. The student will learn about properties of pure, simple, compressible substances
and property relations relevant to engineering thermodynamics.
3. The student will have an understanding of macroscopic and microscopic energy
modes, energy transfer, and energy transformation.
4. The student will understand the basic laws of classical thermodynamics for open
and closed systems.
5. The student will learn about some important thermodynamic cycles and their
applications.
6. The student will utilize a computer software tool to learn about the design aspect
of engineering thermodynamics.
a(●), e(●)
a(●), e(●)
a(●), e(●)
a(●), e(●)
a(●), e(●), j(○)
c(○), g(○), j(○), k(○)
Notes:
○ denotes moderate contribution to the outcome ● denotes substantial contribution to the outcome
III. Program Outcomes (provided for reference).
New graduates from the College of Engineering Undergraduate Programs will have:
(a) an ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering
(b) an ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data
(c) an ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints such as economic,
environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability, and sustainability
(d) an ability to function on multi-disciplinary teams
(e) an ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems
(f) an understanding of professional and ethical responsibility
(g) an ability to communicate effectively
(h) the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental, and
societal context
(i) a recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in life-long learning
(j) a knowledge of contemporary issues
(k) an ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice.
2
IV. Assessment
Log of Recent Changes and Improvements. This section contains a running account of course
improvements, including the motivation for the changes.
Spring 2008. (Lin) Three design-oriented problems were given at the end of the semester. These
problems required use of Interactive Thermodynamics (IT) to examine the efficiencies of three
different thermodynamic cycles by varying a number of control parameters.
Fall 2007. (Stanier, Ratner) Only minor changes in the course relative to fall 2006. New 6th edition of
Moran and Shapiro was used for the first time. Students were required to purchase the book with the
“WileyPlus” online content feature, and were allowed to purchase the book with optional IT software.
A delay in WileyPlus version textbooks, plus a proliferation of ISBN numbers for the text caused
confusion for students and the bookstore. WileyPlus was not used except for voluntary practice
problems. Two guest lectures were given (Milster Ferman on UIowa Powerplant, Alec
Scranton/David Murhammer on Energy and Society; the powerplant tour was expanded to include 144
students).
Spring 2007 (Beckermann) Six 15-minute unannounced quizzes were given. An extensive final
design problem was given, as well as six open-ended problems from the Moran & Shapiro text, each
requiring ~4 pages of written response. Continuation of open-ended problems and quizzes
recommended. (Note, in the fall semester, in-class quizzes are not used since the course is offered in
two separate sections).
Fall 2006. (Stanier, Ratner) Guest lectures were given (Milster Ferman on UIowa Powerplant, Iowa
State researcher on biodiesel); the powerplant tour program was continued from Fall 2005.
Spring 2006 (Ratner) Course was maintained similar to Fall 2005. Guest lectures and the power plant
were again popular and the students were excited about seeing real-world applications of the topics
they are studying.
Fall 2005. (Ratner, Stanier) Design problem scaled back to two (one writing and research / one
calculation-based) relative to fall 2004. Guest lectures introduced. Guest lectures by Milster Ferman
(UIowa Powerplant), Bill Eichinger (Atmospheric Thermodynamics), and Jerry Schnoor (Climate
Change) to bring more current applications of thermodynamics to the students. Voluntary program of
powerplant tours started to followup on high interest level of students in Milster Ferman lecture. A
tablet PC was introduced to improve legibility of hand-worked example problems. Elluminate Live
software was used to record tutorials on the IT software – so that more students would have access to a
detailed problem solving demos using the IT software.
Spring 2005 (Beckermann)
Fall 2004. (Ratner, Stanier) Minor changes relative to previous semesters. Three “design problems”
(involving a mix of outside reading, guided computations, and open ended problem solving) were used
in the course, with students selecting from multiple topics to try to interest students from multiple
disciplines. Motivation was to bring more realistic problems to the students, and give more choices to
interest electrical and biomedical engineering students.
3
Part A. Improvements and Recommendations this Semester. Provide a description of course
improvements that have occurred this semester relative to those of previous semester (including the
motivation for these changes), and recommended changes for upcoming semesters as needed.
SPRING 2008 HIGHLIGHTS
We made the best use of consultation hours by emphasizing one-to-one interaction with students, and
offered extended office hours during the weeks of examination to help students understand the
concepts.
The on-line Wiley-Plus supplemental material was not used because it was incomplete. Instead a
number of practice problems were handed out in class.
Recommended changes for future offerings:
Assign more IT and/or design-oriented problems and/or projects.
Part B. Quantitative Assessment Results.
Quantitative Assessment Results – Self-Assessment Based:
14 students completed the online EASY survey administered by the college of engineering. Each
learning goal was assessed using questions as shown in the table and a 1-6 response scale: 6 strongly
agree; 5 moderately agree; 4 slightly agree; 3 slightly disagree; 2 moderately disagree; 1 strongly
disagree. Mapping scores of 5-6 to mastery; 3-4 to competency; and 1-2 to exposure.
Using this metric, the learning goals fall into 2 categories. The first category contains learning goals 15 falling into mastery. Learning goal 6 (software) was in the category of competency. This is
consistent with historically low self assessment given around the IT software package, which requires
simple command line programming, has some bugs, and can be difficult at times.
EASY Survey Questions
I learned the definitions and underlying concepts of thermodynamic
terms such as system, property, state, phase, process and cycle.
I learned about the concepts of energy transfer by heat and work, and
energy transformation from one form to another.
I learned how to determine properties for pure, simple, compressible
substances, and the relations between these properties.
I learned the basic laws of classical thermodynamics for closed and
open systems.
I learned about some important thermodynamic cycles and their
applications.
I learned to utilize Interactive Thermodynamics software to compute
thermodynamic properties and solve thermodynamics problems.
I learned to use IT software to vary parameters in a thermodynamic
process or cycle to see the effect on the operation of the process/cycle,
thus allowing for the design optimization of the process/cycle.
Course goals Mean/Median
1
5.43/6.00
3,4
5.36/5.50
2
5.07/5.00
4
5.21/6.00
5
5.36/5.50
6
4.29/4.00
6
4.07/4.00
4
Quantitative Assessment Results – Exam Based:
Summary:
“E.x-y” denotes “Examination x, problem y”. There were three midterm examinations (x=1, 2, and 3),
and one final examination (x=4). The results show good to excellent achievement of the learning goals
1, 2, 3, 4, and 6. The learning goal 5 involving “thermodynamic cycles and their applications” is fairly
achieved. This is because there were only four lectures on cycles and applications scheduled after the
third examination and before the final examination. Students did not seem to have enough time to fully
understand them.
Course Learning Goal
Exam/IT Problems
Assessment
1. The student will become familiar with fundamental
concepts and definitions used in the study of
thermodynamics.
2. The student will learn about properties of pure, simple,
compressible substances and property relations relevant to
engineering thermodynamics.
3. The student will have an understanding of macroscopic
and microscopic energy modes, energy transfer, and energy
transformation.
4. The student will understand the basic laws of classical
thermodynamics for open and closed systems.
5. The student will learn about some important
thermodynamic cycles and their applications.
6. The student will utilize a computer software tool to learn
about the design aspect of engineering thermodynamics.
E.1-1, E.1-2, E.1-3
Good
E.1-1, E.1-2, E.1-3
Good
Problem
Point
Mean
STD
Mean/Point
Mean/Point
Average
Exam 1
1
2
3
30
35
35
28
23
18
4
7
9
.93
.66
.51
.70
Design-oriented Problem
Point
Mean
STD
Exam 2
1
2
3
35
35
30
34
25
27
3
7
4
.97
.71
.90
.86
IT.8-18
10
6.6
4
E.1-2, E.1-3, E.2-1, E.2-2, Excellent
E.2-3
E.1-2, E.1-3, E.2-1, E.2-2, Excellent
E.2-3, E3-1, E.3-2, E.3-3
E.4-1, E.4-2, E.4-3, E.4-4
Fair
IT.8-18, IT.9.1, IT.9-24
Exam 3
1
2
3
30
35
35
26
23
18
4
9
8
.87
.66
.51
.68
IT.9-1
10
8.3
3
Good
Exam 4 (Final)
1
2
3
4
15
25
30
30
5
18
18
14
6
5
7
8
.33
.72
.60
.47
.53
IT.9-24
10
8.5
2
5