Advantages of using personal response system technology to evaluate ABET and mechanical engineering program outcomes

Abstract

Personal Response System (PRS) is a tool typically employed to promote active learning in class, to increase participation, to measure conceptual comprehension, and to support Millennial Learners. At Gannon University, the evaluation and assessment activities of various Engineering programs' outcomes, including those related to ABET outcomes, have been done in the last 5 years through a web-based exit survey. This presents the challenge that students are not forced to take the survey and typically a 100% response is never achieved. By introducing PRS as a means of assessing the outcomes, a 100% feedback is obtained through an immediate evaluation process. To conduct the study, seven courses in the Mechanical Engineering program were selected in order to insure a representation of the four years of undergraduate studies. Once the outcomes assessments are reviewed, action items are created for each class. These action items are implemented closing the loop. This paper describes the implementation of PRS as an outcomes evaluation tool and the advantages of this technique over the ones employed at the moment. Finally, the lessons learned and challenges experienced will be discussed. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2007.