Consideration of FE Exam for Program Assessment
Publication: Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education and Practice
Volume 121, Issue 4
Abstract
Many schools are being required to consider methods to assess the effectiveness of their programs. It has been suggested that student performance on the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) examination can serve as an assessment tool of engineering programs. A case study is presented, which documents the attempt by one institution to use the exam to assess engineering programs. When student pass rates were perceived to be unacceptably low, a total quality management (TQM) action team was formed to investigate how student performance might be improved. The team discovered that factors besides the knowledge of engineering fundamentals can significantly influence pass rates, the greatest of which appears to be a student's level of motivation to pass. Although these other factors are difficult to quantify, they must be addressed before the exam can be used effectively and fairly as an assessment tool of engineering programs.
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References
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Ferrier, M. B.(1994). “In search of effective quality assessment.”ASEE PRISM, 4(1), 22–25.
2.
Page, J. H.(1994). “Assessment: how to make lemons into lemonade.”J. Profl. Issues Engrg. Education Pract., ASCE, 120(1), 25–28.
3.
Rodriguez, H. V.(1989). “How many engineering colleges require students to take the FE Exam?”Engrg. Education, 79(3), 437–438.
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Taylor, P. (1993). “Report of participating organizations liaison council,”Proc., 72nd Annu. Meeting, Nat. Council of Examiners for Engrg. and Surv. (NCEES), Clemson, S.C., 106–107.
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Published In
Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education and Practice
Volume 121 • Issue 4 • October 1995
Pages: 247 - 249
Copyright
Copyright © 1995 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Published online: Oct 1, 1995
Published in print: Oct 1995
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