The curriculum goals of the unit, as currently stated in the catalog or other departmental documents, are as follows: (from the catalog)

"The primary mission of the ECEE department is:

  • To provide relevant and highly respected undergraduate EE and ECE degree programs to on-campus students.
  • To provide excellent graduate degree programs in electrical engineering.
  • To advance industry in the state of Colorado and the nation, as well as the accumulated knowledge of mankind through our high quality research programs.
  • To use our on-campus educational activities to provide high-quality continuing education programs for off- campus students.

The objectives of the ECE Degree Program are that during the first several years after completion of their baccalaureate studies (BS):

  • ECE-1 Graduates will be situated in growing careers involving the design, development or support of electrical, electronic, and computer hardware and software systems, software engineering, devices, instruments, or products, or will be successfully pursuing an advanced degree.
  • ECE-2 Graduates will have advanced in professional standing based on their technical accomplishments and will have accumulated additional technical expertise to remain globally competitive.
  • ECE-3 Graduates will have demonstrated professional and personal leadership and growth.

The desired outcomes of the ECE Degree Program are that a student completing an undergraduate degree will posses

  • an ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering
  • an ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data
  • 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 
  • an ability to function on multidisciplinary teams
  • an ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems
  • an ability to communicate effectively
  • the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental, and societal context
  • a recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in life-long learning
  • a knowledge of contemporary issues
  • an ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice"

During the last review period, what revisions, if any, have been made to your curriculum goals as stated in the CU course catalog? What is your schedule for such curriculum review?

The broad, curriculum goals of the ECE BS program are discussed regularly in faculty Curriculum Committee meetings and are reviewed at least once a year at faculty meetings. In addition, the curriculum goals are discussed at the twice yearly meetings of the Industrial Advisory Board (IAB). The faculty and the IAB concur that the goals as stated above are still current and accurate.

Summarize the means you have employed to assess your success in attaining those curriculum goals.

  • The Senior Survey, with latest results from AY 2013-2014 (24 respondents)
  • The Post-Graduation Survey, with latest results from CY 2013 (6 respondents)
  • The Alumni Survey, with latest results from Summer 2014 (only 4 respondents)
  • The Employer Survey, with latest results from 2014 (84 respondents)
  • The Spring 2014 college Freshman survey (13 responses)

The Faculty Course Questionnaires (FCQs) administered at the Campus level were used to assess individual courses and instructors, together with graded student materials sampled from individual courses. Six courses (ECEN 1030, 2420, 3350, 3410, 2410/2020, 3810) were assessed in detail as part of the 3-year rotation of course assessments for ABET. Individual courses and instructors are assessed by the Associate Chair of Learning through in-class observations and student feedback surveys.

The overall results of these various assessment tools were discussed in the faculty Committee for Undergraduate Learning and Education (CLUE), which has the responsibility for assessing learning outcomes and recommending changes to the teaching practices of the department, and in the faculty Curriculum Committee, which has the responsibility of recommending curriculum changes to the department.

Specify what actions you have taken as a result of employing your assessment protocols.

A number of actions have been taken to improve the curriculum.  These include:

  • Assigning new faculty to teach computer engineering courses who can deliver more contemporary content and build more student enthusiasm for learning in these areas. These faculty include Prof. Eric Keller, who was hired in the beginning of 2012 but is just now transitioning from teaching specialized graduate courses to a broader portfolio that will include core undergraduate courses such as 1310 C Programming for ECE, 3350 Programming Digital Systems and 3360 Digital Design Lab. Prof. Li Shang will be transitioned to ECEN 3350 Digital Design Laboratory. Both faculty have extensive industry experience and current interactions, and they will add their own unique perspectives to the classes they teach in a way that will excite students to learn more deeply.
  • Revising the content of course ECEN 2420, to include the following:  Design components, such as designing a simple loop or dipole antenna, were introduced into the homework assignments. Also, the final report was to design an antenna and look at the impact of real grounds, manufacturing, etc. Of 49 students who passed the course, 12 designed a dipole or monopole antenna, 8 worked on a loop antenna, 2 worked on helix antennas, and 27 worked on Yagi-Uda antennas.
  • Revising the content of courses ECEN 2250 and 2260, which are the main, introductory courses on electronic circuits in the department.  Content changes included a de-emphasis on more advanced topics such as non-linear response, Op Amps, and Fourier Transforms, leaving more time to focus on fundamentals such as RC, RL, and LRC circuits.  These more advanced topics are covered in subsequent courses.  It was also decided that Spice simulations will not be used in the course, but Matlab simulations will be used occasionally.  The overall goal of these actions is to emphasize fundamental and deep thinking in these critical core courses. 
  • Other courses throughout the department have been revised on a case-by-case basis as determined by the individual instructors and based on feedback from FCQs and discussions with colleagues in the department.
  • The Associate Chair for Education position in the department will undergo a subtle change to the position of Associate Chair for Learning.  The goal is to emphasis the need for better learning outcomes in the department, and this Associate Chair will work with faculty to develop better content and to build better learning environments in the computer engineering courses in the department.
  • A new committee in the department was formed, the Committee on Learning and Undergraduate Education (CLUE).  This committee is complementary to the existing Curriculum Committee and aims to improve outcomes in student learning, in-class teaching techniques, ABET-related assessment, career advising for students, and student's overall experience during their time in the department.

A number of efforts are underway in the department to improve teaching quality and learning outcomes.  These efforts are aimed at improving learning outcomes for students in a number of facets, including increasing the use of project-based learning in our classes; utilizing more active-learning methods during lecture hours; improving students' communications skills; and increasing students' global awareness as it pertains to engineering disciplines.  These efforts are described at the end of the ECEN General tab in this document.