Assessment of Student Learning

Introduction
Systems engineering (SYSE) at Portland State emphasizes general and fundamental concepts. Two of the core courses present general systems engineering topics. The other two core courses are modeling courses taught by other programs for a wide range of student interests. The sixteen credits of electives may provide a specialization in systems engineering or a related area. However, the online electives are a general treatment of subject matter important to many systems engineers: additional modeling, risk and decision making, reliability engineering. The rationale for this emphasis is related to needs of the engineer in the Portland region. Even though we are an online program, connection to PSU and its community are important. Our students typically do not work for large government agencies who often seek systems engineers with a specialty, such as system-test, logistics or acquisition engineering. As demonstrated by our course offerings, this program caters to the following student profile:

works for a small to mid-sized commercial company
has both systems engineering and non-systems engineering duties
may be the only systems engineer within the firm
may have a bachelors degree in engineering, science, or business

Syllabi and Learning Objectives

Core and Required Courses----------------------------------

SYSE 506 : Masters Project
(9) Credits, Professor: Herm Migliore
see course description

SYSE 590 : Integrative Workshop
(4) Credits, Professor: Herm Migliore
see course description

SYSE 591 : Systems Engineering Approach
(4) Credits, Professor: Ike Eisenhauer
see course description

ETM 540 : Operations Research in Engineering and Technology Management
(4 Credits), Professor: Tim Anderson
see course description

SYSC 514 : System Dynamics
(4) Credits, Professor: Wayne Wakeland
see course description

SYSC 527 : Discrete System Simulation
(4) Credits, Professor: Wayne Wakeland
see course description

SYSC 529 : Business Process Modeling and Simulation
(4) Credits, Professor: Wayne Wakeland
see course description

SYSE 573 : Requirements Engineering
(4) Credits, Professor: Dorothy McKinney/Jacob Goldstein
see course description

Electives----------------------------------------------------------------------

EAS 561 Reliability Engineering
(4) Credits, Professor: Ike Eisenhauer
see course description

SYSE 567 Systems Engineering Management
(4) Credits, Professor: John Blyler/Jacob Goldstein
see course description

SYSE 575 : Reducing Risk in Decision Making
(4) Credits, Professor: Ike Eisenhauer
see course description

SYSE 595 : Hardware – Software Integration
(4) Credits, Professor: John Blyler
see course description

Tools

Focused Email Discussion
Given that faculty and students are remote, course issues are generally communicated by email with the faculty acting as facilitator. The faculty is central to distributing topics for group discussion, whether initiated by the Director, faculty, or students.

Practicing Engineers
Systems Engineering (SYSE) courses are taught by experts in the field who are full time practioners. Not only are they familiar with the technical aspects of their courses, but they are also aware of the impact of the program on the systems engineering community. Virtually all students are practicing engineers who already have several years experience in systems engineering. By virtue of their particiaption, they are well aware of the important of the course objectives and well aware if they are being met. Their comments are solicited by the instructors and often conveyed to the program director.

Student Portfolios
All masters students are required to maintain an e-portfolio of their learning experience. Students are asked to compare their learning objectives with the course objectives and whether course objectives have been met. The portfolio also provides an opportunity to reflect on the integration of courses relative to their learning objectives and to program objectives.

Rubrics
As part of university accreditation, quantitative rules for assessment are required. Although the systems engineering program is just beginning the development of rubrics, they are well suited for a discipline that prides itself on validation and verification. Professor Ike Eisenhauer has formulated a set of rubrics for the courses that he teaches: SYSE 506, SYSE 591, SYSE 575, EAS 561. The scores and planned corrective action will be documented in the next section, Data and Reflection, under specific terms and courses.

Existing Student Assignments

A number of tools are used to gage the success of various aspects of Requirements Engineering Course.

Weekly discussion and journal assignments are used to ensure that students understand each module’s learning objectives and stay on track with the course material
Homework assignments measure the student’s ability to employ the skills covered in an individual module to real-world situations
The final project ensures that students have mastered all learning objectives for the course and can apply them appropriately to real-life scenarios
Assessments focused on the course content are delivered through the quarter as well as in the form of a midterm and final exam. These assessments provide an additional opportunity for the instructor to measure the student’s understanding of the course material.
Students provide real-time feedback through the quarter in a discussion forum focused specifically on course content and mechanics. Students contribute questions and suggestions and instructors provide feedback and engage in ongoing discussions in order to better understand the most effective way to deliver course material

Feedback provided in discussion forums are reviewed on an ongoing basis by instructors as it is provided. Suggestions that can be incorporated into the course immediately are reviewed further an implemented as soon as possible. Suggestions that would require a large scale change to the course are recorded and reviewed once the quarter is complete.

Formal assessments on the course are completed twice during the quarter – once at the midway point and once at the end of the course. Students using a likert-style rating scale to assess various aspects of the course material and delivery style.

Feedback from the midterm assessment is reviewed as soon as it is received and, like suggestions from discussions, is implemented immediately when possible. End of term feedback is reviewed once the quarter is complete and implemented as appropriate for the next quarter.

Data and Reflection

SYSE 591, Systems Engineering Approach----------------------------------
Spring 2011, Assess and Corrections

SYSE 573, Requirements Engineering-----------------------------------
Spring 2008, Course Assessment
Spring 2011, Course Assessment

EAS 561, Reliability Engineering---------------------------------------
Spring 2008, Course Assessment

SYSE 567, Systems Engineering Management--------------------------
Fall 2009, Student 1 Feedback
Fall 2009, Student 2 Feedback
Fall 2009, Student 3 Feedback
Fall 2009, Student 4 Feedback
Fall 2009, Student 5 Feedback
Fall 2009, Student 6 Feedback
Fall 2010, Student 7 Feedback

SYSE 595, Hardware-Software Integration------------------------------
Spring 2008
John Blyler gave a presentation at the Embedded Systems Conference, which incorporated new material that he plans to also incorporate in his graduate course. Some of the attendee comments can be found on John's Blog site. Other recommendations can be found in John's course review
Summ 2010, Student Feedback
Spring 2011, Modified Course Outline
Spring 2011, Interfacing in S.E.
Spring 2011, John-Lenny-Keith