An integrated curriculum for freshmen and sophomore engineering students
 
 Matthias Kawski. Department of Mathematics,
 and Center for Innovation in Engineering Education
 Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1804
 Phone: (602) 965-3376, Fax: (602) 965-0461
 e-mail: kawski$math.la.asu.edu

Arizona State University is a member of the NSF-sponsored Engineering
Education Coalition known as the Foundation Coalition. This paper 
describes the development of an integrated curriculum for freshmen
and sophomore engineering students, and our experiences from the 
pilots in the academic year 1994/95 and the fall of 1995.

Four principal goals of the project are Curriculum Integration, 
Technology Enabled Education, Cooperative Learning, and special
attention to traditionally underrepresented groups.
The freshmen curriculum integrates `Introduction to Engineering Design',
`Calculus 1', `University Physics 1' including lab, and `English First
Year English Composition' in the first semester; and `University
Physics 2' including lab, `Calculus 2', `General Chemistry for
Engineers' and `English First Year Composition 2' in the second
semester.
What makes our project stand out from among a number of similar
ones are the inclusion of the English courses in a very prominent
role in the curriculum, and the very project-driven nature of the
course, s.b.
The third semester integrates `Electric Circuits', `Mechanics' , 
`Linear Algebra', `Differential Equations' and `Economics'.

In the paper we briefly outline the nature of the projects and their
role in the integrated curriculum. For example the introduction of
projectile motion in physics and of derivatives in calclus was 
preceded by an three-week team based project: The students were
supplied with basic sling-shot devices, and their first task was
to build a wooden platform that allowed them to reproduce their shots.
Each team was permitted four shots that were videotaped, and digitized.
They analyzed the data using spread-sheets and other computer tools,
defining a model and determining the role of the device parameters on
the trajectory. The project ended with a team-to-team competition in 
which each team was to hit a target with the first shot.

The main focus of the paper is on the role of mathematics in the
reformed curriculum, where compromises had to be made (mostly in the
order in which topics are presented), and on the even larger than
expected duplication of topics in traditional courses.
Characteric is the third semester in which the two mathematics
courses (and in particular differential equations) are the natural
integrating factor (!). The language barriers between the disciplines
are enormous -- no wonder that students have a very hard time making
the connection. In addition each discipline has traditionally developed
its own computer tools for simulating the same dynamical systems. We
are starting to inetgrate here as well.

Preliminary data show that retentions has dramatically increased. 
Students are thoroughly team-trained, and very computer-literate,
but only long-term follow-up assessment will really be able to
demonstrate the success.