Carla B. Zoltowski, Ph.D., Co-Directorhttp://www.purdue.edu/epics

Real Design for Real People: Making a Difference

Service-Learning Design CoursesTeams of students partner with community

organizations to design and deliver projects to meet community needs.

The EPICS Partnership

PurdueUniversity

Greater LafayetteCommunity

EPICS Core CharacteristicsEngineering/computing-based designLong-term partnerships with community

organizations, schools, governmentVertically-integrated and multi-

disciplinary teams of students: First-year through fourth year on same

teamAbout 70 different majors

Extended design experience: academic credit throughout the student’s undergraduate career

A Year in EPICS at Purdue: By the Numbers

400+ students each semester70 majors

First Year – Senior students250 returning students

31 Divisions18 years

3000+ alumni250+ deployed projects

DesignProcess

Traditional

Course

Learning Design Design is messy

Involving people The Design Process as a full cycle

Phase are often skipped in traditional courses EPICS provides an opportunity for

start-to-finish designProblem definitionDesign for x-abilityWorking designs for fielded projectsSupport for fielded projectsRedesign for second

generation systems

•Interactions with Community•Communications at all stages

Human-Centered Design

Student-led, Faculty-advised

Team Leader

Project Leader Project Leader Project Leader

Advisor

Team members

Team members

Team members

Team members

Team members Team members

Team members

Team members

Team members

TA

Received NAE Gordon Prize for Leadership Development

Time Scales: Traditional Courses Student learning and project development

are tied to academic calendarSemester/Quarter

Student Learning

Academic Calendar

Project

EPICS Decouples Time Scales

Student Learning

Semester/Quarter

Project

Semester/Quarter Semester/Quarter

EPICS Decouples Timescales

Student Learning

Semester/Quarter

Project

Semester/Quarter Semester/Quarter

Student Learning

Project

Community Receives Long-Term Support They Need

EPICS Projects

Access & Abilities

Human ServicesEnvironment

Education & Outreach

Projects: Human Services

Design chemical sensing equipment to help and protect local law enforcement in their work to inhibit drug making laboratories.

As recipient of 2008 Ford C3 grant, the Habitat for Humanity team design and built an energy efficient home and trained construction managers.

Projects: Human Services

Projects: Environment

Boiler Green Initiative Rain Garden Green roof Alternative energy resources Wind turbine to recharge golf carts

Water Resources Management Water conservation issues given

local/global land use changes

Global Alternative Power Systems Solar power system for Colombia

Projects: Access & Abilities

Communication and Educational apps for iPad Custom Prosthetic

Soapbox Derby Car for kids w/ disabilities

Projects: Education

K-12 outreach projectsLocal schoolsMuseumsPurdue Space Day

Projects: Education

Columbian Park Zoo Electric Vehicle

Design cart for raceOutreach

Purdue EPICS Course Structure

Learning Activities:- Lectures- Skill Sessions

-1 credit = 5-2 credits = 10

EPICS Lab – Two

hours/week

Outside of lab work – 1 Credit(3.5 hrs/wk)

Outside of lab work – 2 credits(5 hrs/wk)

Milestone HighlightsWeek

1 Transition and Integrating New StudentsPlanning and setting expectations

2345 Execute Semester Plans

Deliver if AppropriateDocument As You Go

678910111213 Complete semester

commitments Transition to next semesterCoordinate with Project Partner

Focus on Project Partner and Transition

1415Finals

Slow

Fast

Delivery Deadline

Design ReviewsCompleted twice during the semester –

Week 7 and Week 14/15Take place during regularly scheduled lab

time (110 minutes)EPICS invites externally reviewers who

often review several teams during the dayTeams invite reviewers who are relevant to

project (e.g., someone with specific expertise, project partner, expert)

Important for both student and project perspective

ReflectionEncourage as part of regular practice

Weekly prompt questions during lab/lectureCritical approach to designFinal reflection at the end of the semester:

What did I learn?How did I learn it?Why does this learning matter?What will could I or others do in light of this

learning?Source: Ash, S. L., Clayton, P. H., & Moses, M. G., Clayton. (2009). Learning through critical reflection: A tutorial for service-learning students (instructor version). (pp. 4-5 through 4-7)

Final Reflection, cont. Can be applied to the three areas below:

Personal and Professional DevelopmentSocial ImpactAcademic Enhancement

We ask them to apply to two of the three.

Team Roles: StudentsTeam Leader/Co-LeadersProject leaders - lead individual projectsLiaison - primary contact for the

community partnerFinancial officer - manages team’s budgetManager of Intellectual Property - leads

entrepreneurship activities, patent searches

Webmaster

Team Roles: Advisors Faculty play key role

Advising teams in areas of expertiseAcademic credibility

Industry advisors Non-faculty (staff) advisors with expertise Co-advisors from other disciplines

Add multidisciplinary components Meet with team weekly

Responsible for progress of team and individuals

Grading

Team Roles: TAsTechnical guidance to supplement

background of advisorsAdministrative assistance for operation

of program: one “administrative TA” assigned to each team

Talent pool for all teams to tapOffice hoursSkills sessionsLab oversight

Gradingdesign notebooks, reflections, etc.

Roles: AdministrationProgram planning, development,

management, and oversightCourse managementCommunity partner identification and

selection; community relationsResource management (funds, labs,

staff)Assessment and data collectionReporting

Enrolling in EPICS

EPICS Team

EPCS 101, 201

EPCS 102, 202

EPCS 302, 402

EPCS 301, 401

EPCS 411 EPCS 412

Junior, Senior

First-Year, Sophomore

Senior Design

One Credit Two Credits

Academic Credit / Plans of Study EE: 3 credits senior design + 6 ECE elective credits; 2

lab credits if not used as senior design CmpE: 3 credits senior design + 6 CmpE elective credits ME: 6 credits tech elective + 3 credits free elective CE and CEM: 3 credits tech elective IDE: 6 credits engineering/design + 3 senior design CS: CS elective + 3 senior design AAE: 3 credits as tech elective;

additional AAE elective with permission LA: 3 credits count as core in Social Ethics CFS: fulfills specialization requirement in selected areas;

elective for all areas Others: free elective credit Entrepreneurship Certificate: Option + Capstone

Managing the Decoupled Timescales

Student Learning

Semester/Quarter

Project

Semester/Quarter Semester/Quarter

Student Learning

Project

Curriculum and Assessment Goals: 1) Facilitating and assessing the student learning

for the semester2) Ensuring project continuity

What to AssessStudents are given academic credit

for mastering course content, Not for the service they provide for the

communityStudents are therefore assessed on

their demonstrated mastery of course content

EPICS Course Outcomes

1. Application from the discipline to the design of projects2. Understanding of design as a start-to-finish process

3. Identification and acquisition of new knowledge4. Awareness of the customer in engineering design5. Functioning on multidisciplinary teams contributions

from other disciplines6. Effective communication with different audiences7. Awareness of professional ethics and responsibility8. Understanding of role of discipline in social contexts

Multidisciplinary AssessmentsEPICS projects require

multidisciplinary approachesAssessing students from different

areas requires their own learning objectives in their “own language”Freshman vs seniorOne vs two creditsEngineer vs Liberal Arts

Important to be specific about expectations and outcomes

Project Artifacts

Project

Project Artifacts (prototypes, demos,

completed projects, etc)Design

Documentation Design Review Presentations

Project Partner Communications (presentations,

meetings, memos,

feedback, etc.) and Evaluation

Project Evaluation Rubric: provides summary and self-evaluation of project plan and accomplishments

Individual Artifacts

Individual

Notebook, blog, other posted

work

Final Reflection

Peer Evaluation/Feedback: both your evaluation to others and

others evaluation of you

Participation (lab, project team, and

lecture)Individual Evaluation Rubric 

: provides summary and self-evaluation of work completed and

planned

Grading SummaryStudents’ work in EPICS is assessed

based on the following five evaluation criteria:

AccomplishmentsProcessCritical ThinkingTeamwork/LeadershipCommunication

Individual Evaluation RubricContribution/Learning (e.g., completed user analysis, data analysis, DFMEA, or prototype, programmed microprocessor; learned CATIA)

Where documentation can be found: (include page #s if in notebook and URLs if online) Acc

omplishment

s

Process

Critica

l thinking

Teamwork

/ leadership

Communication

             

             

             

             Contribution/Learning: To be completed by: ( ex: 9/20/11)

   

   

   

   

In the following box, list contributions and learning planned for rest of semester

Individual Evaluation Rubric

  Excellent Good Adequate Low passing   A+ A A- B+ B B- C+ C C- D+ D D- F

Accomplishments: Individual contributions to the project and impact on design and/or deliverables. Understanding of relevant discipline-specific issues related to the project. Documentation of individual work and incorporation into project documentation.

                         

Process: Documented understanding the processes inherent in design and an ability to employ these processes in the development of the project.

                         

Reflective/Critical Thinking: Demonstrates ability to think critically about many of the disciplinary, social, ethical, personal, and interpersonal aspects of the project, project partner, and their relationships.

                         

Teamwork/Leadership: Initiative and participation in class and group work. Works with and helps other team members, within and/or outside of formal team roles, to accomplish team goals. Lab and project meeting attendance. If applicable, leadership and fulfillment of responsibilities associated with team position.

                         

Communication: Written and oral communication, both formally and informally, to all audiences: people familiar with project, and those who are not; people with both similar and different backgrounds; to teammates and to external people; to those who will be asked to continue your project in the future.

                         

Directions: Students mark an “X” and Advisors/TAs mark an “O” in the appropriate box for each criterion. Each of the criterion should be evaluated considering the student’s course level, major, semester in EPICS, and number of credits.

Individual Evaluation Rubric, cont.Students: Overall grade you believe you have earned to this point in the semester: _____

Why? Please include specific examples of “Excellent”, “Good”, “Adequate”, or “Low Passing” (whichever corresponds to the grade you have given yourself) Accomplishments, Process, Reflective Thinking, Teamwork/ Leadership and/or Communication in the box below. Please also include any additional information that was not reflected in the evidence you provided.

Advisors/TA:Grade earned to this point in the semester: ____________________Explanation for grade (in box):

EPICS and Women Research on science education

suggests that “context” is important to women students.

“Image” is increasingly being cited as a deterrent to attracting women.

NAE Engineering Message report: “Because dreams need doing…”

20% of ECE & ME EPICS students are women,compared to 11% of ECE & ME students overall

33% of CS EPICS students vs. 11.5% in CS overall

Student Retention

Participants retained at higher rates in engineering and computer science (2007)

Alumni Investigation 528 alumni completed a survey and > 84% said EPICS

contributed to their ability to: function in a team environment. work with people from very different disciplines. demonstrate leadership in a team environment. 

Comments Included: “EPICS was a wake up call to the real world. Not only did it provide me

with valuable experience, but it changed the way I viewed my education.” “Through EPICS I have learned how to listen to the needs of people and

to try to use my skills to meet their needs.” “My rapid promotion is a direct result of the leadership skills gained

through EPICS. I am now pursuing an MBA at an elite school, and I attribute it all to EPICS.”

“The applied engineering skills from EPICS was a key differentiator during my job interview; and allowed me to excel in comparison to the other ‘junior Engineers’ that joined around the same time frame.”

Industry Sponsors

®

Arizona State UniversityUniversity of Auckland, New ZealandButler UniversityUniversity of California, MercedUniversity of California, San DiegoColumbia UniversityDartmouth CollegeDrexel UniversityGeorge Fox UniversityIllinois Institute of TechnologyUniversity of Notre DameOhio Northern UniversityPenn State UniversityPrinceton UniversityUniversity of Puerto Rico MayaguezSan Jose State UniversityTexas A&M UniversityUniversité de SherbrookeUniversity of VirginiaWorcester Polytechnic Institute

EPICS Member Sites

EPICS Programs Integrating into Curricula

EPICS Curriculum ProvidesService-Learning

Design Education

Project Management

Community Partnerships

Disciplinary Knowledge from Departments

EPICS ProgramsProjects and Needs from Local/Global Community

Institutional Curriculum and Culture

EPICS High: Changing the Equation

Over 1000 students

40 - 50% female

32.2% African American16.1% Hispanic

Over 50% in free & reduced lunch programs

Engaging 50 High Schools in over 10 states

EPICS – Research InitiativesHuman Centered DesignEPICS Alumni

Study 1: Impact of Service-Learning

Supported by:• National Science Foundation

(EEC 0935077)• Purdue College of Engineering

Engineer of 2020 Initiative

Outcome Space of Students’ Experience of Human-Centered Design

Needs,info from

higher levelstakeholders

Design Process and Integration

LacksDesign

LinearDesignProcess

Integratedand

IterativeDesignProcess

VeryIntegrated

DesignProcess,Iterative

EmpathicDesign

Broadercontext,

relationshipEmpathicDesign

Involvesusers Commitment

ContextDesign

inContext

KeepsUsers’Needsin Mind

User isseen as

informationsource

ServiceUser infoInput toLinear

Process

Lacksappreciation

ofusers

Technology-Centered

Technology-Centered

Threshold

Outcome Space of Students’ Experience of Human-Centered Design

Needs,info from

higher levelstakeholders

Design Process and Integration

LacksDesign

LinearDesignProcess

Integratedand

IterativeDesignProcess

VeryIntegrated

DesignProcess,Iterative

EmpathicDesign

Broadercontext,

relationshipEmpathicDesign

Involvesusers Commitment

ContextDesign

inContext

KeepsUsers’Needsin Mind

User isseen as

informationsource

ServiceUser infoInput toLinear

Process

Lacksappreciation

ofusers

Technology-Centered

Technology-Centered

Threshold

Immersive

“Critical”

Alumni Investigation 528 alumni completed a survey and > 84% said EPICS

contributed to their ability to: function in a team environment. work with people from very different disciplines. demonstrate leadership in a team environment. 

Comments Included: “EPICS was a wake up call to the real world. Not only did it provide me

with valuable experience, but it changed the way I viewed my education “Through EPICS I have learned how to listen to the needs of people and

to try to use my skills to meet their needs.” “My rapid promotion is a direct result of the leadership skills gained

through EPICS. I am now pursuing an MBA at an elite school, and I attribute it all to EPICS.”

“The applied engineering skills from EPICS was a key differentiator during my job interview; and allowed me to excel in comparison to the other ‘junior Engineers’ that joined around the same time frame.”