Faculty Showcase Adoption title

Purpose: to help other instructors teaching the same course

Common Course ID: ENGR 101H, Introduction to the Engineering Profession
CSU Instructor Open Textbook Adoption Portrait

Abstract:  This open textbook is being utilized in an engineering course for undergraduate students by Ali Momeni at California State University, Long Beach. The open textbook provides the required materials for the students which introduce them to the engineering profession. The main motivation to adopt an open textbook was to reduce the education costs for students and make it affordable. Most student access the open textbook in Canvas.

Course Title and number: ENGR 101H, Introduction to the Engineering Profession

 Brief description of course highlights:  Freshman orientation seminar on careers in engineering. Speakers from various fields illustrate opportunities and challenges in the engineering profession. 

Link to Catalog: http://catalog.csulb.edu/preview_course_nopop.php?catoid=6&coid=55906

Student Population: This is a required course for all engineering students.   Prerequisite: Freshman standing or consent of instructor.
 Prerequisite/Corequisite: Math 111, or Math 113, or Math 122

Learning or student outcomes:  

The course specifically addresses the following ABET student outcomes:

•  an ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences
•  an ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic,
   environmental, and societal contexts
• an ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives
• an ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.

Textbook or OER/Low cost Title:

 Introduction to Engineering,  Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University EGR 101         9 th Edition

Brief Description: 

The book covers many subjects, but the followings are used in the course:

• Chapter 3 : Communication Skills
• Chapter 9: Ethics and Professional Responsibility
• Chapter 10: Professional Preparation
• Chapter 11: Engineering Disciplines
• Chapter 12: The Engineering Design Process

 Please provide a link to access the resource. 

https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcommons.erau.edu%2Foer-textbook%2F4%2F&data=05%7C02%7CAli.Momeni%40csulb.edu%7C05b16d0358b3471599b008dd08089a8d%7Cd175679bacd34644be82af041982977a%7C0%7C0%7C638675555233140965%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=niDhmmoViRnD%2BwsWvAkYwwQ19t0KooQNol5RznBBkNE%3D&reserved=0

 Authors: 

L. Davids, G. Cullum

 Student access:  How and where do students access materials?

The students will have access to the course materials through a link in Canvas. 

 Supplemental resources:

The following links are also used from YouTube: 

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persepolis#
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tacoma_Narrows_Bridge_(1940)
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyatt_Regency_walkway_collapse
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mY_5-KeovKc
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAXh5hU6ELo
• https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcsulb.libguides.com%2FENGR101Design&data=05%7C02%7CAli.Momeni%40csulb.edu%7C87fa9e878bdb4b52ca9308dced413269%7Cd175679bacd34644be82af041982977a%7C0%7C0%7C638646111478569764%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=JdtMBhnytDyRb%2FTUAQDdFD3tVe81bAPYX8Qz9KmDLEw%3D&reserved=0

 Provide the cost savings from that of a traditional textbook.

All materials are free for students in this course. The textbook costs about $140.

 License: Specify if material is copyrighted or openly licensed.

All materials are openly licensed.

OER/Low Cost Adoption Process

Provide an explanation or what motivated you to use this textbook or OER/Low Cost option. 

My main intention is to help students get the proper education without burdening themselves with excessive expenses.

How did you find and select the open textbook for this course?

The process started with the AL$ (Affordable Learning Solution) program which I registered for. I studied the AL$ course materials and also participated in several of its hands-on workshops and learned a lot. I did brows some OER sites myself but I found the textbook by the help of a librarian.

Sharing Best Practices: The sustainability of open education relies on sharing with others. Please give suggestions for faculty who are just getting started with OER or Low Cost options. 

Here is the list of the things I wished I had known earlier.

• The CSULB library and CSU libraries in general have a tremendous amount of resources that faculty and students can use. . Their librarians can also help a lot.

• 
  

• YouTube has lots of valuable resources that we all can use and learn.
• Microsoft's Copilot can be very valuable in answering the diverse questions we may have. It also narrows down the searches and provides appropriate references. 
• Google Translate is a powerful tool that can translate most languages.

Describe any key challenges you experienced, how they were resolved  and lessons learned. 

I created an account with MERLOT and tried to find the textbook I use in ENGR 101H, but I did not have any success. Finally, an engineering librarian helped me find a similar one which is in OER category.

Instructor Name :  Ali Momeni, Lecturer, MAE Department, College of Engineering, California State University, Long Beach  

I mainly teach MATLAB, Finite Elements, Dynamics, Mechanics of Deformable bodies, and Introduction to the Engineering Profession. I intend to ensure students learn the required materials before graduation which also helps our university ratings.

Please provide a link to your university page.

https://www.csulb.edu/college-of-engineering/ali-momeni

 
Please describe the courses you teach.

• ENGR 101H, Introduction to the Engineering Profession

Freshman orientation seminar on careers in engineering. Speakers from                     various fields illustrate opportunities and challenges in the engineering profession. 

• MAE 205, Computer Methods in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Application of computer programming to engineering problem solving. Structured approach to problems. Input-output concepts for both numerical and graphical results.

• MAE 371, Analytical Mechanics II (Dynamics)
   Newton’s Laws and the principles of work and energy and impulse and momentum applied to the study of particle and rigid body motion. Engineering application with emphasis on plane motion problems. Individual and/or group projects involving in-depth numerical analysis.

• MAE 373, Mechanics of Deformable Bodies
   Application of the principles of mechanics to the design of structural and machine members and connections; stress analysis of beams and columns. Properties and strength of engineering materials. Design projects.

• MAE409A, Finite Element Methods I
   Finite element methods for linear beam and truss elements.  Systems of ordinary differential equations in finite element formulation. Static and dynamic analysis of complex structures with lab activities using current FE software with validation using experimental data.

Describe your teaching philosophy and any research interests related to your discipline or teaching.

I mainly teach MATLAB, Finite Elements, Dynamics, Mechanics of Deformable bodies, and Introduction to the Engineering Profession. I intend to ensure students learn the required materials before graduation which also helps our university ratings.