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Journal of STEM Education Volume 7 • Issue 3 & 4 July–December 2006 44

An Electronic Web-based Assessment System

University of Bridgeport

Raina Petrova, Abhilasha Tibrewal, Tarek M. Sobh

AbstractIn keeping with the outcome-based assess-ment outlined by ABET’s Education Criteria 2000, the School of Engineering at the Uni-versity of Bridgeport has defined fifteen general student outcomes for its computer engineering program. These outcomes form the basis of its instructional program and assessment activities. In assessing and monitoring the attainment of these out-comes, formal assessment tools such as test and quizzes as well as assignment and project reports prove to be major indicators. This study is an attempt to perform the as-sessment process using the Internet and its capabilities. At the heart of the assessment process lies the assurance of a quality edu-cational experience and the commitment to continued program improvement on part of the faculty and administration. Presented in the paper is a new technique for presentation of relevant materials for accreditation under ABET criteria for Engineering program. The

1. Introduction The Accreditation Board for Engineeringand Technology (ABET) is a professional ac-creditingorganizationthataccreditsappliedsci-ence,computing,engineering,andtechnologyeducationalprograms[4].Theentireprocessofassessmentrevolvesaroundprogramimprove-mentwithaccreditation signifying the commit-mentofaninstitutiontowardsthisultimategoal.ABETpromotesqualityandinnovation inedu-cation, assures quality and stimulates innova-tioninappliedscience,computing,engineering,andtechnologyeducation[4]. The awarding of accreditation signifiesthat the accredited program of education hasmet Commission standards and is willing tobothmaintainthosestandardsandimproveitseducationalprogramby implementing the rec-ommendations in theaccreditationreport.Theaccreditationisvaluablenotonlytotheinstitu-tionanditsfacultybutalsotothestudents[4].Thevalueoftheaccreditationforfacultymem-bers is the enjoyment and professional prideof teachingcoursesofanaccreditedprogram.Accreditationprovidesbothapersonalandpro-

course materials from all courses offered in Fall 2002 and Spring 2003 are gathered and organized into separate course websites. Our electronic assessment (e-assessment) system (http://assesseng.bridgeport.edu/) is designed and implemented such that it streamlines program improvement and al-lows the assessment evaluator to browse in a logical and convenient manner starting from the program objectives and outcomes to specific course materials where they are implemented. Program constituents such as the students, faculty, industry advisory board and alumni are also involved in the process. The achievement of the program outcomes and objectives is the underlying goal of the assessment process. The process also proves to be a tool to identify areas of weaknesses in the program. In this paper, the focus is on the program outcomes and how they are achieved at the course level.

fessional opportunity to work towards educa-tional improvement.Theevaluationexperienceaffords the opportunity for the administrationandfacultytoconductandtoreceivearigorousanalysis of present conditions so that neededchangesmaybecarefullyplanned. Studentsaremostaffectedbyaccreditationsince theyare thecentral focusof theeduca-tionalprocess.Accreditationassuresthemthattheir needs are being met through a qualityeducationalprogramandthattheirpreparationreaches high levels. It also assures them thatprestigious institutions will more likely accepttheir transfer credits and their degree will bea tool for finding a good job and for personaldevelopment.Theaccreditationalso increasestheir confidence in their educational programand teachers, and their attitude toward aca-demicwork.TheCpEprogramaccreditationin-dicatesthattheprogrampreparesstudentsforentryintotheprofession.TheABETaccredita-tioncriteria[AppendixA]aredevelopedbyen-gineeringprofessionalsfrombothindustryandeducation which allows the education to trulymeet the demands of the engineering profes-sion, ultimately preparing students for greatersuccess[4].


IntheUnitedStates,theAccreditationBoardfor Engineering andTechnology (ABET) is re-sponsible for accrediting over 2300 engineer-ing, engineering technology and engineering-relatedprogramsatsome500institutions.Engi-neeringprogramsaccreditedbyABETpreparestudentsforaprofessioninwhichaknowledgeofmathematicalandnaturalsciencesgainedbystudy and practice is applied to the materialsand forcesofnature tobenefitmankind.Engi-neeringtechnologyprogramspreparestudentsforatechnologistortechnicianpositionthatre-quirestheapplicationofscientificandengineer-ing knowledge combined with technical skillsthatsupportengineeringactivities[4]. The Computer Engineering Program oftheSchoolofEngineeringof theUniversityofBridgeportisoneoftheprogramsaccreditedbyABETsince1989.AnewgoaloftheSchoolofEngineeringistoobtainCSABaccreditationforthefirsttimefortheComputerScienceProgramoftheschoolandcontinuetheABETaccredita-tionthatitalreadyhas. The School of Engineering had requestedevaluationofitsCpEandCSprogramsandhadcompleted the internal review of each one ofthem,whichentailedexamining theprogram’sstudents, curriculum, faculty, administration,facilities and institutional support. In this pa-per,wefocusontheCpEprogram.Tomeettherequirements of the outcome-based assess-ment outlinedbyABET’sEC2000, theSchoolof Engineering of the University of Bridgeporthas defined its objectives and fifteen relatedgeneral student outcomes [Appendix B]. For-malassessment toolssuchas testsandquiz-zesaswellasassignmentandprojectreportsdemonstratethelevelatwhichthecriteriaandeducational objectives are being met. At thetimeoftherevisionofthispaper,thesuccessfuloutcomeof theABETvisithadbeen receivedandtherequestedinterimreportsubmitted.

2. School of Engineering Goals OneofthestrengthsoftheAmericanedu-cational system is the diversity of educationalprograms.Suchalargeselectionofeducationalofferings makes quality a vital issue. Accredi-tation is the quality assurance that educationis meeting minimum standards. In the UnitedStates, accreditation is a non-governmental,peer review process that ensures educationalquality.Educationalprogramsvolunteertoperi-odicallyundergothisreviewtodetermineifmin-imumcriteriaarebeingmet.Accreditationveri-fiesthataprogrammeetsthecriteria,ensuring

a quality educational experience. The SchoolofEngineeringat theUniversityofBridgeport,inlinewithitscommitmenttowardscontinuousprogram improvement to ensure quality edu-cation, has regularly volunteered to undergothereviewsince1989. Inkeepingwith theEC2000 criteria, the school defined its missionand objectives. Below are some of the goalsoftheSchoolofEngineering,whichguidedthepreparationfortheaccreditationprocessinFall2003.

• Thepreparededucationalobjectivesshouldbecomprehensive,measurableandflexible,and clearly tied to the mission.The objec-tiveshavetobesystematicallyreviewedandupdated.

• Outcomes assessment requires definitionof all outcomes, systematic evaluationandprocess improvement and involvement ofall support areas.The commonsourcesofproblems should be understood and elimi-nated.

• Assessment constituents have to show ahigh degree of involvement in defining theobjectives and desired outcomes. Theyshouldpresent sustainedevidenceof stra-tegicpartnershipswithallkeycomponents.

• Processesshouldassurenotonlycontinu-ousqualityimprovementbutalsothatmini-mumstandardsaremet forallelementsofthecriteria.Theprocesseshavetobeclearlyunderstoodandcontrolled.Theyshouldbetiedtothemission,theprogramobjectives,andtheconstituents’needs.Theprocessesshouldbegenerallyviewedasbenchmarksbyotherinstitutions.

• Results of the course work should coverworld-classoutcomes.Theyshouldbeclear-lycausedbyasystematicapproach.

• Theassessmentpresentationsystemshouldbehighly integratedanddeployedthrough-out the program, school, and institution. Ithastobedrivenbymissionandobjectives.[5]

3. Methodology

3.1 Components Collection

TheABETaccreditationprocessofSchoolof Engineering of the University of Bridgeportwas started with the evaluation request of itsComputer Engineering program. An internalreview was completed for the program thatexamined the program’s students, curriculum,faculty,administration,facilitiesandinstitutionalsupport.The assessment process followed bythedepartmentcanbeoutlinedbythefollowing


majorsteps:

I. Developamissionstatementandprogramobjectives for our undergraduate programin computer engineering that defines ourpurpose for existing as a program. Themissionstatementandeducationalobjec-tivesaredevelopedinconcertwithourcoreconstituentsof students, faculty, industrialrepresentativesandalumni.

II. Develop educational outcomes that areconsistentwiththeachievementofourob-jectivesandthefulfillmentofourmission.

III. Devisequantitativemetricsandprocessesfor measuring our outcomes and ensurethatwearesucceedinginourmission.

IV. Usetheprocesseswehaveputinplacetogatherquantitativeassessmentdatarelat-ingtoourmetricsatregularintervals.

V. Basedontheassessmentdata,modifyourcurriculumwith thegoal of better fulfillingourmissionandobjectives.

VI.Identify the strengths and weaknesses ofour curriculum, processes, metrics, andobjectives.StartagainatstepIV,oratstepIII ifwefeel that themetricsorprocessesneed tobe improved,or, evenat step I ifthe fundamental mission or objectives ofourprogramneedtochange.

Therequiredcomponents (fig.1)consistofa Mission Statement, program objectives andoutcomesdefined tomatch theABETcriteria,courses vs. outcomes matrix that illustrateswhereinthecurriculumtheoutcomesarebeingmetandatwhatlevel,coursegridsandrepre-sentative student work samples from assign-ments,projects,examsandquizzesthatreflectthecollecteddata.TheoutcomesversusABETcriteriagrids furthermap theoutcomes to theABETcriteriaandassistinclosingtheassess-mentloop.

3.1.1. Mission Statement

Oneofthemostgeneralbutalsomost im-portant components is the institution MissionStatement.Inafewparagraphsitgenerallyde-scribesthegoalsandmissionoftheinstitutionandthevalueitcanbringtopotentialstudents.BelowisthemissionstatementoftheSchoolofEngineeringoftheUniversityofBridgeport:

“The School of Engineering of the Uni-versity of Bridgeport provides educational opportunities and serves as a knowledge resource in the sciences, engineering and technology. Our clients are students, the companies that hire them, and various other institutions in Bridgeport and the surround-

ing region, the United States, and all parts of the world. Our Programs are designed with attention to the institutions we serve. The education we offer features acquisition of fundamental knowledge in a wide range of fields and an application oriented approach to issues that are progressively more interdisciplinary. Graduates of our program possess broad knowledge, professional training, and learning skills that enable their success in an evolving global economy and allow for the betterment of the communities in which they live.”

Dr.TarekSobh,DeanoftheSchoolofEngineering

3.1.2. Student Oriented Objectives

Program objectives are a more concretedefinitionoftheSchoolgoalsandmission.WhiletheMissionstatementisvalidfortheinstitution,the Student Oriented Objectives are definedforeachof theprogramswithinthis institution.Below you can see the four objectives of theComputerEngineeringProgramof theSchoolofEngineering:

1. Students will be proficient in designing hard-ware, software and a variety of computer-controlled engineering systems. (Program Outcomes 1,2,3,4,5)

2. Students will develop an understanding of contemporary global and societal issues, ethical considerations and communication skills, both oral and written. (Program Out-comes 8,11,12)

3. Student will develop abilities in applying mathematical and scientific tools to solve engineering problems. (Program Outcomes 6,7,9,10)

4. Students will develop skills that will prepare them for employment upon graduation and the ability to undertake life-long learning. (Program Outcomes 13,14,15)

Fig. 1 - Required components for Accreditation process

CpE Objec tive an d fi fteen relatedOutcomes m atched to ABET cr iter ia

Mission Statement

CS Objective a nd f iftee n re latedOutcomes m atched to CS AB cr iter ia

Courses vs. Ou tcomes Gr id for CS Progra mCourses vs. Ou tcomesGr id for CpE Pr ogram

Individual Co urs eGr ids

Course Mater ial Websiteswith stude nt wor k sam ples

Courses vs. ABE TCriter ia Gr ids


The ABET visit feedback provided the de-partment with helpful pointers to improve itsmetrics and processes for assessing achieve-ment of program objectives. At the time thepaper was revised, the department uses thefeedback from the curriculum developmentcommittee,theindustrialadvisoryboard(IAB),the course assessment committee, studentsandalumnitoevaluatethevariousprogramob-jectives. The curriculum development committee isthemaincommittee that reviews the feedbackfrom the latter four constituents, reviews theresults and recommends actions for programimprovement.The IAB reviews participation insponsored internships, regional and nationalcompetitionsandevaluatesco-opperformance.The course assessment committee is com-prisedofthedepartmentfacultyandreviewsthedatacollectedinlieuoftheprogramoutcomesand uses that to evaluate the program objec-tives.Studentandalumnisurveyresultsserveas a secondary measure in the assessmentprocess.The e-assessment system serves asauser-friendlyportalofthisinformation. The e-assessment system was developedby thedepartment inanswer to itsneed forarobust system that is seamlessly integratedwiththeprogramanditsassessmentactivities.Fewassessmentsoftwarepackageswereavail-ableat the time.EnableOA [1],TrueOutcomes[3] and eLumen [6] were three such softwarepackages;however,thefactthatnotmanyinsti-tutionshadadoptedthematthetimealongwiththe associated costs including faculty trainingpreventedthedepartmentfromadoptingthem.Another group of researchers from five differ-ent universities were developing and applyingavarietyofassessmentmethodsadministeredeitherviatheweborPCtoformacoreofwhattheytermedthe“AssessmentToolkit”[2].Again,this was a pilot study that was yet to mature.Hence, the department went ahead with thedesign and development of the e-assessmentsystemthatisbeingdescribedinthispaper.

3.1.3. Student Oriented Outcomes

TheSchoolofEngineeringhasdefinedfif-teenstudentoutcomesfortheComputerEngi-neering program that covers all ABET criteria[AppendixA].ThelistingoftheseoutcomescanbefoundinAppendixB.Thetoolsdescribedinthefollowingtwosectionshelpinmappingthecourseswith theoutcomesandABETcriteria.Thediscussionof theassessmentprocessforthe program outcomes is thus, included afterthesesections.

3.1.4. Courses vs. Outcomes Grids

The Courses versus Outcomes Grids [Ap-pendix C] were developed for both programswith material gathered from the faculty mem-bersteachingeachofthecourses.Thegridslisttheprogramcourserequirementsanddescribeat what level each of the fifteen student out-comesismetineachcourse.Dependingonthelevelaparticularoutcomeisachievedinagivencourse, the level is indicated by B (for Begin-ner),D(forDeveloping)andP(forProficient).

3.1.5. Outcomes vs. ABET Criteria Grids

Two versions of the said grid have beenprepared.The first one [Appendix D] was de-veloped as a mapping between the programoutcomes and the ABET criteria.The secondisamoredetailedversionwheretheindividualcourseswhichformtheintersectionofthetwoaxes are listed (http://assesseng.bridgeport.edu/grids.htm).At thetimeof thevisit, thede-partmentlearnedthatsincealargenumberofcoursesmappedtoeachoutcome,arepresen-tativenumberofcoursescouldbeusedtoverifyeachoutcome.This representative listing illus-trateswhere thedatawillbegathered.Mostlyrequiredcoursesareusedasall studentsareguaranteed to take them. Also, the chosencoursesshowaprogressionfrombeginningtoproficientaccomplishmentofeachoutcome. Havingchosenthecoursesfromwhichthedatawouldbecollected, thenext taskwas todeterminewhatdatawouldbecollected.Thisisdecidedbythecourseinstructorsofthechosencoursesforeachoutcome.Potentialmeasurescouldincludethingssuchasprogrammingproj-ects/labreports/projectreports,exams/quizzes,evaluationofpresentations,evaluationofwrit-tenreports,gradesingeneraleducationcours-es. The course instructors are responsible toprovide the necessary deliverables along withasummaryassessment.Strengthsandweak-nessesare identifiedand recommendedsolu-tions developed. Student and alumni surveysareused tocollectdata thatservesasasec-ondarymeasureforassessingachievementofcourseoutcomesbasedonestablishedrubrics. As mentioned earlier, the e-assessmentsystemprovidesaconvenientportaltopresentthecollecteddataandthefollowingcomponentsarerepresentativeofthesame.

3.1.6. Course Grids

The contents of an individual course gridmatcheachoutcomeapplicableforthecoursewith the class activities that satisfy it and the


ABETcriteriathatthisparticularoutcomecov-ers. The course grids describe course Out-comes,PerformanceIndicators,StrategiesandActions, Assessment Methods and Metrics,EvaluationandFeedback.SomesamplecoursegridsarelistedinAppendixE.

3.1.7. Course Material Websites

Allapplicablecoursematerialwasgatheredfor each course in the Computer Engineeringand Computer Science programs includingcourses from other Schools of the UniversityofBridgeport, forexample, theSchoolofArtsand Sciences. The gathered material is fromcoursestaughtintheFall2002andSpring2003semesters. A detailed example showing how each ofthe individualcomponents isconnected to theothercomponentsinthee-assessmentsystemfollowsinthenextsectionofthispaper. Theauthorsofthepaperhadthefullcoop-erationofthefacultymembersandreceivedallthematerialsrequested.

3.2 Technical Implementation

3.2.1. Architecture of the E-Assessment System

The School of Engineering Assessmentwebsite(http://assesseng.bridgeport.edu/)isaninterfacefortheABETaccreditationvisitinFall2003.ThewebsiteconsistsofanAssessmentPresentation Website and Courses MaterialWebsitesforeachoftheSchoolofEngineeringcoursesaswellascoursesfromotherschoolsthatareincludedintheComputerScienceandComputerEngineeringprograms. The functionof theAssessmentSystem istopresenttotheaccreditationevaluatorwiththevariouscomponentshighlightingtheirinterrelat-edness.Thegatheredstudentsamplesincludebutarenotlimitedto:examsandquizzesaswellas assignments and project reports. Addition-ally,course lecturesandpresentationmaterialisgathered fromthecourses instructors.Also,availableon thewebsiteare thesurvey formsandthegatheredresults. Thesystem implementationallows theas-sessmentevaluator tobrowse ina logicalandconvenient manner, starting from the objec-tives and outcomes to specific course materi-alswheretheyarebeingmet.Theprocessalsoincludesbrowsingthecourseversusoutcomesmatrixandindividualcoursegrids.

3.2.2. Assessment Website (Interface to the System)

Figure2showstheoutlookoftheassessmentwebsiteinterface.

3.2.2.1. Website Content

Figure3showsthestructureoftheassessmentwebsite.

Fig. 2 – The general outlook of the Assessment Website of School of Engineering

Fig. 3 – Structure of the Assessment Website


Figure4shows theOutcomesandObjectivespage that displays the list of the fifteen out-comesdefinedbytheSchoolofEngineeringoftheUniversityofBridgeport. TheusercanselectanyoutcomefromtheOutcomesandObjectivepage. If theuserse-lectsOutcome7,thentheCoursevs.OutcomesgridisdisplayedwiththeOutcome7highlightedasshown inFigure5.Thus, theusercanseewhichcourse leads to theachievementof theparticularoutcomeandatwhatlevel.InFigure5,forexample,onecanobservethatEngr111achievestheoutcomeataBeginnerslevelwhileEngr300meetsitataproficientlevel.Likewise,eachof theoutcomes isdynamically linked tocoursesvs.outcomesgrid. TheCoursesvs.OutcomesgriddisplaysamatrixofallthecoursesfromtheComputerEn-gineering(ComputerScience)programversusthefifteenoutcomesforthisprogramasdefinedbySchoolofEngineering.Ineachcellisplacedthelevelwithwhichtheoutcomeiscoveredintheclass:

• “B”–BeginnerLevel• “D”–DeveloperLevel• “P”–ProfessionalLevel• “-”–NonApplicableforthecourse

ThelettersarelinkedtotheCourseGridforthecourse they describe. In the current example,the letter“B” fromOutcome11 for the courseCS101/101awilllinktotwopagesasshowninFigures6and7.

Fig. 6 – Screenshot of an Outcome description

The chosen Outcome description is dis-playedinapop-uppageasareminderfortheaccreditationevaluator.TheABET(CSAB)cri-teriaconnectedtotheoutcome(inthiscase“g”)should appear in the list of all ABET (CSAB)criteriaapplicableforthecourse.Theyarelistedonthetopofthesecondpagethatopens-thecoursegridpageasshowninFigure7. Someoftheindicatorsthatstudentsachieveeachof thecourseoutcomesarenotassess-able(forexampleansweringquestionsinclass,reading assignments, etc.) but the collectable

materials(quizzes,tests,exams,assignments,projects,etc.)isorganizedandevaluatedinac-cordancewiththeassessmentprocess. Inthecurrentexample,thelink“PaperandPencilTests” will lead the inspector to the fol-

Fig. 4 – Screenshot of the CpE Outcomes and Objectives Page

Fig. 7 – Screenshot of a Course Grid Page

Fig. 5 – Screenshot of the CpE Courses vs. Outcomes Grid Page


lowingpagewithcertainwrittentestsorquizzeswhich include questions and tasks evaluatingthefirstoutcomeasshowninFigure8. The accreditation evaluator can furthercheckthetestassignment,listedquestions,aswellas thestudentworksamples for this test.Similarly the link “Programming Project Re-ports” for Outcome 2 will open a page listingallprogrammingassignmentsthatvalidatethisoutcomeasshowninFigure9. The above example demonstrates thelogical path fromwhat is stated towhere it isachieved in the program.This can be utilizedbothbythedepartmentaswellastheaccredi-torstoassesstheprogrambymonitoringifthesaidoutcomeshavebeenmetinasatisfactorymanner.Anotherpointofinterestistoascertainif the ABET criteria has been met in the cur-riculum.Theaforesaiddatacanbeusedtothatpurposebyusing theOutcomesversusABETcriteria grids. Figure 10 shows the compactversion of the two grids. Here, for example, ifoutcomes6,7and10havebeensuccessfullyachieved, ABET criteria ‘a’ can be claimed tohavebeenattained. Other than being part of the outcomesbased assessment, the evaluator can browsethe complete course contents (accessible viathe“ViewcoursematerialWebsite”link)thatareorganizedintoseparatewebsites.

Fig. 8 – Screenshot of a Course Test Work Page that proves that a certain out come is covered

Fig. 10 – Screenshot of Outcomes versus ABET Criteria Grid

Fig. 9 – Screenshot of a Course Assignment Work Page


3.2.3. Course Material Websites

Figure11showsasampleviewfromthemainpage of one of the course material websites(CS102,inthiscase): The particular course material is decidedin advance by the course instructor and eachwebsiteisbuiltaccordingly.Thefullsetofpageswould include Projects, Assignments, Exams,Quizzes, Lectures and Handouts pages. Thecourse Syllabus and Objective are also partof the content. Student sample material canbefoundinallapplicablepages(assignments,projects, exams, quizzes). Figure 12 shows ascreenshotoftheassignmentspage. The authors are happy to report that thistoolwascitedasastrengthbyABETevaluatorsduringtheirFall2003visit.

3.2.4. Hardware and Software Used

Thesystemwasimplementedusingthefollow-ingsoftware:

• MacromediaDreamweaverMX• AdobePhotoshop7.0• MicrosoftOfficeXP(MSWord, MSPowerPoint,MSExcel)• AdobeAcrobat5.0

The Assessment website is best viewed withInternetExplorer5+.Thecoursecontentweb-sites require an installed Acrobat Reader 5.0,MSWord and MS PowerPoint for the studentworksamplespreview. The system was developed and tested onWindows2000/NT/XPplatforms.ItishostedonanApacheWebserver.

3.2.5. Privacy and Security

The folder with student sample materialsandcourseswebsitesontheserverisprotect-edbypasswordandonlyfacultymembersareabletoaccessitforreviewpurposes.Unauthor-izedindividualscouldnotaccessanyfileinthisfolder.The files were stored on the UniversityofBridgeportApachewebservermachinethatalsohasvery limitedaccess(only theSystemAdministratorandtheWebmaster). The primary author of the paper was theonly individual to add and edit in the CourseMaterialWebsites as well as the AssessmentWebsite.Allcoursematerialsarepostedasre-ceivedfromthecourses’instructors.Nostudentworkwasexposedinanywaytoexternalindi-vidualsorusedforotherpurposesbuttobuildtheonlinee-assessmentsystem.

4. Conclusion ThispaperpresentstheSchoolofEngineer-ing of University of Bridgeport’s work towardsthe accreditation visit in the fall of 2003. Onegoalofthepaperistopresentthecomprehen-sive,measurableandflexibleeducationalobjec-tivesandoutcomesaswellastheirsystematicevaluationprocess. Anothergoalof thepaper is todescribeanewtechniqueforpresentationofassessmentmaterial foraccreditationbyABETandCSABCriteriaforEngineeringandComputerScienceprograms.Thee-assessmentpresentationsys-temishighlyintegratedanddeployedthrough-outtheCSandCpEprogramsandclearlydriv-enbytheSchoolofEngineeringoutcomesandobjectives. The developed system is to be systemati-cally reviewed and updated to ensure a com-

Fig. 11 – Screenshot with the general outlook of a Course Material Website

Fig. 12 – Screenshot of the Assignments Page


plete and realistic reflection of the quality ofeducationintheCSandCpEprogramsoftheSchool of Engineering. It will allow the facultyandinstructorstocontrolandevaluatetheirownteachingtechniquesandimprovethesystemofeducation. Themissionofthecompletee-assessmentsystem is not only to serve as a presentationtooloftheCSandCpEeducationalprograms,butalsotobegenerallyviewedasabenchmarkbyotherinstitutionsandprograms.

5. References1. Drake,W.H.,McCurdy,L.B.andWalcerz,D.

B.,“AWeb-basedApproachforOutcomesAssessment”. In Proceedings of the 2001ASEEAnnualConferenceandExposition,Albuquerque,NewMexico,June2001.

2. McGrouty, J., Shuman, L., Besterfield-Sacre,M.,Hoare,R.,Wolfe,H.,Olds,B.andMiller, R., “Using Technology to EnhanceOutcomeAssessmentInEngineeringEdu-cation.InProceedingsof31stASEE/IEEEFrontiers in Education Conference, Reno,Nevada,October2001.

3. Pallapu,S.K.,“AutomatingOutcomeBasedAssessment”. InProceedingsof38thHa-waii International Conference on SystemSciences,IslandofHawaii,January2005.

4. OfficialABETWebsite:http://www.abet.org

5. Criteria2000EvaluatorTraining:http://www.abet.org/AnnualMeeting/Laptop%20Presentations/Session%207/Jacobson-Town%20Meeting.pdf

6. eLumenWebsite:http://elumen.info/

7. List with ABET Criteria: http://www.abet.org/criteria.html

8. AccreditationinUSEngineeringEducation:http://www.studyoverseas.com/engineer-ing/articles/enngacc.htm9. C o m -putingSciencesAccreditationBoard(CSAB)homepage:http://www.csab.org/

10. CouncilonHigherEducationAccreditation:http://www.chea.org/

11. List of CSAB accredited programs: http://www.csab.org/acrsch_jnt.html

12. List of ABET accredited programs: http://www.abet.org/accredited_programs/EAC-Website.html


6. Appendices

Appendix A – ABET Criteria

ABETCriteria

• a-applymath,scienceandengineeringprinciples• b-designandconductexperiments• c-designasystem,comp.orprocess• d-functioninteams• e-solveengineeringproblems• f-beprofessionalandethical• g-communicateeffectively• h-understandglobalandsocietalimpact• i-learnlife-long• j-understandcontemporaryissues• k-usemodernengineeringtools

StudentOrientedObjective:

1. Students will be proficient in designinghardware, software and a variety of com-puter-controlled engineering systems.(ProgramOutcomes1,2,3,4,5)

2. Studentswilldevelopanunderstandingofcontemporary global and societal issues,ethicalconsiderationsandcommunicationskills,bothoralandwritten.

(ProgramOutcomes8,11,12)

3. Student will develop abilities in applyingmathematical and scientific tools to solveengineeringproblems.

(ProgramOutcomes6,7,9,10)

4. Studentswilldevelopskillsthatwillpreparethemforemploymentupongraduationandthe ability to undertake life-long learning.(ProgramOutcomes13,14,15)

StudentOutcomes:

1. Studentswillbeabletocomprehenddigtal systemsdesignandimplementthemby

useofdesignlanguages. [ABETcriteriac,d,e,k,b]

2. Studentswillbeabletocomprehendthedesignofintegratedsystemshavingmajorhardwareandsoftwarecomponents.

[ABETcriteriab,c,e]

3. Studentswillbeabletodesignandimple-mentaworkingnon-trivialmicroprocessor-based system and control peripheral de-vicesusingit. [ABETcriteriab,c,d,k]

4. Studentswillbeable todesignandsimu-latecomputerarchitecture. [ABETcriteriac,k]

5. Studentswillbeable tocomprehendhighlevellanguagesanddatastructures.[ABETcriteriac]

6. Studentswilldevelopaworkingknowledgeof electrical and electronic circuits, VLSI,DSPandcontrolsystems. [ABETcriteriaa,b,e]

7. Studentswillbeabletoidentifyandapplyconcepts of engineering economics andprojectplanning. [ABETcriteriaa,e]

8. Students will demonstrate knowledge ofcontemporary global and societal issuesandtheirrelationshiptoprofessionalethicsandengineeringsolutions.

[ABETcriteriaf,h,j]

9. Studentswillbeable toplanandconductlaboratory experiments and interpret andreporttheresults. [ABETcriteriab,k]

Appendix B – School of Engineering Objectives and Outcomes

10.Studentswilldemonstratebasicmathandsci-enceskills.

[ABETcriteriona]

11.Students will exercise strong oral and writtencommunication skills including those neededfortechnicalwriting. [ABET cri-teriong]

12.Studentswill developappreciationofdiversityin theworldand in intellectual areas suchasbutnolimitedtohumanitiesandsocialscienc-es.

[ABETcriteriah,j]

13.Studentswillbeabletofunctioncompetentlyina related entry-level career.[ABETcriteriai,f]

14.Studentswillshowthedesireandabilitytokeeplearningthroughoutlife. [ABETcriterioni]

15.Studentswilldevelopthecognitiveandanalyti-cal skills needed to succeed ingraduatepro-grams. [ABETcriteriai,e]

Computer Engineering Program


Appendix C – Courses vs. Outcomes Grids

Computer Engineering Program Courses vs. Outcomes grid:

O utco meC ou rs e s

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15Engineer ing Co reRequireme nts

Chem 1 03 D D D - - D D D B P P P P P PCpE 2 10CpE 2 86 P D P - - - D - P D B - B - -CS 101/101a - - - - B - - B - D D B B D DEE 233/235 B B - - B D - B B D P P P P PEngr 1 11 - B - - - - B B B B B B B D BEngr 3 00 - - - - - - P P - - P - - - PMath 215 D B D - - - D D - P P P P P PMath 301 D D D - - - P D - P P P P P PMath 323 D D D - - - P D - P P P P P PME 223

Pro gram Requireme nts

CpE 3 12CpE 3 15CpE 3 87CpE 4 08 - P - - D - - - D - D - - - PCpE 4 47CpE 4 48CpE 4 49A, BCpE 4 89 - B - - P - P D P P P D P P PCS 102/102a - - - - D - - - B D D B B D DCS 227 D D D B D - D D - P P P P P PEE 234/236 B B B B D P B D D P P P P P PEE 348 D D D D P P D P P P P P P P PPro gram Requireme nts(Contd.)EE 460 P P D P P P P P P P P P P P PEE 443 P P D P P P P P P P P P P P PEngl 204Math 214/314 D D D B - - P D - P P P P P P2 Technica l El ec tives1 Free Elective

Gener al Ed ucationRequireme ntsEngl C1 01 - - - - - - - B B - B B B B BMath 110 D B D - - - D D - B D D D P DMath 112 D B D - - - D D - D P D P P PPhys 1 11 D D D - - D D D B D P P P P PPhys 1 12 D D D - - D D D D D P P P P PHum C201 - - - - - - - D - - D P B B DHum C202 - - - - - - - D - - D P B B DSoSc C201 - - - - - - - D D - D P B B DSoSc C202 - - - - - - - D D - D P B B DIntSt C101A& D C1 01 - - - - - - - D - - B B B B BCaps C390 - - - - - - - D - - P P D B DChoice of T echnicalElec tiv esCpE 4 10CpE 4 60 - P D - - P - - P - D - - - PCpE 4 71CpE 4 73 - - - - - - D - - B B - D - -


Appendix D – Outcomes vs. ABET Criteria Grid

ABET Program Outcomes

Criteria 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

a 3 3 3

b 3 3 3 3

c 3 3 3 3 3

d 3 3

e 3 3 3 3 3

f 3 3

g 3

h 3 3

i 3 3 3

j 3 3

k 3 3 3 3

Outcomes vs. ABET criteria (Detailed)Here, the expanded view of the second row is depicted. For the complete grid please refer to http://assesseng.bridgeport.edu/grids.htm.

ABET Criteria Program Outcomes

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

CPE 210 (D)

CPE 286 (P)

CPE 286 (D) ENGR 111 (B)

ENGR 111 (B) CPE 315 (D

CPE 315 (D) CPE 286 (P) CPE 387 (P)

b CPE 387 (P) CPE 387 (P) CPE 448 (P) CPE 408 (D)

CPE 408 (P) CPE 447 (D) EE 348 (B) CPE 447 (P)

CPE 447 (D) CPE 449 (P) EE 360 (B) CPE 448 (D)

CPE 449 (P) CPE 460 (B) EE 443 (B) CPE 449 (P)

CPE 489 (B) CPE 460 (P) CPE 489 (P)

CPE 460 (P) CS102 (B)

EE 360 (P)

EE 443 (P)

CPE 481 (P)

CPE 460 (P)


Appendix E – Sample Course Grid

CS 101 Course grid with ABET and CSAB Criteria:

NOTE: For all the stated assessment methods, student progress is systematically documented based on established rubrics.


Tarek M. Sobh, Ph.D., P.E. received the B.Sc. in Engineering degree with honors in Computer Science and Automatic Control from the Faculty of Engineering, Alexandria University, Egypt in 1988, and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Computer and Information Science from the School of Engineering, University of Pennsylvania in 1989 and 1991, respectively. He is currently the Dean of the School of Engineering and Vice Provost for Graduate Studies and Research at the University of Bridgeport, Connecticut; the Founding Director of the Interdisciplinary Robotics, Intelligent Sensing, and Control (RISC) laboratory; and a Professor of Computer Science and Computer Engineering.

Raina Petrova was a graduate student in University of Bridgeport’s Computer Science and Engineering Department pursuing an M.S. degree in computer science from Fall 2001- Spring 2003. She obtained her M.S. degree in May 2003. She currently works as a senior developer for Selective Insurance where she has an important role in the development and enhancement of the company’s primary business application. Raina holds two graduate degrees – in Computer Science and Information Technologies. Her first professional engagement was a Web Development job for an international company based in Antwerp, Belgium. She has extensive Web Application development experience utilizing Sun and Microsoft technologies. Some of her employment history includes ESPN and Unilever NA.

Abhilasha Tibrewal received her B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Home Science with honors in Textile and Clothing from Lady Irwin College, Delhi University, India in 1993 and 1995, respectively, and M.S. in Education and M.S. in Computer Science from University of Bridgeport, CT, USA, in 2000 and 2001 respectively. She is currently employed as Lecturer of Computer Science and Engineering at University of Bridgeport. She is member of ACM, ASEE and the honor societies of Phi Kappa Phi and Upsilon Pi Epsilon.

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