Down the Road A Piece, with Cec

I just finished a book lent to me by one of my students. Turns out it is written by his grandpa Cecil Femling. Cecil is in his late 80's. The book is a selection monthly columns that Cecil has written for the Lake Region Electric Coop (west central Minnesota) newsletter.

The book is a nice combination of history of Minnesota and reflections by a person who has lived since the 1920's. I am not suggesting you read it, rather I want to focus in on one idea that caught my eye.

Cec, in one of his columns, wrote that a key to a good life is one hour of exercise EVERY day.

I couldn't agree more as I am writing this post while walking on my treadmill --Day 27 of at least 43 minutes per day of cardio.

A One Page (DRAFT) Description of 3rd/4th Year Engineering

Proposed Iron Range Engineering Academy

In fall 2010 (or 2009), a collaboration of faculty from the Northeastern Higher Education District (NHED) and Minnesota State University Mankato (MSUM) will start a unique project-based curriculum through which graduates of Minnesota community colleges will earn a mechanical engineering degree two years after the program begins. These students will work on projects sponsored by external organizations (industry and not-for-profit) to develop their knowledge and skills with respect to the program learning outcomes specified by ABET, the organization that accredits engineering programs. Supervised by engineering faculty members, student teams will organize their learning and development around concurrent projects so that the Minnesota infrastructure becomes their classroom. Initially, the scenario-based program will be offered to 25 engineering students. Over time, the program will grow to 100 students (25 in each cohort).

National reports have called for significant changes to engineering programs so that engineering graduates in 2020 will be significantly more prepared to address the socio-technical challenges in the future. The proposed academy will implement many of the recommendations in these national reports. Many companies have demonstrated interest in new approaches to engineering education, and their active participation will be key to the success of the academy. It also builds on the innovations in the two-year curriculum at Itasca Community College as well as other innovations throughout the country. This academy is an initial implementation of creative, dynamic, flexible, industry-responsive academic programs envisioned by Dr. Linda Baer, MNSCU Senior Vice Chancellor of Student and Academic Affairs.

There are five keys to the program

· Consistent emphasis on learning and development with respect to the program learning outcomes

· Ongoing assessment that provides data to students, faculty, administrators, and external stakeholders (e.g., employers, national engineering organizations) about the development of the students with respect to these program learning outcomes

· Development of the learning outcomes in the context of externally sponsored projects so that students connect their learning to applications

· Emphasis by faculty members on reflection and self-assessment so that students develop their abilities to evaluate and improve on their learning.

· Students are organized in living, learning communities that have been shown by multiple institutions, including Itasca Community College, to promote learning and development.

With the input from experts on engineering education from across the world and aggressive professional development programs for the participating faculty, the program will apply the latest research on how people learn, e.g., guided, inquiry-based learning; systematic formative feedback, and learning in groups and communities.

ABET Program Learning Outcomes (supported by industry and academia)

Outcome a: "an ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering"

· Outcome b: "an ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data"

· Outcome c: "an ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability, and sustainability"

· Outcome d: "an ability to function on multi-disciplinary teams"

· Outcome e: "an ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems"

· Outcome f: "an understanding of professional and ethical responsibility"

· Outcome g: "an ability to communicate effectively"

· Outcome h: "the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental, and societal context"

·Outcome i: "a recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in life-long learning"

· Outcome j: "a knowledge of contemporary issues"

· Outcome k: "an ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice"

That Middle Ground

I had the opportunity to have a meeting with a former grad today. He is one year out of college and came to ICC with three senior people from his firm. They met with a group of us on the faculty to propose a joint venture. The meeting lasted well over an hour and then we all went to lunch. As a new engineer in a real business environment it is hard to know where to interject into a group meeting. Some young engineers lack confidence and stay too far in the background or have to be drawn in. Some young engineers are overconfident and dominate. What absolutely impressed me today is how this ICC grad played right down the middle. He confidently stated his views, asked his questions, and then listened to what everyone else had to say.

TBL: Be conscientious in group meetings. Know your appropriate place and participate to that level.

Ethan Came Home Today

Yay!

After a nearly two week ordeal our little guy is home to begin eating and growing like a normal baby should. We couldn't be more thrilled.

On the Grand Rapids front, it is FREAKING COLD! Today being the 13th, I pulled my 13th day in a row of 43 minutes or more of cardio when Bart and I went for 1 hour+ snowshoe in our frigid climate. It was beautiful scenery.

ICC classes started up yesterday and here is a new one. Thermo is at 7 AM. It turns out this engineering subject is so exciting that even 29 college students will get up that early to learn it. Quote of the day as class was wrapping up and I was writing the hwk assignment on the board a student says "hey it's starting to get light out".

Engineering Academy update: The snowball of excitement is starting to roll down hill. We have a 4 year university chomping at the bit to be our partner in this new pedagogy. Lots to be done, but the time is ripe to try a new model for learning and we may be the one's to try it.

Daughter Liz started her first semester at Mankato State yesterday. She has her own apartment, is meeting new friends, and is excited to dance in a new program. I'm excited that she has to walk through the engineering building on the way to other classes. I told her the nerdy looking guys will make the most money!

Congrats to all of the college seniors who have recently passed the FE. Thanks for sharing your good news. Start your job searches yesterday. This will probably be the toughest year in all that I've been in this business.

And Then an Upturn

After nearly of week of living on pins and needles and wondering what the next hour would bring, it appears as though our crisis may be nearing an end. The clot in Ethan's aorta has responded to the drug TPA and is completely gone. He is off of his breathing tube and will soon be transferred to recovery where, over a few days or as long as it takes, he will be weaned off of his medicine and sent home.

My life lesson in this has been the power of prayer and people. Hundreds of friends, relatives, and their friends and relatives brought our family into their hearts and prayers. This power of humankind is overwhelming.

Thank you.

Grandparenthood Takes a Down Turn

As some of you may know and others are probably just learning, my grandson Ethan is hospitalized in a pediatric intensive care unit with a blood clot in his aorta.

Ethan was born on December 21st and was a happy healthy big boy (9lbs 15 oz). We enjoyed one week of cuddling and snuggling before coming back to GR on December 28th. On December 31st Ethan was dehydrated and having circulation issues. He was admitted to the Oklahoma University Medical Center for Children on January 1st and has been there ever since.

The clot has caused significant issues as you can imagine, though Ethan has responded well to all medications and he is staying strong. The issue is simply that there is a clot blocking 90% of flow in the 1 cm diameter aorta and the clot is one inch long. The plan has been to administer clot reducing drugs. If that doesn't work, a heart surgery will be performed to remove it.

Angie is in Oklahoma, she flew down on January 1st and will be there through at least this Saturday. Colin's parent are also there (Dad is a pastor - he has already baptized Ethan and Mom is a cardiac physiologist professor).

It is very hard to have something like this happen to someone so young and so special to my heart, but the pain compounds as I watch my daughter and son-in-law have to struggle through the scariest of experiences as young parents.

43 Minutes for 43 Days

Well, here we are into a new year. Happy New Year by the way. Every year as I turn the corner in January I try to set a reachable goal. A few years ago when I was 39, my goal was to run at least 3 miles per day for 39 days. I met the goal and it got me off to a good year of running.

Because of a foot injury, running hasn't been a part of my regular cardio plan, but things like walking, snowshoeing, skiing, exercise biking, and some basketball are. So this year, my 43rd year of life, I am doing at least 43 minutes of cardio every day for the first 43 days of the year. On day 5, so far so good.