2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Advancing Two-Year Degree Students Towards a Bachelor's Degree in Engineering Technology: A Pilot Study

Presented at Transfer Issues Between 2-Year Colleges and 4-Year Engineering and Engineering Technology Programs 1

The majority of the students who complete a 2-year degree program often find themselves perplexing, and uncertain about their chosen major and potential career paths. This uncertainty is partly due to their limited exposure to the local industrial landscape, which hinders them from making informed decisions about their future. Consequently, these students may encounter difficulties as they strive to transition from the confines of a smaller community college to a larger, more comprehensive institution, especially when aiming to pursue a major in engineering technology. This comprehensive study is dedicated to investigating the multifaceted process of transitioning from a 2-year degree program to a 4-year curriculum, focusing specifically on the field of Engineering Technology. The primary objective is to identify the challenges and opportunities inherent in this educational journey and to formulate effective strategies for its refinement. Several challenges, including apprehensions about adapting to a larger campus environment, concerns about the advanced curriculum, anxiety related to mathematics, and uncertainties about interactions with future instructors may play key factors that can leave students in community colleges feeling hesitant and unprepared for the academic leap to a 4-year program. This study highlights the opportunities that can either eliminate or alleviate such hurdles. It aims to identify both the contributing factors and the barriers to achieving a more accessible and prosperous pathway for students as they transition from a 2-year degree to a 4-year program in Engineering Technology.

Authors

Dr. Md. Ali Haider http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2110-1025 Austin Peay State University [biography]

Dr. Md. Ali Haider is an Assistant Professor at Austin Peay State University, serving as the concentration coordinator for Electronics and Electrical Engineering Technology. His research interests include Biomedical Signal Processing, Brain-computer interface, Image processing, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and the Internet of Things (IoT). Dr. Haider has authored multiple publications on signal and image processing and serves as a reviewer for several international conferences and peer-reviewed journals, including IEEE WF-IoT, IEEE EIT, IEEE Signal Processing Letters, Journal of Signal Processing Systems, and Remote Sensing of Environment.
Dr. Hossain Ahmed http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4539-8468 Austin Peay State University [biography]

Hossain Ahmed earned an M.S. in mechanical engineering from Lamar University and a Ph.D. in mechanical and energy engineering from the University of North Texas. Dr. Ahmed is an assistant professor in the Department of Engineering Technology at Austin Peay State University, TN. His research interests are computational fluid dynamics (CFD), corrosion, and structural health monitoring (SHM). Dr. Ahmed has authored many journals, conference articles, and book chapters. He also serves as a reviewer for several international conferences and peer-reviewed journals.
Mahesh Kumar Pallikonda Austin Peay State University [biography]

Dr. Mahesh Kumar Pallikonda is a faculty member in the Department of Engineering technology at Austin Peay State University (APSU). Prior to his academic career, he gained valuable industry experience in roles ranging from New Product Development to Process Control. He holds a Ph.D. and a Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Cleveland State University, as well as a Bachelor's degree in Manufacturing Engineering from the National Institute of Advanced Manufacturing Technology. Prior to joining APSU, he served as a faculty member at Ohio Northern University, where he taught courses on the fundamentals of electronics, including electrical circuits. At APSU, Dr. Pallikonda instructs courses specializing in Robotics and its applications, Engineering Economics, CAD and Manufacturing processes. Dr. Pallikonda is passionate about educating and inspiring the next generation of engineers, technologists, and innovators through his lectures. He is deeply committed to advancing the fields of robotics and manufacturing through interdisciplinary research in connected devices and Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). His research interests span Manufacturing, Material Science, pedagogy, Lean Six Sigma, and Industry 4.0
Prof. Ravi C Manimaran Austin Peay State University [biography]

Ravi C Manimaran is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Engineering Technology, Austin Peay State University, Clarksville, Tennessee. His education includes two Master of Science degrees in Electrical and Computer Engineering and Electronics and Control Engineering. He has been actively involved in higher education leadership in various capacities as a Dean, Department Chair, PI, Project Director, and a faculty member since 1997. He has served as the PI / Project Director for multiple agencies including NSF, DOL, DOD, and Perkin’s Grant. His research interests include Industrial Automation Systems, VLSI, ASIC, and FPGA. Other areas of interest are Active Learning, Innovative Pedagogy, Higher Education Leadership and Accreditation including ABET.

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