2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Work-in-Progress: This paper describes the design and ongoing evaluation of a new senior-level course of ENGR 4750: Mechanical Engineering Labs in the Department of Engineering, Engineering Technology, and Surveying at East Tennessee State University (ETSU) that integrates hands-on experiments across fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, and heat transfer to reinforce previously learned theory. The laboratory sequence includes Bernoulli flow measurement, turbine performance (Francis/Pelton), centrifugal pump characterization, pressure losses in a piping system, wind tunnel aerodynamics, four-stroke engine testing (diesel and petrol), cross-flow water-to-air heat exchanger analysis, and transient/conduction experiments in metals. The goals are to (i) strengthen students’ conceptual understanding through experiment-theory alignment, (ii) develop measurement, analysis, and communication skills, and (iii) document student perceptions of learning value in a first-offering context.
A mixed-methods assessment plan is adopted. Three lecture sessions provide conceptual foundations for the experiments, five short post-lab quizzes test learning outcomes, and rubric-based reports capture data acquisition, uncertainty analysis, and result interpretation. In addition, students complete an end-of-course survey (5-point Likert scales + open-ended items) on perceived gains in understanding, confidence with instrumentation, and ability to connect models to real data. Engagement indicators such as lab attendance, teamwork during experiments, and on-time submissions are also tracked.
The WIP is expected to contribute in threefold: (1) sharing instrument set and alignment matrix mapping each lab to ABET student outcomes (e.g., experimentation and data analysis, communication, and engineering judgment); (2) reporting initial results from the first semester’s deployment at a regional public university, including pre/post gains on targeted concepts (e.g., pump head–flow tradeoffs and friction factor interpretation), rubric-based performance trends, and student perceptions of value; and (3) demonstrating the application of an ABET-aligned experimentation rubric to evaluate student performance on a representative lab experiment. The rubric assesses setup, data collection, analysis, and conclusions, highlighting strengths (e.g., identification of appropriate tests, correct application of statistical tools, and so on), gaps (e.g., limited calibration checks and inconsistent uncertainty analysis), and targeted improvement actions (e.g., adding calibration exercises, requiring error propagation, standardizing report templates, and so on). Embedding this evidence-based rubric into course evaluation illustrates how hands-on lab courses can both reinforce theoretical knowledge and provide measurable outcomes for accreditation and continuous improvement. By the time of the conference, we expect to include full-cohort analyses, item reliabilities, thematic coding of qualitative responses, and revised lab guides and rubrics based on the pilot.
This work provides an actionable template for programs launching or revising senior Mechanical Engineering laboratory courses, highlighting practical instruments, data collection strategies, and iterative improvements that other institutions can readily adapt.