2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

WIP: Curriculum Reform and Engineering Software Integration for Student Outcomes and Continuous Improvement in a Civil Engineering Program

Presented at Curriculum Reform and Continuous Improvement in Civil Engineering Education

Rapid technological change and evolving industry expectations require civil engineering programs to continuously align curricula, instructional resources, and assessment systems with professional practice. Following an extensive self-study, a civil engineering program implemented a coordinated curriculum reform and expanded integration of engineering software beginning in Fall 2024. While such reforms are increasingly common, their measurable impact on ABET Student Outcomes and the effectiveness of continuous improvement processes remains underexplored.
This Work-in-Progress study evaluates the early effects of curriculum reform and engineering software integration on selected ABET Student Outcomes (SO 1 – Problem Solving, SO 2 – Engineering Design, SO 5 – Teamwork, and SO 6 – Experimentation and Data Analysis) and examines how these changes influence the program’s continuous improvement cycle. Guided by outcome-based assessment principles and an ABET-aligned continuous improvement framework, a mixed-methods quasi-experimental design compares pre-reform (Fall 2021 to Spring 2024) and post-reform (Fall 2024 to Spring 2025) assessment evidence. Quantitative data are drawn from aggregated course-level outcome indicators and assessment summaries, while qualitative data include faculty reflections and stakeholder feedback.
Preliminary findings indicate early improvements in student performance in problem solving and experimentation and data analysis, alongside identified performance gaps in engineering design and teamwork that continue to inform targeted instructional refinement. Additional findings suggest improved consistency in outcome measurement and enhanced clarity and usability of assessment data within the continuous improvement process. This study contributes an evidence-informed evaluation approach for civil engineering programs seeking to integrate digital tools while maintaining rigorous, ABET-aligned assessment and continuous improvement practices.

Authors

Julius Ogaga Etuke http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2710-2803 Morgan State University [biography]

Julius Ogaga Etuke is a seasoned civil engineer and Ph.D. Candidate in Civil Engineering at Morgan State University, where his research focuses on sustainable and resilient infrastructure engineering. With over 15 years of consulting and project leadership experience, primarily in Nigeria's infrastructure landscape, he brings a robust, practical perspective to academic inquiry. His doctoral research is at the cutting edge of transportation resilience, integrating virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR), climate adaptation modeling, and data-driven solutions to improve disaster preparedness and risk mitigation in complex transportation systems. As a COREN-registered engineer and member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, his work emphasizes impactful research and consultancy that bridges structural design principles with urgent sustainability and resilience challenges.
Micheal Oketunde Okegbola http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2817-4737 Morgan State University [biography]

Surv. Micheal Okegbola is a faculty member with the Department of Surveying and Geoinformatics, Federal School of Surveying, Oyo, Oyo State, Nigeria and an Adjunct with the Surveying and Geoinformatics department, Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo, Oyo State, Nigeria where he teaches undergraduate and graduate courses. Surv. Micheal is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure Engineering with a focus on Transportation Systems Engineering at the Department of Civil Engineering, Morgan State University. He is also a research assistant at the Sustainable Infrastructure Development, Smart Innovation and Resilient Engineering Research Laboratory also at the Civil Engineering Department. His research interests include UAV applications in high-rise and bridge infrastructures monitoring, Remote Sensing and GIS in engineering applications, engineering education, student success and hands-on engineering pedagogy for program enhancements.

He is a University of Nigeria (UNN) Alum, having earned his M.Sc. in Surveying and Geoinformatics (Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System). He previously completed a B.Sc. in Surveying and Geoinformatics, at the Lead City University, Ibadan, Nigeria. Surv. Micheal had developed passion for research, and he is an enthusiast when it comes to teaching and tutoring the young professionals in the field of Surveying Engineering. This will not be complete without adding that He also obtained National Diploma (an equivalent of associate degree), Higher National Diploma (an equivalent of bachelor's degree) and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Surveying and Geoinformatics from the Federal School of Surveying, Oyo, Oyo State Nigeria and University of Nigeria respectively.
Dr. Oludare Adegbola Owolabi P.E. Morgan State University [biography]

Dr. Oludare Owolabi, a professional engineer in Maryland, joined the Morgan State University faculty in 2010. He is the director of the Sustainable Infrastructure Development, Smart Innovation and Resilient Engineering Research Lab, Department of Civil Engineering at Morgan State University.
Taiwo O Ogunlade Morgan State University [biography]

Taiwo O. Ogunlade is a Structural and Bridge Engineer at Century Engineering, a Kleinfelder Company, in Hunt Valley, Maryland, specializing in the design, inspection, and rehabilitation of highway bridge structures across Maryland, Delaware, and Pennsylvania. He holds a Master of Engineering (MEng) in Civil Engineering from Morgan State University Maryland and is currently pursuing a doctoral degree at the same institution, with research focused on infrastructure performance, sustainable materials, and applications of machine learning in Bridge Inspections.

With over eight years of engineering experience including four years in residential and highway infrastructure construction in Nigeria and four years in bridge design in the United States, Ogunlade brings a strong integration of field construction knowledge and structural engineering expertise. At Kleinfelder, he has contributed to significant regional bridge projects involving structural analysis, QA/QC oversight, and CADD-based design. Alongside his practice, he is actively engaged in doctoral research, including journal writing and reflecting his commitment to advancing civil and structural engineering through both professional practice and scholarly contribution.

Note

The full paper will be available to logged in and registered conference attendees once the conference starts on June 21, 2026, and to all visitors after the conference ends on June 24, 2026

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