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In order to teach to the engineering challenges of our global society we have adopted a modular approach to introduce sustainable engineering concepts to traditional civil engineering curricula. This paper highlights lessons learned from the creation, packaging, and distribution of a module that teaches Restore and Improve Urban Infrastructure, one of the fourteen Grand Challenges of Engineering issued by the National Academy of Engineering (NAE). The Sustainable Metrics (SusMet) module is a hands-on activity that engages students in disassembly of a green product and critically reviews the factors that make the product green through the process of discussion and physical disassembly. The SusMet module was packaged for adoption by a wide range of engineering instructors. The complete module package contains: a summary of learning objectives and module activities, lecture slides and notes, recommended readings, detailed description of the experiential learning activity, an assignment, and a pre-and post-module cognitive assessment. The module package was shared though the developers' networks and within the last year was placed online for free download on our engineering education website (STEMed.engineering.asu.edu). Since then, the module has spread to several classrooms across the country and has been used into two senior-level, interdisciplinary design courses to educate both civil engineers as well as students majoring in sustainability. Since the activity itself requires expensive chairs that can be cumbersome to move around large campuses, the module's transferability and widespread adoption is slightly hindered. This paper presents the decision matrix used to evaluate replacements for the chair to enhance the transferability and portability of this active and experiential learning module. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complex global challenges require multidisciplinary, sustainable solutions; the next generation of engineering students must be prepared to apply sustainability concepts to solve these challenges. Many undergraduate engineering students, however, report that they do not feel prepared to address these challenges because they were not introduced to these concepts during their engineering education. In addition, students report educational deficiencies of real world engineering and applied sustainability concepts as areas that need critical improvement in their education. This NSF TUES 2 project evaluates two methods for integrating grand challenges and sustainability into engineering curricula, termed as the stand-alone course method, and the module method. In the stand-alone course method, engineering programs establish one to two distinct courses that are designed to address sustainability grand challenges in depth. In the module method, engineering programs integrate sustainability grand challenges throughout a host of existing courses and weave student exposure throughout the curriculum. We are implementing and monitoring these two strategies in five different engineering programs, from research universities-extensive to community colleges; the collaborating institutions include the University of Pittsburgh, Community College of Allegheny County (located in PA), Arizona State University, Mesa Community College (located in AZ), and Laney College (located in CA). We have also engaged a sixth instruction to participate, Chandler-Gilbert Community College (located in AZ), due to the relocation of one of our collaborators. This paper summarizes the progress and accomplishments during years one and two of this 1 collaborative TUES 2 research project . We review the development of ready-made, stand-alone sustainability courses and ready-made sustainability themed modules that employ experiential learning developed over the past two years. This review includes the packaging of three courses and fourteen modules on topics from green building to life cycle assessment to applied sustainability topics for engineers. In addition, we present the dialogues and critical collaborations that have lead to a successful first two years in establishing a stable network to explore both the stand-alone and module methods. Ultimately, through this TUES 2 research project, we aim to develop succinct recommendations regarding best practices for universities integrating sustainability and systems thinking into engineering curricula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Engineering is a field marked by critical thinking, problem solving, and application of vast amounts of scientific and technical knowledge. College-level engineering courses often focus on learning scientific material and are challenged to provide an opportunity for students to apply this material or develop the above skills necessary for success in the field. Because of this disconnect, a teaching method known as the flipped classroom is gaining consideration and implementation in engineering classes as well as in classrooms of many levels and disciplines. In a flipped classroom, live class lectures are moved out of classroom and replaced with on-line videos, and active, project-based learning activities are done in their place. At the University of Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania State University two sustainable engineering courses focused on residential energy efficiency were flipped, and the impact this method had on the students was investigated. For this study, data was collected using pre- and post-confidence tests, a final course reflection survey, and the College and University Classroom Environment Inventory (CUCEI). This data was then analyzed and used to develop conclusions on the students' perception of the flipped classroom teaching method and the course. Students in both courses frequently expressed that they learned various personal skills such as leadership, listening, and communication, which were consistent with class objectives. The tones of the student responses were positive, and on the CUCEI, the students scored the class environment above average. The highest scoring section of the CUCEI, 4 out of 5, was Personalization, which includes professor availability and highlights how a flipped classroom provides students with more opportunity to interact and connect personally with the teacher. As expected, the Involvement section, pertaining to student participation in in-class activities and class discussions, also scored high at 3.94 out of 5. Student comments were generally positive such as, "It was great that there was always time in class to ask about the module and topics I didn't understand," or, "I thought it created a more comfortable learning environment in class and allowed students to learn in their own way at home." Our findings suggest that the flipped classroom was a successful teaching method for these sustainable engineering courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]