Senior Exit Survey

Spring 2001

This survey was administered by the GT Office of Assessment in April 2001 with the help of Georgia Tech AIAA Student Chapter. No faculty members were present. Initially 13 graduating seniors attended a one-hour session. Subsequently, at the encouragement of the faculty member teaching the capstone design course, another 15 students completed the surveys in hardcopy. The total number of respondents was thus 28, out of 51 students who graduated in the previous year. Slightly over half of the respondents are members of an AE honor society and are planning to attend graduate school.

Overall, the students have a positive view of their education at GT, with three quarters of them stating that they would recommend the experience to a friend or relative.

On a scale of 1 to 4 (with 4 being the highest), the students' average ratings of how well their AE education has contributed to their knowledge and skills in different areas are as follows. Numbers from the previous year are included for comparison.

                                                                                                  

2001

   2000

· apply knowledge of mathematics

3.63

3.77

· apply knowledge of physics

3.70

3.69

· apply knowledge of chemistry

2.48

2.54

· identify and formulate engineering problems

3.63

3.92

· formulate alternative solutions to engineering problems

3.44

3.31

· formulate alternative solutions to engineering testing

3.15

3.08

· design a system, component, or process to user needs

3.00

3.31

· apply modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice

2.93

3.31

· understand the societal impact of engineering solutions

2.19

2.69

· understand the environmental impact of engineering solutions

2.15

2.54

· produce written reports regarding technical topics

3.37

3.69

· deliver oral reports regarding technical topics

3.00

3.00

The students' level of satisfaction with the AE program in several aspects were also assessed on a scale of 1 to 4:

                                                                                                  

2001

   2000

· adequacy of required curriculum relative to professional needs

2.93

2.93

· availability of elective offerings

1.81

2.38

· adequacy of prerequisite courses

2.59

2.92

We also asked students to evaluate their training in several core disciplines regarding analytical skills, laboratory skills and independent research. On a scale of 1 to 10, the mean scores for analytical skills are lowest for Astronautics (4.55) and highest for Aerodynamics (7.85). However, for most disciplines training in laboratory skills appear to lag behind the analytical, with independent research receiving the lowest rating.

Issues of significance which are suggested by the numbers above or noted explicitly by more than one respondent are reviewed below.

  1. The quality and expertise of our faculty members is consistently cited as the greatest strength of the School. However, the quality of teaching varies: some individuals are very approachable and willing to help, while some others are perceived as disinterested, or showing inadequate outward respect for students in their classes.
  2. A similar concern from the students' viewpoint is that some faculty members are perceived as, while focusing on research, not giving adequate attention to teaching and academic advising.
  3. Students continue to have a desire for seeing greater availability of elective courses, particularly in astronautics or space-related subjects but also in propulsion.
  4. Students have expressed reservations concerning the senior capstone design course in that its contents may be not fully up-to-date, and that the design projects are structured in a way that does not adequately promote independent and innovative thinking.
  5. Students would like to see extended hours for the AE computer laboratory, and more opportunities for learning computer programming.
  6. Our training of students regarding issues of professional ethics, societal and environmental awareness lags behind that in matters of technical or coursework competence.
  7. Naturally, there was a range of comments about specific courses. Courses that appear to be the most unsatisfactory (being frustrating, difficult, or seen as less useful) as they are currently taught are (a) flight dynamics and vibrations, and (b) aeroelasticity.