Lizabeth Schlemer | California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo (original) (raw)
Papers by Lizabeth Schlemer
Linda Vanasupa has been a professor of materials engineering at the California Polytechnic State ... more Linda Vanasupa has been a professor of materials engineering at the California Polytechnic State University since 1991. She also serves as co-director of the Center for Sustainability in Engineering at Cal Poly. Her recent work is focused on creating ways of learning, living and being that are alternatives to the industrial era solutions-alternatives that nourish ourselves, one another and the places in which we live. Her Ph.D. and M.S. degrees are in materials science and engineering from Stanford University (1991 and 1987) and her B.S. degree in metallurgical engineering from the Michigan Technological University (1985).
She has 10 years of work experience at Unocal Corporation where she held positions of increasing ... more She has 10 years of work experience at Unocal Corporation where she held positions of increasing responsibility. Most of her current research activities center around engineering education and enhancing engagement through valid contexts like project based learning and community service. She teaches a wide range of subjects from Engineering Economy to Facilities Planning and Design. She has developed good relation ships with local industry and provides her students with opportunities to participate in real projects for real clients.
Lizabeth is a professor at Cal Poly, SLO in Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering. She has bee... more Lizabeth is a professor at Cal Poly, SLO in Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering. She has been teaching for 23 years and has continued to develop innovative pedagogy such as project based, flipped classroom and competency grading. Through the SUSTAIN SLO learning initiative she and her colleagues have been active researching in transformation in higher education.
Obispo, includes a thorough review of time value of money, investment evaluation, inflation, risk... more Obispo, includes a thorough review of time value of money, investment evaluation, inflation, risk and return, financing decisions, corporate investment strategies, risk analysis and decisions incorporating non-monetary considerations. Historically this course was taught using an advanced text where the topics were covered sequentially. A redesign of the course now includes the construction of a stock price prediction model for a company of the student's choice. Through the model, the topics are covered and discussed in the context of the large model-building project. For instance, inflation is discussed when students collect historic data on the company's performance and use that data to forecast into the future. Issues of discount rate and variability in inflation become evident as students wrestle with the past and the future. The concepts of risk, return and the capital asset pricing model are introduced as students begin to understand how the required return for equity holders is not only dependent on the underlying risk of the assets, but on the leverage of the firm. Given varying levels of debt, the relative stability of the required return on the assets (as opposed to the equity) emerges as a better analysis tool. This paper will discuss this project-based method in detail and give examples of instructional pedagogy that includes "Project Based Learning," "Pull instruction," and the use of a "Flipped Classroom." In addition, student feedback on the topic is included.
2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition Proceedings, Sep 4, 2020
This paper addresses the challenge of representing the transformational learning that occurs when... more This paper addresses the challenge of representing the transformational learning that occurs when students participate in high impact practices such as project-based, multidisciplinary activities, or first year experiences. This paper illustrates the context and components of one such multidisciplinary , first year experience called SUSTAIN SLO, at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, and describes the use of qualitative narrative analysis done to gain insight into learning outcomes beyond typical institutional measures like retention and grades. To research these less quantifiable outcomes, 22 students were interviewed one year after their experience in SUSTAIN SLO. A team of one faculty member, a recent graduate, and four undergraduate students used qualitative analysis techniques to see how the student narratives spoke to these two questions: 1) How is SUSTAIN different than the traditional course experience? and 2) How did SUSTAIN affect you? In their interviews, students reported that SUSTAIN SLO was different than traditional experiences as it included 1) open assignments and structure, 2) a new look at education and learning, 3) different relationship with faculty and peers, 4) a recognition of the importance of space to be yourself, and 5) significant collaboration and team building. As for the impact of these differences, students reported 1) increased capacity for personal reflection, 2) a new sense of ownership in education, 3) a discovery of internal motivation and the joy of learning, and 4) deepened friendships that led to an increased capacity for collaboration and risk taking and an increased sense of support and resilience. The students also described negative aspects of their experiences, including 1) struggling to learn with the open assignments and structure, 2) difficulty forming lasting relationships in the emerging community, and 3) trouble integrating back into "normal" classes after their experience with SUSTAIN SLO. The paper explores these themes in more detail and concludes with a reflection by the undergraduate researchers on their experience in performing the research.
Language is embodied. Words and metaphors that we use in our classrooms are literally neurologica... more Language is embodied. Words and metaphors that we use in our classrooms are literally neurologically sourced in shared cognitive frames or schemas. Because the field of engineering in the U.S. grew out of the military, the culturally-habitual cognitive frames derive from a "war" frame. Frames activate associated neurological states that can work against students’ ability to learn. As an example, faculty will often describe assignments as a gauntlet, which has an original meaning of "undergoing the military punishment of receiving blows while running between two rows of men with sticks." This word can elicit a neurological state of fear which causes the release of biochemicals that undermine making synaptic connections—the stuff of learning. In this paper we propose a practice of creating a frame of peace through the use of a syllabus-replacement that we call a Pledge. Unlike a traditional syllabus, this pledge—which means a solemn promise—activates schema involving mutual respect, generosity and freedom. In this paper, we will briefly review the research of cognitive frames and how language can affect the learning environment. Through a small sample of syllabi published online from three universities, we express the state of this typical document used in higher education. We then contrast the frames of traditional syllabi with those of our pledge concept. We suggest design guidelines for people to create Peaceful pledges for their own courses.
Obispo, includes a thorough review of time value of money, investment evaluation, inflation, risk... more Obispo, includes a thorough review of time value of money, investment evaluation, inflation, risk and return, financing decisions, corporate investment strategies, risk analysis and decisions incorporating non-monetary considerations. Historically this course was taught using an advanced text where the topics were covered sequentially. A redesign of the course now includes the construction of a stock price prediction model for a company of the student's choice. Through the model, the topics are covered and discussed in the context of the large model-building project. For instance, inflation is discussed when students collect historic data on the company's performance and use that data to forecast into the future. Issues of discount rate and variability in inflation become evident as students wrestle with the past and the future. The concepts of risk, return and the capital asset pricing model are introduced as students begin to understand how the required return for equity holders is not only dependent on the underlying risk of the assets, but on the leverage of the firm. Given varying levels of debt, the relative stability of the required return on the assets (as opposed to the equity) emerges as a better analysis tool. This paper will discuss this project-based method in detail and give examples of instructional pedagogy that includes "Project Based Learning," "Pull instruction," and the use of a "Flipped Classroom." In addition, student feedback on the topic is included.
He received his Ph.D. in industrial engineering in 1996 from the University of Illinois at Urbana... more He received his Ph.D. in industrial engineering in 1996 from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. At Cal Poly he teaches mainly in the manufacturing processes area, including Manufacturing Process Design, Tool Engineering, Computer-Aided Manufacturing, and Quality Engineering. He worked for two years in Chicago as a Quality/Manufacturing Engineer at ATF, Inc., a supplier of specialty coldformed and machined components for automotive applications. His research interests are in cutting tool design and machining process modeling and monitoring. He is the lead instructional faculty in the manufacturing engineering program. His publications are mainly in tool wear modeling and engineering education activities. He recently served as conference chair for a 2005 manufacturing engineering education conference at
2018 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition Proceedings, Sep 10, 2020
Lizabeth is an Associate Dean and a professor at Cal Poly, SLO in Industrial and Manufacturing En... more Lizabeth is an Associate Dean and a professor at Cal Poly, SLO in Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering. In her current role so advocates for access and equity for undergraduates at the university. She has been teaching for 25 years and has continued to develop innovative pedagogy such as project based, flipped classroom and competency grading. Through the SUSTAIN SLO learning initiative she and her colleagues have been active researching in transformation in higher education.
2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access Proceedings, Sep 8, 2020
Angeles. He has an extensive background in facilitating asset-based approaches towards teaching t... more Angeles. He has an extensive background in facilitating asset-based approaches towards teaching through equity-minded workshops in community colleges, public, and private four-year institutions. He received his BA in Sociology from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, his MA in Higher Education and Student Affairs from New York University, and his Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from University of Southern California.
A senior exit exam is considered an excellent direct measure of student learning for ABET assessm... more A senior exit exam is considered an excellent direct measure of student learning for ABET assessment, but the usefulness of the information gathered is related to the validity and reliability of the test itself.
International Journal of Engineering, Social Justice, and Peace
In engineering education there is fairly wide recognition of the value of community-based work fo... more In engineering education there is fairly wide recognition of the value of community-based work for student engineers. However, such interactions are often conflicted, spread between the fear that there might be some exploitation of the community for educational purposes, or perceptions of a lack of honest integration and participation by students, within their busy educational term-sessions. How can we, as academics, play a role in developing more progressive university and community connections, with greater intention in the role that students and universities play? In this shared conversation, four academics and a student participate in an online conversation over several months, developing a discourse that explores, and rather than proposing, and remains open to further exploration.
If you are part of a faculty meeting, a committee, or a learning community of instructors, you wi... more If you are part of a faculty meeting, a committee, or a learning community of instructors, you will sooner or later hear the same conversation - the conversation that begins with complaints about students. The attributions about lack of engagement, focus on grades, or the entitlement of this generation are common, and though typically unexamined such complaints are not completely ungrounded. This narrative creates a community around a shared “problem.” This camaraderie is natural, but what are the consequences? Beyond whether such statements are “true,” we believe these assumptions about students are affecting student learning. There is a phenomenon in education known as “self-fulfilling prophesy” where what we believe about students becomes manifest in part because instructors behave in ways that bring about what the instructor initially expects. As a first step in exploring these assumptions, 150 participants in a Teaching Professor Conference in May 2014, generated a list of assumptions they held about students. These assumptions were categorized into four dimensions: Motivation, Behavior, Preparation, and Systems with each dimension having a continuum. This paper describes the taxonomy and references theories to support the organization. The paper will give examples of the assumptions and discuss the next steps to validate the ideas.
Integrating three courses (one sophomore level, two senior level) through Project Based Learning ... more Integrating three courses (one sophomore level, two senior level) through Project Based Learning (PBL) within the Industrial Engineering curriculum at the California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo is presented. Three courses (IME 443 Facilities Planning and Design - senior level; IME 420 Simulation - senior level; and IME 223 Process Improvement Fundamentals - sophomore level) were linked by various mechanisms: Common industry projects, common students in two of the three courses; senior students having access to sophomores in their teams to carry out time consuming tasks such as time studies, and sophomores having access to seniors as team members, and as coaches and mentors. “Industry partners” opened their doors to a group of students to identify “process improvement opportunities”. Each student team included students from each of the participating classes. Scheduling of courses back to back in the morning provided students longer periods of class time to visit com...
Linda Vanasupa has been a professor of materials engineering at the California Polytechnic State ... more Linda Vanasupa has been a professor of materials engineering at the California Polytechnic State University since 1991. She also serves as co-director of the Center for Sustainability in Engineering at Cal Poly. Her recent work is focused on creating ways of learning, living and being that are alternatives to the industrial era solutions-alternatives that nourish ourselves, one another and the places in which we live. Her Ph.D. and M.S. degrees are in materials science and engineering from Stanford University (1991 and 1987) and her B.S. degree in metallurgical engineering from the Michigan Technological University (1985).
She has 10 years of work experience at Unocal Corporation where she held positions of increasing ... more She has 10 years of work experience at Unocal Corporation where she held positions of increasing responsibility. Most of her current research activities center around engineering education and enhancing engagement through valid contexts like project based learning and community service. She teaches a wide range of subjects from Engineering Economy to Facilities Planning and Design. She has developed good relation ships with local industry and provides her students with opportunities to participate in real projects for real clients.
Lizabeth is a professor at Cal Poly, SLO in Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering. She has bee... more Lizabeth is a professor at Cal Poly, SLO in Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering. She has been teaching for 23 years and has continued to develop innovative pedagogy such as project based, flipped classroom and competency grading. Through the SUSTAIN SLO learning initiative she and her colleagues have been active researching in transformation in higher education.
Obispo, includes a thorough review of time value of money, investment evaluation, inflation, risk... more Obispo, includes a thorough review of time value of money, investment evaluation, inflation, risk and return, financing decisions, corporate investment strategies, risk analysis and decisions incorporating non-monetary considerations. Historically this course was taught using an advanced text where the topics were covered sequentially. A redesign of the course now includes the construction of a stock price prediction model for a company of the student's choice. Through the model, the topics are covered and discussed in the context of the large model-building project. For instance, inflation is discussed when students collect historic data on the company's performance and use that data to forecast into the future. Issues of discount rate and variability in inflation become evident as students wrestle with the past and the future. The concepts of risk, return and the capital asset pricing model are introduced as students begin to understand how the required return for equity holders is not only dependent on the underlying risk of the assets, but on the leverage of the firm. Given varying levels of debt, the relative stability of the required return on the assets (as opposed to the equity) emerges as a better analysis tool. This paper will discuss this project-based method in detail and give examples of instructional pedagogy that includes "Project Based Learning," "Pull instruction," and the use of a "Flipped Classroom." In addition, student feedback on the topic is included.
2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition Proceedings, Sep 4, 2020
This paper addresses the challenge of representing the transformational learning that occurs when... more This paper addresses the challenge of representing the transformational learning that occurs when students participate in high impact practices such as project-based, multidisciplinary activities, or first year experiences. This paper illustrates the context and components of one such multidisciplinary , first year experience called SUSTAIN SLO, at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, and describes the use of qualitative narrative analysis done to gain insight into learning outcomes beyond typical institutional measures like retention and grades. To research these less quantifiable outcomes, 22 students were interviewed one year after their experience in SUSTAIN SLO. A team of one faculty member, a recent graduate, and four undergraduate students used qualitative analysis techniques to see how the student narratives spoke to these two questions: 1) How is SUSTAIN different than the traditional course experience? and 2) How did SUSTAIN affect you? In their interviews, students reported that SUSTAIN SLO was different than traditional experiences as it included 1) open assignments and structure, 2) a new look at education and learning, 3) different relationship with faculty and peers, 4) a recognition of the importance of space to be yourself, and 5) significant collaboration and team building. As for the impact of these differences, students reported 1) increased capacity for personal reflection, 2) a new sense of ownership in education, 3) a discovery of internal motivation and the joy of learning, and 4) deepened friendships that led to an increased capacity for collaboration and risk taking and an increased sense of support and resilience. The students also described negative aspects of their experiences, including 1) struggling to learn with the open assignments and structure, 2) difficulty forming lasting relationships in the emerging community, and 3) trouble integrating back into "normal" classes after their experience with SUSTAIN SLO. The paper explores these themes in more detail and concludes with a reflection by the undergraduate researchers on their experience in performing the research.
Language is embodied. Words and metaphors that we use in our classrooms are literally neurologica... more Language is embodied. Words and metaphors that we use in our classrooms are literally neurologically sourced in shared cognitive frames or schemas. Because the field of engineering in the U.S. grew out of the military, the culturally-habitual cognitive frames derive from a "war" frame. Frames activate associated neurological states that can work against students’ ability to learn. As an example, faculty will often describe assignments as a gauntlet, which has an original meaning of "undergoing the military punishment of receiving blows while running between two rows of men with sticks." This word can elicit a neurological state of fear which causes the release of biochemicals that undermine making synaptic connections—the stuff of learning. In this paper we propose a practice of creating a frame of peace through the use of a syllabus-replacement that we call a Pledge. Unlike a traditional syllabus, this pledge—which means a solemn promise—activates schema involving mutual respect, generosity and freedom. In this paper, we will briefly review the research of cognitive frames and how language can affect the learning environment. Through a small sample of syllabi published online from three universities, we express the state of this typical document used in higher education. We then contrast the frames of traditional syllabi with those of our pledge concept. We suggest design guidelines for people to create Peaceful pledges for their own courses.
Obispo, includes a thorough review of time value of money, investment evaluation, inflation, risk... more Obispo, includes a thorough review of time value of money, investment evaluation, inflation, risk and return, financing decisions, corporate investment strategies, risk analysis and decisions incorporating non-monetary considerations. Historically this course was taught using an advanced text where the topics were covered sequentially. A redesign of the course now includes the construction of a stock price prediction model for a company of the student's choice. Through the model, the topics are covered and discussed in the context of the large model-building project. For instance, inflation is discussed when students collect historic data on the company's performance and use that data to forecast into the future. Issues of discount rate and variability in inflation become evident as students wrestle with the past and the future. The concepts of risk, return and the capital asset pricing model are introduced as students begin to understand how the required return for equity holders is not only dependent on the underlying risk of the assets, but on the leverage of the firm. Given varying levels of debt, the relative stability of the required return on the assets (as opposed to the equity) emerges as a better analysis tool. This paper will discuss this project-based method in detail and give examples of instructional pedagogy that includes "Project Based Learning," "Pull instruction," and the use of a "Flipped Classroom." In addition, student feedback on the topic is included.
He received his Ph.D. in industrial engineering in 1996 from the University of Illinois at Urbana... more He received his Ph.D. in industrial engineering in 1996 from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. At Cal Poly he teaches mainly in the manufacturing processes area, including Manufacturing Process Design, Tool Engineering, Computer-Aided Manufacturing, and Quality Engineering. He worked for two years in Chicago as a Quality/Manufacturing Engineer at ATF, Inc., a supplier of specialty coldformed and machined components for automotive applications. His research interests are in cutting tool design and machining process modeling and monitoring. He is the lead instructional faculty in the manufacturing engineering program. His publications are mainly in tool wear modeling and engineering education activities. He recently served as conference chair for a 2005 manufacturing engineering education conference at
2018 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition Proceedings, Sep 10, 2020
Lizabeth is an Associate Dean and a professor at Cal Poly, SLO in Industrial and Manufacturing En... more Lizabeth is an Associate Dean and a professor at Cal Poly, SLO in Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering. In her current role so advocates for access and equity for undergraduates at the university. She has been teaching for 25 years and has continued to develop innovative pedagogy such as project based, flipped classroom and competency grading. Through the SUSTAIN SLO learning initiative she and her colleagues have been active researching in transformation in higher education.
2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access Proceedings, Sep 8, 2020
Angeles. He has an extensive background in facilitating asset-based approaches towards teaching t... more Angeles. He has an extensive background in facilitating asset-based approaches towards teaching through equity-minded workshops in community colleges, public, and private four-year institutions. He received his BA in Sociology from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, his MA in Higher Education and Student Affairs from New York University, and his Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from University of Southern California.
A senior exit exam is considered an excellent direct measure of student learning for ABET assessm... more A senior exit exam is considered an excellent direct measure of student learning for ABET assessment, but the usefulness of the information gathered is related to the validity and reliability of the test itself.
International Journal of Engineering, Social Justice, and Peace
In engineering education there is fairly wide recognition of the value of community-based work fo... more In engineering education there is fairly wide recognition of the value of community-based work for student engineers. However, such interactions are often conflicted, spread between the fear that there might be some exploitation of the community for educational purposes, or perceptions of a lack of honest integration and participation by students, within their busy educational term-sessions. How can we, as academics, play a role in developing more progressive university and community connections, with greater intention in the role that students and universities play? In this shared conversation, four academics and a student participate in an online conversation over several months, developing a discourse that explores, and rather than proposing, and remains open to further exploration.
If you are part of a faculty meeting, a committee, or a learning community of instructors, you wi... more If you are part of a faculty meeting, a committee, or a learning community of instructors, you will sooner or later hear the same conversation - the conversation that begins with complaints about students. The attributions about lack of engagement, focus on grades, or the entitlement of this generation are common, and though typically unexamined such complaints are not completely ungrounded. This narrative creates a community around a shared “problem.” This camaraderie is natural, but what are the consequences? Beyond whether such statements are “true,” we believe these assumptions about students are affecting student learning. There is a phenomenon in education known as “self-fulfilling prophesy” where what we believe about students becomes manifest in part because instructors behave in ways that bring about what the instructor initially expects. As a first step in exploring these assumptions, 150 participants in a Teaching Professor Conference in May 2014, generated a list of assumptions they held about students. These assumptions were categorized into four dimensions: Motivation, Behavior, Preparation, and Systems with each dimension having a continuum. This paper describes the taxonomy and references theories to support the organization. The paper will give examples of the assumptions and discuss the next steps to validate the ideas.
Integrating three courses (one sophomore level, two senior level) through Project Based Learning ... more Integrating three courses (one sophomore level, two senior level) through Project Based Learning (PBL) within the Industrial Engineering curriculum at the California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo is presented. Three courses (IME 443 Facilities Planning and Design - senior level; IME 420 Simulation - senior level; and IME 223 Process Improvement Fundamentals - sophomore level) were linked by various mechanisms: Common industry projects, common students in two of the three courses; senior students having access to sophomores in their teams to carry out time consuming tasks such as time studies, and sophomores having access to seniors as team members, and as coaches and mentors. “Industry partners” opened their doors to a group of students to identify “process improvement opportunities”. Each student team included students from each of the participating classes. Scheduling of courses back to back in the morning provided students longer periods of class time to visit com...