The College of Technology -Computer Engineering Technology (CoT -CET) program at the University of Houston has implemented an undergraduate peer mentoring model as part of an NSF-sponsored program (grant no. DUE 0737526) examining the impact of incorporating concept mapping and undergraduate mentors on student learning at the freshman and sophomore levels. The training for this mentoring model has been adapted from a peer-led team learning program [1] and incorporates concept mapping as a primary pedagogical tool for increasing mentee understanding of key concepts. This paper discusses the details of the procedures followed to develop and implement the program which includes the special training to mentors on CMAPS, assessment activities survey instruments and the contributions made within the Computer Engineering Technology discipline. Research ActivitiesThe need for increased students' capacity to engage in real world problem solving in engineering technology continues. Various pedagogical tools and models including peer-to-peer undergraduate mentoring have been used to enhance student learning as well as retention. This paper presents the preliminary results of the development and implementation of peer-to-peer mentoring with concept mapping as a primary pedagogical learning tool.

The paper presents a departmental sponsored project, CLABS (reads as C-LABS), in the Computer Engineering Technology program at the University of Houston. The initial efforts are presented during start of the project in summer 2004.The paper presents the results of formative assessment of the engineering technology laboratories: a national survey to learn more about what other schools are doing in their laboratories, the development and later analysis of different survey instruments for the full-time and part-time faculty, board of industrial advisors, teaching assistants, students, alumni and simulation software vendors. The initial tasks also included visits to the local junior colleges and community colleges where the program receives majority of its transfer students and meeting and interviewing their faculty. For better dissemination of the experiences, a CLABS web site has been developed.The major thrust behind the philosophy of the CLABS project is determined by the help of the extensive research through surveying and interaction with other colleges: to move away from the cookbook style laboratory manuals. The purpose is to achieve fun, creative, challenging and more importantly, applications-oriented laboratories that lead the students to a project as a final product of their learning experience. The paper will discuss survey results, administrative experiences and challenges in deployment. It will attempt to draw some meaningful conclusions so that it can pave the way for future laboratory development in similar programs.

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One of the most desired educational outcomes of an engineering technology department is the creation of skillful technologists who are able to approach the design and application of both hardware and software with aptitude and creativity to solve problems. The technical solutions in today's job market require special skills and training that promote cognitive flexibility, creativity, knowledge transfer and adaptability 1 . The evaluation of previous experiences in teaching laboratories shows the necessity to create a new teaching method that engages the students in the active learning process with a hands-on approach 2 . The CLABS (read as C-LABS) project, an initiative of the University of Houston's College of Technology, is an outgrowth of student and faculty opinions to design learning-centered instructional tools which would increase student engagement and address the unique requirements of stand-alone laboratory instruction. This paper will present our approach to laboratory practices and resulting performance improvements in our Computer Engineering Technology students' skills and learning experiences.

is the Director of Accreditation and Assessment Services for the College of Technology. His primary focus is the practical application of assessment and evaluation strategies to enhance educational quality in the college and university. Prior to joining the University of Houston, Dr. Ramos worked as a researcher for the Southwest Educational Development Laboratory, and as an Evaluator for Boston Connects. He earned a Ph.D. in Educational Research, Measurement and Evaluation from Boston College in 2004. William Fitzgibbon, University of Houston WILLIAM FITZGIBBON, III earned his PhD degree from Vanderbilt University. He is serving as Dean of the College of Technology and holds professorial rank in Mathematics and in Engineering Technology. He served as Chair of Mathematics, co-Head of Computer Science and President of the University of Houston Faculty Senate. He has held faculty positions at the