Tools for assessing conceptual understanding in the engineering sciences

One of the hindrances to reform in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education is the absence of good assessment instruments that can measure the value added to student learning by new ways of teaching important material. The well-known Force Concept Inventory (FCI) assessment instrument is a good model of an instrument that can be used to check on student's understanding of basic concepts in a discipline. This panel session paper discusses work in progress by the panel members and their co-developers to construct FCI-like Concept Inventories in each of the disciplines of thermodynamics, systems and signals, strength of materials, electromagnetics, circuits, materials, fluid mechanics, and transport processes.