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Retention of First Year Students in Canadian Institutes of Engineering and Technology: Affecting Factors and Solutions.

Dr. Rafiqul Islam Dept. of Industrial & Engineering Technology Northwestern State University Natchitoches, LA 71497. Tel: 318-357-5352 Fax:318-357-6145 Email: islamr@nsula.edu

Abstract

The freshman year is critical for both academic success and retention of students in engineering and technology programs. There has been argument of considering student completion rates as a fundamental measure of success of the student or the institution. But the drop out of a student after first year of education is considered overwhelmly by the education community as a terrible waste of human and financial resources. Also because of phenomenon growth, sweeping changes of technologies and the economic globalization it is rewarding to focus our whole hearted effort to retention. That is why, the author has identified the related most important factors such as student orientation and motivation, curriculum innovation and integration, underrepresented groups, human interface issues and employment opportunities.

There must be a well-established coordination between the institution’s responds for adjusting their programs and services and the today’s students’ expectation. First year seminar course that provides the basis for cohesive learning is useful. The author will demonstrate the effect of changing the sequence of courses on retention in electrical engineering technology program in a Canadian institution. The underrepresented groups specially the women whom represent nearly fifty percent of the population will be motivated to enroll and finish the program by understanding that the carriers in these fields are exciting, rewarding and accessible. Human interface issues such as active learning and teaming will be presented. The overall job prospects along with ever lasting demands in some special categories will be pointed out to the employment concern students.

The goal of this study is to retain even one student out of the dropouts by individual institution. This modest achievement will not only make a difference in his/her life but

"Proceedings of the 2002 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright © 2002, American Society of Engineering Education"

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Islam, R. (2002, June), Retention Of First Year Students In Canadian Institutes Of Engineering And Technology: Affecting Factors And Solutions Paper presented at 2002 Annual Conference, Montreal, Canada. 10.18260/1-2--10376