Impact of Math Placement on Persistence and Time to Graduation In Engineering

David Gray; Olivia Ryan; James Nathaniel Newcomer; Hamidreza Taimoory

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Conference: 15th Annual First-Year Engineering Experience Conference (FYEE)
Location: Boston, Massachusetts
Publication Date: July 28, 2024
Start Date: July 28, 2024
End Date: July 30, 2024
Tagged Topic: Diversity
Page Count: 11
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--48626
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/48626
Download Count: 110

Paper Authors

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David Gray Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University orcid.org/0000-0003-0159-9150

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Dr. Gray received his B.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Virginia Tech in 2000. He then earned a M.S. and a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from Virginia Tech in 2002 and 2010, respectively. David came to the VT Engineering Education Department in 2018, and served as ADH for Undergrad from 2021 to 2024. Dr. Gray's research focuses on undergraduate research experiences, disciplinary identity development.

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Olivia Ryan Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

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Olivia Ryan is a Ph.D. student in Engineering Education at Virginia Tech. She holds a B.S. in engineering with a specialization in electrical engineering from Roger Williams University. Her research interests include developing professional skills for engineering students and understanding mathematics barriers that exist within engineering.

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James Nathaniel Newcomer Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

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I've been an Academic and Career advisor for first-year engineering students for nine years. I help first-year engineering students develop their career goals and set off on academic trajectories to help them achieve those goals.

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Hamidreza Taimoory Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University orcid.org/0000-0002-3996-4750

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Hamidreza is a Ph.D. candidate in Engineering Education and has a master's degree in industrial engineering at Virginia Tech (VT). He is currently working at the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board as a data analyst III. He is a dedicated data scientist with a passion for leveraging data to drive strategic decision-making and solve complex problems. His expertise is in quantitative research and data science. His primary research interests are transfer students, motivation, co-curricular activities, student support perceptions, and professional development in engineering education.

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Abstract

Universities, particularly land-grant or other public institutions, are increasingly coming under pressure to demonstrate the value of an undergraduate education to society. The escalating cost of student loan debt and the perceived increased cost of an undergraduate degree have intensified pressure for academic institutions to reduce time to degree and total student debt at graduation. A critical factor often overlooked in engineering program assessment is the initial math readiness of incoming students. Our study examines the implications of students' first-year math class on their persistence and eventual graduation rates. For many engineering students, beginning their academic journey at the Pre-Calculus level results in the need for remedial measures, such as summer classes or additional semesters, adding a financial burden that many cannot bear. Underrepresented minority students are disproportionately affected by inadequate Pre-Calculus preparation, as math readiness is not merely an achievement gap but rather an opportunity gap, influenced by systemic inequities in educational resources and support. The COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated these disparities, underscoring the urgency of addressing the systemic issues perpetuating these inequities. Shifting demographics in the US have resulted in an overall decreased population of college-aged students, intensifying competition for students and decreasing admission requirements. Consequently, a higher percentage of students admitted to four-year engineering degrees are entering university without prerequisite math credits, exacerbating the challenges associated with math readiness and its impact on student success. Further, engineering students’ sense of belonging has been shown to be particularly important for retention. Therefore, there is a need to understand how engineering students’ math readiness, coupled with their sense of belonging impacts persistence in the major. In this paper, we explore pre-pandemic and post-pandemic math placement, sense of belonging, and second year placement (in engineering or out of engineering) for students entering a first-year engineering program to examine historical trends. Our data collection consists of engineering students’ self-reported sense of belonging, institutional data on math placement and minority status, and national educational statistics to highlight some of the contributing factors and short-term impacts on students as a function of their initial math placement at admission. In light of these findings, we propose a need to destigmatize alternative pathways to degree as a function of math placement at admission and highlight the imperative for inclusive curricular approaches and institutional support mechanisms to foster equitable opportunities and enhance the success of all engineering students, irrespective of their initial math placement.

Citation
Format

Gray, D., & Ryan, O., & Newcomer, J. N., & Taimoory, H. (2024, July), Impact of Math Placement on Persistence and Time to Graduation In Engineering Paper presented at 15th Annual First-Year Engineering Experience Conference (FYEE), Boston, Massachusetts. 10.18260/1-2--48626

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - Universities, particularly land-grant or other public institutions, are increasingly coming under pressure to demonstrate the value of an undergraduate education to society. The escalating cost of student loan debt and the perceived increased cost of an undergraduate degree have intensified pressure for academic institutions to reduce time to degree and total student debt at graduation.  A critical factor often overlooked in engineering program assessment is the initial math readiness of incoming students. Our study examines the implications of students&#39; first-year math class on their persistence and eventual graduation rates.
For many engineering students, beginning their academic journey at the Pre-Calculus level results in the need for remedial measures, such as summer classes or additional semesters, adding a financial burden that many cannot bear. Underrepresented minority students are disproportionately affected by inadequate Pre-Calculus preparation, as math readiness is not merely an achievement gap but rather an opportunity gap, influenced by systemic inequities in educational resources and support. The COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated these disparities, underscoring the urgency of addressing the systemic issues perpetuating these inequities.  Shifting demographics in the US have resulted in an overall decreased population of college-aged students, intensifying competition for students and decreasing admission requirements. Consequently, a higher percentage of students admitted to four-year engineering degrees are entering university without prerequisite math credits, exacerbating the challenges associated with math readiness and its impact on student success. Further, engineering students’ sense of belonging has been shown to be particularly important for retention. Therefore, there is a need to understand how engineering students’ math readiness, coupled with their sense of belonging impacts persistence in the major.  
In this paper, we explore pre-pandemic and post-pandemic math placement, sense of belonging, and second year placement    (in engineering or out of engineering) for students entering a first-year engineering program to examine historical trends.  Our data collection consists of engineering students’ self-reported sense of belonging, institutional data on math placement and minority status, and national educational statistics to highlight some of the contributing factors and short-term impacts on students as a function of their initial math placement at admission.  
In light of these findings, we propose a need to destigmatize alternative pathways to degree as a function of math placement at admission and highlight the imperative for inclusive curricular approaches and institutional support mechanisms to foster equitable opportunities and enhance the success of all engineering students, irrespective of their initial math placement.

AU  - David Gray
AU  - Olivia Ryan
AU  - James Nathaniel Newcomer
AU  - Hamidreza Taimoory
CY  - Boston, Massachusetts
DA  - 2024/07/28
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Impact of Math Placement on Persistence and Time to Graduation In Engineering
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/48626
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--48626
ER  -