Conference Session

FPD 2: Retention

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Lizzie Santiago, West Virginia University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

engineeringdegree, and whether a student have chosen an engineering discipline to pursue. Several surveysadministered at strategic time points during the semester were used to track level of interest inpursuing engineering and to identify key events that can be consider as precursors to leavingengineering. Reflection essays were also employed to understand how the first semesterexperience affects student’s perception of engineering as a career of choice.An analysis of entrance surveys indicated a high level of interest in pursuing an engineeringdegree in most students surveyed. Key events, such as their first calculus test, triggeredindecision in some of the students. Early results identified a group of students at risk of leavingengineering during the

Conference Session

First-Year Programs (FPD) Poster Session

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Alyssa N Berg, University of Colorado Boulder; Janet Y Tsai, University of Colorado at Boulder; Virginia Lea Ferguson, Mechanical Engineering; University of Colorado; Boulder, CO; Beverly Louie, University of Colorado, Boulder

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

beginningtheir research. The students also complete a post-research survey about their experiences. Theundergraduate students gain practical research experience and demonstrate theiraccomplishments in an end-of-semester poster presentation. Both the undergraduates andgraduate mentors complete weekly qualitative reflective questions through an online process.Through both the pre- and post- surveys, as well as reflective questions posed during thesemester, the research team gathered information on maintaining and creating trust in thesementoring relationships. We compared and contrasted our mentor-mentee relationship to theperceived trust model created by Mayer, Davis, and Schoorman1. Our initial findings show thatability, benevolence, and integrity are

Conference Session

FPD 8: Engineering Math Issues

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Shelley Lorimer, MacEwan University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

for MathAdvisory exam) might indicate a decline in the performance of engineering students on the mathassessment exam, the data does not support the anecdotal hypothesis nor the quantitativeevidence of markedly declining math skills in first-year engineering students at our institution, atleast during the time period considered.Assessment tools are often used in a predictive way to gauge the overall skills of engineeringstudents. They are also useful in setting engineering program directives. It is clear from thisarticle that the academic averages obtained in high school, may not necessarily reflect the skilllevel of the students entering first-year, especially in mathematics. A further analysis of theseassessment results in light of first

Conference Session

FPD 4: First-Year Engineering Courses, Part I: Multimedia, Large Classes, and TAs

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Matthew A Verleger, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Univ., Daytona Beach; Heidi A. Diefes-Dux, Purdue University, West Lafayette

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

training model involves: (1) practice with an activity like a student,(2) exposure to the research-base and/or theoretical underpinnings, (3) practice with interpretingstudent work, and (4) reflective comparison to an expert.16 These four training modelcomponents map to four professional development (PD) phases.Phase 1: Complete the Activity as a Student. Two to four weeks prior to the start of the semester,TAs are provided with the set of documents that the students will see as the MEA unfolds inclass. TAs are asked to solve the MEA individually. Once the TAs create their own solution tothe MEA and post it to the online MEA management system18, they are provided with copies ofthe I-MAP. The TAs are then asked to apply the MEA Rubric to their work

Conference Session

FPD 9: First-Year Engineering Courses, Part III: Research, Sustainability, and Professionalism

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Robert L. Nagel, James Madison University; Kyle G. Gipson, James Madison University; Jonathan Howard Spindel, James Madison University; Elise M. Barrella, James Madison University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

Page 23.246.2design solicitation. Students are required to develop multiple designs; evaluate trade-offsbetween each design; justify decisions using engineering science calculations; develop computeraided models of the selected design; construct a physical prototype; and test and refine theirdesign prototype. Following testing and refinement, students present their designs during aformal presentation and submit a formal design report.In this paper, we provide an overview of our engineering curriculum, descriptions of the ES,EDP, and CSD modules, and a description of the final course project. We conclude the paperwith data related to course learning outcomes, and a reflection on the lessons learned.Curriculum BackgroundIn order for engineers to

Conference Session

FPD 2: Retention

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Anant R. Kukreti, University of Cincinnati; Kristen Strominger, University of Cincinnati - School of Energy, Environmental, Biological and Medical Engineering; Urmila Ghia, University of Cincinnati

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

pre-advising week (7th week ofthe semester) to discuss progress towards degree and to plan their course schedule. Each advisorcompletes an Academic Progress Report Form for student records. Additionally, each STEPstudent is assigned a STEP Mentor to monitor student’s matriculation in the college. Studentsmeet their STEP Mentor at least once every semester and submit a minimum of two courseprogress reports from the instructor for each course taken. The STEP academic advising processis also built around three touch-points to provide all students with key opportunities to develop,review, and act upon a learning plan for degree completion. In the first freshman quarter (nowsemester), the students submit a reflective essay documenting their

Conference Session

FPD 7: First-Year Engineering Courses, Part II: Perceptions and Paradigms

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mohammad Esmaeili, University of Dayton; Ali Eydgahi, Eastern Michigan University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

exiting problems,and work in a team [1, 2, 7]. It has been reported that students’ retention of the information willnot be gained only by receiving it verbally or visually. It rather needs to be utilized towardproblem solving [2, 8-10]. Page 23.264.2Active learning has been defined [6] as the process of having students engaged in some activitiesthat forces them to reflect upon ideas and how they are using those ideas. This requires studentsto regularly assess their own degree of understanding and skill at handling concepts or problemsfor attainment of knowledge by participating in project activities in a particular discipline. Inanother words, the

Conference Session

FPD 6: Transitions and Student Success, Part II

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Stacy Holander Gleixner, San Jose State University; Katherine Casey, SJSU College of Engineering; Jared T. Tuberty, San Jose State University; Sanela Latic; Patricia R Backer, San Jose State University; Emily L. Allen, San Jose State University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

, first-generationstudents, and those with math skills at the pre-calculus level. Our internal data shows that thispre-calculus group has a lower retention rate even though they have aptitude sufficient tosucceed. This admission goal was not accomplished successfully during the first pilot programbecause the applicant pool itself did not reflect the desired diversity. It was also found to bedifficult to determine the math ability level. The admission to the summer transition programwas done before the students had taken the university’s math placement exam. The admittedEXCEED group ended up being in four different incoming math levels their first semester. Ofthe thirty-two admitted students, 26% were female, 10% African American, 23% Latino

Conference Session

FPD 7: First-Year Engineering Courses, Part II: Perceptions and Paradigms

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Janaki Isabella Perera, Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering; Brendan Thomas Quinlivan, Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering; Yevgeniya V. Zastavker, Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

: PjBL places emphasis on the application of knowledge over the learning of theory through one or more overarching projects. These projects often address real- world problems and are likely to have an interdisciplinary component and a group work orientation. To encourage student engagement in and ownership of the learning process, faculty act as guides, supporting acquisition of content knowledge and providing project scaffolding, while students exercise autonomy by carrying out independent open-ended projects. Students participating in projects create one or more significant tangible deliverables, often derived from the scaffolding provided by the faculty, but ultimately intended to reflect the

Conference Session

FPD 5: Transitions and Student Success, Part I

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

S. Patrick Walton, Michigan State University; Daina Briedis, Michigan State University; Mark Urban-Lurain, Michigan State University; Timothy J Hinds, Michigan State University; Carmellia Davis-King, Michigan State University; Thomas F. Wolff P.E., Michigan State University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

himself to the studentsat this event and describes the first-year courses and what students need to do to be successful inthem. Corporate partners provide advice from the “real world” on what skills students shouldfoster during their undergraduate careers to maximize their chances of achieving theirprofessional goals (described in additional detail in Wolff, et al6). The environment of theresource fair, in particular, with music and prize giveaways, encourages students to interact witheach other and seeks to dispel the often-held notion that engineering is not a welcomingenvironment. Students reflect the success of this approach in that fully 99.3% of surveyrespondents indicated that the Colloquium had at least “some value,” with 45% rating the

Conference Session

FPD 3: Research on First-Year Courses

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kenneth Reid, Ohio Northern University; Tyler J Hertenstein, Ohio Northern University; Graham Talmadge Fennell, Ohio Northern University; Elizabeth Marie Spingola, Virginia Tech Department of Engineering Education; David Reeping, Ohio Northern University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

, Page 23.414.8orientation to the program from the viewpoint of the university and orientation to the engineeringprofession. There has been some disagreement of specific categories beneath these majorheadings. The Delphi study and culminating workshop should shed light on the differences andsolidify a classification scheme for these courses.Acknowledgment:The authors would like to acknowledge the support provided by the U.S. National ScienceFoundation (Award DUE-1042030). Any opinions, findings, conclusions, and/orrecommendations are those of the investigators and do not necessarily reflect the views of theNational Science Foundation.References:[1] Magee, C.L. and O.L. deWeck, 2004. “Complex System Classification”, proceedings of the Fourteenth

Conference Session

First-Year Programs (FPD) Poster Session

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Gail D. Jefferson, University of South Alabama; Sally J. Steadman, University of South Alabama; Tom G Thomas, University of South Alabama; Kuang-Ting Hsiao, University of South Alabama

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

as in the spinningwheel. A strip of reflecting tape was placed every 90 degrees with two pieces of tape marking afull revolution. Steel, aluminum and polypropolene were repeatedly tested to illustrate different Page 23.932.7failure modes as well as different shear moduli. During this test, students manually recordedtorque with respect to time, while their robot collected time and revolution information. Theparticipants analyzed the data and calculated various material and mechanical properties.Day four began with a communications overview, focused presentations of the workshopactivities. The students also designed and programmed a robot to

Conference Session

FPD 2: Retention

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Marisa K. Orr, Louisiana Tech University; Catherine E. Brawner, Research Triangle Educational Consultants; Matthew W. Ohland, Purdue University, West Lafayette; Richard A. Layton, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

so.AcknowledgmentThis material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No.0935157. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this materialare those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National ScienceFoundation. Page 23.1192.8Bibliography1. Chen, X., C.E. Brawner, M.W. Ohland, and M.K. Orr. A Taxonomy of Engineering Matriculation Practices. In Proceedings of the American Society for Engineering Education. 2013. Atlanta, GA.2. Multiple-Institution Database for Investigating Engineering Longitudinal Development. 2011 [cited 2011; Available from

Conference Session

FPD 8: Engineering Math Issues

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Tanya D Ennis, University of Colorado Boulder; Jacquelyn F. Sullivan, University of Colorado, Boulder; Beverly Louie, University of Colorado, Boulder; Daniel Knight, University of Colorado, Boulder

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

whole, Figures 11 and 12 show ALEKS performancefor the course. Figure 11. Initial ALEKS assessment pie chart for overall class performance. Figure 12. Final ALEKS assessment pie chart for overall class performanceTable 5 reflects the initial and post assessment results and percent increase for each topic. Theseresults reflect significant growth for the class as a whole for all topics. Table 5. Class performance—mastery of ALEKS topics: initial and final assessment. Class Initial Class Final ALEKS Objectives/Topics % Increase Assessment Assessment

Conference Session

FPD 3: Research on First-Year Courses

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Xingyu Chen, Purdue University, West Lafayette; Catherine E. Brawner, Research Triangle Educational Consultants; Matthew W. Ohland, Purdue University, West Lafayette; Marisa K. Orr, Louisiana Tech University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

necessarily reflect the views of the National ScienceFoundation.References1. Ohland, M.W., S.D. Sheppard, G. Lichtenstein, O. Eris, D. Chachra, and R.A. Layton, “Persistence, Engagement, and Migration in Engineering,” J. Eng. Ed. 97(3), July 2008.2. Godfrey, E. (2007). Cultures within cultures: Welcoming or unwelcoming for women? Proceedings of the 2007 ASEE Annual Conference. Honolulu, HI.3. Brawner, Catherine E., Sharron A. Frillman, and Matthew W. Ohland, “A Comparison of Nine Universities’ Academic Policies from 1988 to 2005.” (ERIC: ED508293), February 2010, 42 pages.4. The Center for Institutional Data Analysis and Exchange (C-IDEA). 2000. 1999–2000 SMET Retention Report. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma.5

Conference Session

FPD 5: Transitions and Student Success, Part I

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Edmund Tsang, Western Michigan University; Laura Darrah, Residence Life, Western Michigan University; Paul V. Engelmann, Western Michigan University; Cynthia Halderson, Western Michigan University; Bryan W. Thumme, Western Michigan University; Anetra Grice, Western Michigan University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

recommendations expressed in this paper are those of the authors and do notnecessary reflect the views of NSF.References1. Gabelnick, F., MacGregor, J., Matthews, R.S., and Smith, B.L. Learning Communities Creating Connections Among Students, Faculty, and Disciplines, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, CA, 1980.2. Tsang, E., and Halderson, C. (2008). “Create Learning Communities to Enhance Success for Students with Diverse Academic Preparation Background,” Proceedings of Frontiers In Education Conference, October 22-25, 2008, Saratoga Springs, NY, Session S1D.3. Banta, T.W., and Kuh, G. (1998). “A Missing Link in Assessment: Collaboration Between Academic and Student Affairs Professionals,” Change, March/April, pp. 40-46.4. Stringer, J

Conference Session

FPD 5: Transitions and Student Success, Part I

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Carolyn Skurla, Baylor University; Steven R. Eisenbarth, Baylor University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

science? Non-transfers 15 10 5 0 5 10 15 From the beginning High School - Freshman or Sophomore year High School - Junior or Senior year First year in Community College Second year in Community CollegeFigures 2 and 3 reflect student feedback on their understanding of the SAS program’srequirements and of the requirements for their major. Traditional students entering ourengineering programs are required to enrolling in an introduction to engineering course. Thiscourse is designed to help students explore engineering as a career choice. It also includes

Conference Session

FPD 9: First-Year Engineering Courses, Part III: Research, Sustainability, and Professionalism

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Stanley M. Forman, Northeastern University; Susan F Freeman, Northeastern University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

universal organization and time management technique for allstudents! Next popular was planning ahead, though the Honors students seemed to utilize thistechnique less than the Non-Honors students. Since all these students are newly matriculated,the students are generally reflecting their high school experience, where Honors students mayhave had less need to do pre-planning, given their aptitude and capabilities. Do work promptlywas chosen and utilized by all student categories, though at a lower preference rate. Use acalendar was the overwhelming choice of Honors students and much less so for Non Honorsstudents, though this tool was at about the same preference level overall as prioritize work.There still is a drive to either get the work done or

Conference Session

FPD 4: First-Year Engineering Courses, Part I: Multimedia, Large Classes, and TAs

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Farshid Marbouti, Purdue University, West Lafayette; Kelsey Joy Rodgers, Purdue University, West Lafayette; Hyunyi Jung, Purdue University; Alena Moon, Purdue University; Heidi A. Diefes-Dux, Purdue University, West Lafayette

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

”.3 In addition, faculty should make their role visible andexplicit in the classroom. Finally, UTAs should be evaluated by students and should reflect ontheir experience.3 Wallace (1974) adds to these claims by arguing that consistent and frequenttraining is necessary to ensuring the success of UTAs.2TAs unique position as both student and instructor introduces the challenge of balancingteaching responsibilities with student responsibilities. The time and grading components of theteaching responsibilities can become overwhelming. This effect has been especially observed inclassrooms where novel and experimental approaches are being used.10 In response to calls forreform in engineering programs, the course being researched implemented the use

Conference Session

FPD 1: Projects and Teamwork in First-Year Courses

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Diana G. de la Rosa-Pohl, University of Houston (CoE); Stuart A. Long, University of Houston (CoE); Casey Goodwin, University of Houston Honors Engineering Program

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

challenging while having a clear goal.”One of the major concerns about introducing this ALU project into a mostly non-ECE group wasthat the students would complain about the lack of diversity or relevance of the course content.Surprisingly, there were only four student comments reflecting such a view. Other unfavorablecomments referred mostly to the amount of time provided for course projects. (There were 4projects in all for a 15-week course.) Despite those particular student concerns, the overallresponse from students regarding the course was very favorable, meaning that the introduction ofthe digital logic project did not have a significant negative impact on either student cognitive oraffective outcomes and in fact appeared to have a significant

Conference Session

FPD 2: Retention

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Herbert P. Schroeder, University of Alaska Anchorage; Linda P. Lazzell, University of Alaska Anchorage

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

, safety, and a community of belonging. The Tlingit dugout canoedesign of the structure has become a landmark in our state. Students meet in the ANSEPBuilding to study and form the relationships that bring them success. The impact will endure forgenerations.The ANSEP partners provided the funding necessary for construction. The students drove thedesign process and were adamant that the building overtly reflect Native culture and values. Thebuilding opened in October 2006. Having dedicated space provides an excellent venue for eachof the ANSEP programmatic components. Photo 1: The Alaska Native Science & Engineering Building on the University of Alaska Anchorage campus.Students, industrial partners, and university faculty and staff gather

Conference Session

FPD 4: First-Year Engineering Courses, Part I: Multimedia, Large Classes, and TAs

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kimberly C. Huett, University of West Georgia; Barbara B. Kawulich, University of West Georgia; P.K. Raju, Mechanical Engineering Dept, Auburn University,Al; Chetan S Sankar, Auburn University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

pedagogical changes made throughout the study and facilitatedsharing of feedback to make course improvements. Qualitative data were collected through aseries of open-ended surveys and focus groups to determine the effectiveness of the instructionalmethods. Data were collected after each semester, and results were disseminated to the team toguide course modifications for the next semester.Qualitative research, known for its flexibility in theoretical frameworks and methodologies,emphasizes the importance of context, researcher/participant engagement, perceptions ofparticipants, inductive data analysis, and reflection by researchers and participants.13 Quality ofresearch findings in qualitative research is established through the “high standards of