Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division Technical Session 1: It's All About Teams and Teamwork

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Christopher Leslie, New York University Polytechnic School of Engineering (formerly Polytechnic University); Gunter W. Georgi, New York University Polytechnic School of Engineering; Alyssa Marie D'Apice, New York University Polytechnic School of Engineering

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

toimprove, and finally made presentations of good teams.1. Preparation for Fall 2014Fall 2014 was the first trial run with the teamwork skit, causing much more thought and planningto go into this process. Multiple meetings were held across several weeks and included four veryimportant steps that were critical to the success of the skit: building, brainstorming, planning,and testing. Throughout this entire process, the faculty member was involved, critiquing andchanging aspects of each step to make this skit a success. Each step of the process is described ingreater detail below.Step 1: BuildingIn order for a team to be successful, there must first be a group of people ready to work toward acommon goal; this skit was no different. The first step of

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division Technical Session 1: It's All About Teams and Teamwork

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Tom O'Neill, University of Calgary; Semin Park, University of Connecticut; Nicole Lynn Larson, University of Calgary; Amanda Deacon, University of Calgary; Genevieve Hoffart, University of Calgary; Bob Brennan, University of Calgary; Marjan Eggermont, University of Calgary; William Daniel Rosehart P.Eng., University of Calgary

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

students to rate each other on the 5 CATME dimensions, which were identified as the keyfactors underlying effective team member performance by Ohland’s research team3. A five pointscale including the anchors Unsatisfactory (1), Bare Minimum (2), Moderate (3), Strong (4), andOutstanding (5). The output appears in each team member’s dashboard once all team membershave completed their feedback ratings. The output for each individual contains the median of hisor her peer ratings for each dimension (see Appendix A). This output can then be used in class asa framework to support individual or team debriefs, action steps, and development planning.The second peer feedback tool involves distributing 10*(k-1) points across other team membersfor each CATME

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division Technical Session 1: It's All About Teams and Teamwork

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

James E. Lewis, University of Louisville; Gerold Willing, University of Louisville; Thomas D. Rockaway, University of Louisville

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

, but are very difficult to quantify.1. Introduction Page 26.1221.2The Partnership for Retention Improvement in Mathematics, Engineering, and Science(PRIMES) is a University of Louisville cross-college collaboration aimed at reducing attritionamong our STEM majors. This project unites faculty from the College of Arts & Sciences, theJ.B. Speed School of Engineering, and the College of Education and Human Development intackling identified hurdles that contribute to poor retention (and thus low graduation rates) in ourrespective undergraduate STEM programs. PRIMES’ goals are quite simple: 1. Increase by 25% the number of Bachelor’s degrees

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division Technical Session 1: It's All About Teams and Teamwork

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jess W. Everett, Rowan University; Jenahvive K. Morgan, Rowan University; Kaitlin Engle Mallouk, Rowan University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

, and references.BackgroundNew teams may go through an initial period of adjustment. According to Tuckman new groupsgo through four phases: Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing.1 Duringthe Forming stage group members try to size up each other, find the limits of acceptable groupbehavior, and clarify the group task.2 In the Storming stage there may be disagreement amongteam members as each slowly comes to terms with solving problems in a new environment, i.e.,the new team. Things get better in the Norming phase. Ground rules and team member roles areagreed upon. Members begin to see how they can work together to accomplish the group task.The final phase is Performing. The team is now “firing on all cylinders” and significant work

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division Technical Session 1: It's All About Teams and Teamwork

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Nick Tatar, Olin College of Engineering; Kevin A. Nguyen, Texas Tech University; Chris Gewirtz, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

a practitioner develops and modifies this knowing-in-action, andreflection can only be done when paired with an action, and is separated into three types:reflection-before-action, reflection-in-action, and reflection-on-action. Reflection-on-action isthe only definition being employed in this case, as these students reflect on actions after theyhave already happened, ex post facto, in order to affect how they might act in the future. Kolb describes the process of learning from experience as a cycle (Figure 1), and citesreflection as the part of the learning process by which concrete experience is used to generate,validate, or otherwise affect conceptual frameworks or knowledge systems2. Reflection in thiscycle is a necessary step for

Conference Session

First-year Programs Division Postcard Session 1: Retention and Student Success Strategies

Collection

2018 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Elizabeth R. Kurban, University of Maryland, College Park; Paige E. Smith, University of Maryland, College Park; Kurubel Belay, University of Maryland

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

. Purpose of the Study The purpose of this study is to investigate the longitudinal progress of studentsparticipating in the FYSE program, focusing on L&S students’ transfer into the School ofEngineering and engineering students’ progress toward degree completion. As a work inprogress, we ultimately seek to assess the impact of the FYSE program on engineering studentdevelopment and their progress toward an engineering degree. Methodology From summer 2012 to 2017, there have been 240 FYSE participants, including 106students majoring in engineering and 134 students in the Letters & Sciences division as reportedin Table 1. Ninety-three percent of the FYSE participants successfully completed

Conference Session

First-year Programs Division Postcard Session 1: Retention and Student Success Strategies

Collection

2018 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Krystal S. Corbett, Louisiana Tech University; Katie Evans, Louisiana Tech University; Stacey McAdams; Julie Gaudin; Madison Abigail Walker, Society of Women Engineers; Tyler Scott Fontenot

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

lifeexperiences. One of the most challenging transitions for someone to make is to move from thecontrolled environment of high school to the more independent atmosphere of college. Manyuniversities implement mentorship programs to help their students make this transition. In thepaper “Engineers Need Mentors Too!” the authors describe a successful mentorship programcalled GUIDE where they pair first-year engineering students with an upperclassman and agraduate student. From the survey data collected by the authors, they concluded that “having amentor made adjusting to college life an easy transition. [1]” Similarly, Southern IllinoisUniversity, Carbondale instituted a program with their residential first and second yearengineering students. The students

Conference Session

First-year Programs Division Postcard Session 1: Retention and Student Success Strategies

Collection

2018 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Emily Knaphus-Soran, University of Washington; Ann Delaney, Boise State University; Katherine Christine Tetrick, Washington State University; Sonya Cunningham, University of Washington; Pamela Cosman, University of California, San Diego; Tanya D. Ennis, University of Colorado, Boulder; Beth A. Myers, University of Colorado, Boulder; Jana Milford, University of Colorado, Boulder; Donna C. Llewellyn, Boise State University; Eve A. Riskin, University of Washington; Janet Callahan, Boise State University; Kevin Pitts, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; Michelle Ferrez, University of California, San Diego

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

compared tostudents who attended better-resourced schools [1]. Four-year engineering and computer sciencecurricula are designed for students who are calculus-ready, but many students who are eager tobecome engineers or computer scientists need additional time and support to succeed. The needfor an extra year of targeted support to prepare highly-motivated but underprepared studentsdrove the creation of the Engineering GoldShirt Program at the University of Colorado Boulder(CU-B) in 2009. The name was derived from the practice of “redshirting” in college athletics -providing athletes with an extra performance-enhancing year to prepare them to compete at thecollege level [2]. The NSF-funded Redshirt in Engineering Consortium was formed as

Conference Session

First-year Programs Division Postcard Session 1: Retention and Student Success Strategies

Collection

2018 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Hadil Mustafa, California State University, Chico

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

and mentoring, as one of the leading elements that contribute to students’ success [1],figure 1. Figure 1: Elements of Students' Success [1]In practice, peer tutoring has been utilized to support students in large introductory classes, suchas math, chemistry, and biology, with little-to-no support in engineering classes. Tutoringservices that target lower level engineering courses have been limited to individual attempts orclub organizations, e.g., IEEE and HKN. Additionally, limited studies are evaluating generaltutoring services in higher education [2].In 2017, the Electrical and Computer Engineering department at California State University,Chico established a tutoring center to provide drop-in tutoring

Conference Session

First-year Programs Division Postcard Session 1: Retention and Student Success Strategies

Collection

2018 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Suzanne Zurn-Birkhimer, Purdue University, West Lafayette; Mayari I. Serrano, Purdue Polytechnic Institute; Beth M. Holloway, Purdue University, West Lafayette; Rachel Ann Baker, Purdue University, West Lafayette

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

1, 2, and 3 . This ability can be used as a prognostication factor for achievement andattainment in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) 4, 5 . It is well documentedthat 3D spatial skills can be developed through practice. Sorby has shown that a course aimed atdeveloping the 3D spatial skills of first-year engineering students has a positive impact on studentsuccess, especially for women 6 . The research team has developed a semester-long online, spatialskills workshop. The content incorporates online resources related to mental rotation, 2D and 3Dspatial visualization, and abstract reasoning. An experimental group of female first-yearengineering students will participate in the weekly online workshop. To assess

Conference Session

First-year Programs Division Postcard Session 1: Retention and Student Success Strategies

Collection

2018 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Krystal S. Corbett, Louisiana Tech University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

managed various educational enterprises. c American Society for Engineering Education, 2018 Work in Progress: Redesigning Curriculum to Foster Student SuccessMotivationFor years various organizations and institutions like The National Academy of Engineering [1],the National Science Foundation [2], and the American Society of Engineering Education [3],have called for curriculum reform in engineering education. On group called Big Beacon, whichwas formed by faculty at Olin College and Illinois Foundry for Innovation in EngineeringEducation developed the Big Beacon manifesto which points out that the best students of today“come to school in search of the excitement of creating cutting edge technology or

Conference Session

First-year Programs Division Postcard Session 1: Retention and Student Success Strategies

Collection

2018 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Elizabeth Anne Stephan, Clemson University; Laurel Whisler, Clemson University; Abigail T. Stephan, Clemson University

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

-predictedacademic success. The results of the first semester of the program pointed to success for somecategories of students, suggesting the overall concept is promising.BackgroundAll engineering students at Clemson begin their academic journey as a GE major and arerequired to complete a first-year curriculum sequence before declaring their intendedengineering major, shown in Figure 1. To matriculate outof GE and into a degree-granting engineering major,students must pass the following classes with a C or better,and meet the grade point ratio (GPR) requirement for thedesired engineering department: Chemistry, one semester;Calculus I and II; Physics, one semester; GeneralEngineering, two semesters; and English Composition.Most departments require a 2.0 GPR

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division Technical Session 1: Using Technology and/or Technology Tools to Enhance Learning

Collection

2016 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Rodrigo Cutri P.E., Maua Institute of Techonology; Luiz Roberto Marim, Maua Institute of Technology; Juliana Ribeiro Cordeiro; Hector A. C. Gil, Maua Institute of Technology; Camila Cunha Toledo Guerald, Maua Institute of Technology

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

phones:Kahoot (getkahoot.com). Kahoot is an online classroom-response system that eliminatesthe need to give students handheld clickers. Through Kahoot, teachers create onlinequizzes or surveys and mirror the questions on a big screen or interactive whiteboard; it’salso possible to embed videos.How Kahoot worksIt’s very easy to create questions in Kahoot platform (Fig.1). Firstly, it’s necessary to geta free account (Fig.1 - step 1). Then, after being logged in, it’s possible to create questionsand answers (Fig.1 - steps 2 and 3). After that, it is necessary to get the questionaries’ aname (Fig.1 - step 4) and also, it’s possible to add a cover image to the quiz (Fig.1 -step 5). In order to allow students to play (Fig.2 – step 1), the teacher needs to

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division Technical Session 1: Using Technology and/or Technology Tools to Enhance Learning

Collection

2016 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Gregory Warren Bucks, University of Cincinnati; Kathleen A. Ossman, University of Cincinnati

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

practice system compared to the traditionallecture preparation options.IntroductionIn a flipped pedagogy, the roles of in-class and out-of-class activities are switched. In mostimplementations, this manifests itself by moving content delivery outside of class, freeing theinstructor to use the designated lecture time to focus on solving problems and addressingcommon misconceptions.1 Flipped classrooms have been implemented in a variety of math,computing and engineering courses. A comprehensive survey of the research on flippedclassrooms is provided by Bishop and Verleger2 who found that students tend to prefer in-personlectures rather than videos but also appreciate the active learning opportunities that the flippedclassroom affords. Much of the

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division Technical Session 1: Using Technology and/or Technology Tools to Enhance Learning

Collection

2016 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

John Matthew Long, Deakin University; Sivachandran Chandrasekaran P.E., Deakin University; Simon William Cavenett

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

institution andaugmented with ad-hoc communication between academics and students, often on a one-to-one basis by telephone and mail correspondence. During the 21st century the ubiquitousadoption of Internet-enabled technologies and methods has most significantly changed themethods and technologies relied upon for distance education, such that these students nowtypically obtain and interact with their study materials, academics, and fellow students via theInternet, and hence known as ‘online’ students. A combination of technologies and methods in conjunction with on-campus and online learningmodes for distance education is defined by Huang as a mixed-mode e-learning environment(MMEL).1 To accommodate on-campus as well as online students the term

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division Technical Session 1: Using Technology and/or Technology Tools to Enhance Learning

Collection

2016 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Tareq Daher, University of Nebraska - Lincoln; Stuart Bernstein, University of Nebraska - Lincoln; Brett Meyer, University of Nebraska - Lincoln

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

providerecommendations for engineering faculty teaching freshman courses who want to explore theblended approach to teaching. Examples for online learning activities and how to integrate themwithin class active learning activities to increase student engagement and success rates areincluded. Key words: Engineering Freshman, Active learning, Blended course Design, & StudentPerceptions. 1. Introduction College instructors aim to craft curriculum and learning experiences which align withboth the needs of the learners and the content they are teaching in order to meet expected courseoutcomes. College instructors are content experts who have a multifaceted role. They serve asdiagnosticians who explore

Conference Session

First-Year Programs: Cornucopia

Collection

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Cassondra Wallwey, The Ohio State University; Tyler Milburn, The Ohio State University; Brooke Morin, The Ohio State University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

Engineering at Ohio State University, teaching First- Year Engineering for Honors classes in the Department of Engineering Education. Brooke earned her bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering at Ohio State. Her interests include implementing and assessing evidence-based practices in the first-year engineering classroom. American c Society for Engineering Education, 2021 Scaffolding Technical Writing within a First-Year Engineering Lab ExperienceIntroductionAlthough the education of engineers has been an ever-changing process that has developed overtime based on the needs of society [1], in more recent years the

Conference Session

First-Year Programs: Focus on Student Success I

Collection

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Matthew Cavalli, Western Michigan University; Anetra Grice, Western Michigan University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

specific personality traits toacademic success of students (e.g., [1-6]). Based on a review of the literature, personalityquestions were drawn from components of the Big Five personality inventory [7], which is oneof the most well-regarded instruments for this purpose. An advantage of the Big Five inventorycompared to assessments like the Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator [8], is that the Big Fiveinventory places individuals on a continuum of personality traits rather than in distinctcategories. Personality components included in the Big Five inventory include Extraversion,Agreeableness, Openness to Experience, Conscientiousness, and Neuroticism. Of these, thosethat have been most commonly linked to student success (particularly for engineering

Conference Session

First-year Programs: Focus on Student Success 2

Collection

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Randy Hugh Brooks, Texas A&M University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

. A 16-hour “So, You’reGoing to be a(n) [School] Engineer…” course targets incoming first-year engineering students,and is customizable by school. The vision is asynchronous deployment accompanied by studentcreation in a digital journal.Although the initial focus was to build a single course to address college and career readiness,“as the investigation has progressed, the potential benefit of developing separate courses for‘guide and inform’ and ‘prepare’ is appearing” [1, p. 1], and that is the direction undertaken inthis paper.The former course will be largely deployed through a key contact point for college-boundsecondary school students, the high school counselor and college recruiter networks. Thischannel is constantly under great strain

Conference Session

First-Year Programs: Student Perceptions and Perspectives

Collection

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Nora Honken, University of Cincinnati; Angela Boronyak, University of Cincinnati; James Edward Roethler, Spalding University; Aimee M. Frame, University of Cincinnati; Cedrick Kwuimy, University of Cincinnati

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

in bearing and gear systems at the Villanova Center for Analytics of Dynamic Systems (VCADS) in PA. He graduated from the University of Yaounde 1 in Cameroon and then completed a Certificate in Teaching Engineering in Higher Education at Villanova University. Dr. Kwuimy is interested in vibration analysis and in the use of nonlinear dynamics tools to improve the early detection of fault in complex nonlinear systems. In the latest, his focus is on engineering systems (gear systems, bearings) and biological systems (vibration in human-arm, human diseases). In vibration analysis, his focus is on the conversion of mechanical vibration into electrical energy (energy harvesting). A key interest of Dr. Kwuimy is the

Conference Session

First-Year Programs: Unique Projects and Pedagogies

Collection

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Yanjun Yan, Western Carolina University; Hugh Jack P. Eng. P.E., Western Carolina University; James Coffin

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

similar to pre-pandemic semesters and have far fewer U (unsatisfactory) grades than inSpring 2020 when the whole campus went online midway.IntroductionTeam-teaching has a long history when many educators had attempted integration acrossdifferent disciplines [9], curriculum [4] [14], and even country borders [12]. Besides traditionallecturing, projects [1]-[3],[5][6], and service-learning [8] could also be used in team-teaching.Despite the challenges in implementation, team teaching provided a wide array of benefits, evenfor faculty mentoring [13] and team-building [11]. Communication [10] and faculty help hadbeen deemed important ever since the remote-working technology was emerging [7].Traditional team-teaching may involve multiple instructors

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division Poster Session

Collection

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Jonathan Aurand P.E., Dunwoody College of Technology; David Andrew Adolfson, Dunwoody College of Technology

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

them to understand the rigor and timecommitment required to be successful in the completion program. The overarching goals for thecourse are threefold: 1. Is engineering the right path for me? 2. Is the discipline I have selectedthe right choice for me? 3. What career opportunities are available for engineers in my chosendiscipline? Since the evening students have less options without starting over, they generally donot explore the second goal as much.Some additions and changes have been focused on broadening student perspectives and givingstudents tools to understand the curriculum and increase persistence which in turn improvesretention. Both groups have benefited from a Women in Engineering panel, generalizedestimation practice such as

Conference Session

First-Year Programs: Virtual Instruction in the First Year II

Collection

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Lakshmy Mohandas, Purdue University at West Lafayette; Nathan Mentzer, Purdue University at West Lafayette

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

year appointment with the Center as a postdoctoral researcher. American c Society for Engineering Education, 2021 The Effectiveness of Synchronous vs Asynchronous Modes of Instruction in an Online Active Design Thinking CourseIntroduction This is a complete research paper. Online courses are in demand in today’s world asthey broaden the reach of education including non-traditional students and students withdiverse backgrounds. Higher education institutions are adapting distance education as it breaksdown geographical barriers [1]. According to Strong et. al, “regardless of the advantages ofonline learning opportunities for students and institutions

Conference Session

First-Year Programs: Cornucopia

Collection

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Abigail E. Heinz, Rowan University; Matthew Strauss; Mary Staehle, Rowan University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

classroom culture, but not on “how all students and the instructor are working withinthe culture to achieve educational goals” [1]. Using this verbal introductory activity includeseach student as well as the instructor by requiring all to participate daily. Keeping studentsengaged throughout the class is known to improve classroom culture and has been cited bymultiple researchers as one of the best ways to build this culture and relationships [2, 3]. One ofthe challenges with encouraging students to participate is that they may not feel comfortable orconfident in the course material. In this course specifically, this is often the first time thesestudents are taking an engineering course within their discipline, which may make participationeven more

Conference Session

First-Year Programs: Design in the First Year

Collection

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Sherri Youssef, The Ohio State University; Patrick James Herak, The Ohio State University; J. Blake Hylton, Ohio Northern University; Todd France, Ohio Northern University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

. American c Society for Engineering Education, 2021 Exploring Trends in First-Year Student Responses on Asynchronous Design Modules1. IntroductionWith the COVID-19 pandemic restricting in-person instruction, content delivery and themonitoring of content comprehension is limited to online, asynchronous methods. While anincreased emphasis on these remote methods is recent, literature related to engineering problemframing skills established the comprehension students see via in-person approaches [1-9]. Theseexpectations serve as the basis of expectations and subsequent exploration as to how they operatevia online, asynchronous delivery.The motivation for this work is to determine how

Conference Session

First-Year Programs: Unique Projects and Pedagogies

Collection

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Wonki Lee, Purdue University at West Lafayette; Nathan Mentzer, Purdue University at West Lafayette

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

Course Wonki Lee Purdue University, West Lafayette Nathan Mentzer Purdue University, West Lafayette Introduction Student engagement, as measured by cognitive, affective, attentional participation in aneducational setting, is prominent in recent engineering education [1], [2]. It is inextricablyintertwined with students’ motivation, and those two constructs have a strong impact onstudent’s meaningful learning experience, academic achievement, and knowledge development[3]. Project-based learning with authentic hands-on experiences in a collaborative setting

Conference Session

First-Year Programs: Design in the First Year

Collection

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Brianna L. Dorie, Gonzaga University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

various forms, but at its core is the process ofcollecting, receiving, and discriminating amongst information. Often this is considered under anumbrella term of informational literacy – which is an individual’s ability to locate, evaluate andeffectively use needed information. Processes involved during information gathering mayinclude published or unpublished print materials, communication with human “experts” (e.g withpeers, family, or librarians), and tactile processes (e.g. trial and error, experiments, etc.) (Figure1). In addition, these interactions can take place in person or in virtual spaces. 1 Print

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division Poster Session

Collection

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Michael Elmore P.E., State University of New York at Binghamton; Koenraad E. Gieskes, State University of New York at Binghamton

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

ofEngineering and Applied Science at Binghamton University have been asked to complete a two-question survey in the first week of classes regarding their intended engineering major. The two,multiple choice questions are: (1) what is your intended engineering major? (2) how sure are youof your decision? Responses have shown that between a third and a half of the 1st-yearengineering students express some uncertainty in their intended choice of engineering major,indicating that they are either very unsure, unsure, or neither sure nor unsure of the strength oftheir engineering major interest.Out of programs that offer a combined 1st-year experience for engineering students, many do notrequire that students declare their major until the end of the first

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division Poster Session

Collection

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Gerald Gallego Tembrevilla, McMaster University; Susan Nesbit P.Eng., University of British Columbia, Vancouver; Peter M Ostafichuk P.Eng., University of British Columbia, Vancouver; Naoko Ellis P.Eng., University of British Columbia, Vancouver

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

threshold concepts. Thesemanifestations in the forms of key experiences and perspectives were highlighted to inform howlearning interventions in the two courses promoted the development of students’transdisciplinary knowledge.1. BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the urgent need among universities to connectengineering programs and curricula with the changing demands of local, national, andinternational stakeholders. Societal challenges, even before the current global pandemic, requirescaffolded and interconnected engineering approaches and solutions. These challenges demandedthe integration of different disciplines, practices, or competencies in redesigned undergraduateengineering curricula which were particularly directed to enrich

Conference Session

First-Year Programs: Focus on Student Success I

Collection

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Andrew Charles Bartolini, University of Notre Dame; Victoria E. Goodrich, University of Notre Dame; Kerry Meyers, University of Notre Dame

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

engineering disciplines [1-6]. Therefore, it’s of great interest foruniversities to determine how to best help students understand engineering disciplines andcareers, but this is completed in many different ways. Schools may include instruction on theengineering design process, engineering projects, computer programming, major discernment,and many other topics [7]. This paper will explore how the University of Notre Dame haschanged the first-year curriculum to allow students to customize their first-year experience andhow those choices play a role in retention and certainty through the first-year.This study was completed at the University of Notre Dame, a medium sized, private,Midwestern, residential university and compares students enrolled in first