Conference Session

FPD 3: Research on First-Year Courses

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jon Sticklen, Michigan State University; Daina Briedis, Michigan State University; Claudia Elena Vergara, Michigan State University; Mark Urban-Lurain, Michigan State University; Renée S DeGraaf M.A., Lansing Community College; Louise Paquette, Lansing Community College; Ruth Heckman, Lansing Community College; Neeraj Buch, Michigan State University; Thomas F. Wolff P.E., Michigan State University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

and reform.Ren´ee S DeGraaf M.A., Lansing Community College Tutoring Services Coordinator, Student Services Division, Learning Assistance DepartmentProf. Louise Paquette, Lansing Community CollegeRuth Heckman, Lansing Community CollegeDr. Neeraj Buch, Michigan State UniversityDr. Thomas F. Wolff P.E., Michigan State University Page 23.488.1 Dr. Thomas F. Wolff is Associate Dean of Engineering for Undergraduate Studies at Michigan State University. In this capacity, he is responsible for all activities related to student services (academic ad- ministration, first year programs, advising, career planning, women

Conference Session

FPD 1: Projects and Teamwork in First-Year Courses

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Todd R Hamrick, West Virginia University; Robin A.M Hensel, West Virginia University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

, verses 2% of theconventional course. The class also had a higher median and average on the final.Conclusions and Further WorkThe use of tangible projects is an effective tool for teaching theoretical concepts in fundamentalprogramming. Students found the hands-on projects rewarding and informative, and improvedtest scores confirmed the educational value. A similar project that used the Arduino controllers Page 23.1012.7but not the robots was implemented in another fundamental Matlab class with comparableresults. The course will be repeated in the summer of 2013, with plans to make the class aregular alternative starting in the following

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

programs were taught by adjunct faculty in the early days of the program. When theday mechanical engineering program started, the string of adjuncts who had taught the eveningcourse were not available to the new full-time day instructor. As a result, the author developed anew, three credit version (per the ME academic plan) of the course with little outsideconsultation. About a year after the formation of the day version a full-time faculty membertook over the evening cornerstone/intro course which resulted in more opportunity forcollaboration and sharing of resources between the versions. This change provided goodcontinuity between the introduction course and subsequent courses in the programs. Further, therigor of the evening course was further

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

thinking embeddedin the course activities (e.g. screencasts)? What were these changes?TAs and instructors pointed out that flexible structure in facilitating activities like prototyping,sketches, and cardboard design allowed students to think different aspects of the needs ofstakeholders. As observed by a TA, “before students think of stakeholders as “barriers” inengineering but now they integrated or internalized the needs of stakeholders in their designs, theimportance of the product and thus beginning to see stakeholders not as a barrier but a mediumto inform their plans and that describes more about empathy and digging deeper on the whyquestions.”Table 4. Students’ perception of systems thinking as perceived by the instructors and TAs

Conference Session

FPD12 -- Novel Approaches to First Year Programs

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Janet Meyer, Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis; Nancy Lamm, Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis; Joshua Smith, Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

. Widelyread popular press rankings such as US News and World Reports publish graduation rates.Lower rates reflect poorly on an institution. Additionally, the failure to retain students impactsboth an institution’s budget and planning. A student who drops out no longer contributes tuitiondollars. According to Mangold, Bean, Adams, Schwab and Lynch1 “low graduation rates costuniversities scarce resources.” For these reasons and more, colleges and universities have turnedtheir attention to finding ways to retain the students that do enroll.A widely-implemented tactic used to improve retention is the learning community or first-yearseminar course. (For the purposes of this paper, the terms “learning community” and “first-yearseminar” are used

Conference Session

FPD8 - Early Intervention & Retention

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Joyce Lee, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Jacob Marszalek, University of Missouri-Kansas City; Annel Medina, California Polytechnic State University; Susan Linnemeyer, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

increased student diversityas one of the major goals within its strategic plan (Adesida, 2007; University of Illinois atUrbana-Champaign Strategic Plan, 2007). However, the percentages of students who areAfrican American and Latino/a in the College of Engineering at the University of Illinois atUrbana-Champaign have remained consistently low in comparison to the other top engineeringschools in the nation and the national average as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 below(Engineering and technology enrollments, 2005). Page 13.1104.4Figure 1. Percentage of African Americans in B.S. Programs at Top Engineering Schools in theNation (Engineering and

Conference Session

FPD4 -- Real-World Case Studies & Projects

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jason Yao, East Carolina University; Gene Dixon, East Carolina University; William Howard, East Carolina University; Ric Williams; Keith Williamson, East Carolina University; Geoffrey Dieck, East Carolina University; Steve McLawhorn, East Carolina University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

experiential writing opportunity designed toexpose the students to the technical writing that will be expected throughout their academic andprofessional careers. The students were given written format and content requirements for theteam report. The reports were evaluated by two faculty members from the cohort. The reportsgenerally met the format requirements, but lacked depth and continuity. In particular, thestudents did not adequately describe the technical aspects of their gripper design. The lack ofcontinuity was attributed to the team writing with an “I’ll write this section, you write thatsection” mentality. While the goal was for a team report, most teams apparently did not assignan overall report coordinator or thoroughly plan, outline, write

Conference Session

First-Year Programs: Paying More Attention to Retention

Collection

2017 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Tanya Dugat Wickliff, Texas A&M University; Noemi V. Mendoza Diaz, Texas A&M University; Jacques C. Richard, Texas A&M University; So Yoon Yoon, Texas A&M University

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

ability to apply my knowledge of science to solve engineering problems.C. I have the ability to design a system, component or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints as an engineer.D. I have the ability to function well on multidisciplinary teams as an engineer.E. I have the ability to identify, formulate and solve engineering problems.F. I have a good understanding of my professional and ethical responsibility as an engineer.G. I have the ability to communicate effectively (oral and written) as an engineer.H. I have the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental and societal context.I. I recognize the need for and plan to engage in life-long learning as

Conference Session

First-Year Programs: Paying Attention to Retention

Collection

2017 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Elizabeth A. Adams, Chandler Gilbert Community College; Mary Beth Burgoyne

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

Indian, PacificIslander, Black and Hispanic students represent 35% of the total student population with Whitesrepresenting 52% of the student population.The creation, implementation, and assessment of the new project module is grounded on theGrand Challenges DELI (Discover, Explore, Learn, Imagine) Project (Hunter and Baygents,2012) and CGCC’s institutional pedagogy. The Grand Challenges DELI model originated after a2011 strategic planning process that began with a strength, weakness, opportunities and threats(SWOT) analysis of the current first year engineering experience. The SWOT results were usedto identify short and long term goals for a next generation first year engineering experience.Those goals embraced student-directed learning through

Conference Session

First-Year Programs: Design in the First Year

Collection

2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Pamela L. Dickrell, University of Florida; Lilianny Virguez, University of Florida

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

while working on the self-watering planter, since wehad to fix so many things when something broke or did not go according to plan. It taught methat yes, it is absolutely important to plan ahead and understand your design goals, but you alsoneed backup plans or other ways of getting to your end result.”Pilot students were also asked for feedback to improve future offerings of the course with thequestion “What suggestions do you have to improve this course for future students?” Selectrepresentative student narrative responses are included below to tell the story directly fromstudent words on the impact of the course in this area.“Focusing more on programming experience and practice. Allowing groups to pick from a list ofhuman centered design

Conference Session

The Best of First-year Programs Division

Collection

2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Chao Wang, Arizona State University

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

solutions, aiming for50 solutions during a 20-minute brainstorm session. Lastly, students are given one hour to picktheir top three ideas, quickly prototype them and exchange feedback with peers.Project Week 4During this week’s lab, students first summarize the feedback they receive for their prototypesfrom the previous lab. Afterwards, they choose a list of criteria to evaluate their prototypes andconstruct a decision matrix to pick their top design solution. They then plan on how toimplement their top solution by creating a bill of materials and developing a Gantt chart.Project Week 5This week’s lab is for proposal presentation. Each student team gives a 5-min presentation topitch their project. Students are asked to use the Need, Approach

Conference Session

First-year Programs: Teams and Teamwork

Collection

2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Jean Carlos Batista Abreu, Elizabethtown College; Brenda Read-Daily, Elizabethtown College

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

oftheir individual skills and how those perceptions evolved as students gained knowledgeand experience. This section summarizes and discusses the findings.Quantitative ResultsQuantitative data was gathered through surveys and CATME peer evaluations. Thesurveys asked students to rate their self-perception on skills in: - Q1: effectively communicating - Q2: resolving conflicts - Q3: managing a team (e.g., establishing goals, organizing, and planning tasks) - Q4: enjoying teamwork (e.g., building rapport and fostering inclusiveness) - Q5: delegating tasks and trusting othersThe rating scale included five options: “strongly disagree,” “disagree,” “neutral,”“agree,” and “strongly agree”. The first three were considered

Conference Session

First-year Programs Division: Student Success

Collection

2018 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Hossein Rahemi, Vaughn College of Aeronautics & Technology; Amir Elzawawy , Vaughn College of Aeronautics & Technology; Margaret Ducharme, Vaughn College of Aeronautics & Technology

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

a success rate below 70% requires an action plan for improvement.The details and implementation process of the SEE program, the assessment of the program, andthe continuous improvements to the program are to be presented and discussed during the 2018ASEE Annual Conference Proceedings.2. SEE-STEM Selection CriteriaStudents within engineering and engineering technology programs who completed their first yearand satisfy the eligibility requirements as indicated below are eligible to participate in thesummer SEE-STEM scholarship program.  Student must be pursuing a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in at least one of the following disciplines:  Mechatronics Engineering  Mechanical Engineering

Conference Session

First-year Programs Division: Collection

Collection

2018 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Bimal P. Nepal, Texas A&M University; Michael Johnson, Texas A&M University; Timothy J. Jacobs, Texas A&M University; Mark Weichold, Texas A&M University

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

counterpartsbecause they do not matriculate with prior knowledge on how the academic process works. Tothat end, effective mentoring and counselling can help them through the transitional process. Inthis paper, a case study of a mentoring program that is specifically designed to help FGengineering students at a major university is presented. The paper discusses the implementationprocess of the mentoring program including recruiting of faculty/staff mentors, student peermentors, the mentoring relationship management platform, and the connection plan at TexasA&M University, College Station, Texas. The paper also presents the survey results of the“initial experience” of mentees and mentors and how that has informed the future strategies tosustain and grow

Conference Session

First-Year Programs: Deciding on a Major

Collection

2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Matthew B. James P.E., Virginia Tech; Kacie Hodges P.E.; Jenny L. Lo, Virginia Tech

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

. Compare and contrast the contributions of different types of engineers in the development of a product, process, or system 2. Develop a plan of study for your undergraduate career 3. Articulate holistic issues that impact engineering solutions 4. Solve problems using systematic engineering approaches and tools 5. Model an engineering system 6. Synthesize information from several sources 7. Communicate information effectively 8. Contribute effectively to an engineering teamAs might be expected, balancing coverage of these learning outcomes with the expectations of atwo-credit introductory level course can be challenging for instructors. Many students enter theprogram with expectations that the course’s primary purpose is to help

Conference Session

Bridge Programs Connecting to First-Year Engineering

Collection

2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Adrienne Steele, Louisiana State University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs, Pre-College Engineering Education

theengineering building was in the middle of a $108 million renovation and expansion.]The STEP 1a grant to LSU ended in 2011, and most of the programs developed from this award,including the bridge camp, were institutionalized in the College of Engineering. This program iscurrently sustained through participant fees, as well as support from the college and industrydonors. There is a full-time staff member who oversees all aspects of camp planning andexecution, and who also serves as the advisor for the peer mentor student organization. Table I Number of E2 Participants and Mentors for Each Year of the Program Year ‘07 ‘08 ‘09 ‘10 ‘11 ‘12 ‘13 ‘14 ‘15 ‘16

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division Technical Session 5A: Work-In-Progress: 5 Minute Postcard Session I

Collection

2016 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

John Ross Tapia, New Mexico State University; Elizabeth Ann Howard, New Mexico State University; Rolfe Sassenfeld, New Mexico State University

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

program.Engineering freshman were contacted by navigators throughout the semester to offer support, setup advising appointments, and speak with students who were struggling based on their mid-termgrades.Transition to College LifeAs we all know the transition to college life for many students can be difficult. The leadinstructor taught in a comprehensive and early college high school prior to working at theuniversity. The focus on testing mandated by the public education department has taken timeaway from the curriculum and from opportunities to work on transitional goals. High schoolcounselors and teachers are dealing with additional things, such as their school grade, teacherevaluations, etc. These added tasks take time away from planning and helping

Conference Session

First-year Programs Division Technical Session 16: That Important Decision - Which Engineering Major?

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

M. Jean Mohammadi-Aragh, Mississippi State University; James Warnock, Mississippi State University; Amy Barton, Mississippi State University; Rani Warsi Sullivan, Mississippi State University; Bill B Elmore, Mississippi State University; Jane Nicholson Moorhead, Mississippi State University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

for Undergraduate Studies in the Bagley College of Engi- neering at Mississippi State University. His background is in biomedical engineering and he has been a big proponent of self-directed learning and active learning in his classes and was the first person to intro- duce problem-based learning in the department of agricultural and biological engineering at MSU. James is also the Adjunct Director for training and instruction in the professional services department at ABET. In this role, Warnock oversees the development, planning, production and implementation of the ABET Program Assessment Workshops, IDEAL and the assessment webinar series. He also directs activities related to the workshop facilitator training

Conference Session

First-Year Programs: Paying Attention to Retention

Collection

2017 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Paige E. Smith, University of Maryland, College Park; Elizabeth R. Kurban, University of Maryland, College Park; Catherine T. Amelink, Virginia Tech

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

staff also encourages Flexus first-yearand second-year students to attend events with one another. This facilitates cross-cohortrelationship development and provides first-year students with exposure to the experiences ofsecond-year students, while also allowing second-year students to take on mentorship roles(Tinto, 2003). Another important aspect of Flexus is the opportunity it provides for leadershipdevelopment. Students within the program elect an executive board (including a President, VicePresident, and a few committee leaders) who plan and implement various social activitiesthroughout the semester. The shared residence hall and student lounge are common gatheringspaces for Flexus events, which makes attending the events together easy and

Conference Session

First-Year Programs: Focusing on Student Success

Collection

2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Stephen Roberts, University of Florida; Fazil T. Najafi, University of Florida; Curtis R. Taylor, University of Florida

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

, seminars, and workshops, and has developed courses, videos and software packages during his career. His areas of specialization include transportation planning, Engineering and management, legal aspects, construction contract administration, Renewable Energy and public works.Dr. Curtis R. Taylor, University of Florida Dr. Curtis R. Taylor, Ph.D. is the Associate Dean for Student Affairs for the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering and Associate Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of Florida (UF). Dr. Taylor leads and manages all undergraduate student service activities including aca- demic, professional, and extra-curricular activities in the College. Dr. Taylor directs the soft

Conference Session

First-Year Programs: Retention & Bridge Programs #2

Collection

2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Aysa Galbraith, University of Arkansas; Leslie Bartsch Massey, University of Arkansas

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

]. However, high school GPAs may not be comparable across schools because they are basedon grading criteria from different teachers in different schools with varying curricula and districtstandards.College-level academic advising begins with new student orientation during the summer prior tothe student’s first-year. During this time, students, with the guidance of an advisor, must decidehow to balance the demands of the rigorous engineering course work with the progress towarddegree. For example, is putting a first-year student in calculus, physics, chemistry, compositionand an elective (as the eight-semester degree plan expects) setting some students up for failure?Is it better to delay a science course to allow time to adjust to the dynamics of

Conference Session

FPD1 - Early Success and Retention

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Donna Reese, Mississippi State University; Robert Green, Mississippi State University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

, learning styles, communication skills and timemanagement. In addition, students are required to examine the required courses in their intendedengineering major and develop a semester-by-semester schedule indicating which courses theywill take until they can graduate. The students are required to pay particular attention to coursepre-requisites and consider the pre-requisites in planning their course of study. This schedule isused during an in-class advising session to help students plan their following semester ofcoursework.The second category of class lecture deals with introducing each of MSU’s ten engineeringmajors. Department heads and/or undergraduate coordinators for each department are invited tocome and share with students information

Conference Session

FPD V: Increasing Engagement and Motivation of First-year Students

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Katherine S. Zerda, University of Houston; Diana G. de la Rosa-Pohl, University of Houston; Stuart A. Long, University of Houston; Fritz J. Claydon, University of Houston

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

after-class hours, and study and socialize with them in the PROMES study lounge.FGIC students, i.e. primarily the PROMES students, gravitate naturally toward the peer leadersbut are especially reluctant to seek faculty mentoring. Conversely, we find that HEP studentsenjoy their in-class peer mentors, but are also very comfortable seeking out ―older and wiser’mentors such as their professors and other faculty advisers.An unexpected outcome of the peer mentoring model occurred in 2005 when a team ofespecially committed peer mentors decided to form a mentoring leadership organization calledthe PROMES Action Committee (PAC). Their goal was to provide support to the faculty andstaff by overseeing mentoring activities and event planning on behalf of

Conference Session

FPD 9: First-Year Projects

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Roy W. Melton, Department of Computer Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology; Shanchieh Jay Yang, Rochester Institute of Technology (COE); Adriana Becker-Gomez, Rochester Institute of Technology (KGCOE)

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

Page 24.488.2quantitative and qualitative results of the project. Finally, it offers conclusions drawn from theexperience.ProjectThe project was announced to computer engineering freshman at the time they were beingadvised for spring registration, and their advisor encouraged them to register for it. It wasoffered as a zero-credit course with a satisfactory/unsatisfactory indicator rather than a lettergrade. The project execution consisted of four phases: planning, instruction, design, andcompetition. The subsections that follow describe each of these phases.Planning. Concurrent with adjustments made to the curriculum last year, it was decided toexperiment with a freshmen design project in the spring quarter. In particular, the intent of

Conference Session

FPD 7: Beyond Course Content

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Leonardo Bedoya-Valencia, Colorado State University, Pueblo; Katherine Sofía Palacio, Fundacion Universidad del Norte; Sarah Spencer-Workman, Colorado State University-Pueblo; Yaneth Correa-Martinez, Colorado State University-Pueblo

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

issuessuch as sustainability. Therefore, one of the most important outcomes of this course is toencourage students to understand the challenges when designing product and services whileconsidering sustainability into their designs.At the large private university in South America, the Introduction to Industrial Engineering is arequired one-credit hour, first-year course for all students pursuing a major on industrialengineering. The course meets for 60 minutes once a week over the 16 weeks of the semester.In addition to the topics presented in the Introduction to Engineering course, this coursedescribes the administrative process in the large private university and asks the students todevelop and present a business plan for a potential start-up

Conference Session

FPD 11: Culminating Considerations

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Yvette Pearson Weatherton, University of Texas, Arlington; Andrew P. Kruzic, University of Texas, Arlington; Stephen P Mattingly, University of Texas, Arlington; Ziaur Rahman, The University of Texas at Arlington; Heather L Frost

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

6% 13,100 Mechanical 243,200 9% 21,300 a Excludes environmental engineering, b Includes electronics engineeringBackgroundCivil Engineering and Life Decisions: Choose WiselyThe Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) requires institutions to develop aQuality Enhancement Plan (QEP) as a part of its reaffirmation process. The QEP, according toSACS, is a “… carefully designed and focused course of action that addresses a well-definedtopic or issue(s) related to enhancing student learning.”20,21 The university implemented its QEP,entitled “Active Learning: Pathways to Higher Order Thinking at UT

Conference Session

First-Year Programs (FPD) Poster Session

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Pamela Renee Lockwood, West Texas A&M University; Emily M. Hunt, West Texas A&M University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

Page 23.513.3simply not feasible to constantly integrate course material in a learning community as eachcourse has its own objectives, but with curriculum flexibility and careful planning, faculty havebeen able to integrate the courses with consistent periodic activities and projects throughout thesemester. Our experience indicates the more consistent the integration, particularly in the firstsemester courses, the more likely the students are to be engaged in the community. Problemstaken from Introductory Mathematics for Engineering Applications developed by Wright StateUniversity are used in both the Precalculus and Calculus courses of the learning community as ameans to link mathematics concepts to engineering applications [11]. Problem

Conference Session

FPD IX: Research on First-year Programs Part III

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

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

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

role of knowing when a task is due, planning the work and delivering a result on timewithout these outside reminders. A course procedure that changes that behavior can be onewhere the due dates and requirements are published once, available to be reviewed anytime bystudents and then not discussed at all in class. This process shifts the onus of knowing what isdue on what day squarely to the student. When the answer to the “When is it due?” questionbecomes, politely, “it’s posted online”, that question stops within a few weeks of the semester Page 25.1350.2start. The lesson learned is that the student is responsible to find the information

Conference Session

FPD I: Research on First-year Programs Part I

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kerry Meyers, University of Notre Dame; Victoria E. Goodrich, University of Notre Dame; Natalie Gedde, University of Notre Dame

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

that a more formal assessment ofthe program was needed to better understand the factors contributing to its success both from theperspectives of the student assistant as well as the students they serve. This study data is from2005-2011 and takes a dual approach of: (1) historical categorization of the demographics andperformance of the student assistants and (2) qualitative assessment through open endedresponses to a survey questions relating to their experiences and future plans. There were a totalof 29 respondents that were a mix of: current student assistants, former student assistants(students that are still undergraduates but no longer student assistants), and post-graduate studentassistants (students that have graduated from the study

Conference Session

FPD I: Attacking the Problems of Retention in the First Year

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Arturo A Fuentes, University of Texas, Pan American; Horacio Vasquez, University of Texas, Pan American; Robert A. Freeman, University of Texas, Pan American

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

VaNTH and based on Wiggins and McTighe’sUnderstanding by Design16. The planning phase is composed of the first three tasks of DefiningObjectives / Outcomes, Creating a Model of Knowledge, and Determining Evidence. Theimplementation phase is composed of tasks four and five, Selecting / Developing Materials, andSelecting / Providing Delivery.As stated in the VaNTH “Workshop on Designing Effective Instruction” 2009 manual, thesetasks involve the following activities. Defining Objectives involves identifying the objectives,sub-objectives, potential difficulties in accomplishing those objectives, and real-worldapplications of the objectives10. Creating a Model of Knowledge involves identifying conceptsand skills involved in the challenge and how