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

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First-Year Programs

, Texas and 4 memorable years at Texas A and M where I met my wife, I led Bugle Rank #7 in the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band (Class of ’86 Whoop!), and dove into Telecom Engineering. Once in Telecom, my learning continued at MCI, Vartec, and Charter. American c Society for Engineering Education, 2021 Student-Success-Focused Engineering College Preparatory CoursesAbstractThis paper explores the development of two distinct engineering college preparatory courses. A10-hour “What’s Up With Engineering?” course targets high school juniors and seniors that havesome interest in, or have been directed towards, engineering as a career

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division Poster Session

Collection

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Ryan Solnosky P.E., Pennsylvania State University; M. Kevin Parfitt, Pennsylvania State University; Sez Atamturktur Ph.D., Pennsylvania State University; Moses Ling P.E., Pennsylvania State University

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First-Year Programs

Career Fair and student placement related activities. Creating a link between his courses and industry experts and mentors is one of his signature activities.Dr. Sez Atamturktur Ph.D., Pennsylvania State University Dr. Sez Atamturktur is the Harry and Arlene Schell Professor and Department Head of Architectural Engineering at The Pennsylvania State University. Previously, she served as Associate Vice President for Research Development and Provost’s Distinguished Professor at Clemson University. Dr. Atamturktur’s research, which focuses on uncertainty quantification in scientific computing, has been documented in over 100 peer-reviewed publications in some of the finest engineering science journals and proceedings

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division Poster Session

Collection

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Adia Radecka, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Alyssa Bradshaw, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Javi Cardenas, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Sara Xochilt Lamer, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Ilalee Harrison James, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Holly M. Golecki, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

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Diversity

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First-Year Programs

Urbana-Champaign I am an undergraduate student at the Grainger College of Engineering studying electrical engineering interested in soft robotics.Mr. Javi Cardenas, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign I am currently a junior in electrical engineering, graduating in May 2023. I hold a paid research position for the Grainger College of Engineering working with professor Dr. Golecki. I am interested in pursuing a career in health technology and I see myself working with medical devices in the future.Sara Xochilt Lamer, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Sara Lamer (she/her) is a junior studying Mechanical Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign. She is an ARISE scholar in the

Conference Session

The Best of First-year Programs Division

Collection

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Frank J. Marsik, University of Michigan; Claudia G. Cameratti-Baeza, University of Michigan; Elizabeth Mann Levesque, University of Michigan; Stacie Edington, University of Michigan

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First-Year Programs

course, focusing on how the incorporation of choice supports the courselearning goals. This analysis will provide insight into how choice may be leveraged withinfirst-year engineering courses to foster self-authorship, decision-making, and the development ofa Personal Action Plan.ENGR 110: Design your Engineering Experience is an introductory, two-credit elective coursethat serves the first-year engineering class at the University of Michigan. The design of thisintroductory course helps foster student autonomy as students explore the breadth ofopportunities available to engineers in both their education and careers. Students learn anengineering design process as a mechanism for making personal and academic decisions, andthrough a scaffolded

Conference Session

First-Year Programs: Focus on Student Success I

Collection

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Brian Scott Robinson, University of Louisville; Tom Tretter, University of Louisville; James E. Lewis, University of Louisville; Nicholas Hawkins, University of Louisville

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First-Year Programs

(for engineering context) 8-item, validated instrument focused on longer-term,maintained interest. The methods that follow were developed to explore a multi-subfactordepiction(s) (from literature) of maintained interest, including conceptualizing and analyzingstudent responses. Two associated research questions thusly addressed in this study are: 1) whatis the strongest factor structure for measuring the construct of first-year engineering students’long-term, stable maintained interest in the choice of pursuing an engineering career?; and 2)how strong is the fit of theoretically-grounded structural models of the construct of first-yearengineering students’ maintained interest in engineering careers? Results show significantempirical support in

Conference Session

First-Year Programs: First-Year Experiences

Collection

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Randy Hugh Brooks, Texas A&M University

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First-Year Programs

and discuss summer internship options.Following are comments from two professors that have taught students both the previouscurriculum and the new curriculum: • “The previous foundational courses had minimal coding using MATLAB, which is still used in some following courses, but did not supply the programming foundation required to code confidently. Students were left to develop this ability on their own when needed later in their collegiate career” [5]. • “Having just completed two decades in the auto industry, I was surprised that foundational courses did not include significant coding, so, previously, I had my students complete programming activities beyond those in the initial standard curriculum” [6

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division Poster Session

Collection

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Matthew Lucian Alexander P.E., Texas A&M University-Kingsville; Breanna Michelle Weir Bailey P.E., Texas A&M University-Kingsville; Rajashekar Reddy Mogiligidda, Texas A&M University-Kingsville; Mahesh Hosur, Texas A&M University-Kingsville; David Hicks, Texas A&M University-Kingsville; Michael Preuss, Exquiri Consulting, LLC

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Diversity

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First-Year Programs

their experiences as engineers, as other programshave done [3]. Three other panels presented for the benefit of the participants, one panel perweek of the SBP. The first panel consisted of persons who were recent engineering graduates ofTexas A&M University-Kingsville. They were asked to speak about the transition from anacademic to professional work environment. The second panel consisted of engineeringgraduates who worked in other professions outside of engineering, and they discussed how theyused their engineering skills in performing non-engineering jobs. The third panel consisted ofseasoned or retired engineers, who spoke about the variety of things each had accomplished overthe course of their careers. There were 16 guest speakers. Of

Conference Session

First-Year Programs: Focus on Student Success I

Collection

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Natalie C.T. Van Tyne P.E., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; Lisa D. McNair, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; David Reeping, University of Cincinnati

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First-Year Programs

or four-year higher educational institution.Now they must learn to be students within their new environment as they work to fully engagewith their studies [4]. However, differences in both technical and non-technical courserequirements may produce a “transfer shock”, resulting in lower grades during the first semester[4]. If transfer shock persists, it can lead to academic disengagement through a questioning ofcompetence for one’s chosen major program or career path as a result of receiving poor grades[16].Two-year transfer students had attended a two-year institution prior to transfer, while four-yeartransfer students had attended a four-year institution. While both two-year and four-year studentsmay experience transfer shock at their new

Conference Session

First-Year Programs: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the First Year

Collection

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Melissa Lynn Morris, University of Nevada - Las Vegas; Joseph Dygert, West Virginia University; Robin A.M. Hensel, West Virginia University

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Diversity

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First-Year Programs

a Mathematician and Computer Systems Analyst for the U. S. Department of Energy as well as more than 25 years of experience teaching mathematics, statistics, computer science, and first-year engineering courses in higher education institutions. Currently, she leads a team of faculty who are dedicated to providing first year engineering students with a high- quality, challenging, and engaging educational experience with the necessary advising, mentoring, and academic support to facilitate their transition to university life and to prepare them for success in their engineering discipline majors and future careers. American c Society for Engineering

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division Poster Session

Collection

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Doina Bein, California State University, Fullerton; Jidong Huang, California State University, Fullerton; Yu Bai, California State University, Fullerton; Sudarshan T. Kurwadkar, California State University, Fullerton; Paulina Reina, California State University, Fullerton

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Diversity

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First-Year Programs

with novel silicon and post-silicon devices, and low power digital and mixed-signal CMOS circuit design.Dr. Sudarshan T. Kurwadkar, California State University, Fullerton Dr. Sudarshan Kurwadkar is a Professor in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at California State University, Fullerton. He is a licensed Professional Engineer and a Board-Certified En- vironmental Engineer. During his academic career, he has received numerous awards, scholarships, and fellowships. He won the Teaching Excellence Award, 2018 Excellence in Scholarly and Creative Activ- ities Award, Faculty Advisor of Distinction 2020, 2019 ASCE Outstanding Faculty Advisor in the State of California, and 2020 L. Donald Shield Award for

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division Poster Session

Collection

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Briceland McLaughlin, Boise State University; Nick Hudyma, Boise State University; Robert Hamilton P.E., Boise State University; Bhaskar Chittoori P.E., Boise State University; Mojtaba Sadegh, Boise State University; Sondra M Miller P.E., Boise State University

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First-Year Programs

as to thecontent of their coursework and neither of these goals are easily met in large-format courses thatserve all majors [6].Students desire a community of peers and faculty as well as a sense of belonging [7] within theirmajor. Belonging can be developed in many ways, but a core piece of belonging is knowing whatyou belong to. When students understand what they are studying, they can connect their input(academic effort) to an output (degree attainment, career) that reflects their values and self-identity now and, in the future, [8]. A large contributing factor to programs not being able to helpstudents make connections is a lack of major-specific courses available where students can findand spend structured time with peers/faculty in

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division Poster Session

Collection

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Reza Kamali, California State University San Marcos

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First-Year Programs

six broad factors drive students to leave engineering: classroom and academicclimate, grades and conceptual understanding, self-efficacy and self-confidence, high schoolpreparation, interest and career goals, and race and gender. They also noted that studies suggestthat retention can be increased by addressing one or more of these factors [3].In order to address the factors that persistently cause so many students to leave engineering, andto develop a lower-division curriculum that will engage and retain Electrical Engineering majors,particularly those from underrepresented groups, California State University San Marcos, proposesto implement this study to improve retention. This paper will address two of the retention issuesthat Geisinger and

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division Poster Session

Collection

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Stacie Edington, University of Michigan; Steven J. Skerlos, University of Michigan; Claudia G. Cameratti-Baeza, University of Michigan; Abby M. Chapin, University of Michigan; Frank J. Marsik, University of Michigan

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First-Year Programs

program and plans to pursue further educational and career opportunities involving human-centered design, product development, and global health.Frank J. Marsik, University of Michigan Frank Marsik is the Faculty Director of First Year Student Engagement in Undergraduate Education within the University of Michigan, College of Engineering. He received his PhD from the University of Michi- gan. In addition to serving as the primary instructor for ”Engineering 110: Design Your Engineering American c Society for Engineering Education, 2021 Paper ID #34818Experience”, he also teaches a

Conference Session

First-Year Programs: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the First Year

Collection

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Janet Aderemi Omitoyin, The University of Illinois at Chicago ; Renata A. Revelo, The University of Illinois at Chicago; Betul Bilgin, The University of Illinois at Chicago; Houshang Darabi, The University of Illinois at Chicago; Rezvan Nazempour, The University of Illinois at Chicago

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Diversity

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First-Year Programs

study is informed by the need to address the well-documentedunderrepresentation of low-socioeconomic status (SES) and minoritized students in engineeringand other related careers [1]–[3]. Researchers advanced that, in addition to intellectual andscientific reasons, low-income students are attracted to the major by the potential prospect ofemployment after completing a degree [1], [4]. Financial considerations are critical for low-SESengineering students; this includes considerations of financial aid and differential tuition [5].Programs such as the National Science Foundation Scholarships in STEM (S-STEM) have beenimplemented to address financial assistance of low-SES students. This study is part of alongitudinal five-year S-STEM project

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division Poster Session

Collection

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Aamir Fidai, Texas A&M University; Samiha Momin; Asma Salim Maredia, Texas A&M University; Insha Ashirali Umatiya

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First-Year Programs

from underprivileged families to aim for college education and careers in STEM fields. Aamir’s research interests include equity in STEM education and infusion of open source hardware and software in STEM classrooms through Internet of Things (IoT) Technology. Aamir is also interested in expanding the academic research opportunity to undergraduate students in in-service teachers in K-12. Aamir is an Aggie Research Leader and is active in mentoring undergraduate research scholars. Aamir has presented his research both at regional (SERA, TAMU LAUNCH) and at international (FIE, AERA) educational research conferences. Aamir has published his research in a high impact peer reviewed jour- nal, conference proceedings

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division Poster Session

Collection

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Monica B. Setien, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University; Tobin N. Walton, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University; Matthew B. A. McCullough, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University; Stephen B. Knisley, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University

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Diversity

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First-Year Programs

) (15) (2.0) Q6. Your future academic plans? 4.8 17.4 66.1 9.1 2.3 (11) (40) (152) (21) (6.0) Q7. Your future career? 2.6 12.7 71.6 9.6 3.5 (6.0) (29) (164) (22) (8.0) Q8. Your financial well-being? 5.7 18.8 60.3 10.9 4.4 (13) (43) (138) (25) (10) Q9. Your psychological well-being? 21.7 30.4 40 3.9 3.9 (50) (70) (92) (9.0

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division Poster Session

Collection

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Ramsey George Jabaji, University of Maryland, College Park; Shannon Hayes Buenaflor, University of Maryland, College Park; Brian Farrington Dillehay, University of Maryland, College Park; Rebecca Z. Kenemuth, University of Maryland, College Park; Elizabeth Kurban, University of Maryland, College Park; Paige E. Smith, University of Maryland, College Park

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Diversity

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First-Year Programs

and Education from American University in 2016 and his BA in International Affairs from the University of Colorado, Boulder in 2006.Ms. Rebecca Z. Kenemuth, University of Maryland, College Park Rebecca Kenemuth is the Assistant Director of Recruitment and Outreach for the Women in Engineering Program at the University of Maryland. She holds an M.A. in Counseling and Personnel Services from the University of Maryland and is passionate about empowering girls and women to pursue careers in STEM-related fields.Dr. Elizabeth Kurban, University of Maryland, College Park Elizabeth Kurban serves as the Assistant Director of Retention for the Women in Engineering Program at the University of Maryland Clark School of

Conference Session

First-year Programs: Focus on Student Success 2

Collection

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Elizabeth Anne Stephan, Clemson University; Abigail T. Stephan, Clemson University; Baker A. Martin, Clemson University; Matthew K. Miller, Clemson University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

career goals. These assignments were typicallycompleted at the end of the semester, and perhaps as a result of that, the quality of theassignments was often quite varied; it was clear that many students did not put much thought oreffort into these activities, or did not even bother to attempt them.A few years later, Clemson’s Center for Workforce Development produced a series of onlinemodules with a similar goal of helping students learn about the various engineering disciplines.The General Engineering department required the first-year engineering students to complete themodules as a part of the first-semester course requirement. The modules allowed the work to bespread across several weeks and provided students with flexibility due to its self

Conference Session

First-Year Programs: Recruiting and Retention

Collection

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Joanne Kay Beckwith, University of Michigan; Laura Hirshfield, University of Michigan

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Diversity

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First-Year Programs

education, choosing and engineering, and determining their career goals.According to Eccles and Wigfield’s categories, it is a theory focused on the reasons forengagement[9]. SDT asserts that actions are motivated by the desire to fulfill three basic humanneeds: competence, autonomy, and relatedness [10]. Competence is the knowledge and skills onemust possess to succeed and feel effective in dealing with the environment. Perceivedcompetence is often compared to self-efficacy, which is a person’s beliefs about their capabilitiesto produce designated levels of performance that exercise influence over events that affect theirlives [11]. Competence is built through providing optimal challenges, promoting task feedback,and freedom from demanding

Conference Session

First-Year Programs: First-Year Experiences

Collection

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Jill Davishahl, Western Washington University; Jeffrey L. Newcomer, Western Washington University

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Diversity

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First-Year Programs

introduces students to the notion of inclusion and equity inengineering and has them reflect on the importance of these elements to their development, bothas students and professional engineers. By building awareness of inclusion, equity, andprofessionalism early in students’ academic career, the authors aim to create more inclusive andequitable learning environments that lead to a more diverse engineering student body andultimately, engineering workforce, by increasing student sense of belonging. This paper includesa detailed description of the orientation session, a summary of student feedback, and a discussionon how the orientation has been adapted for online participation.Introduction & BackgroundImpact of Freshman Orientation

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

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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: First-Year Experiences

Collection

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Stephanie L. Walkup PE, Villanova University; John Komlos, Villanova University; Kevin A. Waters P.E., Villanova University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

engineering course with activities relevant to the identifiedmajor may develop stronger beliefs regarding their career choice and expectancy-related beliefs,improving engineering identity5. For this reason, the Civil and Environmental EngineeringDepartment elected to move a previously offered second-year course titled Civil EngineeringFundamentals to the second semester of the first-year. This paper presents a before and aftercomparison of faculty-assessed student proficiency, as well as students’ self-assessedproficiency, in select civil engineering technologies taught in the course to better understand howthe transition from second-to-first year affected both learning of and comfort with thesetechnologies.Course DescriptionThe Civil Engineering

Conference Session

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

Collection

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Shannon Barker, University of Virginia

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

get students to fall in love with the practice of engineering. Designingmeaningful and engaging assignments and projects is key. The Expectancy-Value Theoryconnects students’ course perceptions to their engagement and performance [1]. The Valueportion of the theory includes utility value, or how well the assignments and projects align withthe students’ future goals. Including activities with a high utility value greatly influences astudent’s choice of major and their career interests [2]. The Expectancy part of the theory isdescribed as the students’ perception of how well they will perform on tasks within a domain.The more capable a student feels in doing the work of a particular course or curriculum, the moreacademic satisfaction they feel

Conference Session

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

Collection

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Rui Li, New York University; Jack Bringardner, New York University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

Disagree (2) 8. I feel really close to team members Strongly disagree (1) 9. I am satisfied with my performance at this task 10. I was pretty skilled at this activity 11. This was a lab that I couldn't do very well 12. I enjoyed doing this lab very much Qualitative questions for hybrid lab 2 1. What are the main benefits of working in a hybrid lab? 2. What are the main challenges of working in a hybrid lab? 3. What are the important skills needed in industry as organizations move to remote work? 4. What skillsets have you learned from the labs that could be transferable to the future in your careers

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division Poster Session

Collection

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Alexander James Carroll, Vanderbilt University; Joshua Daniel Borycz, Vanderbilt University; Julianne Vernon, Vanderbilt University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

semester.Background on Problem Being AddressedIn the first-year engineering program at Vanderbilt University, students take a three-credit coursein the fall of the first year called Introduction to Engineering. The Introduction to Engineeringcourse is broken into three modules, each consisting of 14 sections. Because the program aspiresto preview what students can expect to learn in each major and the possible career paths thatcould follow, students are encouraged to explore modules that align with their interests or thatfall outside of their previous experiences.While the design of each course section reflects the expertise and interests of the individualinstructor who leads it, most sections include problem-based learning opportunities and someform of

Conference Session

First-Year Programs: Focus on Student Success I

Collection

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Hossein EbrahimNejad, Purdue University at West Lafayette; David Ray Waller, Purdue University at West Lafayette; Matthew W. Ohland, Purdue University at West Lafayette; Hayaam Osman, Purdue University at West Lafayette

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First-Year Programs

students[3]. over thepast years, there has been an increase in the number AP programs offered in high schools and thenumber of students enrolling in these programs. The numbers mentioned above were 4.9 millionexams and 2.7 students in 2017. Among the various STEM courses offered in high schools,mathematic courses such as calculus and statistics are the most popular courses students take. Withthe increase in these programs, it is worth revisiting the potential benefits they may have onstudents' career and academic future. However, with the wide spread of AP courses there arestudents who do not have access to AP courses due to their location.The potential benefits of AP courses rise the concern of the equity and access of these courses.Students

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division Poster Session

Collection

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Ashraf Badir P.E., Florida Gulf Coast University; Jeanette Hariharan, Florida Gulf Coast University

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First-Year Programs

learning tools have been used for centuries. Organic chemists use molecular modelingkits for analyzing and reproducing virtual molecular fragments. Mathematicians engagemathematical modeling tools to better represent the kinds of problems students may encounter intheir professional careers [7]. Balsa wood trusses are used in Statics classes for understanding theforces in bridges.It has only been very recently that interactive book learning tools have become available throughthe internet. The teaching must still focus on content of material and pedagogy to assure thehighest degree of student mastery of the subject, and active learning is a part of the environmentthat insures this happening. Since the pandemic of 2020-2021, on-line learning

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

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First-Year Programs

earned her undergraduate degree in Biological Engineering from the University of Georgia.Lt. James Edward Roethler, Spalding University My name is James Edward Roethler. I am a Doctoral Student at Spalding University, specializing in forensic and adult psychology. I am also a 2LT in the United States Army, and plan to be a career psychologist with the military.Dr. Aimee M. Frame, University of Cincinnati Aimee Frame is an Associate Professor-Educator and current Undergraduate Program Director for Me- chanical Engineering at the University of Cincinnati. She received her MS in Mechanical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology, USA and her PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the Uni- versity of

Conference Session

First-Year Programs: Student Perceptions and Perspectives

Collection

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

George James Lamont, University of Waterloo; Stephanie Mutch, University of Waterloo; Chimdindu Ohaegbu, University of Waterloo ; Hamza Z. Butt, University of Waterloo; Kate Mercer, University of Waterloo; Kari D. Weaver, University of Waterloo

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First-Year Programs

Criminal Justice Policy from the University of Guelph and is an MLIS candidate at the University of Western Ontario (August 2021). Her research interests include social constructionism, interdisciplinary applications of critical social theory, and information seeking and evaluation.Chimdindu Ohaegbu, University of Waterloo Chimdindu Ohaegbu is an undergraduate chemical engineering student at the University of Waterloo. She is a member of Waterloo iGEM, the University of Waterloo’s synthetic biology design team. Her research and career interests include engineering education and biotechnology.Mr. Hamza Z. Butt, University of Waterloo Hamza Butt is an honours legal studies student at the University of Waterloo. His other

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

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First-Year Programs

withsmaller sections that focused on active learning have also been shown to increase students’retention and certainty [10].In connection with Social Cognitive Career Theory, many elements of first-year engineeringcourses are also directed towards self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and personal goals, andthese courses are proven to increase major certainty by a statistically significant amount [11],[12]. Furthermore, labs, projects, and a close relationship with their professor help studentsselect a major [11]. The retention rate of students within a specific major increased when thatstudent was taught by a professor with the same degree as their intended major for their FYEintroduction course, as well as when students attended 2 or more