majorrequirements. Finally, we felt it important to our retention goals to devote some time to preparingregional students for academic life on main campus through introduction to the use of the libraryand online library resources, writing center, and popular university clubs that appeal to engineers(e.g. Engineers without Borders).Thus, we decided to improvise on the current course, retaining the majority of content andtextbook and striving to bring in multi-disciplinary activities (paper based or hands-on) into thedistance setting. While we decided to forgo the cooperative learning piece; we agreed instead toplay to our perceived strong suit: a multi-disciplinary team of instructors willing tocollaboratively teach the course in order to get the Pre
interactivelearning6, summer bridge programs7,8, and academic support services such as tutoring, AcademicExcellence Workshops (AEWs), and peer mentoring9.In 2008, Cañada College, a Hispanic-Serving community college in Redwood City, CA, wasawarded a Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program (MSEIP) grant by the USDepartment of Education. The project, entitled Student On-ramp Leading to Engineering andSciences (SOLES), aims to maximize the likelihood of success among underrepresented andeducationally disadvantaged students interested in pursuing careers in STEM fields byincorporating strategies that address challenges and barriers to recruitment, retention and successof these students. Among the strategies developed for this project are two summer
experiences, learning communities,writing-intensive courses, collaborative assignments and projects, undergraduate research,diversity/global learning, service learning/community-based learning, internships, and capstonecourses and projects.7 Another study published by the California State University Chancellor'sOffice shows that "Participation in high-impact practices has been shown to improve both learningand persistence for all students, but especially for the historically underserved."8 This study alsoindicates that participation in more than one high-impact practice increases the benefits for thesestudents. Other specific strategies that have been proven effective in improving student outcomesfor minority students include mentoring programs,9,10
colleges anduniversities among peers. NW-ETEP up-holds the value of relationships between high schoolsand community colleges, community colleges and universities and between students, facultymembers and support services in community colleges. “I guess it kind strikes me that so much of this is about relationships at all levels, whether department chair or school of engineering chair, it’s just even that function of getting to know each other in the different cc programs and their faculty.” “It’s been a big supporter of our human powered paper vehicle competition which is actually a result of a different NSF grant but NW-ETEP has supported and kind of built upon what started a few years ago. Now the human powered
scenarios are embedded in various contexts inwhich there is a need for ensuring radiological safety, including nuclear power plants,research reactors, hospitals, isotope production facilities, etc. Every scenario is supportedby all relevant regulations and guidelines (NRC, DOE, DOT, ANSI, INPO), proceduresfor each activity, supporting cases of operating experience and event reports, descriptionsof the radiation sciences, situational awareness (self- and peer-checking) procedures, andadvice from others. These scenarios may be used by course instructors in numerous ways,from the objects of lectures to problem-based learning. Utilizing a blended learningformat, learners concurrently approach course content and relevant scenarios both in classand
11 11 Total Number of Awards 21 37 41 41Building Academic CapitalInsufficient academic support is another barrier to student success. To help overcome thisbarrier, Cañada College has developed a number of academic support programs for STEMstudents including tutoring, Academic Excellence Workshops, study groups, peer instruction,and research internship opportunities. Many of these support services have been previouslydeveloped through the MESA Program. Other programs were developed through grant-fundedprojects that led to the creation of Cañada College's STEM Center, a campus hub for all STEM-related programs, activities, and support services. The STEM Center provides
, problem-solving, communication, knowledge of business processes, teamwork, and agood work ethic, that can leverage the technical skills for greater impact for both the companyand the worker. Likewise, through their survey of 200 companies (2006), the metro-DenverWIRED Initiative discovered a need for technical workers with a broader-than-expected range ofskills, i.e. a call for technical workers to have solid writing, marketing, leadership, or sales skills.When evaluating job applicants, businesses surveyed indicated they value experience and skills,most, and find that applicants do not have the required written and verbal communication skillsthey need to be viable candidates. Based on a 2007 study, the Indiana Business Research Centerpredicted
retention and success has been the subject of many studies. Forexample, Kuh’s multi-phased study identified high-impact practices including first-year seminarsand experiences, common intellectual experiences, learning communities, writing-intensivecourses, collaborative assignments and projects, undergraduate research, diversity/global learning,service learning/community-based learning, internships, and capstone courses and projects.4Another study published by the California State University Chancellor's Office shows that"Participation in high-impact practices has been shown to improve both learning and persistencefor all students, but especially for the historically underserved."5 This study also indicates thatparticipation in more than one high
understandingthat the university wanted to help the CCs with their recruitment and retention of pre-engineeringand computer science students and to assist their students with transfer only after they could gono further in their engineering studies at the CC.Representatives from ASU and MCCCD worked together for several months writing a grant forthe National Science Foundation. The primary objective of the project was to work together on aprogram to encourage more potential and actual CC students to consider engineering. The firstauthor had discovered through her research that of the engineering transfer students in Fulton,many of them had gone to a CC with no particular major in mind and had decided on engineeringor computer science after they had