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15th Annual First-Year Engineering Experience Conference (FYEE)

Authors

Charity Obaa Afi Ampomah, Ashesi University; Heather Beem, Ashesi University

Tagged Topics

Diversity

experienceIntroductionMany first-year engineering students at African universities are coming from high schools thatrely heavily on rote memorization practices. This can be exacerbated by the challenge ofinsufficient resources to engage students in more experiential approaches. The dominance ofstudents being directed to read and memorize for tests and examinations has been documentedas a common practice in contexts like South Africa [1], but it extends broadly across thecontinent. The authors see this as potentially leading to negatively affected self-perceptionsabout students’ ability to execute as innovators. If this is the case, the ramifications aresignificant, as technical skills and innovation are needed for the development and advancementof technology in

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15th Annual First-Year Engineering Experience Conference (FYEE)

Authors

Toluwani Collins Olukanni, Norwich University; Majd Khalaf, Norwich University; Michael Cross, Norwich University; David M. Feinauer P.E., Virginia Military Institute; Ali Al Bataineh, Norwich University

students’ learning processes andexperiences [1] [2]. This study used unsupervised NLP to analyze student input from two distinctacademic institutions to identify trends and insights that may guide future curricularmodifications.The main contributions of this work are twofold: first, it presents a methodological frameworkfor analyzing educational data using unsupervised NLP techniques that can be applied in similarsettings; second, it identifies key topics in student feedback that are pivotal for curricularadjustments and enhanced teaching approaches.MethodologyData Collection and PreprocessingThe study analyzed feedback from first-year Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE)students at two academic institutions, Norwich University (NU) and

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15th Annual First-Year Engineering Experience Conference (FYEE)

Authors

Kathleen A Harper, Case Western Reserve University; Kurt R Rhoads, Case Western Reserve University

academic year, it became an engineering requirement with up to 230students in one semester, taught by a team of two full-time faculty, one adjunct instructor, andtwenty undergraduate assistants. As it grew, the lecture’s atmosphere naturally changed. It wasless conversational, less personal, and more formal. These observations are in line with existingliterature that found links between increased class size and reduced student involvement, reduceddepth of student thinking in class, and reduced frequency and quality of feedback to students [1].The instructors, who met weekly to discuss potential course improvements, identifiedmanifestations of these issues in several specific areas: 1) Metacognition and formative feedback – formative feedback

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15th Annual First-Year Engineering Experience Conference (FYEE)

Authors

Joshua Eron Stone, University of Maryland College Park; Forrest Milner, University of Maryland College Park; Abigail Guicheteau, University of Maryland College Park

engineering school has recently launched an AI4All initiative, which hopes to equip every engineering student with an ML skillset. Introducing ML curriculum within ENES100, a required three-credit first-year engineering course, is crucial for AI4All as it introduces essential concepts at an early stage. ENES100 consists of a semester-long collaborative project where groups of eight students construct a small Arduino-powered robot (OTV) from scratch capable of autonomous navigation and mission-specific sensing and actuation, described in Table 1 below. The integration of ML within ENES100 involves a 2-hour lesson delivered by an instructor during which they learn and receive tools to use

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15th Annual First-Year Engineering Experience Conference (FYEE)

Authors

Ethan E Danahy, Tufts University; Mehek Kunal Vora, Tufts University; Yume Menghe Xu, Tufts Center for Engineering Education and Outreach; William Church

interpersonaldynamics within teams, and evaluation of team members (e.g. CATME: Purdue University [1],Tandem: University of Michigan [2]). For the team formation step, recognizing that the manualprocessing of student survey data can be laborious and difficult [3], several new digital toolshave been created to try and create idealized matching of students via algorithmic analysis ofsurvey data and assist in unburdening “the time struggle of instructors while still forming wellbalanced groups.”[4]. The introduction of generative AI, which can perform thematic andsentiment analysis on large amounts of raw, unformatted data (e.g. generated by students) canprovide a new methodology for accomplishing this task at scale. This work explores the use ofgenerative AI in

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15th Annual First-Year Engineering Experience Conference (FYEE)

Authors

Longfei Zhou, Gannon University; Varun K Kasaraneni, Gannon University; Longyan Chen, Gannon University; Ahmed Abuhussein, Gannon University

commercialize the ProspectorTM hematology analyzer in Sept 2022. Dr. Chen’s main research interests are developing innovative biomaterials and nanomaterials for drug delivery, cell/tissue imaging, biosensors, and hematology analysis applications. He has co-invented multiple patents and co-authored 29 peer-reviewed journal articles and proceedings papers.Ahmed Abuhussein, Gannon University 15th Annual First-Year Engineering Experience Conference (FYEE): Boston, Massachusetts Jul 28 Full Paper: Comprehensive Analysis and Assessment of An Introduction to Engineering and Computing CourseLongfei Zhou1,4,*,+, Varun K. Kasaraneni2,+, Longyan Chen1,+, Ahmed Abuhussein3,+, Nicholas Devine4,+1 Department of

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15th Annual First-Year Engineering Experience Conference (FYEE)

Authors

Juval V Racelis, Wentworth Institute of Technology

Identities and Epistemological OrientationsIntroductionEngineering identity has become an important lens through which engineering educationresearch has sought to understand students’ disciplinary motivations and subsequent persistencein related curricular programs. This research has had significant implications for retention ofunderrepresented populations in the STEM fields, as campuses continue to explore ways toequitably support an increasingly diverse student body [1], [2], [3]. For example, Doran andSwenson’s [4] study examined the connection between retention and belongingness for studentsfrom academically at-risk populations, revealing that the stronger a students’ engineeringidentity, the greater their chance of persisting in their

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15th Annual First-Year Engineering Experience Conference (FYEE)

Authors

David M. Feinauer P.E., Virginia Military Institute; Michael Cross, Norwich University; Ali Al Bataineh, Norwich University; Toluwani Collins Olukanni; Majd Khalaf, Norwich University

skills.IntroductionRemote workdays have increasingly become the “norm” for many workers. Prior to thepandemic, about 6% of US workdays were remote, with the number peaking around 50% duringthe pandemic and currently around 28% post-pandemic, according to [1]. Whether working in-person or remotely, engineers having to work with teams spread across the globe is not a newphenomenon. Engineering teams have utilized email communication, file-sharing, videoconferencing platforms, and other remote collaboration tools and processes for decades.Developing and strengthening communication and collaboration skills in engineering students isimportant in preparing them for life after college. The term 21st Century Skills (21CS) has beenin use for a long time to describe the

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15th Annual First-Year Engineering Experience Conference (FYEE)

Authors

Carter Hulcher, West Virginia University; Akua B. Oppong-Anane, West Virginia University; Xinyu Zhang, Purdue University at West Lafayette (COE); Lizzie Santiago, West Virginia University; Todd R Hamrick, West Virginia University; Atheer Almasri, West Virginia University

Tagged Topics

Diversity

-generation college students, including those who areprimarily “students whose parents do not have any post-secondary education experience” [1] or“students whose parents have not received a bachelor’s degree” [2]. Although first-generationstudents make up about a third of the U.S. college population [3], they are less likely to beacademically prepared for college, have a prior understanding of the college experience, or knowabout college educational expectations from their parents [4]. To help first-generation studentspersist and graduate from college, institutional retention efforts and support services, includingFederal TRIO programs (Upward Bound, Talent Search, Student Support Services), have beenimplemented and used by many colleges. Despite

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15th Annual First-Year Engineering Experience Conference (FYEE)

Authors

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

placed in the Preparatory or PREP cohort. Half of the newbeginner population had ENGR 2100 included as a potential cohort class for the Spring 2024semester. Students (including those with low math placement) had the option to select anothercourse in the Essential Studies program, rather than ENGR 2100, if they desired.The student learning outcomes for ENGR 2100 are listed below. 1) Students will develop critical thinking, writing, technology, and research skills. 2) Students will demonstrate competency in accessing WMU resources and services and will make meaningful connections with faculty, staff, student leaders, and peers to facilitate success. 3) Students will understand the requirements to earn their bachelor’s degree in

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15th Annual First-Year Engineering Experience Conference (FYEE)

Authors

Kapil Gangwar, Wentworth Institute of Technology

enablestudents to visualize and experiment with complex engineering concepts, conduct experimentsremotely, access interactive learning materials, collaborate with peers, analyze and interpret data,and develop programming skills. Through the integration of digital tools and technologies, first-year engineering students can benefit from hands-on learning experiences, gain opportunities forcollaborative learning and communication, and prepare themselves for the digitally focusedmodern engineering industrial world.1. Introduction:Over the past decade, there has been a significant evolution in technology, engineeringtextbooks, examples, and practice problems. This transformation has fundamentally altered ourapproach to thinking, analyzing, and solving

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15th Annual First-Year Engineering Experience Conference (FYEE)

Authors

Ethan E Danahy, Tufts University; Mehek Kunal Vora, Tufts University; Yume Menghe Xu, Tufts Center for Engineering Education and Outreach; William Church

documentation) that students could pick-and-choosefrom as needed. Highlighting the design and creation of these different chatbots, this paper firstdescribes the background technical implementation and then presents details of student use (viausage logs) and implications for further use in first-year engineering contexts.IntroductionMany industries are rapidly changing, and are predicted to continue to change, based on therelease of and widespread availability of generative artificial intelligence interfaces [1].Education is not immune, and educators across all ages are wondering what the impact will be,from good effects (teachers enacting quality pedagogical interventions to students enhancingtheir own leading experiences) to the bad (outsourcing

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15th Annual First-Year Engineering Experience Conference (FYEE)

Authors

Atheer Almasri, West Virginia University; Akua B. Oppong-Anane, West Virginia University; Carter Hulcher, West Virginia University; Todd R Hamrick, West Virginia University; Xinyu Zhang, Purdue University at West Lafayette (COE); Lizzie Santiago, West Virginia University

-technical skills aretaught in first year courses and are further reinforced in upper-level engineering courses. Examplesof soft skills taught in first-year engineering courses include oral communication, presentationskills, teamwork, and project management.Soft skills are interpersonal skills that support the relationship with other people and complementthe technical skills and are essential skills to achieve organizational development andeffectiveness. Soft skills can be divided into two categories, functional and adaptive skills[1].Functional skills are related to tasks and how to solve new problems, and adaptive skills are relatedto the way in which the engineer conduct themselves and interact with their peers and theenvironment[1]. Examples of

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15th Annual First-Year Engineering Experience Conference (FYEE)

Authors

Micah Lande, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

multiple systemconsiderations like materials, time, and team roles during the design activity or challenge.Context for Pedagogical InnovationProduct development, design, and making are central to the educational mission of theDepartment of Mechanical Engineering at the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology [1].These elements form the backbone of our approach to mechanical engineering education, yetthey are inherently complex and often ambiguous for both students and faculty. Mostengineering programs in the United States include an introductory course in the first semester ofthe freshman year. This course is crucial for motivating freshman students to persist inengineering, as their other courses typically focus on math, science, and

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15th Annual First-Year Engineering Experience Conference (FYEE)

Authors

Roshina Babu, The University of Utah

(FYEE): Boston, Massachusetts Jul 28 GIFTS: A Hands-on Activity for Improving Students' Understanding of Centroids in a Freshmen Engineering Mechanics CourseEngineering mechanics is a freshmen course that poses significant challenges for instructors inensuring students accurately grasp the fundamental concepts [1]. The visualization skills offreshmen students are still developing, making it difficult for them to understand many vitalconcepts in engineering mechanics [2]. Active learning strategies like hands-on activitiesintroduced in engineering mechanics education have demonstrated higher levels of conceptualunderstanding and problem-solving skills among students [3-4]. Many studies have shown thatstudents can better understand

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15th Annual First-Year Engineering Experience Conference (FYEE)

Authors

Edward T. Bednarz III, Wilkes University

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15th Annual First-Year Engineering Experience Conference (FYEE)

Authors

Andrew Charles Bartolini, University of Notre Dame

retrievallearning and ensure that the concepts from the previous lecture are reinforced before the nextlecture. MATLAB Grader is used for problems including variable assignment, mathematicaloperations, loops, conditionals, data structures, cell arrays, user-defined functions, plotting,arrays, and vectors. MATLAB Grader was not used to replace the longer homework assignments.Results and DiscussionBased on student feedback, students preferred MATLAB Grader over a traditional approach ofgrading (in which the students submitted code and received feedback typically within a week).Table 1 illustrates student preferences over the last two academic years. Table 1. Response Rates of Submission Preference Response

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15th Annual First-Year Engineering Experience Conference (FYEE)

Authors

Gretchen Scroggin, University of Arkansas; Heath Aren Schluterman, University of Arkansas; Aysa Galbraith, University of Arkansas; Leslie Bartsch Massey, University of Arkansas; Latisha Puckett, University of Arkansas

Tagged Topics

Diversity

new ways to support first-year students and enhance retention. According tothe Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), High-Impact Practices (HIPs)offer significant educational benefits, especially for historically underserved groups, bycultivating substantive relationships, promoting engagement across diverse perspectives,facilitating the application of acquired knowledge, and fostering reflective processes aimed atpersonal development [1]. Students involved in HIPs are more likely to experience positiveoutcomes like academic achievement, persistence, and attainment of goals that prepare a studentto live a rewarding life [2]. It is recommended to integrate HIPs into curriculum in alignmentwith course objectives and

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15th Annual First-Year Engineering Experience Conference (FYEE)

Authors

Mirna Mattjik, Colorado School of Mines; Carter Moulton, Colorado School of Mines

Tagged Topics

Diversity

increased integration of teamwork in engineering design education, there areless information on what, how, and when to successfully intervene in team activities to yieldbetter team performance. Psychological safety, which is a team construct established throughdeep interactions and conversations that facilitate how team members perceive their treatmentfrom team members, could possibly elevate the performance of engineering design teams [1].This initiative is a Work in Progress under the GIFTS category. The hypothesis is that a positiveteam experience with an emphasis on psychological safety can enhance a student's academicsense of belonging. Solidifying this tool is the first step to a multi-step research study.Project ApproachThe “Team Safety

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15th Annual First-Year Engineering Experience Conference (FYEE)

Authors

Krista M Kecskemety, The Ohio State University; Tyler James Stump, The Ohio State University; Peyton OReilly, The Ohio State University; Sydney Cooper, The Ohio State University

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Engineering at The Ohio State University. She is involved in the Department of Engineering Education as an Undergraduate Research Associate. Her research interests include sense of belonging in engineering.Sydney Cooper, The Ohio State University 15th Annual First-Year Engineering Experience Conference (FYEE): Boston, Massachusetts Jul 28 GIFTS: Connecting DEI, STEM, and Character Strengths for First Year EngineersIntroduction and OverviewThe VIA Institute on Character identifies character strengths as are the parts of your personalitythat impact how you think, feel, and behave [1]. Many of these individual character strengths canbe found in engineering and STEM more broadly in which a survey was developed

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15th Annual First-Year Engineering Experience Conference (FYEE)

Authors

Giang-Nam Facchetti, University of Maryland, College Park

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15th Annual First-Year Engineering Experience Conference (FYEE)

Authors

David Gray, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; Olivia Ryan, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; James Nathaniel Newcomer, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; Hamidreza Taimoory, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Tagged Topics

Diversity

belonging was not indicated as a significant predictor of second-year retention.Our study also noted a lack of significant difference between white students andunderrepresented minority students in terms of second-year retention. Our study underscores theneed for early academic interventions with respect to math placement and calls for further studyto examine the strength of motivating factors related to persistence.Introduction and BackgroundUniversities, particularly land-grant or other public institutions, are increasingly coming underpressure to demonstrate the value of an undergraduate education to society [1]. The escalatingcost of student loan debt and the perceived increased cost of an undergraduate degree haveintensified pressure on

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15th Annual First-Year Engineering Experience Conference (FYEE)

Authors

David Gray, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; Lisa D. McNair, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; Atlas Vernier, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Certificate is funded by an NSF Research Traineeship and is administeredby the Virginia Tech Graduate School in spaces provided by the Fralin Institute [1]. For undergraduates, the university’s Pathways program enables students to put togetherelectives that satisfy general education requirements established in university governance. Ifstudents pursue a Pathways minor, they may enroll in a cross-disciplinary collection of coursesbut the minor itself is administered by a sole department. For example, the authors of this articlepreviously designed and implemented the Innovation Pathways Minor with a spine of requiredcourses hosted by three separate colleges and a wide selection of cross-campus electives,administered by the Department of Engineering

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15th Annual First-Year Engineering Experience Conference (FYEE)

Authors

Angela Jin Sadlowski, The Johns Hopkins University; Eileen Haase PhD, The Johns Hopkins University; Gyeongtae Sun Moon, The Johns Hopkins University; Meera R Bhat, The Johns Hopkins University

development, peer review, public speaking, and technicalcommunication to support BMED students successfully. Principles such as group design, peerreview, and group development were included to promote core collaboration and cooperationskills between first-year BME students. Also, soft skills such as public speaking, engineeringethics, and technical communication were provided to support LMs in their own keydevelopment as biomedical engineers. Park et al. [1] corroborated positive association betweennon-technical professional skills, such as effective communication and teamwork, andengineering leadership self-efficacy, essential for effective leadership. After the BMED course,many LMs become teaching assistants and these skills are foundational in

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15th Annual First-Year Engineering Experience Conference (FYEE)

Authors

Cory Budischak, Temple University; Haritha Malladi, University of Delaware; Brian Patrick O'Connell, Northeastern University

First-Year Engineering: Management, Collaboration, and Curriculum AlignmentPanelists:Dr. Cory Budischak (Temple University)Dr. Haritha Malladi (University of Delaware)Dr. Brian O’Connell (Northeastern University)Description:Many conversations focus on the pedagogy and learning objectives of first-year engineeringcourses, but just as important is how these courses are managed. This this panel discussion, wewould like to discuss and generate a conversation in the community around the main question:What would the ideal management structure for a first-year engineering program look like?Things to consider are: 1. How should the first year be systematically improved and what feedback mechanisms should be employed? What

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15th Annual First-Year Engineering Experience Conference (FYEE)

Authors

Stephany Coffman-Wolph, Ohio Northern University

panelists. What is an Entrepreneurial Mindset (EM)? Defined as "a set of attitudes,dispositions, habits, and behaviors that shape a unique approach to problem-solving, innovation,and value creation" [1] by the Engineering Unleashed (KEEN) website, EM holds the key toamplifying engineers' technical skills. Join us to explore how EM empowers engineers toidentify opportunities, target their impact, and consistently create value, all while embracing the3C's: Curiosity, Connections, and Creating Value.Our panelists, integral members of the KEEN Project known as EMIFY, will share theirexpertise and extensive experience in not only teaching first-year students but also in seamlesslyintegrating Entrepreneurial Mindset (EM) into the curriculum. The

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15th Annual First-Year Engineering Experience Conference (FYEE)

Authors

Paul Marcus Anderson, University of Maryland College Park; Catherine Marie Hamel, University of Maryland, College Park

: An example implementation of web-based, in-class polling as an active learning and formative assessment toolAs an active learning technique, delivering questions directly to the internet-enabled devices ofstudents during class is an established and effective practice [1]-[4]. This type of low-stakestesting promotes long-term retention of concepts and can help students and instructors identifygaps in understanding in advance of summative assessments [5]. Over the span of eight years,the authors of this GIFTS paper have used web-based polling in lecture courses ranging from100-level through graduate-level, both online and in-person (~30-60 students). Implementationshave ranged from ungraded occasional use in service of specific

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15th Annual First-Year Engineering Experience Conference (FYEE)

Authors

Lee Kemp Rynearson, Campbell University

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15th Annual First-Year Engineering Experience Conference (FYEE)

Authors

Katherine Pettrey, Louisiana State University and A&M College; Andrew Becnel, Louisiana State University and A&M College

Tagged Topics

Diversity

early in their college careers, they have the time to strategically tailor their experiencesover the next 8+ semesters.During Semester 1, students learn from an industry representative who provides them withemployer insight into what makes a good job candidate for hire. Starting with “is engineeringright for me,” the students are given several metrics by which they can self-assess if engineeringis a good fit. Students then analyze a sample resume to determine what makes a strong resume,which leads into an analysis of how to tailor the next several years toward building a strongresume. Outside of class students create a resume and a 4-year+ plan (based on SMART goals),which are assessed by instructors. Finally, students participate in Mock

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15th Annual First-Year Engineering Experience Conference (FYEE)

Authors

Christopher C Frishcosy, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Processes”Activity Overview“Concrete is My Jam!” is an activity on how jam ingredients and mixing processes relate to thatof concrete. This activity was inspired to teach concrete to a range of student levels in a safe andclean manner, without the need for laboratory equipment and hazardous materials. All that isneeded is some preferred fruit, sugar, no-cook freezer jam pectin, water, lemon juice, freezer bags,measuring cups, and knowledge to present the analogous relationships shown in Table 1.Table 1. Analogous relationships between concrete constituents and jam ingredients based ontheir primary function in the mixing process and performance of concrete and jam, respectively. Concrete Constituents Jam Ingredients Analogous