A Case Study on How to Implement Applied Learning as an Institutional Baccalaureate Graduation Requirement

Orla LoPiccolo M. Arch, Pdip (CM), Architect

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Conference: 2024 Fall ASEE Mid-Atlantic Section Conference
Location: Farmingdale State College, NY, New York
Publication Date: October 25, 2024
Start Date: October 25, 2024
End Date: November 5, 2024
Conference Session: Technical Sessions 2
Tagged Topic: Professional Papers
Page Count: 16
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--49425
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/49425
Download Count: 30

Paper Authors

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Orla LoPiccolo M. Arch, Pdip (CM), Architect Farmingdale State College, State University of New York

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Orla Smyth LoPiccolo is a registered architect, professor, and former Chair of the Department of Architecture and Construction Management at Farmingdale State College, SUNY, where she has taught 17 courses since 2008. Professor LoPiccolo earned her undergraduate and professional degrees with honors from the Dublin Institute of Technology and Trinity College, the University of Dublin, Ireland, and her post-professional degree in Architecture Urban Regional Design from the New York Institute of Technology. Subsequently, Professor LoPiccolo earned a Postgraduate Diploma in Building Construction Management from New York University and a Passive House Designer Certification from the Passivhaus Institut, Germany. She has private-sector architecture and construction project management experience in Dublin, Ireland, and New York. Professor LoPiccolo has over ten years of public sector experience as an architect and a Community Development Project Supervisor with the Town of Islip. In addition, Professor LoPiccolo was an adjunct assistant professor in the School of Architecture and Design at NYIT for five years, teaching five architectural studio courses. She is an active member of numerous on and off-campus committees, including the Applied Learning Review Board (Chair 2022 – 2023, member since 2016), Farmingdale Executive Committee (Chair 2018-2022, member 2016-2022), ASC, AAS, Public Art Task Force (former Chair), Calendar Committee (former Chair), Sustainability Committee, the American Society of Engineering Education Middle Atlantic Section (former Chair and Secretary and Treasurer). Professor LoPiccolo served as department chair from 2017-2021. She prepared and oversaw three successful ABET re-accreditation reports and visits, streamlined the department processes for student success, and actively linked students and graduates with hundreds of jobs. She has also written and presented 20 scholarly papers on innovative pedagogy, including improving student spatial reasoning, teaching sustainable construction methods, and service learning. Professor LoPiccolo was awarded the Phenomenal Woman for 2018 Award by the Office of Student Activities and the Student Government Association, Farmingdale State College, the Innovative Pedagogy Award, Center for Teaching, Learning, and Technology, Farmingdale State College in 2017, the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Teaching Excellence in 2018 and the American Institute of Architects, Long Island Chapter Educator Award, 2019.

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Abstract

The definition of applied learning has broadened from hands-on assignments to assisting students to develop essential knowledge and skills through contextualized real-world learning to prepare for employment, community engagement, and further education through courses or co-curricular activities. Applied learning includes experiences such as practicum, undergraduate research, internships, clinical placement, civic engagement, service learning, cooperative learning, and independent/directed study. Research on applied learning in the classroom shows that it is an accepted method to reach student learning outcomes and increase student's ability to function effectively in their career, civic, and continued education during and beyond their undergraduate education. While there is research on the effectiveness of applied learning as a pedagogy, implementing applied learning across an institution with various disciplines needs investigation. The goal of this paper is to provide a case study with quantitative and qualitative data using document analysis, give an outline of the SUNY Applied Learning Initiative, and show how Farmingdale State College implemented applied learning as an undergraduate graduation requirement further to the State University of New York (SUNY) Applied Learning Initiative. To date, the Farmingdale State College Applied Learning Review Board has approved 159 applied learning courses (both full and enhanced courses) and 144 non-credit co-curricular applied learning activities [1]. Since the 2018 launch of the Nexus Center for Applied Learning and Career Development, 56 of their applied learning co-curricular experiences have been approved [2]. In addition, the Carnegie Foundation selected Farmingdale State College for the 2020 Community Engagement Classification Title [3]. The results of this study will provide institutions with an understanding and shared resources on how to incorporate applied learning throughout a school of engineering, across campus, or potentially as a baccalaureate graduation requirement.

Citation
Format

LoPiccolo M. Arch, Pdip (CM), Architect, O. (2024, October), A Case Study on How to Implement Applied Learning as an Institutional Baccalaureate Graduation Requirement Paper presented at 2024 Fall ASEE Mid-Atlantic Section Conference, Farmingdale State College, NY, New York. 10.18260/1-2--49425