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

Authors

Benjamin Goldschneider, University of Virginia; Shaylin Williams, University of Virginia; Esther Tian, University of Virginia

studentsgrow.Format:This 90-minute session will be comprised of four interwoven explorations of distinct kinds offeedback implemented in a large public Mid-Atlantic university’s First Year Engineering (FYE)program, followed by a conversation underlining how they work in tandem with one another.The mini sessions will vary in presentation, but will all provide background informationalongside examples of how the feedback was collected and applied to support studentdevelopment. The mini sessions will be sequential, and all workshop participants will go throughthem together.Learning Goals:Attendees will be able to identify and explain how four provided kinds of feedback–a full-yearpre- and post-survey, career reflection assignments, module reflection assignments, and

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

Authors

Nicole Alexandra Batrouny, Northeastern Univeristy; Daria A Kotys-Schwartz, University of Colorado Boulder; Micah Lande, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

Paper ID #45056Design Signatures in the Wild: Making the Invisible Visible (in First YearEngineering) WORKSHOPDr. Nicole Alexandra Batrouny, Northeastern Univeristy Nicole Batrouny is an Assistant Teaching Professor of First Year Engineering at Northeastern University. Her engineering education research interests include novice engineering education (K12- first year), reflective engineering design process, metacognition, collaboration in engineering, and decision making.Dr. Daria A Kotys-Schwartz, University of Colorado Boulder Daria Kotys-Schwartz is the Director of the Idea Forge—a flexible, cross-disciplinary design space

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

Authors

Samantha Kennedy, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

year students arrive at our schools with vastly different levels of exposure to – and fluencyin – the core concepts of diversity, equity, and inclusion education. When the CurriculumCommittee for our First Year Experience course began developing a lesson to ground our STEMstudents in these concepts, we faced a big question. How can we meet each member of a diversestudent body where they are while also fostering their growth?As a predominantly white institution, we wanted to challenge our students to reflect on their ownidentities and how that ties them to other students in the college. We designed a lesson thatfocused on individuals’ social identities and how those identities affect their comfort levels indifferent scenarios, then used guided

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

Authors

Sukeerti Shandliya, University of Cincinnati; Cedrick Kwuimy, University of Cincinnati

Tagged Topics

Diversity

transformative learning process starts.Transformative learning helps in changing learners’ perceptions by altering their problematicframes of references [7]. Transformative learning pedagogy can help first year students tobecome self-directed and independent learners [8]. Since critical reflection is a crucialcomponent of the transformative learning process, it poses a greater challenge in theimplementation of transformative learning pedagogy in first year engineering courses. Studieshave found that even at the graduate level, students are not inherently reflective [9]. Adding tothat, not all types of reflection lead to transformative learning. Mezirow [10] argues thatengaging in content or process reflection leads to straightforward transformation

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

Authors

Mohammed El Kihal, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; Cassie Wallwey, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; Juan David Ortega Álvarez, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; James Nathaniel Newcomer, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

resources—like office hours or tutoring time—necessitates efficient time management. Efficient time management, in turn, enables theimplementation of in-depth metacognitive study activities, which helps students generatequestions that target their respective academic trouble spots that can be addressed throughfeedback from the academic success resources. Generating questions can also encourage studentsto overcome avoidance of office hours, which often stems from a fear of asking the wrongquestions or wasting the professor’s time [7]. By integrating these three academic successconcepts (See Figure 1) we expect students to enter a virtuous cycle of experimentation,reflection, and growth. Although the General Engineering advisors spend most of their

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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

has research experience in the areas of automation and control theory, system identification, machine learning, and energy resilience. He holds a PhD and BS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Kentucky.Ali Al Bataineh, Norwich University 15th Annual First-Year Engineering Experience Conference (FYEE): Boston, Massachusetts Jul 28 Full Paper: Future-Ready Students – Survey Analysis Utilizing Natural Language ProcessingAbstractFirst-year Electrical and Computer Engineering students from two institutions engaged in acollaborative project to develop a smart home device using sensors and actuators learned in theirintroductory courses. They reflected on the project, and their feedback was

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

Authors

Lisa Lampe, University of Virginia; Esther Tian, University of Virginia

reflection and planning to take ideas back to their campus. Thepresentation will include advising standards, resources, and recommendations.Learning goals: Attendees will be able to name 2 best practices within Academic Advising thatare feasible to implement in their program.Content: We will review National Academic Advising (NACADA) definitions of academicadvising, advising values, and resources. We will also cover some terminology and most citedliterature on Advising Structures, and how academic advising should be seen as teaching [1]. Wewill also review the Academic Advising Handbook to help participants understand StudentLearning Outcomes (SLOs) and recommended assessment practices [2].Activities: The welcome will include a poll to hear more

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

Authors

Micah Lande, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

Alternatives: Apply brainstorming techniques to creatively solve the problem. ▪ Rapid Prototyping: Use available materials for quick prototyping. ▪ Mindful of Process: Describe and reflect on the design process. ▪ Visual Thinking: Document ideas and solutions visually in a design notebook.Over the span of just one week, students are introduced to the sequential steps of the designprocess and are afforded ample time to refine their designs. The challenge promotes iterativedesign through a tinkering pedagogical approach [4], which strikes a balance between rigorousengineering analysis and fostering creativity. Throughout the process, students meticulouslydocument their design journeys and engage in reflective exercises to evaluate their

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

Authors

Haritha Malladi, University of Delaware

topodcasts, reading the transcripts, and/or creating podcasts or podcast scripts is in line withUniversal Design for Learning (UDL) guidelines of creating multiple means of engagement,representation, action and expression [2].The first and easiest method involves assigning students to listen to a podcast episodeaccompanied by a written reflection response. Podcast listening assignments are a goodalternative to assigning a reading. Before assigning students in course to listen to a podcastepisode, the author suggests polling students about their familiarity with podcasts and the use ofpodcast player apps. Many podcasts provide access to full transcripts for each episode, which canalso be provided to the students. An effective way to help students

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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

scalable way across the entire class. Thisprocess provided the opportunity for individual student perspectives, wishes, and experiences tobe considered and incorporated into the group formation activity. Student reflections on the useof generative AI for group formation, including when compared to an opportunity forself-selection of teammates, were mixed with the majority recommending a mixed-methodsapproach of the use of AI but with a “human in the loop” component.IntroductionThis work is inspired by, and builds upon, the many existing techniques and tools currentlysupporting engineering instructors with incorporating teamwork into their classrooms. Thisranges from the forming of teams, overseeing of team dynamics, supporting

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

Authors

Caitrin Lynch, Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering; Joanne C. Pratt, Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering

/library), then share it with a larger group.In the second part (45 minutes), we put participants through a full test/learn cycle in order toexplore the assumptions embedded in their value proposition. Participants write Test Cards thatoutline an experiment that they will run to test a hypothesis about their customers or aboutproduct/market fit. They create a low-fidelity representation of their product and engage with“customers” to conduct their test. After engaging potential customers, participants fill out aLearning Card that indicates whether the evidence they collected supports their hypothesis.Finally, they update their value proposition to reflect their learning.In the third part (15 minutes), we focus on how the course tools can be applied

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

Authors

Angelika Aldea Tamura, University of California, Davis; Tiffany Marie Chan, University of California, Davis; Xianglong Wang, University of California, Davis

Tagged Topics

Diversity

counterparts [8]. These experiences notonly contribute to a heightened sense of marginalization and demoralization among aspiringwomen engineers but also create a hostile work environment that hinders their career progressionand stunts their motivation to stay in the field.These problems are reflected in persistent departures of women from the field of engineering,indicating an urgent need for intervention [9]. Many women cite personal misalignment with thefield as the reason for their departure [9]. Furthermore, the number of women decreasesdramatically as one moves up the industrial ladder. While women may enter engineering roles,they are less likely to ascend to higher-level positions, resulting in fewer female leaders and rolemodels within the

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

Authors

Jeffrey Harris, York University; Tania Bakshi, York University

with traditional programdelivery, allowing for analysis of the block model’s effectiveness. Initial data show that the blockmodel increased program success by student success rates improving with more students earninga C or higher, and failure rates lowering compared to traditional delivery model. Student focusgroups and faculty reflections offered positive feedback along with opportunities forimprovement.IntroductionYork University is the third-largest university in Canada, located in suburban Toronto with alarge commuter student population. The Lassonde School of Engineering at York Universitycurrently offers six undergraduate engineering programs with a shared common first-year. In2020, the school launched a process to transform the common

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

Authors

Lee Kemp Rynearson, Campbell University

key classes during the first-year and senior year for students, while being aimed atindividual work during the middle two years of study.This awards program targets eight values the engineering program seeks to develop in eachstudent: Community, Professionalism, Ownership, Relevance, Resilience, Ethics, Excellence,and Service. These values are introduced to students with discussion and reflection during thefirst year of study, as well as being prominently displayed in the academic building mostassociated with engineering. Awards are given in the spring semester. Students are nominated byothers including peers, faculty and staff, and representatives from local industry with the processvarying by which year of study the awards are for. In the

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

Authors

Susan F Freeman, Northeastern University

they most wish to explore and workshop presenters will facilitate three interactive activities to enable attendees to reflect directly about their classroom experiences. 3. Discussion + Wrap-up – 20 minutes a. Participants will come back together as one larger group with time allotted for sharing out from the three individual activities. Presenters will lead a short summative activity to highlight ‘take-home’ messages/ideas. b. Presenters will provide a list of useful resources which will be amended to include input from this discussion

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

Authors

Natalie C.T. Van Tyne, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; Michelle Soledad, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; Benjamin Daniel Chambers, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

language.Dr. Michelle Soledad, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Michelle Soledad, Ph.D. is a Collegiate Assistant Professor in the Department of Engineering Education at Virginia Tech. Her research and service interests include teaching and learning experiences in fundamental engineering courses, faculty development and support initiatives – including programs for the future engineering professoriate, and leveraging institutional data to support reflective teaching practices. She has degrees in Electrical Engineering (B.S., M.Eng.) from the Ateneo de Davao University in Davao City, Philippines, where she previously held appointments as Assistant Professor and Department Chair for Electrical Engineering

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

Authors

Lucie Tchouassi, New Jersey Institute of Technology; Jaskirat Sodhi, New Jersey Institute of Technology; Ashish D Borgaonkar, New Jersey Institute of Technology

Tagged Topics

Diversity

diverse workforce brings moreperspectives to problem-solving. Unfortunately, conventional engineering education has oftenignored Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging, and Justice (DEIBJ) issues, perpetuating biasesand supressing underrepresented groups. Due to this inequity, educators need to create inclusiveenvironments that value and empower all students and reflect engineering design’s collaborativeand multidisciplinary nature. Inclusive Design (ID) values solutions that are accessible and user-friendly to individuals of all abilities, backgrounds, and identities, which aligns with engineeringeducation goals. ID encourages empathy and teamwork by having designers consider diverseuser group needs throughout the design process. By

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

Authors

Kurt Ryan Rhoads, Case Western Reserve University; Kathleen A Harper, Case Western Reserve University; Michael William Butler, Case Western Reserve University

student reflections, an assignment which asks students to write about what they havelearned during the semester.Results and DiscussionThe finished adventurers showed that the students used additional manufacturing techniques anddesign know-how to develop more creative finished products (Fig. 1). The instructors observedthat the students were generally more engaged because there was more work to spread among theteam members and more ways to succeed in the obstacle challenge. Figure 1. Whegs and giraffe-themed adventurer attached to remote controlled car.Adding the adventurer increased the number of materials and manufacturing techniques eachteam used. The most popular material was cardboard (82%), followed by plywood (18%) andacrylic (11

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

Authors

Micah Lande, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

involves active teaching pedagogy, which many educators may be unfamiliarwith and hesitant to adopt. The increasing popularity of engineering design courses inundergraduate programs reflects a broader response to industry demands and calls foreducational reform from education and professional organizations [3]-[5].The pedagogical goals of incorporating making and design activities into the curriculum aremultifaceted. These activities aim to enhance problem-solving skills, foster creativity, andencourage teamwork among students. Engineering design courses, particularly senior capstoneprojects, provide students with opportunities to apply their knowledge of the engineering designprocess to create discipline-related artifacts. Freshman design courses

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

Authors

Mary Benjamin, Michigan Technological University; Laura Albrant, Michigan Technological University; Michelle E Jarvie-Eggart P.E., Michigan Technological University; Jon Sticklen, Michigan Technological University; Laura E Brown, Michigan Technological University; Leo C. Ureel II, Michigan Technological University

provides a simpleway for students to understand their coding practices: a green light indicates good codingpractices, a yellow light signals a warning for potential issues that may not cause immediateproblems but should be avoided, and a red light indicates critical mistakes that need to be fixedto ensure the code runs correctly [1].The Role of Code Critiquers in Programming Education:AcknowledgmentThis work was funded by the National Science Foundation award # XXXXXXX. Recommendations expressed in this materialare those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NSF. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, orrecommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the

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

Authors

Mohammad Heshmati, Mississippi State University; Bill B Elmore, Mississippi State University

proven to nurture learning via practical projects,promoting collaboration, communication, safety consciousness, and critical thinking. Guidelinesof the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) and the High-QualityProblem-Based Learning Organization (HQPBL), which include, but are not limited to:“Intellectual Challenges and Accomplishments”, “Authenticity”, “Public Product”,“Collaboration”, “Project Management”, and “Reflection” are followed. For this manuscript, ourprimary focus lies on “Authenticity”, which emphasizes the significance of PBL projects thatgenerate tangible benefits for individuals and communities beyond the educational environmentsof classroom and school. Our objective is to fulfill all necessary ABET criteria

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

Authors

Song Wang, University of Hartford; Enrico Obst, University of Hartford; Beth Richards, University of Hartford

in students’ understanding of the subject. In terms of technical writing, theformat, language, and grammar were better organized and more consistent in the "after" reports,reflecting the effectiveness of the peer evaluation and refinement of the work in enhancingstudents’ learning and writing skills. In addition, the sample presentation slides in Fig. 2illustrate paired pictures with text descriptions in the “after” scenarios, contrasting withrandomly arranged pictures and texts in the “before” scenarios. This demonstrates students’improvement in organizing slides contents throughout the practices.Table 3. Analysis results of students’ technical reports. Student Item Before (Acoustical) After

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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

is key for students to develop the metacognitive skills needed for self-regulated learning [2] [3]. In the early years of the course, instructors could easily have conversations with individual students to help them reflect on their learning approach, provide feedback, and suggest new strategies. After a few years of expansion, these conversations tended to only happen with students during office hours. The first lecture of the course has always contained a section on metacognition, and as the course has evolved, the instructors have posted resources inspired by the metacognition literature [4] [5]. Students were encouraged to self-quiz themselves regularly and not cram for exams. They

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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

Project and Teams Week 2 Work with partners on own time (Brainstorm, set norms, discuss work plan) Week 3 Lab devoted to project Spring Break Week 4 Work with partners on own time Week 5 Special University Event Lab devoted to project Week 6 Evening project presentationsStudents were assessed on their team presentation (delivery, organization, use case, and visuals),solution design (down-selection process, component selection, software developed, schematic),and self-reflection. When introducing the project to the teams, in addition to detailing thetechnical requirements for the project deliverables, the instructors encouraged the students tocommunicate with their partners

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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

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

]. Once the VIA assessment was complete, students shared their topthree-character strengths and were asked to investigate STEM profiles that are exemplar figuresof that character strength within their professional practice. These profiles included a summaryof the figures' life and impact, cases on how they have demonstrated their character strength andthe value they created and examples of their curiosity and connections. Students reflected on theactivity and were asked to consider the value they created by connecting their character strengthswith other STEM figures.RecommendationsThe activity presents a unique opportunity for educators to connect STEM leaders with studentsvalue through the lens of DEI by showcasing that personal virtues can be

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

Authors

Cory Budischak, Temple University; Shawn Fagan, Temple University

employ a qualitative methodology calledInterpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), which allows for a detailed exploration of theparticipants' experiences. This method involves organizing and preparing the data, reducing it to keythemes, and interpreting it through discussions and visual representations which is a similar analyticalapproach commonly found in qualitative research [14]. The data analysis will follow a structured process:managing and organizing the data, reading, and noting emerging ideas, describing and classifying themes,developing interpretations, and visualizing the data. In addition to IPA, the research methods will includecertain aspects of reflective lifeworld research [15]. The research will address the following

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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

being traditional college students and also having had minimalexposure to experiential approaches in their prior schooling. Earlier studies amongst thisstudent population indicate that when they engage in project-based learning, their self-efficacyto design and to build increases significantly [4], and this effect is strong enough to manifesteven when the project-based approach is offered online [5]. However, it is worth expandingthe view of what constructs are most relevant to this set of students. The self-efficacy constructwas designed in the Western context, and some argue that it reflects motivation rather thanperceived capability [6], motivating a broadened scope of what constructs may be most apt.Drawing from the author’s observations

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

Authors

Cassie Wallwey, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; David Gray, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

bring the academic success knowledge, experience, and lessons possessed by theadvising team to the GE classroom. It is important to note that academic success, in the scope ofthis initiative, encompasses not only academic skills (e.g., study skills, campus resource seeking,etc.) to successfully navigate college, but also transferable skills that are necessary inprofessional contexts (e.g., time management, goal setting, planning, reflection, etc.).First-Year Engineering Course & Advising Programmatic IntegrationIn Summer 2023, a team of advisors, instructors, and graduate students explored ways ofsupporting student success and implementing strategies for helping students in FYE classroomsdevelop academic success skills. Through

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

Authors

Adithya Jayakumar, The Ohio State University; Raymond Smith Brooks

something tangible that serves as evidence of success, potentially increasing theirsense of belonging in this space. Figure 3: A completed wooden dieResults and DiscussionAmong the 1600 or so student responses analyzed from the assigned post lab reflection, theauthors found that that the student submissions fell into two categories: a. Beginner: Students who had no or some experience with tool usage b. Expert: Students who had a lot of experience in hand tool usage.Representative responses that were typical to both categories to three relevant questions askedare included below:In responding to the question, ‘Prior to today’s lab, have you ever worked with hand tools? Didyou enjoy working with them today? Why