Conference Session

Research Informing Teaching Practice I

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Chris Venters, Virginia Tech; Lisa D. McNair, Virginia Tech; Marie C. Paretti, Virginia Tech

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

AC 2012-4530: USING WRITING ASSIGNMENTS TO IMPROVE CON-CEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING IN STATICS: RESULTS FROM A PILOTSTUDYMr. Chris Venters, Virginia Tech Chris Venters is a Ph.D. candidate in engineering education at Virginia Tech. His primary research in- terests involve studying conceptual understanding among students in early undergraduate engineering courses. He received his B.S. in aerospace engineering from North Carolina State University and his M.S. in aerospace engineering from Virginia Tech.Dr. Lisa D. McNair, Virginia Tech Lisa McNair is an Associate Professor in the Department of Engineering Education at Virginia Tech, where she also serves as Assistant Department Head for Graduate Education and co-directs the

Collection

2021 Northeast Section Meeting

Authors

James Lamberchts; Anuja Kamat

Improving our approach towards teaching a content intensive subject in higher education - An on-line variantAbstract: The authors carried out a study and published the results on teaching a largely contentintensive course in an engineering school, where it is often a challenge to achieve studentlearning and retention of the course material. Methodologies involved encouraging studentnotetaking, a study guide sheet to follow along with the PowerPoint, homework built to serve asa study aid, weekly quiz, and a comprehensive final exam, as well as a research paper. Anadditional challenge in last year’s course was added when the course went on-line in the middleof the semester. To accommodate this on

Conference Session

Tricks of the Trade for Teaching I

Collection

2005 Annual Conference

Authors

David Miller

more effective use of theirstudy time. In fact, many students will go through the list of objectives and make sure they canperform each task. This may result in better overall student learning and improved studentperformance on exams. Page 10.1363.1 Proceedings of the 2005 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright © 2005, American Society for Engineering EducationFurthermore, learning objectives benefit course organization because they help focus materialand the allocation of class time to correspond with those topics that are considered importantenough to ha ve

Collection

2000 Annual Conference

Authors

Tapas K. Das; Marco E. Sanjuan

Session 3557 Improving Student Understanding of Design of Experiments by Introducing Simulation and Analysis Marco E. Sanjuan, Tapas K. Das Universidad del Norte / University of South FloridaAbstractDesign and Analysis of Experiments should be more than a course for engineers. It shall becomea tool that will allow the future engineering practitioner to understand, model, predict, andoptimize his/her surrounding environment based on scientific procedures. In order to achieve thisgoal, it is important to move away from the theory-based course design towards a real-situationbased

Conference Session

"Modular" Learning

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jason M. Keith, Mississippi State University; Bill B Elmore, Mississippi State University; William Todd French, Mississippi State University; Hossein Toghiani, Mississippi State University; Rebecca K. Toghiani, Mississippi State University

Tagged Divisions

Chemical Engineering

continue to develop additional modules in alternative energy.The published modules are listed in Table 2.In order to effective in the classroom at any university, we have developed a uniformformat for all of these modules. Each module consists of a problem motivation,example problem statement, example problem solution, home problem statement, andhome problem solution. It is noted that the home problem solution is available toinstructors by emailing the first author on this paper. The modules also containadditional information that often lists the chapter of the most popular chemical Page 23.1314.4engineering textbook for that course, in order to aid

Conference Session

Design in the ECE Curriculum

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jeffrey Richardson, Purdue University; Leslie Reed, Reed Environmental

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

AC 2010-1609: IMPROVING INNOVATION BY ENHANCING CREATIVECAPABILITIES IN ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERINGTECHNOLOGY STUDENTSJeffrey Richardson, Purdue UniversityLeslie Reed, Reed Environmental Page 15.698.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2010 Improving Innovation by Enhancing Creative Capabilities in Electrical and Computer Engineering TechnologyAbstractThis project evolved from an existing research effort in electrical and computer engineeringtechnology in which the gap between the creative capabilities students brought to bear whensolving technological problems, and the level of creativity demonstrated in a capstone designproject, was explored

Conference Session

ECE Division Poster Session

Collection

2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Aaron Carpenter, Wentworth Institute of Technology; James R. McCusker PhD, Wentworth Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

mindset regarding improving their own knowledge and (b) guide students towards reliableresources (videos, slides, websites) to help them with their future studies. As a secondary effect,student grades are improved and students expressed gratitude for the ability to safeguard theirgrade from a potentially simple mistake.In a junior-level programming course at Wentworth Institute of Technology, students learningC++ and related concepts had to take a total of nine 10-15 minute quizzes over the course of a 14week lecture schedule. These quizzes were graded and returned, typically within 2-5 days. If astudent earned a grade below 80, they could meet with the instructor within a week and providenew answers for the quiz questions, which, if correct

Collection

2024 ASEE St. Lawrence Section Annual Conference

Authors

Lisa L. Greenwood; Megan Hargrave; Yewande S. Abraham; Sumita Mishra; Jennifer L. Schneider

should be able toidentify standards relevant to their work and apply the requirements set out in standards to real-world situations. Standards-based curriculum and the skills that result are key for preparingtomorrow’s graduates to lead and support infrastructure improvement efforts as the U.S. seeks toenhance its global competitiveness and resilience.Approaches for integration of standards in higher education curriculaStandards education can involve integrating standards in the curriculum by knitting the contentinto existing courses or integration at the program level by creating courses focused onstandards. Some classes focus entirely on the standards used in a specific discipline, while othersincorporate projects and modules that involve

Conference Session

Best of Computers in Education

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Alex Daniel Edgcomb, University of California, Riverside; Frank Vahid, University of California, Riverside; Roman Lysecky, University of Arizona; Andre Knoesen, University of California, Davis; Rajeevan Amirtharajah, University of California, Davis; Mary Lou Dorf, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

Tagged Divisions

Computers in Education

textbook as the maindifference between classes (a class is a particular offering of a course). Other coursefeatures remained mostly the same, including the teacher; differences are noted in eachcase study. The analyses of the student grade performance in each case study, and acombined analysis, show significant grade improvements after introducing the interactivetextbook.BackgroundInteractive learning materials have been shown to improve student learning outcomes incomputer science[4] and other STEM fields[2][9][26]. Edgcomb[4] conducted a controlledstudy with 136 participants comparing the lesson effectiveness of electronic textbookshaving static web content versus interactive web-native content. Lesson effectiveness wasmeasured with a pre- and

Conference Session

Construction Engineering Division (CONST) Technical Session 1

Collection

2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Piyush Pradhananga, Florida International University; Mohamed Elzomor, P.E., Florida International University

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Construction Engineering Division (CONST)

concepts, and organization of theconcept map for assessing the quality of the concept map. After completing the presentations,students participated in the post-course survey. The post-course survey included similarquestions related to improvement in skills level in technical communication skills,interdisciplinary communication skills, and systems thinking ability and confidence to providefeedback, receive criticism, and communicate effectively about the circular economy.Additionally, the post-course survey included open-ended questions related to their perception ofthe combination learning module (i.e., problem-based learning activity and concept mapdevelopment activity) and how it has helped them to learn about circular economy. A WilcoxonSigned

Conference Session

Design Methodologies 1

Collection

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Ulan Dakeev, Sam Houston State University; Reg Recayi Pecen, Sam Houston State University; Faruk Yildiz, Sam Houston State University; Y. Luong, Sam Houston State University

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

pretest and posttestresults show there is a significant improvement in students’ spatial cognition when the proposedtool is used to assist the course.Introduction The development of technology has led to the high demand in engineering design careersthat undergo required training involved with innovative technology. Computer-Aided Design(CAD) have become an essential tool for engineers and other STEM-related fields, which requiresan adequate spatial cognition skill (Sorby et al. 2013). Strong spatial skills are necessary to notonly complete the engineering course but also to succeed in professional practice after finishingthe curriculum (Hsi et al., 1997). Improving students’ interpretation, analysis, and visualization ofmodels, as well as

Conference Session

Quality & Accreditation: Outcome Assessment

Collection

2003 Annual Conference

Authors

Tom Thomas; Mohammad Alam

, the improvements are presented to all constituentsduring the Annual Retreat for discussion and approval. Program revisions implemented based onrecommendations from the 2000 and 2001 Annual Retreats include the following:Revisions made in response to alumni input • Laboratory courses on Programmable Logic Controllers (EE 425) and Programmable Logic Devices (EE 447) were added to the curriculum.Revisions made in response to employers input • Introduced contract law as a topic in EE 301 (Professionalism and Ethics in ECE). • Modified courses to include Internet use. • Introduced several new courses to cover state-of-the-art topics, including VHDL, VLSI, Verilog, Neural Networks, and Optical Networks.In addition, more emphasis

Conference Session

Software Engineering Division Technical Session 1

Collection

2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Kyle D. Feuz, Weber State University; Linda DuHadway, Weber State University; Hugo Edilberto Valle, Weber State University; Richard C. Fry, Weber State University; Kim Marie Murphy, Weber State University

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Software Engineering Division

. At this point in the degree, many students have not fullydeveloped their problem solving and programming skills, and most of their coding feedback hascome from the instructor. In some situations, students taking a traditional face-to-face coursehave the opportunity to do collaborative work. This can come in the form of pair programming,code sharing or some small group assignments. However, the majority of their work is individualassignments.Evidence supports code-review, collaboration, pair programming and student-to-studentinteraction as valuable tools to improve learning and retention. These strategies are especiallybeneficial for under-represented populations [3,4]. The effectiveness of these activities variesdepending on the course

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Division Technical Session 1

Collection

2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jingyu Wang, University of Oklahoma; Nyree Mason, Tuskegee University; Firas Akasheh, Tuskegee University; Gül E. Okudan Kremer, Iowa State University; Zahed Siddique, University of Oklahoma; Yingtao Liu, University of Oklahoma

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

macro-scale, standard materialcharacterization following ASTM standards is conducted to obtain the macroscopic behavior.Digital image correlation technology is employed to obtain the two-dimensional strain field duringthe macro-scale testing. An evaluation of student learning of solid mechanics and materialsbehavior concepts is carried out to establish as baseline before further interventions are introduced.The established multi-scale mechanics and materials testing dataset will be also used in a broadrange of undergraduate courses, such as Solid Mechanics, Design of Mechanical Components, andManufacturing Processes, to inform curricular improvement. The successful implementation ofthis multi-scale approach for education is likely to enhance

Conference Session

Mechanics Concepts I

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

John Burkhardt Ph.D., U.S. Naval Academy

Tagged Divisions

Mechanics

unstructured group work doeslittle to improve the outcomes of at-risk students. Common one-on-one tutoring has been shownto both help retention and do little to improve student performance. Some literature indicates thatgroup problem solving sessions are effective at retaining at-risk students while others do not.Treisman (1992) reported that an intensive “work shop course” as an adjunct to the regularcourse helped at-risk students outperform all other students in the class. Fullilove (1990)implemented a similar intervention in which group sessions were formed involving at-risk andnot at-risk students. Attendance in the session was voluntary. Fullilove (1990) found thatparticipating students were 2-3x more likely to succeed than students who didn’t

Conference Session

FPD 10: Teamwork

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Elizabeth A Adams, Arizona State University; Claire L. A. Dancz, Arizona State University; Thomas P Seager, Arizona State University; Amy E. Landis, Arizona State University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

them, especially when engaged in teamwork activities.Utilizing conative theory in team formation is an area that is still relatively new to engineeringeducation. However, recent studies show it to be an effective means of productive teamdevelopment 5, 6. A 2001 study found that teams of engineering students formed to maximizeconative synergy as predicted by the Kolbe A™ index performed better than a group of teamsformed randomly after controlling for previous academic achievement 7. A two year studyanalyzing team projects in a computer science course showed a statistically significantcorrelation between conatively synergistic teams and team project grades 6. The studyacknowledged the Kolbe index as a positive technique for raising students

Conference Session

Engineering Education in the Middle East and Technology Exploration in Africa and Developing Countries

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Yacob Astatke, Morgan State University; Craig J. Scott, Morgan State University; Jumoke Oluwakemi Ladeji-Osias, Morgan State University; Kenneth A Connor, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; Salessawi Ferede Yitbarek, Addis Ababa University, Institute of Technology; Albert Edward Sweets Jr., iSTEMS; Farzad Moazzami, Morgan State University

Tagged Divisions

International

use the new mobile instrumentation andpedagogy to work on new laboratory experiments and advanced projects. If successful, thisapproach can serve as a model of efficient and cost-effective collaboration between engineeringschools in the USA and Africa that can be used to improve ECE education in developingcountries.Introduction Although several approaches have been used during the past 20 years to reverse the braindrain, the current state of higher education in Africa still shows that there is a significant Page 23.713.3shortage of qualified scientists and educators with advanced degrees. A recent report from theInternational

Conference Session

Engineering Design Graphics Division Technical Session 2

Collection

2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Vimal Kumar Viswanathan, San Jose State University; Sadaqatali Hussainali Mirza, San Jose State University; Chitra R. Nayak, Tuskegee University; Maria Calhoun, Tuskegee University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Design Graphics

Improving Spatial Visualization Skills in Engineering FreshmenAbstractBeing able to spatially visualize and mentally rotate is a key skill necessary to succeed ingraphics and subsequent engineering courses. Recent research has focused on methods todevelop Spatial Visualization (SV) skills in engineering students, as it is a key skill to succeed inmost of the STEM fields. However, in most of the engineering schools, the instructors find itvery difficult to develop keen SV skills in students. The major factors contributing to thischallenge include, but not limited to the huge class sizes, limited time to teach the material, lackof effective demonstrations and the unavailability of feasible hands-on activities. With thefunding from the

Conference Session

Curriculum: Ideas/Concepts in Engineering Education

Collection

2005 Annual Conference

Authors

Mark Henderson; Gerald Gannod; Barbara Gannod

assessment2.In this paper, we describe a curriculum assessment process used at Arizona State University(ASU) to provide feedback about the Bachelor of Science in Engineering (BSE) program inComputer Systems Engineering (CSE). Specifically, the process was designed to measure thegaps between stakeholder (e.g., student, employer, and faculty) desired knowledge and currentcurricula. The assessment process is part of the overarching continuous improvement process.In particular, the products produced by the assessment process are being used to redesign BSEcurriculum and program requirements.In the Spring Semester of 2004, the authors served on a Gap Analysis team whose primary taskwas to determine the effectiveness of a Motorola and Intel funded

Conference Session

NSF Grantees Poster Session

Collection

2018 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Marc Veletzos, Merrimack College; Mary G. Noonan, Merrimack College; Maureen Walsh Sakakeeny P.E., Merrimack College; Cynthia McGowan, Merrimack College

Tagged Topics

NSF Grantees Poster Session

Success program funded by the National Science Foundation, Grant # DUE-1217285. She teaches undergraduate Computer Science courses and serves as department chair . She is currently involved in developing effective retention strategies for computer science and engineering students in the first two years. Her research interests include mobile and web technologies.Ms. Maureen Walsh Sakakeeny PE P.E., Merrimack College Ms. Sakakeeny is an experienced civil engineer and higher education administrator. Her engineering expertise spans transportation infrastructure design, construction management, environmental planning, and sustainability consulting. She supports the Dean of Science and Engineering with student recruitment

Conference Session

FPD10 -- Pre-Engineering and Bridge Programs

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Michele Grimm, Wayne State University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

Program – CurriculumThe Engineering Bridge Program is designed to provide participating students with both theacademic skills and the “survival” skills necessary to succeed as a student in an engineeringprogram. Therefore, it includes traditional coursework as well as courses and activities targetedat developing students’ comfort with the university environment and services.Research at other universities have identified key factors in improving the success of students inundergraduate engineering programs, beyond initial academic preparation. These include peermentoring,4 emphasis on basic academic skills,8 and the establishment of a learning community.For many years, the Department of Mathematics at Wayne State has provided problem

Conference Session

IE Technical Session II

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jo Min, Iowa State University; Wenbo Shi, Iowa State University

Tagged Divisions

Industrial Engineering

AC 2011-2584: LEARNING IMPROVEMENT IN LEADERSHIP, TEAM-WORK, AND CONTEMPORARY ISSUES THROUGH A GLOBAL SUP-PLY CHAIN PROJECTK. Jo Min, Iowa State University K. Jo Min is Associate Professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies in Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering Department at Iowa State University. He teaches courses on production systems, closed-loop supply chains, and market-based allocation mechanisms. His education research interests in- clude outcome assessment and objective evaluation, and has been serving as an ABET program evaluator for EAC and TAC and as a reviewer for various NSF engineering education panels.Wenbo Shi, Iowa State University Wenbo Shi received his Bachelor of Science degree

Conference Session

Explorations in Mechanics Pedagogy

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

John Burkhardt Ph.D., U.S. Naval Academy

Tagged Divisions

Mechanics

Society for Engineering Education, 2015 The Effect of Additional Statics Class Time on At-Risk Student Performance ABSTRACT The academic performance of at-risk engineering students in the core classes statics anddynamics was studied to determine if an additional hour of class time in statics improvedoutcomes. This was possible because two version of the same statics course was offered. Astandard version of the statics course met three hours per week over the course of a fifteen-weeksemester while a second version met four hours per week. Students identified as at-risk using aninformal screening procedure populated the four-hour statics course. For

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division (FYP) - WIPS 1: Programs & Curricula

Collection

2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jennifer Bailey, Rochester Institute of Technology (COE); Spencer Randolph Davis

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs Division (FYP)

Society for Engineering Education, 2023 Work in Progress: Supplementing theoretical modeling with empirical data for improved designIntroductionOur first semester course in biomedical engineering includes a semester-long project thatintroduces students to the design process and allows them to practice working in teams. Thestudents work for a fictional company with a hypothetical hospital as a customer to design, build,and test a portable air filtration system. While the experience for the students has overall beenpositive, they struggle in a specific section of the course and fail to make a connection betweencourse content and application to the project. We are looking to address this short-coming withan

Conference Session

Experimentation and Laboratory-oriented Studies Division Technical Session 2

Collection

2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Jing Zhang, Indiana University Purdue University, Indianapolis; Glorio Singui, Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis; Shambhuraj Hansraj Wadghule; Chauncey Eugene Frend; Tejesh Charles Dube, Indiana University Purdue University, Indianapolis; Michael Golub, Indiana University Purdue University, Indianapolis

Tagged Divisions

Experimentation and Laboratory-Oriented Studies

keyobjectives throughout the primary module content. The pre-survey includes technical questionsand basic demographic questions including GPA and number of Internet courses taken andquestions designed to better understand student self-efficacy toward computer and VR use. Theassessment and evaluation methods based on the objectives are summarized in Table 1 below. Table 1: Summary of assessment & evaluation methods and of their effectiveness Objectives Assessment and evaluation Indication of effectiveness of methods the assessment/evaluation 1. Development of a series of Monthly collaborative Functioning VR modules; VR modules for AM process

Conference Session

First-Year Programs: Design in the First Year

Collection

2017 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

David Joseph Frank, Ohio State University; Kelly Lynn Kolotka, Ohio State University; Andrew H. Phillips, Ohio State University; Michael Schulz, The Ohio State University; Clare Rigney, Ohio State University, Engineering Education Department; Allen Benjamin Drown, Ohio State University; Robert G. Stricko III, Ohio State University; Kathleen A. Harper, Ohio State University; Richard J. Freuler, Ohio State University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

student immersion and growth in mind, the programhas developed to include an engineering cornerstone project in which students work in teams todesign, build, and program autonomous robots to complete tasks on an interactive roboticscourse. In support of the project, a variety of technologies were designed and polished as theprogram grew. Classroom methodologies were also evaluated and improved with time inresponse to student feedback and research on best practices.This paper provides a historical review of practice for the program with an emphasis on thetechnologies and methodologies that have been most effective in the program as it hasdeveloped.IntroductionFor 23 years researchers in autonomous robot design have worked on the advancement of

Conference Session

Construction Session 3: Curriculum

Collection

2016 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Namhun Lee, Central Connecticut State University; Talat Salama P.E., Central Connecticut State University; Seong Jin Kim, Minnesota State University, Mankato

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Construction

education. However, most higher education environments are contrary to thisexpectation. For students acquainted with technologies, the following question should be raised:“How can we improve student learning as well as the effectiveness of teaching in CEMeducation?”To address this question, it is necessary to identify an alternative pedagogical approach todelivering CEM courses efficiently. A surge of online educational sites provides instant accessto huge resources of information, which easily lead to the extension of students’ learningexperience.5 Web technology has a large influence on alternative teaching paradigms.6 Moststudents, as long as they are motivated, can be self-directed and active learners with the supportof technology in their

Conference Session

Incorporating Innovative Technologies into the Curriculum

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Joseph Chen, Iowa State University; Ye Li, Bradley University

Tagged Divisions

Manufacturing

in department.4. Educational ImpactBased on the result of the QFD analysis, the Manufacturing Engineering curriculum wasimproved and implemented in the Midwest private institution. With the voice ofcustomers built into the curriculum, the following outcomes have been obtained  The improved curriculum is well received by students. Students enjoy the learning environment as the curriculum is becoming more student-centered. In particular, project-based courses give students a balanced education by integrating theory and application.  The improved curriculum is positively commented by industry advisory board.  The job placement rate achieves 100% upon graduation.Such a result is a reflection of effectiveness of QFD

Conference Session

Electrical and Computer Division Technical Session 10

Collection

2017 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Yanxiao Zhao, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology; Shaobo Huang, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

have better understanding on the topics in 2015 and 2016. In addition, the teachingevaluations have improved over the past three years.I. IntroductionAs educators, we strongly agree that the primary mission of education is to prepare students forfuture leadership roles of the profession as well as to develop their abilities to remaincompetency through a lifelong learning experience. Effective teaching and active learning is themost important element to accomplish the above goals. The aim of teaching is not only to deliverknowledge to students, but also to transform students from passive recipients into active learnerswho are capable of constructing their own knowledge [1].Two primary challenges were identified in teaching engineering courses

Collection

2025 ASEE -GSW Annual Conference

Authors

Haiying Huang, The University of Texas at Arlington; Monica Franco, The University of Texas at Arlington

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Arlington, Arlington, TX Copyright  2025, American Society for Engineering Education 2introducing a one-hour problem solving course to prepare students for Engineering Statics 1. Thisintervention led to modest increase in the passing rate of Engineering Statics in the first semester, buta study on the long-term effect of this intervention has not been conducted.PLTL is a pedagogical approach that emerged in the 1990s as an active learning approach to enhancestudent learning, especially in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Researchhave shown that PLTL improves student performance, retention, and commitment to engineering 2,3.Contrary to traditional