analysis of variance (ANOVA) procedureto compare the three sections and investigate significant differences between them through studentgrades. The results of this research have potential to provide direction for usage of remote collaborativetechnology for in-person, academic settings. Future implications of research include investigating theimpact of similar technologies on student engagement and learning outcomes; contributing a validatedinstrument to measure students’ engagement with their programming tasks and teams; and provideeducators with potential methodologies to improve student engagement in team-based coursework.IntroductionEngineering has historically suffered high student attrition rates [1], [2], [3], with a significantportion of
, MiguelAndr´es is validating his framework of a Blended & Flexible Learning approach that focusses on STEM courses and its practical adaptation to overcome barriers brought up by the COVID-19 pandemic. ©American Society for Engineering Education, 2023 Work in Progress: Exploring Impact on Students Dropout rates of Introducing a First-Year Hands-on Civil Engineering Course Estefanía Cervantes1, Miguel Andrés Guerra2*1 Instructor, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Colegio de Ciencias e Ingenierías, Departamento de Ingeniería Civil, Casilla Postal 17-1200-841, Quito 170901, Ecuador.2 Assistant Professor, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Colegio de
. Gregory L. Long Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology Gregory L. Long, PhD is currently the Lead Laboratory Instructor for NEET’s Autonomous Machines thread at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He has a broad range of engineering design, prototype fabrication, woodworking, and manufacturing experiNathan Melenbrink, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyDr. Amitava ’Babi’ Mitra, The Pennsylvania State University Amitava ’Babi’ Mitra linkedin.com/in/babimitra|+1-617-324-8131 | babi@mit.edu Dr. Amitava aˆ C˜Babiˆa C™ Mitra is the founding Executive Director of the New Engineering Education Transformation (NEET) program at MIT ©American Society for Engineering Education, 2023The
- tion in computing. ©American Society for Engineering Education, 2023 Understanding the impacts of extra credit modules on student learning experience in a 100-level Electrical and Computer Engineering CourseAbstractThis Complete Evidence-based practice paper investigates students’ perceptions regarding thepresence of two extra credit (EC) modules on parallel computing topics in an introductoryelectrical and computer engineering course. Prior work investigating these EC modules showed ahigh participation rate (48-60%) across and high performance (80-88%) on the end-of-module ECquiz across three semesters [1]. The presence of extra credit has long been a topic of
. His research includes undergraduate engineering education with focus on engineering design, problem-based learning, co-curricular involvement and its impact on professional formation, and the role of reflection practices in supporting engineering undergraduates as they transition from student to professional. ©American Society for Engineering Education, 2023 Using the CAP model to Equitably Redesign a First-Year Engineering SeminarIntroductionThe student body in higher education keeps changing, making it critical to pay attention to newgenerations' challenges toward achieving their academic goals [1]. Generation Z students are the core ofthe current student population at colleges and
questions will be randomized. Demographic information of students willbe collected without identifying information. Conclusions will be made on the impact ofterminology on student success. This paper is a work-in-progress, and more data is needed tomake the conclusions statistically significant.IntroductionHigher education institutions in Minnesota are putting substantial energy and effort into makingevery classroom diverse [1]. To provide equal opportunity to success in engineering classes forevery member of the classroom, a substantial effort should also go to making higher educationready for the diverse student bodies. Effective communication (both oral and written) plays a keyrole in the success of students, especially in the early years of
majors. Historically, 2nd-year retention in LSU CoE majorshas been 67 percent and for BEE students this is now 77 percent.1. BackgroundSince 1991, the Louisiana State University Summer Scholars Program has been providingincoming, under-represented first-year students with a residential program to transition to collegeacademics and life. The Summer Scholars program is for students the summer before theirfreshmen year, and it provides participants the opportunity to take academic courses for credit,develop leadership skills, and build social and cultural connections. The structured environmentincluded scheduled homework sessions, tutoring sessions, academic counseling, and groupactivities [1]. Faced with the suspension of all in-person programs
theintervention has had an impact.Methods and ApproachAs stated above, this project’s goal was to assess writing in the first-year engineering design courseand to design a curricular intervention to improve student confidence in writing for subsequentcourses. We assessed writing with four methods: 1) faculty surveys, assignment reviews, studentwork reviews, and compiling resources.Faculty SurveysOne of the most significant motivators for this project is the faculty’s perception of student writing.In many meetings where we discuss student performance, faculty regularly mention variousaspects of student writing being inadequate. While the conversations are informal, they occur oftenenough that we thought it was worth a systematic analysis of faculty
such as mechanical andcivil engineering [1]. The tools of the engineer in students’ minds are often closer to a hammer ora wrench rather than a test tube or beaker, and thus their conception of engineering is oftenlimited at best [1]. This can get further complicated by the lack of interdisciplinarity exemplifiedin the engineering classroom. When engineering instruction is scaled at the university level, thereis the potential to lose interdisciplinarity as well as too much emphasis on limited topics relevantto the field of engineering [2]. When this happens, the curriculum may revert to limiting thecurriculum to the most popular images of engineering, fields such as mechanical, civil, andcomputer engineering [1].The goal of this work is to
experiential component by adding empirical data collection.Part of the design process is to use theoretical modeling to inform the details within their design,specifically choosing a fan and filters. This step in the project utilizes manufacturer’s data toproduce graphs and compare velocity and volumetric flowrate to pressure to aid in the design ofthe portable air filtration prototype. They are then expected to apply this practice towards theirdesign in order to choose an appropriate fan and filter for their prototype. However, the studentsas novices focus on completion of the activity instead of understanding [1]. Based onconversations with teams, the theoretical activity is very challenging and possibly too abstract forthem to understand and apply
degree. The effectiveness of the laboratory course has been assessed using data fromcourse assessment and from students’ feedback through an exit survey. Preliminary results showa positive impact on students’ performance and students’ success. Insights from data analysiswill be used as a metric for consideration for program continuous improvement.Index Terms – First-Year Students, Retention, Success, Engineering Laboratory.1. IntroductionThe School of Engineering (SoE) at Wentworth Institute of Technology (WIT) in Boston, MA,consists of 8 Engineering programs. Before Fall 2022, these majors had a common first-yearcurriculum for Biological, Biomedical, Civil, Computer, Electrical, Electromechanical, Generaland Mechanical Engineering with 32 total
first-year design courses that aim to connect first-year students withengineering faculty and its practice [1]. In cornerstone courses, the student body worksautonomously in teams [2], solving real problems [3, 4]. Project-based learning is one of themost used methodologies in cornerstone Engineering courses [5, 6] since they introduce studentsto their life as engineers [7]. Project-based learning (PBL) is a student-centered methodology [8]that promotes the development of various transversal skills such as effective communication [5],teamwork [9, 10], and critical thinking [11], among others.Traditionally, project-based learning courses are taught face-to-face [12]. Due to COVID-19,educational institutions abruptly changed their learning
students to be more reflective in later courses?IntroductionThis work in progress paper assesses whether a first-year ePortfolio experience promotes betterreflection in subsequent engineering courses. While reflection is vital to promote learning,historically, reflection receives less attention in engineering education when compared to otherfields [1]. Yet, cultivating more reflective engineers yields several important benefits includingbuilding self-efficacy and empowering student agency. Through continued practice, engineeringstudents can develop a habit of reflective thinking which increases students’ ability to transferknowledge across contexts. The adoption of ePortfolios is becoming an increasingly popularstrategy to improve student learning
familial and academic experiences as being their most formative [1]. Indeed, one of theeffects of the updated ABET criteria implemented in 2000 was to call increased attention toengineering ethics in the undergraduate curriculum [2]. McDonald noted that while virtuespecifically cannot be taught, and must be wanted on a personal level, the ability to make ethicaldecisions is distinct from (though related to) virtue and is a skill that can be developed [3]. In2005, Dyrud [4] emphasized the importance of ethics in engineering education, and describedhow it can affect performance both in later courses and in future careers. Harris and co-authors[5] recommended that ethics should be introduced as early as possible and as many times aspossible, both in
the freshmanyear. In considering these barriers as challenges to be overcome at the first year, the learningapproach and contents of the course align with evidenced-based recommendations from theNational Academy of Science, National Academics of Engineering[1]-[3] as well as a largebody of research from a variety of disciplines such as the learning sciences[4]-[7], ], instructionaldesign, cognitive science, and educational leadership[8]-[13] .Recently, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) noted thatmany recommended changes to better prepare engineering students for the STEM workforce donot require extensive policy changes; rather they can occur at the classroom level [14]. Inaddition, engineering faculty
partnersalso served as resources during the semester, and as evaluators during the end-of-semester designshowcase. This work seeks to better understand the impact of this experience on students. This iscurrently being investigated through quantitative and qualitative measures, including theEngineering Design Expectancy Value Scale (EDVES) and focus groups. Additionally, the workwill inform further research regarding this and other community-inspired design projects.Introduction & BackgroundEngineering programs often seek to provide their students with authentic experiences in theirengineering curriculum. Beyond broad calls for authentic experiences (e.g., [1], [2]), theseexperiences have been found to be broadly beneficial to students. In one meta
. ©American Society for Engineering Education, 2024WIP: Using ePortfolios to Enable Life Project MentoringAmong First-Year Engineering StudentsConstanza Miranda 1,2, Mareham Yacoub 1, Rachel McClam 21 Johns Hopkins University, Whiting School of Engineering.2 Johns Hopkins University, Biomedical Engineering Department.2 Johns Hopkins University, School of Education.AbstractThis is a work in progress. ePortfolios are portfolios in electronic form. These are known topromote folio thinking, a reflective technique that allows students to describe their learningexperiences through a purposeful gathering of objects. This systematic gathering of proof oflearning and professional development could also empower students as they build a digitalpresence
. To satisfy this goal, we offer differentgeneral engineering courses. Most of our students (~80%) enroll in Introduction to Engineering Ior Honors Introduction to Engineering I. Students who are under-prepared in math and do nothave necessary prerequisites for the first semester of 8-semester engineering degree plans areenrolled in Fundamentals of Success in Engineering Study [1]. We also have a small group ofstudents (~10%) who are well ahead of the requirements and are offered to take a special sectionof Honors Introduction to Engineering I course along with the optional Honors ResearchExperience and Honors Innovation Experience courses [2]. All general engineering coursesmeet twice a week for lectures and once a week for a drill section
properly covert 3D CAD models into files that the 3D printers (utilized in the course) canread and use to create the modeled part. The developed understanding and skills in 3D printing islater utilized by students during course design challenges in addition to semester-concluding teamdemonstrations of respective Cornerstone projects.As alluded to, the engineering system that a Cornerstone project represents may vary amongstdifferent iterations of the ENGR 111 course; and the focus of this paper is specific to two differentsemesters with dissimilar Cornerstone systems. The Cornerstone utilized during the Spring 2022semester (Project 1) was a bench-scale windmill generation system. Alternately, the Cornerstoneutilized during the Spring 2023 semester
initialoutcomes of our reimagined first-year seminar, with a specific focus on evaluating preciseengineering skills through the application of the Engineering Student Entrepreneurial MindsetAssessment (ESEMA) survey [1].As a pivotal component of this transformative initiative, we introduce the "Mission to Mars"project, serving as a cornerstone within the Engineering Fundamentals course. Far beyond aconventional educational endeavor, this project epitomizes the commitment to instilling anentrepreneurial mindset [2] in students. This approach is meticulously designed to not only exposestudents to the challenges and wonders of engineering but also to foster an innovative andentrepreneurial spirit.The KEEN FrameworkThe Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering
the habitat. Finally, the smaller groups integrated theircomponents and collaborated to maximize the energy efficiency and performance of the Solar-powered Habitat.The assessments of this project were designed for each level of teamwork: 1) Studentshighlighted their contributions through an Engineering Portfolio. 2) Smaller groups reflected ontheir design and building process by submitting weekly engineering logs and a semester-endposter. Finally, 3) Each group habitat (comprising 5~6 groups) presented its energy-efficienthabitat design in the first-year design expo at the end of the semester. The ongoing datacollection of this effort on project-based, multidisciplinary, multilevel teamwork proved how thisproject design effectively cultivated
semester and at the end of each semester of a 2-semester long coursesequence at a large, midwestern, public, R1 university. We hypothesize that students’ teamworkpredisposition score on teaming may attribute to low evaluations of team effectiveness. Theresults may have important implications for engineering educators and practitioners who seek todevelop effective teamwork among their students and colleagues. Using teamwork predispositionas a criteria for creating teams can be an important factor in better team effectiveness andlearning outcomes in engineering coursework.Keywords: Teamwork Predisposition; Team EffectivenessINTRODUCTIONEffective teamwork is critical for professional success in today's complex and dynamic world[1]. Collaborative work
that does not have a tangible product as an outcome or answer, and sometimes struggleto relate concepts that, while important, are more theoretical to their intended majors and careers[1]. In the authors’ experiences, foundational engineering courses that cover non-technical skillssuch as problem solving, teamwork, communication, recognition of holistic issues, and otherimportant transferable skills are especially prone to this challenge of engaging students whocome into the discipline expecting engineering to look more like the more concrete math orscience courses they are familiar with from their prior studies. Community engagement projects,also commonly referred to as service-learning projects, are one way that instructors facingsimilar
different points of entry during thepandemic. Many students reported “loss of connection” and deep feelings of “isolation”associated with the pandemic precautions meant to stop the spread of the virus. Pandemicprecautions taken by the university negatively impacted all students academically and socially tosome extent, but there were also unique challenges for first-year students who entered collegeduring the fall of 2020. We conclude by sharing how pathway programs helped to buffer studentsocial isolation and how students found resilience to overcome social and academic obstacles.IntroductionThe transition from high school to college is a major life event for young adults [1]. In theUnited States approximately 63% of youth who complete high school
students who begin an engineering programand go on to complete their degree has remained at only about 50% [1]. Among those who leaveSTEM majors, first- and second-year students typically have the largest dropout rates [2]. From2012-2019, 37% of first-time freshmen students who took our multidisciplinary first-yearengineering course had left our college or university by their third year of study, indicating aneed to improve retention efforts. Due to these trends, many have investigated why studentsleave STEM disciplines. Social belonging and connection have been identified as critical factorsfor retention, as detailed below. Across disciplines, undergraduate students who reported havingpoor quality relationships and poor support from peers, staff
education- ally based research projects with an emphasis on statistical analyses and big data. ©American Society for Engineering Education, 2023 Use of Transfer Student Capital in Engineering and STEM Education: A Systematic Literature Review1. Introduction This complete research paper presents a systematic literature review that synthesizes theuse of Laanan’s theory of transfer student capital in postsecondary vertical college transfers,specifically focusing on use in engineering and Science, Technology, Engineering, andMathematics (STEM) education [1]. The motivation for this research stems from a need to betterunderstand the theory of transfer student capital, which
, as well as demographic and performance data since 2010. Theycollect much of the data on a survey given to all engineering students during their first semesterintroduction to engineering course. Since 2015, sense of belonging has been included on thissurvey, and with an extensive historical database, we make the comparison of how COVID-19affected first-year students’ sense of belonging in college, as well as exploring the efficacy offreshmen year sense of belonging as a potential predictor of graduation.Research Questions 1. How does sense of belonging in first-year engineering students change over the first semester? 2. Can a short sense of belonging measure given in the first year for engineering students be predictive of
need for academicsuccess in the engineering curriculum.With nation-wide graduation rates for engineering still holding steady around 50%, engineeringeducators and advisors are seeking ways to improve student retention and graduation. Studieshave identified several factors that drive students to leave engineering including classroomclimate, self-confidence/self-efficacy, academic preparedness, career interests, race and gender,and academic success (i.e., grades and conceptual knowledge,) [1].Math has long been considered the major academic “hurdle” in engineering study. In a previousstudy, we explored the pass and graduation rates of our freshman engineering cohort based onmath courses [2]. But, other challenging core requirements in science
refers to thatwhich can’t be captured purely by science and alludes to the rich and varied global history ofmindfulness and meditation practitioners (often, but not always, with connections to religion andspirituality) [1].Mindfulness practice is used to help the practitioner in being present. The focus first is on self-awareness and through building attention stamina, we can extend the practice to understandingand creating empathy toward others in our communities, and lastly broaden this practice to largersystems and the larger world community [2].How is it beneficial?There is a large field of peer reviewed work that shows that mindfulness interventions inworkplace settings can improve adult mental health [3]. The non-judgmental and
areas since this promotes theirscientific and technological advancement. It is well established that several factors areassociated with attracting and retaining students in the STEM fields, including an affinitywith the discipline, a sense of belonging, interest in the field, self-efficacy, and prioreducational experiences, among others [1, 2]. One indicator of academic progressioncommonly used in educational management is the student retention rate. Academicprogression reflects the ability of the educational institution to achieve the retention of itsstudents. High retention rates imply good institutional management, low dropout rates, and,consequently, positive economic benefits for the families of students and the State itself [3,4].Beyond