Paper ID #38810Work in Progress: Cultivating Reflective Engineers: Does providing areflective ePortfolio experience in a first-year design course leadstudents to be more reflective in later courses?Dr. Rebecca Thomas, Bucknell University Rebecca Thomas is the inaugural director for the Pathways Program at Bucknell University, where she oversees the rollout of Bucknell’s E-Portfolio initiative. She is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering since 2018 and currently instructs the first-year course for ECE majors. She holds a B.S. and M.Eng. in Electrical Engineering from
) fields: a strong sense of STEM identity [1],[2], scientificself-efficacy [3], a sense of belonging [4], and a psychological sense of community [5]. This isespecially true for first year and transfer students pursuing STEM undergraduate degrees. Avariety of studies have been published that go into detail about why these characteristics havesuch a significant effect on student performance and retention [1], [2], [3], [4], [5]. This paperbuilds on past research focused on the intersections between reflection, metacognition, andSTEM professional skills [6]. We present Critical Self-Reflection [7] to integrate development ofthese characteristics into student research experiences to foster experiential learning. STEMstudents are not often trained to
Engineering from Ohio State and Ohio Northern University. Prior to her time at OSU, she worked at Battelle Memorial Institute in Columbus, Ohio. Her research interests include pre-college engineering education, informal engineering education, and identity development. ©American Society for Engineering Education, 2024 GIFTS: Using Storybooks and Storytelling to Prompt Discussion and Reflection of Growth MindsetThis GIFTS paper describes an effort to engage first-year engineering students in thinking andanalyzing their Personal Grit through a Reflective and Story-based approach. Almost every“orientation” course covers the basics of advising and essential student success strategies
students to reflect on their team’s operationalbehavior and their team’s design habits so that they could better understand what was needed forsuccess in this course and beyond. To address these needs, the team of instructors for ENES100developed and implemented a “Team Performance Rubric”.Although there are many tools and software that are available for assessing the performance of ateam and gathering peer evaluations [1], a novel aspect of the rubric is a reflective andresponsive approach for assessing design practices within the team. A rubric was developed forrating a team’s engineering design process habits, such as"effective use of modeling techniques”and “design iteration,” as well as the team’s effectiveness, such as “productive discourse
innovation by analogy and reflection in their career pathways project. The objective isfor students to learn about the engineering design process and to apply it to their academicchallenges by analogy. This prepares students with meta skills to help solve future problems intheir academic path, and at each iteration, the students transform themselves, hence the use of theterm self-transformation (also referred as “self-innovation”). Data collected from pre and postsurveys will be presented to measure self-efficacy in engineering design, grit, motivation tolearn, and STEM identity. Participant interviews provide a qualitative insight into theintervention. This project is funded by NSF award 2225247.IntroductionIn recent years, the transition of
the design of a first-year seminar (FYS) course and itsimpacts on student self-assessments and measures of retention among first year undergraduatestudents in engineering and mathematical sciences programs. Student self-reflections and self-assessment of learning were used to gain insight to students’ personal definitions of success,sense of preparedness, and sense of belonging, as well as the influence of the course activities onkey learning outcomes and student decision making after the first semester of college. The goalof this work is to evaluate the impact of a college-wide FYS course on student self-assessment,student flow, and one-year retention rates for the first three years that the course has been offered(Fall 2020, Fall 2021. Fall
. After each lesson and after thelesson series, students completed a written reflection on what they had learned, totaling to fivereflections over the semester. Their responses will be explored with a thematic qualitativeanalysis to answer the research questions above. The lessons continue to be adapted to thiscontext and are being taught to all sections of the course this semester. A rollout to all incomingfirst-year engineering students is planned for the Fall of 2023, so this analysis is ongoing, and allconclusions drawn so far are from Fall of 2022 and are denoted as a WIP.Definition of EmpathyDuring a pilot study in the Fall of 2022, 59 first-year students in the honors sections of“Introduction to Engineering” at a large R1 university
: Exploring Engineering Students’ Changing Perception of Racism in Automation during a First-Year Computation CourseAbstractThis Complete Evidence-based Practice paper describes first-year engineering students’perceptions, and specifically their shifts in those perspectives, towards the role of automation anddata science in society as well as the racial implications of how those human-made systems areimplemented and deployed. As part of a larger curricular change being made to a first-yearengineering course in computation, this paper specifically examines two reflection assignmentswhere students wrote, at different points in the semester (week 2 and week 12), regarding theirpersonal questions and understandings related
creating inclusive and equitable learning environments through the development and implementation of strategies geared towards increasing student sense of belonging. ©American Society for Engineering Education, 2024 GIFTS: Sharing Stories and Building Belonging in a First Year Engineering CourseAbstractThis Great Ideas for Teaching, and Talking with, Students (GIFTS) paper presents a method forfostering a sense of belonging in students through a story sharing assignment in a first-yearengineering course. The authors present how story sharing is integrated into an introductoryengineering course and provides a reflection of the experience on the successes, challenges, andimpact on student
in general – whichsome students described as illustrative of the potential worth and impact of a single engineer.The breadth of approaches, observations, and principles relating to beauty and eleganceillustrated by this limited sample is desirable, as the point of the class is not to converge on adefinition of beauty but rather for each student to find examples, methods, and possibly widerprinciples that are meaningful to them. An individual student’s findings could potentially informor expand their appreciation for what engineering can be and accomplish, offer them places tointegrate engineering with their existing identities or interests, or influence career planning.After class, students are assigned to write reflections based on prompts
/users. Student groupscollaborated and communicated to the whole group about their motivations and perspectives fortheir design choices. The students then reflected on the possible value of their designs. Studentsthen wrote reflections that described the societal benefits of creating inclusive designs. Theirreflection pieces included thoughts on unconscious bias, challenging/disrupting beliefs, norms,habits and expectations that highlights problems behind oppressive worldviews, and socialinsight/imagination of what life is like for others considering social circumstances such as culturalidentity, privilege, and positionality. A self-reflection rubric is used to assess student self-reflectionsubmissions.Overall, this module enables educators to
using the Engineering Design Process (EDP)within the context of the accomplishments and mindset of Da Vinci. The course exploredengineering mechanics and design topics concurrent with applying physics topics in anengineering laboratory. A qualitative analysis was performed using a new reflective tool,PhotoVoice. The purpose of the assessment was to better understand the impact of the course onthe student vision, the operation of the course relative to what they have encountered in theireducational careers, and student-perceived learning outcomes. Analysis of student reflectionsrevealed themes of “Changed Perspectives,” “Engagement in the Classroom,” and“Brainstorming Benefits” when describing the impact of the course on their career visions
. The course taught skills related to engineering practice,such as unit systems, dimensional analysis, and technical communications. While these skills areimportant for engineering students to master, learning them outside of any specific applicationwas not as engaging or as applicable for students. Furthermore, the content and delivery formatof the course did not allow for much “face-time” to cover the topics in enough detail or withopportunities for exploration or application in context. In addition, students conductedassignments individually, with minimal collaboration. Assessments were memorization basedusing multiple choice questions and with not much opportunity for reflection. The final paperthat students had to submit, based on their
engineering-related scenarios, situations, or dilemmas. The students areassessed based on the following: (1) individual or team responses to the engineering-relatedscenarios, situations, or dilemmas discussed in teams in class; (2) a reflective paper on theengineering profession, (3) a peer-reviewed paper on addressing a professional dilemma inengineering, and (4) two team-based assignments—an infographic and a video. Students areassigned to teams randomly by the instructor at the start of the semester (a maximum of 6students per team) and work in the same team throughout the semester, i.e., for the in-classdiscussions and the two team-based assignments.To facilitate team building, students participate in a number of ice-breaking activities. Teams
dedication to student suc- cess, her innovative approach to program design, and her collaborative spirit, Sahar Mari is a true asset to the field of student support services.Ms. Sara AlBanna, SLB Sara AlBanna is a recent graduate from Texas A&M University at Qatar with a degree in petroleum engi- neering. She currently works as an field engineer at SLB. As a dedicated engineer, she is passionate about creating positive change in the industry. Her diverse undergraduate research projects, ranging from the impacts of migration on education to the development of multilateral wells, reflect her interests in multi- disciplinary pursuits. AlBanna is a multifaceted individual, identifying as an author, artist, and petroleum
approaches they used. For instance, the instructors faced aninteraction barrier—sources of resistance to initiating a student-instructor interaction, such as alack of instructor self-confidence or student reticence. We illustrate challenges instructors facedand their approaches to resolve them through reflective episodes from the instructors. Ouraudience is twofold: Education researchers will find new lines of investigation for future work onstudios, while early instructors will learn how to get started with teaching in studios.IntroductionStudio instruction is a useful active learning alternative to passive approaches, such as purelecture. Drawing on a tradition from architecture and the fine arts [1], studio instructionde-emphasizes the instructor
workshop series provides teaching assistants with the ability to recognize andconfront bias among individuals and within teams, helps them develop an understanding ofpower, privilege, and oppression, and equips them with the tools to employ their knowledgeprofessionally. The workshops feature individual reflection activities and small groupdiscussions, culminating in a community-wide discussion on lessons learned and actionableitems to build an inclusive community within our first-year program.To understand the value of this training for the undergraduate teaching assistants, a survey wasconducted of participants before and after participation in the workshops. The survey aims tocapture the practicality of the training and the teaching assistants
on how students learnand included many practices useful for developing student learning; these included retrievalpractices, increasing sense of belonging & decreasing stereotype threat, metacognition & self-regulated learning, and transparency in teaching and learning. The workshop presentedresearch on these topics and provided time for faculty to brainstorm class changes based onthese ideas. The goal of this workshop was to communicate to all faculty teaching practicesbased on learning theories while also giving faculty time to reflect on their current practicesand propose course modifications.The course modifications focused on the first of a two-semester first-year engineeringsequence for honors designated students at The Ohio
other aspects of the curriculum.After attending a d.school Teaching and Learning Studio and being asked to document their ownlearning journey through an activity [1], two of the co-authors wanted to help students in thefirst-year engineering courses reflect on both their learning and emotional journeys throughouttheir first course. In particular, we wanted to focus our study on this study of MATLAB andidentify where students struggled in the learning of the material and where they struggledemotionally in the content.Student Learning Journey MappingOne definition of a journey map is a visual representation of a person’s journey throughout anexperience. Figure 1 below shows the version developed by the d.school and explains how thelearning
learning,perseverance, reflection, commitment [5] [25]. Despite the challenges, it is important forengineering programs (and faculty) to commit to doing this work as it is an essential componentof educating future engineers.Internal Motivation & Course Development ProcessWestern Washington University (WWU) is a public institution with approximately 15,000 full-time undergraduate students. The Engineering and Design Department (ENGD) at WWU hasfour undergraduate-only programs: Electrical & Computer Engineering (EECE), IndustrialDesign (ID), Manufacturing Engineering (MFGE), and Polymer Materials Engineering (PME).Students interested in majoring in engineering at WWU must formally apply to a program aftercompleting a series of prerequisite
documents your design selection process, explains your manufacturing process, and describes the testing and iteration steps you took. 3. Final Design and See Appendix ReportA template is provided to the students for the final report, which requires students to documentthe different steps of the EDP. Students use the previous milestones and comments from theinstructors to complete their final document. Additionally, students are required to include alltheir team meeting minutes as well as personal reflections about the project and theircontributions. Bonus points are awarded for the top three performing teams during the tower-platform stability testing. The requirements of the final report can
learning (CBL) is a student-centered pedagogical approach that makes use of specificoccasions or ‘cases’ to contextualize the learning of discipline-specific knowledge. CBLoriginated in professional education, specifically in medicine, business, and law [21] and hassince also been applied in science and engineering education [e.g., 22,23].CBL helps students develop conceptual understanding and thinking skills as they work throughand reflect on the process of solving cases [21]. Working on cases in groups can also facilitatethe development of students' interpersonal skills [21,24]. Implementations of CBL vary by thedegree of student autonomy (control) over their learning, from lecture-based on the low end toproblem-based on the high end of student
diversity and inclusioninitiatives. The course culminates with the project competition. Students are also required towrite reflections and a roadmap to their careers. We hypothesize that the multidimensionalapproach to the course will develop belonging to the profession and STEM Efficacy. STEMEfficacy is the students' beliefs about their abilities to perform STEM learning activities [22-23].II.2. Engineering Speaker Series, Reflection Paper, and Career RoadmapEvery semester, a minimum of 10 professional speakers are invited to speak about the threedimensions through 1. their specific field, 2. the skills to be successful in the field, 3. their story and insights on how to succeed in college, as an engineer, and as a professional for
. ©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
. 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
out that not all the student outcomes are technical and that non-technical skills are required to be a successful engineer. This is followed by a discussion of thecareer-ready competencies identified by the National Association of Colleges and Employers(NACE) which are listed in Table 1 [10]. After review of the outcomes and competencies,students are asked to reflect on the competencies in which they are most confident at this stage oftheir education and then participate in an exercise to assess the competencies needed whendeveloping a new product.The Poll Everywhere platform was used to crowdsource responses to the question, “Which of thefollowing competencies have you developed during your first year at the university or based onyour
activitiesdeveloped for the pilot offering of a new first-year experience course for all engineering andcomputing majors in our college. The course is multi-disciplinary, with hands-on projects fromseveral different areas. The course introduces engineering and computing design principles andpractices, with a particular focus on an agile methodology. The first activity is part of the teambuilding phase of the course, and it is a kinesthetic activity where students develop a process thatsatisfies constraints and meets an objective. The activity involves several sprints wherein thestudents measure their results, reflect, and improve their processes. It is adapted from an industryactivity using balls; we use balloons because they are more cost effective and
-yearstudents. These 84 studies examined what students learned in their first-year and addressed thenature of preparation and composition of students entering engineering. Experiential learningwas mostly measured through the lens of student performance (89%) through different forms ofevaluations including performance checks, surveys, and individual interviews. A second lens wasfaculty evaluations (7%) including instructors’ observations, feedback, and reflections ofstudents’ performance and experience. Finally, a third lens was industry feedback (4%), obtainedto inform capstone design courses where students work at industrial sites on company basedprojects with industry mentors.From our literature survey, we identified four key elements with
retention and engagement in the university community?This 1-unit introductory course has been developed around three themes: • Entering the Engineering/Computer Science Profession • Engaging in the University Community • Building Skills for SuccessTo develop students’ professional skills and knowledge of career paths available, the first-yearstudents in this course meet with student leaders, engage in breakout group discussions with theChairperson or a faculty member from their intended major, watch and reflect on brief videosabout each of the majors offered in the School of Engineering and Computer Science, andparticipate in classroom activities focused on professional communication and ethics.Active engagement in the university community is
these areas, creating a challenging environment particularly forunderrepresented engineering students. To combat this issue, a video and activities weredeveloped to emphasize teamwork and inclusion. The video was created by two students whohad taken the course in the previous year. It presented background information, mindful teachingabout inclusion, some discussion of the students’ personal experiences in the course, and anintroduction to the activities. The three activities that were developed were (1) a communicationgame, which allowed students to practice clear and respectful communication, (2) a teamworkand collaboration game, which aimed to show that each member of a team had somethingvaluable to contribute, and (3) a reflection and