Examining Student Experiences Related to Transfer from Two-Year Technical Colleges to Engineering and Computer Science Degree Programs at a Four-Year Institution

Shannon Conner; Olivia Anne DiSilvestre; Marcus Lee Ridlehuber; Louise Averitt; D. Matthew Boyer

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Conference: 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Baltimore , Maryland
Publication Date: June 25, 2023
Start Date: June 25, 2023
End Date: June 28, 2023
Conference Session: Engineering and Engineering Technology Transfer and the Two-Year College Student Part 1
Tagged Division: Two-Year College Division (TYCD)
Tagged Topic: Diversity
Page Count: 14
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--43499
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/43499
Download Count: 118

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Senior Mechanical Engineering major

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Louise Averitt Clemson University

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D. Matthew Boyer Clemson University orcid.org/0000-0002-4191-260X

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Boyer is a generalist in the learning sciences, with a PhD in educational psychology and educational technology. His interests focus on effective knowledge building and transfer with digital technologies. His current work involves how STEM knowledge and skills are developed in technology-enhanced learning environments.

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Abstract

In this paper, we explore issues related to student transfer from two-year technical colleges to four-year institutions in the context of SPECTRA, an NSF Scholarships in STEM (S-STEM) project (Award#1834081) led by Clemson University in Upstate South Carolina. The program's purpose is to provide financial support to low-income transfer students who intend to transfer from South Carolina's two-year technical colleges into a four-year computing or engineering degree at Clemson. The program is currently in its fourth year of implementation. In the first two years, we suffered setbacks in student recruitment due partly to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic; however, our current participant numbers are increasing. We collected data from the existing participants regarding their experiences with the transfer process, which helped us better understand how the SPECTRA program has impacted them academically, socially, and financially. The initial findings from the SPECTRA cohorts suggest that students' main struggles in their transition to Clemson revolve around poor time management tactics and feeling unprepared for some of the courses they are taking within their degree program. Their difficulties may be due either to a lack of preparedness for previous classes (stemming from their technical college or from Clemson itself) or to not fully understanding what would be asked of them within the course before registration. In addition, they share struggles relating to their Clemson professors. Positive impacts come from their experience at Clemson and their direct SPECTRA involvement. Examples of these benefits include building skills, participating in undergraduate research, creating and having a community with fellow students, and developing their identities as engineers and computer scientists. Undergraduate research is a highly valued aspect of the SPECTRA program. The students work closely with graduate students, known as the ACE Fellows, for their research. The students believe these ACE Fellows act as mentors, who they find more approachable than professors, and valuable resources to them in their education journey and development as engineers. Another value of the program is the scholarship opportunity that SPECTRA provides. Students believe the funding they receive has significantly impacted their education. Some state that they would not be able to attend Clemson had they not been provided scholarships. Others have avoided picking up second jobs, allowing them to focus more energy on succeeding in their programs. In our ongoing work, we explore these initial findings and assess changes implemented from student feedback to improve the program. We seek to understand better the long-term effects the program may have on their students, including graduation rates and pathways to future careers.

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Conner, S., & DiSilvestre, O. A., & Ridlehuber, M. L., & Averitt, L., & Boyer, D. M. (2023, June), Examining Student Experiences Related to Transfer from Two-Year Technical Colleges to Engineering and Computer Science Degree Programs at a Four-Year Institution Paper presented at 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Baltimore , Maryland. 10.18260/1-2--43499

TY - CPAPER
AB - In this paper, we explore issues related to student transfer from two-year technical colleges to four-year institutions in the context of SPECTRA, an NSF Scholarships in STEM (S-STEM) project (Award#1834081) led by Clemson University in Upstate South Carolina. The program&#39;s purpose is to provide financial support to low-income transfer students who intend to transfer from South Carolina&#39;s two-year technical colleges into a four-year computing or engineering degree at Clemson. The program is currently in its fourth year of implementation. In the first two years, we suffered setbacks in student recruitment due partly to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic; however, our current participant numbers are increasing. We collected data from the existing participants regarding their experiences with the transfer process, which helped us better understand how the SPECTRA program has impacted them academically, socially, and financially. The initial findings from the SPECTRA cohorts suggest that students&#39; main struggles in their transition to Clemson revolve around poor time management tactics and feeling unprepared for some of the courses they are taking within their degree program. Their difficulties may be due either to a lack of preparedness for previous classes (stemming from their technical college or from Clemson itself) or to not fully understanding what would be asked of them within the course before registration. In addition, they share struggles relating to their Clemson professors. Positive impacts come from their experience at Clemson and their direct SPECTRA involvement. Examples of these benefits include building skills, participating in undergraduate research, creating and having a community with fellow students, and developing their identities as engineers and computer scientists. Undergraduate research is a highly valued aspect of the SPECTRA program. The students work closely with graduate students, known as the ACE Fellows, for their research. The students believe these ACE Fellows act as mentors, who they find more approachable than professors, and valuable resources to them in their education journey and development as engineers. Another value of the program is the scholarship opportunity that SPECTRA provides. Students believe the funding they receive has significantly impacted their education. Some state that they would not be able to attend Clemson had they not been provided scholarships. Others have avoided picking up second jobs, allowing them to focus more energy on succeeding in their programs. In our ongoing work, we explore these initial findings and assess changes implemented from student feedback to improve the program. We seek to understand better the long-term effects the program may have on their students, including graduation rates and pathways to future careers.

AU - Shannon Conner
AU - Olivia Anne DiSilvestre
AU - Marcus Lee Ridlehuber
AU - Louise Averitt
AU - D. Matthew Boyer
CY - Baltimore , Maryland
DA - 2023/06/25
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - Examining Student Experiences Related to Transfer from Two-Year Technical Colleges to Engineering and Computer Science Degree Programs at a Four-Year Institution
UR - https://peer.asee.org/43499
DO - 10.18260/1-2--43499
ER -