Bednarz, E. T. (2024, July), GIFTS - First Year Foundations Learning Community  Paper presented at 15th Annual First-Year Engineering Experience Conference (FYEE), Boston, Massachusetts. 10.18260/1-2--48608

\bibitem{asee_peer_48608}
  Bednarz, E. T. (2024, July), \emph{GIFTS - First Year Foundations Learning Community}
  Paper presented at 15th Annual First-Year Engineering Experience Conference (FYEE), Boston, Massachusetts.
  10.18260/1-2--48608

Edward T. Bednarz III.  "GIFTS - First Year Foundations Learning Community".  15th Annual First-Year Engineering Experience Conference (FYEE), Boston, Massachusetts, 2024, July.  ASEE Conferences, 2024.  https://peer.asee.org/48608 Internet.  23 Jan, 2025

\bibitem{asee_peer_48608}
  Edward T. Bednarz III.
  "GIFTS - First Year Foundations Learning Community".
  \emph{15th Annual First-Year Engineering Experience Conference (FYEE), Boston, Massachusetts, 2024, July}.
  ASEE Conferences, 2024.
  https://peer.asee.org/48608 Internet.  23 Jan, 2025

@INPROCEEDINGS{asee_peer_48608
author = "Edward T. Bednarz III"
title = "GIFTS - First Year Foundations Learning Community"
booktitle = "15th Annual First-Year Engineering Experience Conference (FYEE)"
year = "2024"
month = "July"
address = "Boston, Massachusetts"
publisher = "ASEE Conferences"
note = {https://peer.asee.org/48608}
number = {10.18260/1-2--48608}
}

TY  - CPAPER
AB  -      The first semester of college is challenging for engineering students. The goal of the First Year Foundations (FYF) at Wilkes University is to help students transition from high school to college. General student learning outcomes of the FYF course is to provide students with  communication skills (both written and oral), quantitative reasoning, diversity awareness, critical thinking  and computer literacy. 

     Engineering students need to enroll in fundamental classes such as Calculus, Physics and Chemistry but may not see where these courses fit into engineering as a profession. A learning community creates a common project between the basic Computer Aided Drafting and Design (CADD) course and the FYF Engineering Design course. It is a fun experience for students to learn about engineering, teamwork, technology and testing. They work with the same group across two different classes on the same exact project.

     The project involves designing a bridge with certain constraints. There are three phases to the project: 3D CADD model, Bridge Designer software and the physical build. Students use the Bridge Designer software to optimize their design for the lowest cost. They employ trial and error methods to explore trusses, arches, different materials and cross sections. The next phase of the project is to model their design in 3D CADD. They get to see how the different members form an assembly. Finally, students physically build their bridge out of popsicle sticks. As a class, each bridge is tested to failure with a machine that can measure force vs. deflection. It is also a fun competition to see which design is the cheapest in the Bridge Designer software and holds the most weight in the real world test.

     Overall, the bridge project through the learning community has been very successful in engaging engineering students early on in their curriculum. It gives them experience in designing an optimal product under constraints in a team environment.

AU  - Edward T. Bednarz III
CY  - Boston, Massachusetts
DA  - 2024/07/28
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - GIFTS - First Year Foundations Learning Community
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/48608
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--48608
ER  -