Teaching Electronics to First-year Engineering Students

Abstract

Introduction:There is no doubt that engineers significantly contribute to the growth of any nation's economy. However, the rate of engineering innovations and initiatives poses a great challenge to the United States (US) due to the high attrition rates observed in engineering programs in the US.Attrition is recognized as a significant problem in engineering education; engineering programs are reporting graduation rates in the range of 40-60%.1-7 Students seem to experience a loss of interest and lack of motivation for engineering in part due to the demanding engineering curriculum of the first two years.2,3 The first two years are recognized as critical to promote student retention in engineering.To improve student retention, the first-year engineering curriculum have experienced significant changes in the last decade. There is a growing trend towards incorporating engineering concepts in first year engineering courses. The purpose is to demonstrate that engineering is fun, rewarding, relevant, and interesting. With these changes, there has been an increase in the implementation of hands on activities that promotes student engagement in a student centered environment.The objective of this project was to introduce a new module on electronics to students enrolled in a first year engineering program. The module was incorporated in an engineering problem solving course and was designed to include reading material, practice problems, hands-on activities, and a project. This paper describes the content of the module, how the module was implemented, and its impact in students' perception of engineering. Methodology:Sample Size: 42 students enrolled in an engineering problem solving course participated in this study. All students were enrolled in a first year engineering program at a land-grant institution in the mid-Atlantic region; none of the students have been accepted in a major engineering discipline. Eighty-six percent of the students were male, and all students enrolled were calculus ready. Content of ElectronicsModule: A hands-on module was developed to introduce first year engineering students to electronics. The module's instructional material included the instructor's note, theoretical practice problems, a student handout, and hands-on activities that involved the design of electrical circuits using electrical components.

Developing an International Undergraduate Research Community in College Engineering Programs

“…Based upon research, it is known that high attrition rates in engineering programs are partly due to the programs being theory-focused and lacking a practical, hands-on component that enables students to understand the visualize the relevance of their classroom knowledge 4,5,6,7 . Additionally, the introduction of new, state-of-the-art technology into the learning process can also enhance the educational experience for students.…”

Using a multidisciplinary engineering project in a first-year engineering course for educationally disadvantaged students

“…Research has shown that students are losing interest and motivation to continue in engineering within the first two years of college, an important reason for students leaving engineering programs [1] . Therefore, maintaining the interest in engineering for first-year engineering (FYE) students is critical to promote student retention in engineering.…”