The Evolution of the Freshman Engineering Experience to Increase Active Learning, Retention, and Diversity—Work in Progress

Puccinelli, Tracy Jane; Fitzpatrick, Mary E.; Masters, Gene Paul

doi:10.18260/p.26160

Cited by 7 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…Last year, we analyzed student retention data over the past three decades and correlated the data with the introduction to engineering course taken as freshmen. [1] Analysis of course-specific retention data did not clearly align with other research suggesting a positive relationship between hands-on design and retention of underrepresented minorities. [2][3][4][5] Thus, we plan to implement and assess changes to course structure and curriculum to determine best practices to create a more inclusive and welcoming classroom; and ultimately increase retention, particularly of underrepresented minorities including women.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 71%

“…The survey was sent to approximately 4000 students in Spring 2016, with 992 responding. [1] Intro Course Student Survey Results Survey data indicates that a higher percentage of students who took one of the multi-disciplinary courses responded that they plan to stay in engineering, compared to students who took one of the department-specific courses. This could be due to the fact that students in a multidisciplinary course interact with students from other departments with different interests and experiences.…”

Section: Intro Course Student Surveymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Board # 14 :Development and Implementation of a New Hands-on Freshman Engineering Design Course that Promotes Inclusiveness and Retention (Work in Progress)

Puccinelli¹,

Winsor²

2017 ASEE Annual Conference &Amp; Exposition Proceedings

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In 2011, Puccinelli joined the Biomedical Engineering (BME) Department. As part of the BME design faculty, she works on curriculum development, as well as innovative approaches for teaching design. Puccinelli coordinates BME outreach, advising BME seniors as they develop interactive, hands-on activities for K-12 students that teach biomedical engineering concepts. Additionally, in 2012, she began teaching an introductory engineering course (Introduction to Engineering Design) to incoming freshmen in the College of Engineering. In 2014, Puccinelli became a coordinator for the Introduction to Engineering Design course, which had become a popular course with more than 900-1000 students enrolled per year. When the college restructured and ended all freshman engineering courses, Puccinelli proposed two new multidisciplinary freshman engineering courses in 2015: A 2 credit hands-on design course, and a 1 credit seminar style course. The hands-on course is now required for half of the engineering college and the seminar informational course is now required for all engineering freshman. Puccinelli is coordinating and teaching both courses this academic year (2016/17).

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 71%

Section: Intro Course Student Surveymentioning

confidence: 99%

Board # 14 :Development and Implementation of a New Hands-on Freshman Engineering Design Course that Promotes Inclusiveness and Retention (Work in Progress)

Puccinelli¹,

Winsor²

2017 ASEE Annual Conference &Amp; Exposition Proceedings

Self Cite

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“…It resulted in a third-year retention percentage of 72%, which was higher than that attained by the traditional cohort of students in the school, which had a retention rate of 48%. The freshman engineering courses described by Puccinelli 16 showed that the overall retention rate of all engineering students at the university increased from 57% in 1985 to 68% in 2012. In 1985, the engineering program had a total of 822 students and in 2012 (the final year in which data was available) there were a total of 928 students.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…al. 16 described two new freshman engineering courses that were developed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Engineering to increase active learning, retention, and diversity. The courses included a one credit seminar course, Introduction to Engineering, and a two-credit hands-on design course.…”

Section: Introduction To Campus Resources Introduction Of Hands-on Wmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Introductory Overview of Strategies used to Reduce Attrition in Engineering Programs

Desai¹,

Stefanek²

2017 ASEE Annual Conference &Amp; Exposition Proceedings

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“…As a result, in 2012, we transformed our required second semester sophomore opened ended design course into a two-credit lecture and laboratory course with a guided design project: "BME 201: Biomedical Engineering Fundamentals and Design" [4]. After a thorough introduction to design freshman year [5] in a classroom setting and a mentored project first semester sophomore year, students participate in BME 201 ( Figure 1). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of a Sophomore BME Design Fundamentals Course on Student Outcome Performance and Professional Development

Wille¹,

Hess²,

Levin³

et al.

2017 ASEE Annual Conference &Amp; Exposition Proceedings

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Christa Wille is a Biomedical Engineering doctoral student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She received an undergraduate degree in Biomedical Engineering and went on to get her clinical doctorate in Physical Therapy at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She advanced her clinical skills through a Sports Physical Therapy Residency at UW Health. Although continuing to practice Physical Therapy, Christa has returned to academia to continue to pursue research focused on gait analysis and the biomechanics of running related to various injuries including hamstring strains and injuries of the knee. Dr. Puccinelli is the Associate Chair of the Undergraduate Program in the Department of Biomedical Engineering. He began here as student near the start of the UW-BME program and earned his BS, MS, and PhD in BME. He is interested in hands-on instruction -teaching and developing courses related to biomaterials and tissue engineering, as well as design. He has been awarded numerous departmental and college level teaching awards. He was recently inducted as a fellow to the UW-Madison Teaching Academy.c American Society for Engineering Education, 2017 Impact of a Sophomore BME Design Fundamentals Course on Student Outcome Performance and Professional DevelopmentBiomedical Engineering (BME) students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison take seven semesters of required team-based design courses. Historically, students would develop technical skills as needed based on their project. Through engagement with our constituents we developed a more direct instructional approach at delivering essential engineering tools early in the curriculum. We previously reported on the creation of this new required second semester sophomore lecture and laboratory course with a guided design project: BME 201, "Biomedical Engineering Fundamentals and Design" (to replace one of the client-based experiences). Since then, this course has evolved to cohesively combine all three components into modules that represent the breadth of BME, including: electronics, programing (MATLAB, LabVIEW, and Arduino), mechanics (SOLIDWORKS, machine shop use, and biomechanical testing), biomaterials and tissue engineering (literature research, biosafety, aseptic technique, optics and material interactions) as well as other professional design skills. Despite being a relatively new course, we have seen overwhelming success related to student outcome performance in design by students since the implementation of this course verses its client-based counterpart. In addition, self-reported survey data from students upon completion of BME 201 felt this course was effective at improving their skills and their abilities to meet student outcomes. Finally, students also felt that this course was effective at influencing their academic and future career goals.

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The Evolution of the Freshman Engineering Experience to Increase Active Learning, Retention, and Diversity—Work in Progress

Cited by 7 publications

References 10 publications

Board # 14 :Development and Implementation of a New Hands-on Freshman Engineering Design Course that Promotes Inclusiveness and Retention (Work in Progress)

Board # 14 :Development and Implementation of a New Hands-on Freshman Engineering Design Course that Promotes Inclusiveness and Retention (Work in Progress)

An Introductory Overview of Strategies used to Reduce Attrition in Engineering Programs

Impact of a Sophomore BME Design Fundamentals Course on Student Outcome Performance and Professional Development

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