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Implementing a Common First-Year Engineering Curriculum in British Columbia

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Conference

2022 ASEE Zone IV Conference

Location

Vancouver

Publication Date

May 12, 2022

Start Date

May 12, 2022

End Date

May 14, 2022

Conference Session

Curriculum Challenges

Tagged Topic

Conference Submission

DOI

10.18260/1-2--44741

Permanent URL

https://216.185.13.131/44741

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Paper Authors

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Abstract

Demand for engineering education has grown in recognition of its importance to the national economy; demographics and economic growth requires an expanded capacity for engineering education throughout Canada, and encouragement for students to enter the profession.

Between 2015 and 2018, a group of post-secondary institutions within BC drafted a transfer agreement, referred to as the Common First-Year Engineering Curriculum (CFYEC), that captured both the topical content and individual pathway conditions for each engineering school in the province. The agreement ensured students starting the first-year of studies at signatory college/teaching universities could transfer seamlessly into second year at any one of the engineering schools to complete their programs.

The goals of the CFYEC included:

• Recognizing the diverse learning pathways taken by students, • Deepening community and industry partnerships (particularly in rural and semi-rural areas), • Providing access to a broader range of engineering disciplines, and • Improving the cost efficiency of program delivery for students, institutions, and the province.

In 2019, capacity building grants were provided to a number of college/teaching universities to support launching the CFYEC. This exercise has since been completed, and this work-in-progress paper provides qualitative survey results describing the CFYEC implementation experience at these institutions, the impact of COVID-19 on this work, and earlier indication on whether the goals of the CFYEC are being achieved.

(2022, May), Implementing a Common First-Year Engineering Curriculum in British Columbia Paper presented at 2022 ASEE Zone IV Conference, Vancouver. 10.18260/1-2--44741

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