Work in Progress: An Interdisciplinary Course Designed to Assist First-Year Students in Planning and Preparing for Success in the NAE Grand Challenge Scholars Program

Amy Trowbridge; Haolin Zhu

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Conference: 2017 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Publication Date: June 24, 2017
Start Date: June 24, 2017
End Date: June 28, 2017
Conference Session: First-Year Programs: Sunday 5-Minute Work-in-Progress Postcard Session
Tagged Division: First-Year Programs
Page Count: 13
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--29142
Permanent URL: https://strategy.asee.org/29142
Download Count: 423

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Paper Authors

biography

Amy Trowbridge Arizona State University

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Amy Trowbridge is a Lecturer and Director of the Grand Challenge Scholars Program in the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University. Her teaching focuses primarily on first year engineering students, and she is interested in curricular and co-curricular experiences that broaden students’ perspectives and enhance student learning.

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biography

Haolin Zhu Arizona State University

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Dr. Haolin Zhu received her Ph.D degree in Solid Mechanics and Computational Science and Engineering from Cornell University. She is part of the freshmen engineering education team in the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University. Currently she focuses on designing the curriculum for the freshman engineering program as well as the NAE Grand Challenge Scholars Program. She also designs and teaches courses in mechanical engineering at ASU, such as Solid Mechanics, Mechanism Analysis and Design, Mechanical Design, Computer Aided Engineering, etc. Her interests include innovative teaching pedagogies for increased retention and student motivation, innovations in non-traditional delivery methods, as well as structured reflective practices throughout the engineering curriculum.

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Abstract

This Work in Progress paper describes an interdisciplinary course for first year engineering students focused on exploring the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) Grand Challenges, and recognizing societal issues that influence engineering solutions to those challenges. This course is offered as a part of the NAE Grand Challenge Scholars Program (GCSP) at Arizona State University (ASU) to help students develop a personal plan for pursuing their interests in the program. The NAE GCSP is designed to prepare students to become the next generation of engineering leaders with a unique experience and skillset that includes hands-on research experience, interdisciplinary curriculum, entrepreneurship, global dimension, and service learning. The course described in this paper is one approach that could be used to help first year students to define and pursue their path toward becoming these future engineering leaders. At ASU, approximately 100 freshmen engineering students admitted into GCSP enroll in this interdisciplinary course each fall semester, which is taught in sections of up to 50 students. Through participation in this course, students develop an understanding of the interdisciplinary nature of the Grand Challenges and identify which challenges they want to focus their efforts on in their future in the GCSP. Students use digital portfolios throughout the course to reflect on their experience for each grand challenge theme area and their overall course experience, in order to relate their coursework to their interests and future plans. To prepare the students for their future in GCSP, students complete planning assignments which require them to meet faculty and develop a plan to complete the GCSP requirements.

The impact of this course on first year GCSP students’ awareness of the Grand Challenges, their interests, and their confidence that they will complete the GCSP was assessed. A custom survey instrument was designed to measure students’ familiarity with the Grand Challenges, GCSP requirements, and opportunities at ASU to complete GCSP requirements, as well as their confidence in their interests, future completion of the program, and having a plan to complete the program. Results indicate that this course is successful at meetings its goals of increasing students’ familiarity with the Grand Challenges and the GCSP, and at helping them to identify their interests and become confident that they have a plan for completing the GCSP.

Citation
Format

Trowbridge, A., & Zhu, H. (2017, June), Work in Progress: An Interdisciplinary Course Designed to Assist First-Year Students in Planning and Preparing for Success in the NAE Grand Challenge Scholars Program Paper presented at 2017 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Columbus, Ohio. 10.18260/1-2--29142

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - This Work in Progress paper describes an interdisciplinary course for first year engineering students focused on exploring the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) Grand Challenges, and recognizing societal issues that influence engineering solutions to those challenges. This course is offered as a part of the NAE Grand Challenge Scholars Program (GCSP) at Arizona State University (ASU) to help students develop a personal plan for pursuing their interests in the program.  The NAE GCSP is designed to prepare students to become the next generation of engineering leaders with a unique experience and skillset that includes hands-on research experience, interdisciplinary curriculum, entrepreneurship, global dimension, and service learning.  The course described in this paper is one approach that could be used to help first year students to define and pursue their path toward becoming these future engineering leaders.
At ASU, approximately 100 freshmen engineering students admitted into GCSP enroll in this interdisciplinary course each fall semester, which is taught in sections of up to 50 students. Through participation in this course, students develop an understanding of the interdisciplinary nature of the Grand Challenges and identify which challenges they want to focus their efforts on in their future in the GCSP.  Students use digital portfolios throughout the course to reflect on their experience for each grand challenge theme area and their overall course experience, in order to relate their coursework to their interests and future plans. To prepare the students for their future in GCSP, students complete planning assignments which require them to meet faculty and develop a plan to complete the GCSP requirements. 

The impact of this course on first year GCSP students’ awareness of the Grand Challenges, their interests, and their confidence that they will complete the GCSP was assessed. A custom survey instrument was designed to measure students’ familiarity with the Grand Challenges, GCSP requirements, and opportunities at ASU to complete GCSP requirements, as well as their confidence in their interests, future completion of the program, and having a plan to complete the program. Results indicate that this course is successful at meetings its goals of increasing students’ familiarity with the Grand Challenges and the GCSP, and at helping them to identify their interests and become confident that they have a plan for completing the GCSP. 



AU  - Amy Trowbridge
AU  - Haolin Zhu
CY  - Columbus, Ohio
DA  - 2017/06/24
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Work in Progress: An Interdisciplinary Course Designed to Assist First-Year Students in Planning and Preparing for Success in the NAE Grand Challenge Scholars Program
UR  - https://strategy.asee.org/29142
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--29142
ER  -