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Session 2147

First Year Experience Activities in an Introduction to Engineering Technology Course

Peter F. Baumann Central Connecticut State University

Abstract

Central Connecticut State University has a well-developed First Year Experience (FYE) program. The university designates certain first-year courses as containing FYE elements. All incoming CCSU students are required to select one FYE course during their first two terms at the university. Prior to these course offerings, instructors select from a list of activities aimed at easing the assimilation of students to the university environment and ultimately increasing student retention and success.

An engineering technology department typically offers very few of its own courses to students during their initial terms on campus. One candidate course has proven ideal for inclusion of such FYE activities at CCSU. Our “Introduction to Engineering Technology” course is an entree into developing problem-solving skills and applying those techniques to general engineering subject matter. Open to the entire university and void of any prerequisites, the introductory course has been popular and often served as a valuable recruitment vehicle for our program. Inclusion of this course into the FYE program even necessitated the opening of an additional FYE section, which was easily filled.

New activities introduced into the classroom could be classified into three categories: informative, instructional, and support services. Informative elements included a general engineering technology curriculum review, a welcome and membership invitation by student leaders of the technical student organizations on campus, and a session with the Career Services organization. Instructional workshops were given on required academic integrity, proper time management, and the role of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) in design team building and team dynamics. Several student support services of the university were introduced specifically those of The Learning Center and those offered by Prevention and Counseling Services.

Conclusions are based upon general assessment of the CCSU FYE program, and a review of results from initial class surveys.

Proceedings of the 2004 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright © 2004, American Society for Engineering Education

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Baumann, P. (2004, June), First Year Experience Activities In An Introduction To Engineering Technology Course Paper presented at 2004 Annual Conference, Salt Lake City, Utah. 10.18260/1-2--13158