Project Based Learning in an Introduction to Civil Engineering Course: A Cascade Effect on Student Engagement and Retention in Subsequent Years

David Brian Dittenber

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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: Innovative Pedagogies for Facilitating Student-driven Learning Experiences
Tagged Division: Civil Engineering
Page Count: 17
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--28767
Permanent URL: https://strategy.asee.org/28767
Download Count: 542

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David Brian Dittenber LeTourneau University

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Dr. David Dittenber is an assistant professor of civil engineering at LeTourneau University in Longview, Texas. He earned his bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering at LeTourneau and spent a year teaching high school math and science. He then attended West Virginia University, where he earned his master's and doctoral degrees in civil engineering, with a research focus on the use of composite materials in infrastructure. Dr. Dittenber chose to return to his alma mater to teach, largely because of LeTourneau's reputation of being a hands-on, undergraduate-centric, teaching-focused engineering program.

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Abstract

In the spring semester of 2014, a new course was introduced specifically targeting freshman civil engineering students as a discipline-specific alternative to the general engineering course traditionally offered to all freshman engineering students. The course included a variety of components involving equipping students with relevant skills (experimentation, technical writing and communication, technical drawing and computer aided drafting), an overview of professional engagement (history of civil engineering, path to licensing, ethics, role of civil engineers on projects, current career options in civil engineering), and a major project. The major project for the course involved teams of 3-4 students working to design one of two civil engineering challenges: either a 20-foot cantilevered wooden bridge or a 25-foot diameter wooden tripod, each capable of holding loads of up to 1500 lbs. Fundamentally, there were two purposes to the course: students were to learn more about their specific discipline so as to establish realistic goals and motivations for their education and career, and students were to complete a major project in order to develop teamwork skills, personal identity within the program, and confidence in their ability to overcome intimidating challenges. These initiatives were intended to improve student engagement with the course, the civil engineering program, and the wider field of civil engineering, as well as to improve student retention.

With regard to student retention, since the inception of the Introduction to Civil Engineering course, 77% of students completing the course have opted to continue with the civil engineering program. However, of those who returned to the civil engineering program after taking the course in 2014 or 2015, 100% have since either graduated from the program or advanced to junior or senior status and are currently on track to graduate from the program within four or five years of enrolling. For comparison, prior to the addition of the course, only 79% of students who had taken the general freshman course and were enrolled in the program for their sophomore year went on to graduate from the program. This indicates a significant impact the course appears to have had on upper-classmen retention. With regard to student engagement, student perceptions about the impact the course had on their engagement with the program and wider field of civil engineering are collected through a brief survey and compared to perceptions collected from students who took the general engineering course instead. Anecdotal evidence has suggested that the course has not only become a favorite experience for students, but also a significant factor in future engagement for many students. Perceptions from the survey are compared between current seniors, juniors, and sophomores to determine cascading effects as a result of the course. This paper will include a succinct course overview with descriptions of sample projects, a summary of quantitative and qualitative data collected through student surveys, and recommendations for future project-based introductory courses.

Citation
Format

Dittenber, D. B. (2017, June), Project Based Learning in an Introduction to Civil Engineering Course: A Cascade Effect on Student Engagement and Retention in Subsequent Years Paper presented at 2017 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Columbus, Ohio. 10.18260/1-2--28767

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - In the spring semester of 2014, a new course was introduced specifically targeting freshman civil engineering students as a discipline-specific alternative to the general engineering course traditionally offered to all freshman engineering students. The course included a variety of components involving equipping students with relevant skills (experimentation, technical writing and communication, technical drawing and computer aided drafting), an overview of professional engagement (history of civil engineering, path to licensing, ethics, role of civil engineers on projects, current career options in civil engineering), and a major project. The major project for the course involved teams of 3-4 students working to design one of two civil engineering challenges: either a 20-foot cantilevered wooden bridge or a 25-foot diameter wooden tripod, each capable of holding loads of up to 1500 lbs. Fundamentally, there were two purposes to the course: students were to learn more about their specific discipline so as to establish realistic goals and motivations for their education and career, and students were to complete a major project in order to develop teamwork skills, personal identity within the program, and confidence in their ability to overcome intimidating challenges. These initiatives were intended to improve student engagement with the course, the civil engineering program, and the wider field of civil engineering, as well as to improve student retention.

With regard to student retention, since the inception of the Introduction to Civil Engineering course, 77% of students completing the course have opted to continue with the civil engineering program. However, of those who returned to the civil engineering program after taking the course in 2014 or 2015, 100% have since either graduated from the program or advanced to junior or senior status and are currently on track to graduate from the program within four or five years of enrolling.  For comparison, prior to the addition of the course, only 79% of students who had taken the general freshman course and were enrolled in the program for their sophomore year went on to graduate from the program. This indicates a significant impact the course appears to have had on upper-classmen retention. With regard to student engagement, student perceptions about the impact the course had on their engagement with the program and wider field of civil engineering are collected through a brief survey and compared to perceptions collected from students who took the general engineering course instead. Anecdotal evidence has suggested that the course has not only become a favorite experience for students, but also a significant factor in future engagement for many students. Perceptions from the survey are compared between current seniors, juniors, and sophomores to determine cascading effects as a result of the course. This paper will include a succinct course overview with descriptions of sample projects, a summary of quantitative and qualitative data collected through student surveys, and recommendations for future project-based introductory courses.
AU  - David Brian Dittenber
CY  - Columbus, Ohio
DA  - 2017/06/24
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Project Based Learning in an Introduction to Civil Engineering Course: A Cascade Effect on Student Engagement and Retention in Subsequent Years
UR  - https://strategy.asee.org/28767
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--28767
ER  -