Work in Progress: Engineering First-Year Academy to Help Underprepared Students

Corey Kiassat, PhD, MBA, PE; Michael Ben-Avie

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Conference: 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Publication Date: August 23, 2022
Start Date: June 26, 2022
End Date: June 29, 2022
Conference Session: First-Year Programs Division Technical Session 12: Work-in-Progress Postcard Session #1
Page Count: 9
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--40903
Permanent URL: https://strategy.asee.org/40903
Download Count: 244

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Paper Authors

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Corey Kiassat, PhD, MBA, PE Quinnipiac University

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Corey Kiassat is a Professor of Industrial Engineering, the Associate Dean of the School of Engineering, and a Professor of Medical Sciences at the Frank H. Netter, MD, School of Medicine, at Quinnipiac University. He has a PhD and a B.A.Sc. in Industrial Engineering, and an MBA in Marketing and International Business. His research interests are Lean applications in healthcare as well as engineering education.

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Michael Ben-Avie Quinnipiac University

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Michael Ben-Avie, Ph.D., is the Senior Director of Learning Assessment and Research at Quinnipiac University and a Senior Fellow at AAC&U. He co-edited six books on educational change and youth development with colleagues at the Yale Child Study Center. He conducts longitudinal, cohort studies to discern the impact of higher education on students’ learning and development.

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Abstract

This is a work-in-progress paper that will describe an effort to improve the retention rate of first-year students in the School of Computing and Engineering at University (SCE) through the implementation of First-year Academy (FA). This academy aims to strengthen underprepared students by helping them in three main categories: academic support, transitioning to college, and building a sense of belonging. Closer monitoring of underprepared students and developing a significant support structure can improve the School’s retention rates. FA will be especially beneficial to retaining women and underrepresented minorities – a significant portion of the underprepared population. Previous data suggests that these groups tend to leave the School earlier than men and those who identify as White/Caucasian. The first-year retention rate of SCE significantly lags the national retention rate of other engineering programs. Retention in this context pertains to traditional first-year students who successfully make it to their sophomore year. Based on institution-specific data, engineering students at University leave after one year due to college transition struggles, overwhelming workloads and course content, and/or personal reasons that may include community and belonging. Students in FA have access to a Peer Mentor, Faculty Advisor, Academic Coach, Peer Tutors, and a peer support structure to help navigate a successful transition into the university community. FA helps SCE nurture its inclusive, excellence-driven community and creates a more diverse student population. Participation in FA is at no cost to the students. However, the program is the beneficiary of a large manufacturing company’s sponsorship. The value proposition for the corporate partner is the strengthening of diversity in the talent pipeline. The criteria used to invite students includes financial aid eligibility, representing family’s economic strength, race/ethnicity (self-reported), high school GPA, and gender. Due to a delay in funding, only 9 students participated in the information sessions and started in the academy. The target size for next year is 20 students. The academy began virtually in the 2021 Summer II term. In this 7-week term, the students took a 3-credit Introduction to Programming course and a 0-credit Learning Strategies Seminar. During the 7 weeks, there was peer tutoring support available. The Peer Mentor helped with study habits and general questions while conducting social events aimed at cultivating a sense of community. Given the three credits completed in Summer II, the students take 12 or 13 credits in the Fall semester. The reduced academic load, combined with the metacognition knowledge learned in the Learning Strategies course is likely to result in a more seamless transition in the remaining credits. In the Fall and Spring semesters, students are cohorted in several courses to continue building their community for peer support. The Peer Mentor, Faculty Advisor, Academic Coach, and Peer Tutors will continue to interact with FA students during their first year. Academic support will be provided in the form of weekly Study Tables. Social events continue to foster community building throughout the Fall semester. To measure the success of FA, the Fall math grades of FA students are compared to other first-year students because the performance of students in their first math course tends to correlate to their overall first-year success. Additionally, wellbeing and development surveys, including the College Student Inventory (CSI), identify how FA students are adjusting to college compared to other students. The final key performance indicator compares the retention rate of FA students to the other first-year students at the end of the first semester. Given the small sample size of 9 for FA students, only one statistically significant conclusion can be drawn. Fall GPA of FA students is higher than their peers. Several other positive trends have emerged, but remain qualitative at this point. These include retention rate, number of failed and withdrawn courses, confidence, improved study habits.

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Kiassat, PhD, MBA, PE, C., & Ben-Avie, M. (2022, August), Work in Progress: Engineering First-Year Academy to Help Underprepared Students Paper presented at 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Minneapolis, MN. 10.18260/1-2--40903

TY - CPAPER
AB - This is a work-in-progress paper that will describe an effort to improve the retention rate of first-year students in the School of Computing and Engineering at University (SCE) through the implementation of First-year Academy (FA). This academy aims to strengthen underprepared students by helping them in three main categories: academic support, transitioning to college, and building a sense of belonging. Closer monitoring of underprepared students and developing a significant support structure can improve the School’s retention rates. FA will be especially beneficial to retaining women and underrepresented minorities – a significant portion of the underprepared population. Previous data suggests that these groups tend to leave the School earlier than men and those who identify as White/Caucasian.
The first-year retention rate of SCE significantly lags the national retention rate of other engineering programs. Retention in this context pertains to traditional first-year students who successfully make it to their sophomore year. Based on institution-specific data, engineering students at University leave after one year due to college transition struggles, overwhelming workloads and course content, and/or personal reasons that may include community and belonging.
Students in FA have access to a Peer Mentor, Faculty Advisor, Academic Coach, Peer Tutors, and a peer support structure to help navigate a successful transition into the university community. FA helps SCE nurture its inclusive, excellence-driven community and creates a more diverse student population. Participation in FA is at no cost to the students. However, the program is the beneficiary of a large manufacturing company’s sponsorship. The value proposition for the corporate partner is the strengthening of diversity in the talent pipeline. The criteria used to invite students includes financial aid eligibility, representing family’s economic strength, race/ethnicity (self-reported), high school GPA, and gender. Due to a delay in funding, only 9 students participated in the information sessions and started in the academy. The target size for next year is 20 students.
The academy began virtually in the 2021 Summer II term. In this 7-week term, the students took a 3-credit Introduction to Programming course and a 0-credit Learning Strategies Seminar. During the 7 weeks, there was peer tutoring support available. The Peer Mentor helped with study habits and general questions while conducting social events aimed at cultivating a sense of community. Given the three credits completed in Summer II, the students take 12 or 13 credits in the Fall semester. The reduced academic load, combined with the metacognition knowledge learned in the Learning Strategies course is likely to result in a more seamless transition in the remaining credits.
In the Fall and Spring semesters, students are cohorted in several courses to continue building their community for peer support. The Peer Mentor, Faculty Advisor, Academic Coach, and Peer Tutors will continue to interact with FA students during their first year. Academic support will be provided in the form of weekly Study Tables. Social events continue to foster community building throughout the Fall semester.
To measure the success of FA, the Fall math grades of FA students are compared to other first-year students because the performance of students in their first math course tends to correlate to their overall first-year success. Additionally, wellbeing and development surveys, including the College Student Inventory (CSI), identify how FA students are adjusting to college compared to other students. The final key performance indicator compares the retention rate of FA students to the other first-year students at the end of the first semester. Given the small sample size of 9 for FA students, only one statistically significant conclusion can be drawn. Fall GPA of FA students is higher than their peers. Several other positive trends have emerged, but remain qualitative at this point. These include retention rate, number of failed and withdrawn courses, confidence, improved study habits.
AU - Corey Kiassat, PhD, MBA, PE
AU - Michael Ben-Avie
CY - Minneapolis, MN
DA - 2022/08/23
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - Work in Progress: Engineering First-Year Academy to Help Underprepared Students
UR - https://strategy.asee.org/40903
DO - 10.18260/1-2--40903
ER -