Relevancy Enhancement Achieved by Laboratories and Lecture Integrated for Engineering Education (REAL LIFE) Adoption of a Relevant Undergraduate Curriculum

Oklahoma State University, Stillwater OK

Investigators

Abstract

PROPOSAL NO.: 0230695 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Cheville, Richard INSTITUTION NAME: Oklahoma State University TITLE: Relevancy Enhancement Achieved by Laboratories and Lecture Integrated for Engineering Education (REAL LIFE) Adoption of a Relevant Undergraduate Curriculum Abstract There is a critical need for engineering education at reform at Oklahoma State University (OSU) due to an unacceptably low retention of students, particularly women and under-represented minorities, in the engineering program . The thesis of this proposal is that the root cause of low retention is that students do not perceive engineering courses as relevant to their lives. Oklahoma State University proposes a one-year curriculum reform effort designed to bring relevancy to the engineering curriculum. The proposed reform effort is based on proven pedagogical models for which local expertise exists. Planning, implementation, and assessment are addressed. Both short-term and long-term goals are clearly defined.