CLEER: Community Learning Enabling Engineering Reform

Santa Clara University, Santa Clara CA

Investigators

Abstract

This grant is supporting the planning activity at Santa Clara University which represents a new approach to interdisciplinary engineering education. The University is making Service Learning the core through which students at all levels interact with different disciplines and gain motivation for further study through understanding the relevance and impact of engineering. Faculty development and assessment, with the help of an expert from the Psychology department, will be integrated with the curriculum development effort. The director of the Arrupe Center for Community-Based Learning has long supported service-learning efforts in other contexts, building a substantial infrastructure to support community relationships, and has pledged direct support of this effort. The activities of the planning year lay the framework for an expanded program. The program will confront serious challenges in updating content and delivery to attract, educate, and retain students from an increasingly diverse high school population.