Engineering Essentials: A Course to Introduce Non-Calculus Ready First Year Engineering Students to Engineering Concepts and Critical Thinking Skills

West Virginia University Research Corporation, Morgantown WV

Investigators

Abstract

First year students who are not ready for calculus represent a group of college students at high risk of leaving engineering. These students join an academic institution not only with weak math skills, but they also are less exposed to engineering upon entrance, in comparison with calculus ready students. This lack of engagement in engineering lead to confusion, frustration, and a loss of interest in engineering. This project supports an engineering track for those students that are not calculus ready but are interested in engineering. The project involves the development and implementation of a course to teach engineering concepts to first year engineering students who are not yet ready for calculus, while reinforcing critical thinking skills. The course will assist these students in their preparation for calculus by reinforcing concepts needed to succeed in math. The long term goal of this project is to decrease attrition and to increase the critical thinking skills of these engineering students. Another goal of the project is to promote the development of an engineering identity in first time engineering students. A mixed-methods approach will be used to assess the development of critical thinking skills and an engineering identity in students enrolled in the course.