Workshop: Project-Enhanced Learning in Engineering Science Education

Abstract

Early drop out and poor retention rates are a major challenge to engineering education, which in many institutions have prompted a focus on improved first-year experiences. Retention and contributing learning challenges persists into the middle years, particularly when students confront the first engineering science courses in their major field. Students often perceive these courses as too abstract, intended to weed them out, and not meaningfully connected to their professional aspirations. A proven approach to improve student learning, self-efficacy, motivation, and retention is the use of active learning, including problems and projects. Despite evidence of the benefits of active learning, engineering schools and faculty members have inadequate incentives to experiment with non-traditional approaches.