Undergraduate students\u27 perceptions of general education: a mixed methods approach

Higher education institutions should offer students an enriching learning experience that fosters their academic competencies, professional skills, civic responsibility, and global preparedness (AACTE, 2010; AAC&U, 2007). Colleges and universities have been criticized for not adequately preparing students academically and professionally. They are urged to assess and improve their general education programs to provide quality education and meet the needs of 21st century students (AACTE, 2010; AAC&U, 2007; Boning, 2007; Rhodes, 2010). This study utilized a sequential explanatory mixed methods research design to indirectly assess the general education program through students\u27 perceptions. It was designed to explore the differences in perceptions among undergraduate students of the general education program and their undergraduate learning experiences. My findings indicated that students underscored the importance of clear communication, good teaching, high quality interactions, application of knowledge, and rigorous curriculum in their undergraduate experience. The university could explore effective practices that allow students to apply what they learned in real life applications. It could better articulate the general education goals and learning outcomes to its students. Furthermore, it could provide a supportive system for transfer students and work with community colleges to facilitate credit transfer. Finally, the university should integrate the specialized, professional, and general education programs into students\u27 undergraduate experience to better prepare them for life, citizenship, and career

Retention of undergraduate white male students at Missouri University of Science and Technology

At STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) focused higher education institutions, academics and retaining students are challenging. To uncover obstacles that prevent white male students, in STEM-focused programs, from retaining to their second year of college, a mixed methods approach using Astin's I-E-O model was used. A survey to students, interviews with advisors, and institutional data were utilized to understand the complexity of retaining students in their first year. Research, prior to this study, focused on particular cohorts of students and/or specific factors of retention. This study broadened the scope of identifying factors that can predict retention (both high school and college first term) and showed that retention is more complex than one factor. High school preparation, financial needs, sense of belonging, math placement, and first term academic outcomes all play a significant role in retaining students to their second year of college. The expectation from results of this study will assist STEM focused institutions in building predictive models that will increase retention of first year students.Includes bibliographical references

The Influence of Student Enrollment in Pre-College Engineering Courses on Their Interest in Engineering Careers

Pre-college student enrollment in engineering courses increases every year in the United States, yet little is known about the relationship between taking these courses and subsequent science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) career interest. Through multinomial logistic regressions, and while controlling for student background variables and prior STEM career interest, this study addresses two research questions: (1) Does completing a pre-college engineering course increase the likelihood of an engineering career interest at the end of high school? (2) Does completing a pre-college engineering course have a different influence on career interest in engineering than on career interest in other STEM fields (namely science, technology, and mathematics)? The study uses data from the Outreach Programs and Science Career Intentions survey (N 5 15,847), a large U.S. sample of college students enrolled in mandatory English courses. Our analysis reveals that the relationship between completing a pre-college engineering course and interest in a STEM career appears to be field-specific. Students completing a pre-college engineering course were two times more likely to want to pursue an engineering career than those without such a course, after controlling for a host of other relevant variables. By contrast, taking a pre-college engineering course was not associated with heightened interest in other science, technology, or mathematics careers. These findings suggest that high schools should offer engineering courses as an effective way to foster students’ career interest in engineering. This effect appears to apply similarly to all students, independent of gender, race/ethnicity, and other background variables

Undergraduate Curriculum and Academic Policy Committee Minutes, October 17, 2012

Minutes from the Wright State University Faculty Senate Undergraduate Curriculum and Academic Policy Committee meeting held on October 17, 2012

Identifying Factors Impacting First-year Persistence in Computer Graphics Technology

The retention of students is a goal that all universities strive to achieve. With more and more emphasis placed on degree completion, retaining students becomes even more important. University faculty and staff continually try to identify what possible factors affect a student’s decision to remain in their chosen field of study. Faculty in the Computer Graphics Technology (CGT) program are concerned with what factors, if any, affect the persistence of students in the CGT program. The goal of this study was to determine if personal factors such as gender and being a first-generation student and/or academic factors such as admission status, semester course load, and academic grades are related to the first-year persistence of CGT students. Results indicate that first semester performance is a significant indicator of persistence. Gender, first generation student, and admission status were not found to be significant indicators. This points out the importance of efforts focused on students in their first semester of college

A Place-based Learning Community: Klamath Connection at Humboldt State University

A place-based learning community called Klamath Connection was designed to improve the academic performance of freshman in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) majors at Humboldt State University, a midsize public institution in a location geographically and culturally unfamiliar to the majority of its students. The program interweaves four high impact practices demonstrated to improve the success of students in STEM: a summer immersion, freshman year seminar, modified gateway courses, and peer mentoring. Each component is linked by an interdisciplinary theme unique to our geographic location and central to the communities that live within it, the Klamath River basin. This manuscript describes the local background and needs assessment that initiated the program, explains our hypothesized model that a place-based learning community can foster the sense of belonging, skills, and habits that favor academic success, and reviews the design and implementation of our pilot program that launched in 2015 for 63 first time students entering HSU. We conclude by describing lessons learned from informal and formal assessments of participating faculty, staff, and administrative personnel that have prompted modifications to the model, which is currently being expanded to serve all entering STEM majors by 2020. Analyses describing the effects of the program on student attitudes, academic performance, and retention in the university will be reviewed in a subsequent manuscript

Strategies And Initiatives That Revitalize Wesley College STEM Programs

Church-related small private liberal arts baccalaureate minority-serving institutions like Wesley College have modest endowments, are heavily tuition-dependent, and have large numbers of financially-challenged students. In order to sustain the level of academic excellence and to continue to build student demographic diversity in its accessible robust Science and Mathematics (STEM) programs, the faculty sought federal and state funds to implement a coordinated program of curriculum enhancements and student support programs that will increase the number of students choosing STEM majors, increase their academic success, and improve retention

A multi-year study of engineering self-efficacy in the US: exploring gender differences in a small engineering program. International Journal of Gender

This study presents the baseline results of an ongoing study at a small liberal arts university in the US and explores the gender differences in engineering selfefficacy, preparedness, and engagement in undergraduate engineering students. Data from the first timepoint of the survey was used to identify factors such as high school grade point average (GPA), math preparedness, high school mentoring, and college extracurricular involvement, and their correlations with engineering selfefficacy, as measured by the Longitudinal Assessment of Engineering Self-Efficacy (LAESE) scale. Investigation of LAESE subscales revealed that students (regardless of gender) who entered college having previously studied calculus reported greater engineering self-efficacy. Results indicate that women enter college with greater math preparation and high school GPA, however, self-efficacy is not any stronger than that of their male peers. However, women had greater coping self-efficacy and math outcome expectations compared to their male peers. These findings suggest a pipeline issue, where only the women with strong preparation self-identify as being capable of earning an engineering degree. The study also provides information about the differential experiences of women in engineering and suggests future factors to explore more deeply, such as mentoring and club involvement

14th annual Northern Arizona University assessment fair program

This is the program for the 2016 NAU Assessment Fair. The program includes the schedule of events, poster abstracts, and contest winners for the 14th Annual Assessment Fair