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The Department of Engineering and Society instructors at the University of Virginia recently developed a new course on Engineering Ethics aimed at second- and third-year students. Unlike previous courses in the department, the mid-level course emphasizes micro-ethics and employs the Giving Voice to Values (GVV) framework. The emphasis on micro-ethics is timely and appropriate given the polarization and plurality of views and beliefs in our nation and world and the increasingly higher stakes of engineering practice. To help students understand how they can act on their personal ethics, the course also incorporates the GVV material, originally developed for application in business settings. The GVV modules in this course were adapted specifically for use in engineering education, in collaboration with the GVV founder and the Online Ethics Center (OEC) director and are now available through the OEC for anyone to use. This paper provides an overview of the GVV portion of the new course design and discusses initial impressions from piloting the course over three semesters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objectives of this study were (1) to use a pre-test to assess the knowledge of Civil Engineering students at The Citadel in their understanding of engineering management topics prior to taking a required junior-level course in engineering management, and (2) to use a posttest to assess student learning as a result of various pedagogies employed though the course instruction. Additional insight into broader student performance indicators was accomplished by comparing post-test results with embedded indicator data, which is collected annually, evaluated against department standards and used in department assessment of student outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Employers have long valued veteran employees for a variety of skills and qualities such as their ability to work on a team, mission oriented work ethic, and their technical expertise. Growing regional industries have looked upon The Citadel to meet some of their engineering needs through veteran graduates, but demand for engineers is increasing and outpacing the small veteran student population. Veteran enrollment in colleges and universities has increased in the past decades in part to the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill. However, transitioning veterans from a military lifestyle and occupation to an academic lifestyle and civilian occupation can be a significant challenge for some. Connecting veteran students with the support they need is crucial to their continuing success, in the classroom and beyond. Their military experience often develops great skills and persistence, making them effective and well-regarded students. Faculty and traditional students at civilian or military colleges can benefit from these qualities. Once a veteran or active duty student has made contact and then a commitment to attend, there are a number of activities and processes employed both before they arrive and during their time on campus to retain them in engineering and graduate with an engineering degree as quickly as possible. The focus of these efforts are to create a culture of open communication with potential veterans and increase engagement of these students with faculty, engineering professionals, and peers to matriculate them into the engineering profession. The overall goal was met through an effective recruiting program and ensuring the right tools were in place for retention that allowed students to be a part of a dynamic and supportive educational environment inside and outside of the classroom. While each veteran or active duty student has different needs and challenges, all still need information and resources that will help them succeed as well as connect them to the campus community, so that they feel more fully part of the learning environment and can meet their educational goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although engineering enrollments have increased considerably in the past five years, retention of engineering students is difficult for a variety of reasons including: the rigorous and demanding nature of engineering, math and science based curriculum, and the reality that many first and second year courses that are taught outside of the engineering departments. Studies indicate that success in increasing retention must focus not only on support services for academic achievement, but also on optimizing community building and collaborations among students and faculty. Additionally, several studies show that success and retention of students participating in mentor programs are higher than that of students who did not participate. This paper discusses a variety of evolving mentoring activities that have been employed over the last several years in the School of Engineering. At The Citadel, retention in engineering programs from freshman to sophomore year over the past five years has increased from 62% to 81%. Some mentoring activities are focused on underrepresented populations, specifically women and minorities, while others are implemented for the entire engineering student population. Mentoring efforts include: demographic-specific advisors, faculty advisors, peer mentors, faculty mentors, and engineering industry mentors. The School has taken a four-year approach to its mentoring efforts. Overall objectives of the mentoring program are multifaceted: 1) to help new students transition to higher education and identify with their particular program; 2) to help students who are struggling in upper level courses and in leadership positions or conducting undergraduate research; and 3) to help students with their transition to the engineering profession. This paper describes how one institution developed and uses mentoring to provide a structured program of different engagement activities. These efforts focus on creating a culture of open communications among engineering students, and on increasing engagement of engineering students with faculty, engineering professionals, and peers to develop resiliency and persistence towards earning an engineering degree and pursing an engineering career. Included is the rationale for each activity, together with a brief summary of how it is being implemented. Statistical and observational survey data as evidence to the success or effectiveness of these efforts is presented and discussed, with particular attention focused on evidence of student retention. Analysis of examples of mentoring activities identifies a number of best practices and transferable lessoned learned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Engineering programs employ a variety of approaches for improving student retention. Often, students leaving engineering cite difficulties in their calculus courses as a major contributor to their attrition. Specifically, students cite that early calculus classes lack practicality and seem disconnected from their engineering majors. Some researchers even argue against the necessity of many calculus concepts for success in later engineering courses. Consequently, many institutions are seeking to redefine and improve calculus experiences to retain engineering students. Indeed, a growing body of literature discusses innovations in calculus content, pedagogy, and/or course formats. A comprehensive review of prior efforts to improve calculus courses is needed to synthesize the effectiveness of available intervention models, as well as identify areas of needed work. A systematic review of ASEE conference proceedings was conducted to identify models for promoting success in undergraduate calculus courses. First, a search of the ASEE PEER database for articles with "calculus" in the title yielded 101 results. Of the 101 papers retrieved from the database, 49 were identified to include a reproducible report of a calculus course innovation. Retained records were synthesized based on several emergent themes: Key Innovators and Innovation Format, Pedagogies Employed, Assessment Tools, and Degree of Reproducibility. Discussion of retained records will be used to provide a set of proven strategies for enhancing student learning of calculus that can be implemented to encourage persistence in engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A student scholarship and enrichment program was established in 2012 to help address the persistent problem of underrepresented minority, female and socioeconomically disadvantaged students enrolled in civil engineering degree programs and corresponding small number of graduates who enter the civil engineering profession. The program was administered within the civil engineering department of a regional undergraduate teaching institution and was made possible by funding from the National Science Foundation's Scholarships in Science Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (S-STEM) program. The S-STEM program at our institution, entitled Excellence in Civil Engineering Leadership (ExCEL), offered scholarships to qualified students, within target demographic groups, to obtain financial and educational support in earning a civil engineering degree. Equally important to financial support, ExCEL faculty provided a variety of program-specific, student support services focused on improving retention, building a supportive learning community, developing principled leaders, and preparing graduates for successful careers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"A Vision for Civil Engineers in 2025" was adopted by American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) that broadens the scope of student outcomes to better prepare graduates to lead society in establishing a sustainable world and improving the global quality of life. Future practicing civil engineers are envisioned to be master builders, stewards of the environment, innovators, managers of risk, and leaders of public policy. The ASCE Body of Knowledge (BOK) 2 provides a significant foundation for how engineering programs should prepare civil engineering students to meet ever increasing societal demands. Nine of 24 outcomes are focused on professional skills, describe student skills needed to meet career challenges, and include target levels of cognitive development required to prepare students for professional practice. Based on this vision for future engineers set forth in ASCE BOK 2, faculty in The Citadel Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) adopted 22 student outcomes, eight of which are directly focused on developing student professional skills and competencies. These outcomes are mapped across a subset of the 34 courses offered in the civil engineering curriculum. Embedded indicators are used to measure student attainment of the material and results are compared to established Department standards. Year-to-year results are tracked and incorporated into the Department's Assessment Process. Improvements are systematically implemented as course improvements and are focused on enhancing student learning and retention. This paper describes assessment methods and techniques used to develop, teach, track, integrate, and assess student professional skills and competencies. Mapping of professional skill course goals across the undergraduate curriculum will be described and summarized. Evidence-based assessment results are being used to track student cognitive performance levels aligned with professional skills development outcomes. A review of course goals, teaching methods, and assessment will be provided for two specific courses, Engineering Management (CIVL411) and Professional Sustainability (CIVL317), which collectively represent roughly half of the professional skill curriculum and are largely structured for the purpose of addressing professional skills needed for graduates to successfully enter the engineering profession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Engineering educators are charged with the responsibility of developing future engineers whom are prepared to lead societal change in the built environment. To best prepare engineering graduates to rise to the occasion of such complex demands necessitates use of new approaches in classroom instruction and innovative methods based on active learning concepts. This paper describes application of active learning techniques, predicated primarily on the use clicker quizzes, and additional student enrichment activities used to engage students, improve academic instruction, and enhance the learning environment. Instructional methods used in undergraduate civil engineering courses at The Citadel are presented and discussed. Active learning techniques and student enrichment activities include: clicker quizzes, in-class group activities, class examples, application of technology, hands-on field experiences, community service projects, and professional skills development. Student performance data and results from semester-long active learning applications are tabulated and analyzed to explore effectiveness and application insights. In addition, use of structured student enrichment activities are reviewed and tabulated with regard to purpose, use, relevance, and outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A student scholarship and enrichment program was established to help address pervasive problems of underrepresented minority, female and socioeconomically disadvantaged students enrolled in civil engineering degree programs and graduates serving in the civil engineering profession. The program is administered in the civil engineering department at The Citadel (Charleston, SC) and is supported through a grant from the National Science Foundation's Scholarships in Science Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (NSF, S-STEM) program. The program, Excellence in Civil Engineering Leadership for South Carolina (ExCEL-SC), provides scholarships to qualified students, within target demographic groups, who are pursuing a Bachelors of Science degree in civil engineering. Equally important, the ExCEL-SC program furnishes a variety of specific student support services focused on improving retention, developing principled leaders, and preparing graduates for successful careers. This paper presents an overview of program components being used to provide student enrichment, describes student cohort recruitment and selection criteria, presents initial statewide recruitment plan, tabulates student cohort demographics and freshman retention data, summarizes scholarship awards and on-going enrichment activities, presents initial ExCEL-SC program results, and summarizes corresponding program adjustments. Student performance data is analyzed and discussed with respect to trends and characteristics of successful and unsuccessful students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]