Student Retention Toolkit
Student Retention Toolkit

Author: National Society of Black Engineers

Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform

Published: 2017-03-06

Total Pages: 172

ISBN-13: 9781974031368

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A Unique Tool to Advance Diversity Outcomes in Engineering Education Expanding the nation''s engineering talent pool is critical to U.S. economic competitiveness, and diversity is vital to engineering innovation. But many U.S. institutions of higher education are struggling in these efforts. Only 35,421 of the 112,721 engineering bachelor''s degree recipients in this country in the 2015-16 academic year were African American/Black, Latino, Native American or female. And the percentage of those students among U.S. engineering graduates has been flat or declining for more than a decade. The NSBE Student Retention Toolkit published by the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), was developed to address this problem by helping U.S. colleges and universities change the equation for engineering diversity within their institutions. The NSBE Student Retention Toolkit provides research-based strategy briefs, each nine pages or fewer, that present proven strategies for improving student retention and student success in engineering degree programs. The briefs include clear action steps for the readers as well as guidance in avoiding pitfalls. Each strategy is grounded in examples of campus programs that have raised success rates for underrepresented minorities, women and first-generation college-goers. The Student Retention Toolkit is part of NSBE''s broader effort to dramatically increase the number of underrepresented minority and women engineers in the U.S. over the next eight years, both separately and in collaboration with the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES), the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) and the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) in the 50K Coalition. The NSBE Student Retention Toolkit Briefs Institution and Department Topics Campus Climate: How to measure and shape students'' perceptions of the college environment in general and engineering programs in particular Faculty Development: The critical role of active learning by faculty in improving student outcomes Institutional Leadership: Strategies to engage senior leaders of the college or university in supporting and promoting engineering diversity efforts Core Strategy Topics Early Alert Systems: Effective methods of reaching out to struggling students in time to turn around their performance Facilitated Study Groups: How to implement these periodic, collaborative learning sessions to improve students'' grades and self-confidence Living-Learning Communities: Bonding college students to the campus, their peers and their engineering programs in residential academic settings Scholar Cohort Programs: Setting up talented teams of students who pursue their engineering degrees and graduate together Summer Bridge Programs: Designing and implementing these gateway programs for incoming freshmen that are proven to increase their retention in engineering Concept Topics Identity: Moving underrepresented minority and women students beyond cultural, racial or gender differences from the majority to help them see themselves as engineers Self-Efficacy: How to improve students'' assessment of their capability in engineering "Diversity increases engineering innovation and engineering success. This publication is a unique resource for leaders who want to advance their educational institutions by acting on that knowledge."- NSBE 2016-18 National Chair Matthew C. Nelson The Goals: To increase the annual number of engineering bachelor''s degree recipients in the U.S. by 2025 NSBE: 10,000 African-American Graduates 50K Coalition: 50,000 African-American, Latino, Native American and Women Graduates NSBE''s Mission: To increase the number of culturally responsible Black Engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally and positively impact the community

Retention of Linguistically Diverse Engineering Students
Retention of Linguistically Diverse Engineering Students

Author: Elora Candace Voyles

Publisher:

Published: 2012

Total Pages: 94

ISBN-13:

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The retention of engineering students has received an abundance of attention in universities and scholarly literature. The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) reported, "Only 40-60 percent of entering engineering students persist to an engineering degree, and women and minorities are at the low end of that range" (p. 40). The retention of ESL (English as a second language) students in undergraduate engineering programs has not yet been comprehensively examined. The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics, retention rates, and GPAs of ESL students in an undergraduate engineering program. Furthermore, ESL students' retention rates and GPAs were compared to native English speaking students. This study utilized retention data and grade point averages (GPAs) to examine ESL engineering student retention and success. A secondary data analysis examined retention rates and GPAs for ESL students and the comparison group of native English speaking students. Percentages were used to compare retention data from ESL and native English speaking students, and t-tests were utilized to compare their GPAs. The findings of this study revealed that ESL students were retained at a higher rate and maintained higher GPAs compared to native English speaking engineering students. It is anticipated the findings of this study will provide a foundation for future research on ESL students. Based on the findings, researchers can have a basis for comparisons of ESL students' GPAs and retention.

Examining Academic and Demographic Characteristics to Retain and Graduate Engineering Students at a Mid-Western Public University
Examining Academic and Demographic Characteristics to Retain and Graduate Engineering Students at a Mid-Western Public University

Author: Namrata Murthy

Publisher:

Published: 2021

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13:

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Demand is high for engineering students and educators must identify factors affecting persistence and graduation of engineers. Retention and graduation rates remain problematic for many institutions. Higher education research focuses on these two issues as many students head to engineering programs with a wide range of attributes, characteristics, and abilities. This study focused on the retention and graduation rates of a Midwestern Urban University's (MUU) College of Engineering students. Two cohorts of FTIAC (First Time In Any College) students, those starting in Fall 2007 and Fall 2013, were examined for pre-admission variables of academic preparation and demographic characteristics predicting first year retention and graduation. A quantitative analysis compared these two groups, in addition to a subset of at-risk pre-engineering students, to determine if there were significant predictors of persistence or non-persistence in the engineering college.The research design was quantitative with a logistic regression analysis applied to determine relationship among the independent variables (pre-admission, demographic and post-admission characteristics) and first year retention and graduation. Initial questions in the study addressed the association between the different admissions policies and retention and graduation of the two cohorts of engineering students. In addition, academic and demographic characteristics associated with graduation across the two cohorts was examined. The second part of this study examined two at-risk pre-engineering FTIAC student groups (Fall 2007 group was labelled the Bridge group while the Fall 2013 group was labelled the EOS group. Research questions guiding this subset group's retention and graduation factors examined participation in these two groups and first year retention in and graduation from the Engineering program. Descriptive and inferential statistical analysis of the institutional data collected uncovered several factors predictive of first year retention and graduation. Generally, graduation rates showed noticeable increases in Fall 2013 versus Fall 2007 cohort which could be attributed to the increased standards in admission for the Fall 2013 cohort. Analyses of the research questions showed that if a student was retained in the first year, their graduation rate increased from 45% to 65% from Fall 2007 to Fall 2013; and if they took Calculus in their first year they graduated at a higher rate in Fall 2013 (51% to72%). Strikingly lesser number of African American students graduated in Fall 2013 (from 11% to 3%). Logistic regression analysis showed statistically significant results for first year retention of Bridge or EOS students if they took Calculus 1 or higher in the first year. For graduation from Engineering, the same regression analysis showed that having a HSGPA between 3.0 and 4.0 and taking their first math class at Calculus 1 or higher in the first term proved statistically significant for the Fall 2007 students. For the Fall 2013 cohort, completing Calculus 1 in the first year was the only statistically significant predictor for graduation. Students taking Calculus 1 in the first year was determined to be a statistically significant predictor of retention and graduation in the study. The findings from this study provide valuable information for engineering leaders within enrollment management and academic affairs. The models developed for predicting persistence based on HSPGA and math level can be used by advisors in focusing retention efforts and by deans for making resource allocation decisions. Based on the results in this study of freshman engineering student retention, where Calculus 1 was identified to be a significant factor, faculty members, administrators, advisors, and essentially anyone involved in the process of freshman engineering curriculum can use the predictor factors to identify students in jeopardy of being retained in engineering.

Understanding the Educational and Career Pathways of Engineers
Understanding the Educational and Career Pathways of Engineers

Author: National Academy of Engineering

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2019-01-26

Total Pages: 223

ISBN-13: 0309485606

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Engineering skills and knowledge are foundational to technological innovation and development that drive long-term economic growth and help solve societal challenges. Therefore, to ensure national competitiveness and quality of life it is important to understand and to continuously adapt and improve the educational and career pathways of engineers in the United States. To gather this understanding it is necessary to study the people with the engineering skills and knowledge as well as the evolving system of institutions, policies, markets, people, and other resources that together prepare, deploy, and replenish the nation's engineering workforce. This report explores the characteristics and career choices of engineering graduates, particularly those with a BS or MS degree, who constitute the vast majority of degreed engineers, as well as the characteristics of those with non-engineering degrees who are employed as engineers in the United States. It provides insight into their educational and career pathways and related decision making, the forces that influence their decisions, and the implications for major elements of engineering education-to-workforce pathways.

Modeling First-year Engineering Retention Rate and Success in STEM at Youngstown State University
Modeling First-year Engineering Retention Rate and Success in STEM at Youngstown State University

Author: Gelan Badr

Publisher:

Published: 2013

Total Pages: 142

ISBN-13:

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Tracking retention rate is an important factor given the complexity of establishing the factors leading to an increase or decrease in graduation rates, especially in engineering programs that on a national level cannot meet the demand. It enables the institution to assess the periodic progression of students in its programs. As such, it can be used as an indication of: suitability of teaching methodologies, student expiates, curricular support structures, or the environment in a program or academic unit. Although by itself retention cannot answer definitively answer causality questions, educators can begin to determine where issues may be present to gather further data that can help understand the experiences of students. This study considers the graduation and retention rates from the engineering programs at Youngstown State University (Chemical, Civil, Electrical, Industrial, and Mechanical) for the past 8 years (2005-2013). From the perspective of who goes into engineering and who is retained. The approach is to track students starting in the First- Year Engineering Program and determines where each of the students is today (enrolled or graduated from YSU outside of engineering, enrolled or graduated from YSU within engineering, or no longer at university. The direct assessment will come in the form of tracking retention (frequency counts, proportions, and simple statistical tests - gender, race / ethnicity, high school preparation). Once we determine student pathways (graduation, succession, and exit rates) we can establish a continuous procedure to track retention on an on-going basis and propose recommendations for improvements in the engineering program (based on the type(s) of students who do not persist in engineering).

Predicting and Improving First Year Engineering Student Retention Through Lean Thinking and Quality Management Concepts
Predicting and Improving First Year Engineering Student Retention Through Lean Thinking and Quality Management Concepts

Author: Thomas Bereza

Publisher:

Published: 2017

Total Pages: 56

ISBN-13:

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While the percentage of undergraduate engineering degrees awarded has increased over the past decade, it has been outpaced by the overall growth in bachelor degree attainment. With this, the amount of enrollment in engineering programs has increased, but still a significant number of engineering students choose to drop out or pursue other educational paths. Universities and policy makers are motivated to increase the retention of engineering students to graduation. This thesis explores the quantitative data that makes up a first year engineering student's profile. The data is used to develop an ordinal logistic regression model to predict 2nd year student retention. Ideas to improve retention are discussed with a focus of applying Lean Manufacturing techniques in conjunction with the proposed prediction model. Data from a college of engineering within a public land-grant research university is used to test for significance as indicators for freshman retention. Data used in this study is from 2010 and 2011 freshman engineering cohorts. Using collected student data, a prediction model is developed that assesses the probability of a first year engineering student either i) returning to engineering in their second year, ii) leaving engineering but remaining at the university, or iii) leaving the university altogether. Then, using concepts from lean manufacturing and quality management this prediction model is incorporated in a proposed engineering education quality system.This study creates a prediction model to identify students that are likely to be: retained in engineering, switch majors out of engineering, and drop out of the university. This prediction model is then incorporated into the proposed engineering education quality management system to assist with identifying; where and when students may not persist in engineering curriculum, and ideas to promote student persistence using the prediction results.

Investigation of Factors Related to Performance and Retention of Engineering Students
Investigation of Factors Related to Performance and Retention of Engineering Students

Author: Nora B. Honken

Publisher:

Published: 2014

Total Pages: 157

ISBN-13:

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This study was part of an ongoing effort to improve retention of engineering students at the J. B. Speed School of Engineering at the University of Louisville. The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to gain a better understanding of the relationship among interest in engineering, performance and first-year retention in engineering, and whether this relationship is different for males and females, and (2) to better understand the relationship among self-control, academic ability and first semester GPA for engineering students. To address the first research question investigating retention, survey responses and data from student records were analyzed using logistic regression. Results of these analyses showed students who indicated they had very high interest in engineering were 43 times more likely to be retained than students who indicated very low interest, and 6 times more likely than a student who indicated they had low to medium interest, given the same GPA. There was not a significant difference in the probability of being retained for students who indicated they had high or very high interest, given the same GPA. Results also showed that a one point increase in GPA increased the likelihood of a student being retained by 4.6 times, given the same level of interest. Based on these results, the Step-outs to Stars engineering retention framework was created. Students were separated into four quadrants based on their level of interest and first semester GPA. The framework can be used as a mechanism to allocate resources targeted to improve engineering retention and to frame future research on engineering retention. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze survey and student data to answer the second research question related to first semester performance of engineering students. In the study academic ability was measured by algebra readiness test scores and ACT math, science, English and reading scores. Self-control was measured by self-reported scores on the Brief Self-Control Scale (Tangney, Baumeister, & Boone, 2004). Results confirmed prior research, which found a significant positive relationship between self-control and academic performance, and a lack of significance between self-control and standardized test scores. These results can be used to strengthen the argument for programs to help improve self-control in K-12 and post-secondary students. The results can also be used to help prospective and current engineering students understand that higher levels of self-control might improve their academic performance in engineering.