Persistence of physics and engineering students via peer mentoring, active learning, and intentional advising (original) (raw)

Impact of Peer Mentoring on Student Learning and Connection To Engineering

2013

Many students who enter engineering as an academic discipline in their first year of study switch to a different major after the first or second year. The attrition rates range from 30% to 50% depending on the institution. The dropout rate is even higher for underrepresented groups. Research studies show that the significant factors of attrition in engineering programs are quantitative skill level, student study habits, commitment to the program, and connections to peers. This paper describes an approach to address some of these factors. In this approach, we positioned the use of peer mentors as an improved institutional effort to retain students in engineering. Results show that the engineering peer mentoring program was considered helpful in learning calculus by the majority of Calculus I and Calculus II student participants.

Retaining Students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Majors

In this paper we present results relating undergraduate student retention in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors to the use of Peer Instruction (PI) in an introductory physics course at a highly selective research institution. We compare the percentages of students who switch out of a STEM major after taking a physics course taught using traditional lectures only or one taught using PI, finding that nearly twice the percentage of students switch after the lecturebased course. By examining these results in light of the literature on STEM retention, we propose that providing opportunities for students to think, respond, and interact in class may have a substantial impact on the retention of students in STEM disciplines.

Increased Retention and Graduation Rates of Engineering Students

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition Proceedings

School of Engineering. She obtained her Ph.D. from the University of Eindhoven on a research study into improving the participation of female high school students in physics. She holds a master's degree in physics from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. She taught physics and mathematics in Dutch secondary schools and colleges and mathematics as an Adjunct at Pace University. She performed curriculum evaluation and academic and educational advising at

Impact of Peer Mentoring on Freshmen Engineering Students

The transition from high school to college can be very difficult for many students. At the University of Pittsburgh School of Engineering, we have developed a freshmen seminar and concurrent system of mentoring that addresses the changes and difficulties students experience during this transitional time. All first-year University of Pittsburgh School of Engineering students are required to register for and attend a large group lecture course, Engineering 0081 Freshmen Seminar, that addresses various aspects and issues of first-year academic and social life. Each first-year student is also required to select and attend a small-group class that is directed by a sophomore, junior, or senior peer-mentor. This paper details how the small-group, peer-mentored classes are an essential aspect of the success of the large 0081 Freshmen Seminar. The paper will discuss just what the peer-mentoring classes involve, what these classes facilitate, and how these classes contribute to successful tra...

Evolving study strategies and support structures of introductory physics students

2024

Students often struggle in the transition from high school to college. One component of this struggle is adjusting study habits to navigate new academic expectations. Another is establishing new relationships in college that can support their emotional well-being and academic success. We administered surveys consisting primarily of open-ended questions to students taking an introductory physics course in order to gain insight into students' study habits and support structures and how they change from high school to college. We find that many students learn that they need to dedicate more time outside of class to studying in order to succeed in college. Many students trying to improve their performance report practicing more, but our results suggest that more practice alone is not sufficient; rather, students were able to increase their performance and satisfaction in the course by engaging more deeply with the material. Regarding support structures, we find that in high school, students find their teachers highly supportive and accessible, but they are less likely to approach their college professors for help. Meanwhile, many students find peers to be an important source of support in college as the amount of support they receive from their families diminishes with distance from home. Gaining a better understanding of students' study habits, support structures, and how they conceptualize them can help us design course structures and messaging that can more effectively help students develop strong learning strategies and social networks.

Increasing persistence in undergraduate science majors: a model for institutional support of underrepresented students

CBE life sciences education, 2015

The 6-yr degree-completion rate of undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors at U.S. colleges and universities is less than 40%. Persistence among women and underrepresented minorities (URMs), including African-American, Latino/a, Native American, and Pacific Islander students, is even more troubling, as these students leave STEM majors at significantly higher rates than their non-URM peers. This study utilizes a matched comparison group design to examine the academic achievement and persistence of students enrolled in the Program for Excellence in Education and Research in the Sciences (PEERS), an academic support program at the University of California, Los Angeles, for first- and second-year science majors from underrepresented backgrounds. Results indicate that PEERS students, on average, earned higher grades in most "gatekeeper" chemistry and math courses, had a higher cumulative grade point average, completed more science courses, ...