Building a Comprehensive, Effective, and Successful 1 st -year Engineering Program

1. Building a Comprehensive, Effective, and Successful 1st-year Engineering Program Rick Freuler First-year Engineering Program Engineering Education Innovation Center Freuler.1@osu.edu

2. The "Roadmap" for Today • Who is this guy, anyway • Introduction & background • Early program details • Current program description • The “Freshman Cornerstone” • Observations, Lessons Learned, Impacts • Summary KEEN 2012 Regional Conference

3. Who Is This Guy Anyway? • Rick Freuler is • Fundamentals of Engineering for Honors (FEH) Program Director, Engineering Education Innovation Center • Professor of Practice in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering • ASEE First-year Programs Division Chair • 44th Year Student of Engineering (I was there for the 1968 football season and Rose Bowl.) KEEN 2012 Regional Conference

4. Introduction • OSU’s First-year Engineering Program initially developed over an 11-year period from 1992 through 2003 • Arose from concern about student retention in engineering • In 1988 the retention to a degree in Engineering at Ohio State was only 38% • Survey of Ohio State alumni in industry • Ohio State part of Gateway Coalition • Agreed to adapt or adopt the Drexel E4 model KEEN 2012 Regional Conference

5. Early Efforts • The Drexel E4 Program – • Combined Chemistry with Biology • Combined Math with Physics. • Engineering had both a lecture portion and a hands-on lab portion. • Humanities were combined with communication, both technical and non-technical components. • E4 Program Results - • >60% retention results and feedback co-op employers was very positive. KEEN 2012 Regional Conference

6. OSU's "Gateway" Program • OSU adaptation of Drexel's E4 involved select and dedicated faculty from two Colleges (ENG and MPS) • Engineering Mechanics combined with Math • Accelerated Calculus • Statics, Particle Dynamics, Rigid Body Dynamics • Engineering Graphics, Programming • Engineering hands-on lab each quarter KEEN 2012 Regional Conference

7. Current OSU First-Year Engineering Program • First-year Engineering now offered in four course sequences for first-year students: • Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) • Fundamentals of Engineering for Scholars (FES) • Fundamentals of Engineering for Transfers (FET) • Fundamentals of Engineering for Honors (FEH) • All sequences include hands-on labs, with engineering "up-front" and team-based design/build introduced early and often KEEN 2012 Regional Conference

8. Early Timeline for 1st-Year Program Year Activity (Students) 1992 Planning for Gateway 1993 Pilot 1 (30) 1994 Pilot 2 & 3 (38 & 65) 1995 Pilot 4 & 5 (37 & 64) 1996 Pilot 6 (64) 1997 FEH Approved (71) 1998 FEH (105) 1999 FEH (173) 2000 FEH (218) 2001 FEH (252) 2002 FEH (250) … 2011 FEH (452) Year Activity (Students) 1997 Planning for FE 1998 Pilot 1 (105) 1999 Pilot 2 (275) 2000 FE Approved (681) 2001 FE (~800) 2002 FE (~1,050) … 2011 FE/FES (~1,700) KEEN 2012 Regional Conference

9. First-year Engineering Program Enrollment Trends

10. Yes…There is a Well Defined First-Year Engineering Honors Program 1st year program option offered only for University Honors designated students A tightly-coupled year-long course sequence in engineering fundamentals Coordination among the core first-year classes of engineering, math, and physics KEEN 2012 Regional Conference

11. Comparing First-Year Sequences FEH Emphasis on hands-on learning and design Coordination among the FEH core classes More challenging Students take a 3-course sequence of Honors Engineering (ENG H191, ENG H192, & ENG H193) 12 credit hours FE/FES Emphasis on hands-on learning and design No coordination among any freshman classes Challenging Students take a 2-course sequence of engineering (ENG 181 & ENG 183) and usually EG 167 Usually 10 credit hours KEEN 2012 Regional Conference

12. Yes…You Will Get Connected to the Engineering Faculty in the First Year • First-year engineering courses are taught by faculty • Hand-picked from among the departments in the College • These represent the some of the best researchers & teachers • Instructional team includes graduate and undergraduate students KEEN 2012 Regional Conference

13. Yes…You Are Going to Design and Build During the First Year! • Fundamentals of Engineering for Honors (FEH) • Autonomous Robot Design • Nanotechnology • Fundamentals of Engineering (FE/FES) • Rollercoaster Design • Nanotechnology • Advanced Energy Vehicle KEEN 2012 Regional Conference

14. Cornerstone Design Projects FEH Robot FE/FES Advanced Energy Vehicle (AEV) FE Roller-Coaster FEH/FE Nanotechnology

15. Cornerstone Common ElementsTypical Project Goals • Students will have… • Hands-on engineering design/build experience • A team-based project with peer evaluation • Laboratory activities • Measure, record, analyze, and present • Build, test, modify, test, demonstrate, and report • Multiple opportunities to improve • Self-learning ability • Ability to work with a team • Ability to communicate effectively KEEN 2012 Regional Conference

16. Cornerstone Common ElementsTypical Learning Objectives Students will… • Complete a term-length, design-build project which serves as a cornerstone experience • Be able to visualize and present objects in systems in three-dimensions • Develop professional skills for success in engineering • Have an introductory level of knowledge of project management KEEN 2012 Regional Conference

17. Assessing the Design Experience • Elements of the design experience • Identifying solution options • Identifying constraints • Performing research • Performing analysis • Evaluating analysis (making a decision) • Implementing design decision • Performing project management KEEN 2012 Regional Conference

18. Assessing the Design Experience • Survey to gather data on time spent and iterations on activities • Anonymous • No effect on grades • Weekly updates • Student teams were asked to indicate: • Amount of time spent • Number of participants • Number of times revisited Example Survey KEEN 2012 Regional Conference

19. % Total Time Spent - AEV Observations & Lessons Learned Reasonably full set of activities for most any design project Measureable amount of exposure to each design activity No less than 8% time in any one activity KEEN 2012 Regional Conference

20. Observations & Lessons Learned More complex design projects require more visits and revisits to specific design activities Such multiple visits highlight and reinforce the iterative nature of design Weekly Visits - ROBOT KEEN 2012 Regional Conference

21. Impact of First-year Engineering Program on Retention to Degree

22. Cornerstone Design Projects FEH Robot FES Advanced Energy Vehicle (AEV) FE Roller-Coaster FEH/FE Nanotechnology

23. Summary A First-year Engineering Program that is • Comprehensive • Effective • Successful KEEN 2012 Regional Conference

24. Comprehensive • Uniformly required of all students in all COE majors • Four sequences to accommodate all students • University Honors students • University Scholars students • Standard track students • Transfer students • Variety of hands-on lab activities and cornerstone projects to appeal to all majors • Portable to OSU regional campuses KEEN 2012 Regional Conference

25. Effective Students- • Have a good understanding of what engineering is all about • Have a positive attitude toward engineering • Are better informed when selecting a major • Are better prepared for entry into their major • Receive a foundation on which to build rest of college career in engineering • Get connected to other students, faculty, the College, and the profession KEEN 2012 Regional Conference

26. Successful • Retention of students into second year is up • 6-year graduation rates are up (to ~60%) • Helps recruit the better and the best students • Acknowledged as one of the top first-year programs in the country • Industry recognizes the teamwork and leadership skills developed in students • Industry is now contributing advancement funding & gifts-in-kind to the 1st-year program KEEN 2012 Regional Conference

27. Acknowledgements • NSF funded the Gateway Engineering Education Coalition for early development • Ohio State’s College of Engineering for support, equipment, and renovated space • All of the faculty, staff, and students who contributed to the program development • All of the EEIC faculty, staff, and students who teach and facilitate program delivery KEEN 2012 Regional Conference

28. Comments or Questions and Contact Info Rick Freuler Fundamentals of Engineering for Honors Freuler.1@osu.edu Bob Gustafson Engineering Education Innovation Center Gustafson.4@osu.edu Cliff Whitfield FES AEV Design Project Course Whitfield.22@osu.edu KEEN 2012 Regional Conference

29. OSU first-year Engineering classrooms KEEN 2012 Regional Conference

30. Space RenovationSummer 2000 & Summer 2001 Existing space was renovated to produce • One 72 seat computer classroom • Three 36 seat computer classrooms • Three hands-on labs - each with 9 benches for 9 teams of 4 students KEEN 2012 Regional Conference

31. Classrooms and Laboratory Rooms • In the classroom two students sit side-by-side and across from two other students • Provides for teams of 4 students, each with easy individual access to a computer KEEN 2012 Regional Conference

32. Classrooms – 36 Seats or 72 Seats

33. Laboratory Rooms – 36 Students KEEN 2012 Regional Conference

34. 72 Seat Classroom – Isometric View KEEN 2012 Regional Conference

35. The FEH Robot design project KEEN 2012 Regional Conference

36. Key Features of the FEH Robot Design-Build Project • There is a new robot scenario and obstacle course each year • There is an alternative project each year • Both students and faculty have input to team selection • Students work in four person teams and develop their own working agreements • The robot competition is done in public – arena or field house is rented KEEN 2012 Regional Conference

37. Key Features of the FEH Robot Design-Build Project • Design-build project uses skills and knowledge developed in earlier quarters • Project planning, management, and documentation are key concepts • These elements constitute about 80 percent of grade; 20 percent is on robot performance • Final report has a solid model and dimensioned drawings KEEN 2012 Regional Conference

38. Key Features of the FEH Robot Design-Build Project • Weekly review by teaching team of robot and project notebook • Peer evaluation at 4th, 7th, and 10th week • Peer evaluation affects course grade • Documentation includes progress report, draft and final written reports, project notebook, and oral presentation • Math, Physics, and Engineering faculty meet weekly KEEN 2012 Regional Conference

39. Robot Competition Venue

40. The Individual Competition • Individual (8th week of class) • Gauge performance vs. other teams • Used to seed teams in final competition • Motivates students to make last-chance revisions KEEN 2012 Regional Conference

41. The Final Competition • Head-to-head (9th week of class)video

42. Team Project Oral Presentation KEEN 2012 Regional Conference

43. Observed Success: Some Statistics Based on comparison with a matched control group, those who complete FEH will usually: • Start into their majors 1 quarter earlier • Graduate in 4.3 rather than 4.8 years • Participate in a co-op or internship (80% of FEH versus 50% of control) • Be more likely to become leaders in student organizations (FIRST) KEEN 2012 Regional Conference

44. Observed Successes: Entry to Major KEEN 2012 Regional Conference

45. Observed Success: More Statistics Based on comparison with a matched control group, those who complete FEH will usually: • Have better grades in subsequent math and physics courses • Have higher GPAs with an upward trend after three quarters • Be more likely to stay with engineering KEEN 2012 Regional Conference

46. Observed Successes: Retention In Engineering Results KEEN 2012 Regional Conference

47. FEH Enrollment Growth KEEN 2012 Regional Conference

48. Recognition and Industry Response • College of Engineering gave FEH the Boyer Award for Excellence in Teaching Innovation • Several FEH instructors have been awarded the MacQuigg Award for Teaching Excellence • Industry involvement • Example: P&G Product Launch exercise • Example: Alcatel-Lucent lectures to all sections each year • Industry willing to take FEH students after first year for Co-op and Internship KEEN 2012 Regional Conference

49. Recognition and Industry Response • Companies which have been involved: • Alcatel-Lucent, American Electric Power, Arvin Meritor, Autodesk, Caterpillar, DaimlerChrysler, Eaton, Exxon-Mobil, Ford, Honda, Lockheed-Martin, Mabuchi, Microsoft, National Instruments, Procter & Gamble, Raytheon, Shell, and Texas Instruments • Ohio State President has attended robot competition KEEN 2012 Regional Conference

50. HOW the FEH H193 Robot project COURSE WORKS KEEN 2012 Regional Conference