Freshmen and flash mobs: The development and assessment of a service-learning engineering design course using expectancy-value theory

• In Event: Exploring Issues of Diversity and Underrepresentation in Engineering Education Research

Abstract

There is a growing demand for more trained engineers, yet attrition rates from engineering programs are high and diversity is low. Few resources have been dedicated to improving freshman courses even though freshman students have the highest rates of attrition. Through a synthesis of the literature on inclusive tools in educational settings, we developed and researched a freshman engineering course that incorporated elements of project-based learning, collaboration, service-learning, and customer-oriented design through a partnership with a local elementary school. Rich qualitative data collected from participants suggested that this course was highly valued and helpful for increasing competence beliefs in a diverse group of students. From our results, we provide recommendations for strategies to help diversify engineering.

Authors

• Mandy McLean, University of California - Santa Barbara

• Jasmine Kyle McBeath, University of California - Santa Barbara

• Tyler Susko, University of California - Santa Barbara

• Danielle Boyd Harlow, University of California - Santa Barbara

• Julie Bianchini, University of California - Santa Barbara