EEES: Engaging Early Engineering Students to Expand Numbers of Degree Recipients

该项目由密歇根州立大学和兰辛社区学院合作开展，旨在帮助高中生顺利过渡到工程本科专业，以提高这些学生的留校率。对学校统计数据的仔细分析表明，关键课程（早期数学课程、第一学期物理课程和解决问题的计算工具课程）是提高学生留存率的关键。该项目包括(a)在关键课程中提供形成性评估和后续“引导”教程的计划，(b)在兰辛社区学院已被证明有效的关键课程补充指导计划，(c)直接让工程学院与早期工程专业学生接触的计划，以及(d)开发和利用一门关键课程中的课程材料的计划。该项目的目标是将新生毕业成功率从目前的65%提高到至少75%。正式评估由大学公共政策和社会研究所的专家领导，使用机构数据、对学生和教师的调查、焦点小组和利益相关者的访谈、项目活动的观察以及对项目材料和产品的审查。教学材料、方法和评价结果正在通过网站、会议报告和期刊出版物传播。更广泛的影响包括传播其材料和方法，以及援助本区域的经济发展。

The project, a collaboration between Michigan State University and Lansing Community College, is developing programs to ease the transition of high school students into engineering undergraduate programs in order to increase the retention rate of these students. Close analysis of institutional statistics has revealed that key courses (early mathematics courses, first term physics, and a computational tools-for-problem-solving course) are pivotal in promoting retention. The project includes (a) a program to provide formative assessments in the key courses with follow-on "bootstrapping" tutorials, (b) a supplemental instruction program for the key courses that has proved to be effective at Lansing Community College, (c) a program to directly engage engineering faculty with early engineering students, and (d) a program to develop and exploit course material from one key course in another. The project goal is to increase the freshman-to-graduation success rate from its current value of 65% to at least 75%. Formal evaluation, with leadership from experts in the University's Institute of Public Policy and Social Research, is using institutional data, surveys of students and faculty members, focus groups and interviews of stakeholders, observations of project activities, and reviews of project materials and products. Instructional materials and approaches and evaluation results are being disseminated through website postings, conference presentations, and journal publications. Broader impacts include the dissemination of their materials and methods and assistance in the economic development of this region.