STEPs in the Right Direction: Transforming Engineering/Computer Science Education at the University of New Mexico

该项目通过让学生及早进入工程学课程，培养他们对工程学的持续兴趣和自尊，让他们体验到选择工程学或计算机科学专业的兴奋和回报。为了实现这一目标，调查人员(1)让教员和同行参与指导工程学院的每一名第一和第二名学生；(2)让工程学本科生参与大学以及地方、地区和国家机构和公司的研究和实践实习；(3)开发一种结构化的方法来奖励正在向学位进步的学生；以及(4)使本科生能够参加职业发展会议，如ASEE会议。在一名社会科学教员的指导下，评估工作正在使用人口统计和入学数据、学生调查和观察性数据来监控进展和调整项目活动。正在利用在项目网站上张贴的帖子、在国家会议上的介绍和年度讲习班来传播该项目的方法和成果。

The project is enabling students to experience the excitement and reward from choosing a major in engineering or computer science by engaging them early in the engineering curriculum and cultivating their continued interest in engineering and their self-esteem. To accomplish this, the investigators are (1) involving faculty members and peers in the mentoring of every first and second student in the school of engineering; (2) involving engineering underclassmen in research and practical internships with the University and with local, regional and national agencies and corporations; (3) developing a structured approach to reward students who are progressing toward their degrees, and (4) enabling underclassmen to attend professional development conferences, such as the ASEE meetings. Evaluation efforts, under the direction of a social science faculty member, are using demographic and enrollment data, student surveys, and observational data to monitor progress and adjust program activities. Postings on a project website, presentations at national meetings, and annual workshops are being used to dissemination the project's approaches and results.