Engineering Engages LSU Faculty to Increase Graduates

June 4, 2008

Faculty from across LSU met to develop new learning strategies for improving retention among undergraduate students. The 2008 LSU Faculty Development Workshop (FDW) was facilitated by Dr. Michael J. Prince, Chemical Engineering Professor at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, PA. Twenty-five LSU faculty members were invited to attend this year’s workshop held June 2-4 in the Energy, Coastal and Environmental Building. Funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) through its Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Talent Expansion Program (STEP), the objective of the project is to increase the number of BS graduates in engineering and construction management.

The College of Engineering is using the NSF grant to attract faculty from engineering, construction management, math, chemistry, physics and English who teach first or second year students to participate in this workshop and improve retention through their STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) courses by designing or developing ways to engage students in their classes and programs, and discussing activities to increase their students’ understanding of difficult concepts. 

Dr. Prince stated “Students drop out of engineering for a variety of reasons. Part of it has to do with them being unmotivated to study engineering and this can be attributed in part to how engineering is traditionally taught. Techniques such as cooperative and problem-based learning that have been shown to improve student attitudes and motivation. Cooperative learning, in particular, has been shown to significantly increase retention rates of students in engineering programs. Putting students in teams also helps them feel more connected and less isolated, which is another reason why this approach helps retain students in engineering programs.” 

Dr. Lynn Evans, Instructional Consultant, The Faculty Center, explained the format of the program: “At the faculty development workshop, participants selected one or more active learning techniques to try in their classes during the next year, ranging from activities to engage students during a lecture to more cooperative learning in small groups. Support from the project will be provided during the implementation of these teaching and learning innovations.”

Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs/Principal Investigator, Engineering Engagement for Student Success, Dr. Warren Waggenspack, Jr. explained the research role in the workshop: “The educational research literature clearly indicates that the introduction of active learning strategies into classes not only improves learning and the development of critical thinking skills but helps to develop a sense of community which contributes to improved retention. An unintended but positive outcome of the workshop has been the development of a sense of excitement and community among the faculty who have participated. Once exposed to the benefits of active learning strategies [both] to their students and to their enjoyment of teaching, they embrace and incorporate the principles of the workshop into their classes. The role of the project and the College is to continue to support the faculty to make and sustain these changes.”

Dr. Karl Smith, Cooperative Learning Professor in the Engineering Education Department at Purdue University, facilitated the first LSU Faculty Development Workshop, May 28-30, 2007. Twenty faculty and three staff members from the College of Engineering, College of Basic Sciences, and the College of Arts and Sciences (Physics, Chemistry, English, Engineering and Construction Management) participated in the inaugural workshop. 

Evans recapped last year’s impact saying, “Results from classrooms of last year’s faculty participants show impressive gains in student engagement in learning through the use of Think-Pair-Share and/or short, collaborative group work segments during lectures; cooperative learning; and problem-based learning with case problems from industry.  Results from classroom observations and testimonials from faculty about achievement gains for students are positive. In particular, “pre” and “post” classroom observations showed an increase in components of teaching and learning related to thinking skills, learner interaction, encouragement of learners, and use of teaching and learning materials by learners. Through classroom action research in this project, faculty now have their own individual data for use in decision making about teaching, and project leaders have group data for their use in facilitating the implementation of innovations to enhance student learning and thus, student retention.”

Article by Mimi LaValle, College of Engineering, 225-578-5706, mlavall@lsu.edu

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