The project is to implement engineering instructional practices that markedly increase retention, success, and satisfaction of diverse student populations across an engineering college. A Collaborative Learner-constructed Engineering-concept Articulation and Representation (CLEAR) model is initiated in "gateway" classes and then in core engineering classes to significantly improve learning, social development, and engineering cultural identity for students. The planning grant is to achieve reform in two of three "gateway"courses that serve all undergraduate engineering programs in the college and to build faculty capacity for college-wide adoption. The objectives are: 1) Adopt and refine the CLEAR instructional model for effective student learning and identification with an engineering community; 2) Prepare course materials that support active learning of engineering concepts while employing the CLEAR instructional model; 3) Build engineering faculty capacity for successful long-term adoption of the CLEAR instructional model in the college; 4) Assess student learning and satisfaction and faculty effectiveness in using the CLEAR instructional model; 5) Disseminate results for broad implementation of the CLEAR model in engineering education.
Project leaders bring expertise in collaborative learning, concept representation, discourse analysis, assessment, minority programs, and cyber tutoring to address crucial student learning and retention challenges in engineering education. Strong endorsements from university administrators, Engineering and Education college deans, department chairs, and an Engineering Education Research Center empower this diverse community of scholars for college-wide reform. This project synthesizes educational research findings to craft the powerful CLEAR instructional model with:
1. Collaboration that builds learning communities among diverse students and supports retention, 2. Learner-constructed understanding and application of concepts in relevant contexts, 3. Engineering-concept practice from application of concepts to practical engineering problems, 4. Articulation of understanding that anchors verbal and technical knowledge in learner minds, 5. Representation of concepts in original forms that elevate understanding and test concepts.
