Engineering - Civil (54) Lower enrollment and persistence in STEM can often be attributed to a lack of interest and confidence in studying STEM, especially for students from underrepresented groups. Self-regulated learning (SRL) is a framework that has been developed within the cognitive science domain and refers to learning strategies guided by a motivation to learn, metacognition (awareness of one's knowledge and beliefs), and strategic action (planning, monitoring, and evaluating personal progress and taking appropriate action). Optimal academic performance is often tied to the extent to which the learner uses SRL; however, SRL has not been utilized by the STEM education community to facilitate student learning. In this project, SRL modules are being developed for use in undergraduate civil engineering courses to determine their impact on improved performance and persistence of students. The SRL modules are being integrated with instruction on Intelligent Structures Technology to illustrate an application for SRL that suitably engages civil engineering students. The results from the project are being rigorously evaluated to determine the impact on student motivation, learning, and persistence.
