Impact of Collaborative Learning on Student Persistence in First Year Design Course

Abstract

She has been with the university since 2007 and is responsible for teaching database fundamentals courses and introductory technology courses. Laux has 10 years of industrial experience in the information technology field, and her research area of interest includes technology readiness, the social impacts of technology, and increasing interest in the field of computing.Mr. Andrew Jackson, Purdue University, West Lafayette Andrew Jackson is currently pursuing a PhD in Technology through Purdue's Polytechnic Institute. His previous middle school teaching experience informs his role as a graduate teaching assistant for TECH 120, an introductory course in design thinking. He recently completed his Master of Science in Technology Leadership and Innovation from Purdue University with a thesis investigating middle school engineering self-efficacy beliefs. His research interests are engineering self-efficacy, creativity, and decision making.Prof. Nathan Mentzer, Purdue University, West Lafayette Nathan Mentzer is an assistant professor in the College of Technology with a joint appointment in the College of Education at Purdue University. Hired as a part of the strategic P12 STEM initiative, he prepares Engineering/Technology candidates for teacher licensure. Dr. Mentzer's educational efforts in pedagogical content knowledge are guided by a research theme centered in student learning of engineering design thinking on the secondary level. Nathan was a former middle and high school technology educator in Montana prior to pursuing a doctoral degree. He was a National Center for Engineering and Technology Education (NCETE) Fellow at Utah State University while pursuing a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction. After graduation he completed a one year appointment with the Center as a postdoctoral researcher.c American Society for Engineering Education, 2016 Impact of Collaborative Learning on Student Persistence in First Year Design Course AbstractThis research paper seeks to evaluate the impact of collaborative learning on student persistence and the methods by which the impact is mediated. Collaboration is frequently listed among skills required for students to succeed in the workplace. Engineering standards include developing "an ability to function on multidisciplinary teams" as well as "an ability to communicate effectively." Active learning strategies, including collaborative learning techniques, have been encouraged to promote student learning and engagement. However, a gap exists in literature when it comes to connecting collaborative learning to student engagement and persistence.A model has been recommended whereby collaborative learning impacts turnover intention (persistence) while being mediated by factors of campus connectedness, a sense of community, and organizational commitment. Prior research has applied this model to participation in a computer supported collaborative learning environment and been able to significantly describe relationships between nearly all factors. The purpose of this study is to apply the...

Switching from Hands-on Labs to Exclusively Online Experimentation in Electrical and Computer Engineering Courses

“…The theoretical work underpinning this facet of our research is Gibson's Theory of Affordances [37,38] that describes these cascading effects from perception to action. While a poorly designed interface can be an obstacle to learning [39], ease of use can affect student collaboration, commitment, and how learning unfolds [40,41].…”