Learning Communities: Impact on Retention of First-year Students

Abstract

In this evidence-based practice paper, we explore the first three years of an Engineering Learning Community (ELC). The research group at our University recognizes the need to increase retention rates at the Engineering College and has created the ELC to support increased retention. Three cohorts of ELC students have been observed to determine the potential success of this project. The results from this study indicate that participation in the ELC is beneficial for first-year college students in engineering. First year grade point average (GPA) is strongly related to first year retention in engineering at our University as shown through a binary logistic regression model. Despite a small sample size for the ELC group, results show that first year freshman students participating in the ELC have a higher average GPA at the end of their first year when compared to the rest of the students in the Engineering College. Our model indicates a higher probability of being retained beyond the first year as a result of having higher GPA, and when ELC participation is included, the model suggests a positive effect on retention as well. We also observe that the ELC students have higher retention rates for the three cohorts in this study, which supports the results from our regression model. Interviews with three students from the sample reveal various positive impacts of ELC participation including: improved social experiences, access to resources and mentoring, and valuable support for the transition from high school to college, all of which may have contributed to higher GPA for this group.

WIP: A Layered Mentorship Program (LMP) for Engineering Student Success and Retention

“…The quantitative research analyzed for this paper largely aligned with previous research conducted by the urban research university which demonstrated that students who participated in mentorship program as part of the broader ELC program had both an observable and statistically significantly higher GPAs than non-participating engineering students [26]. It extended the…”

Comparing Student Outcomes From Four Iterations of an Engineering Learning Community

“…Specific to engineering, the use of hands-on collaborative design projects in the first year is also believed to be an effective method to increase student engagement, success, and retention [8]. Grounded in this research, faculty members at a large public urban research university developed an optional program for incoming first-year engineering students called the Engineering Learning Community (ELC), which has been reported on elsewhere [9], [10]. The ELC was first implemented in Fall 2016 and has been iterated each academic year since based on student feedback, best practices, and eventually an S-STEM scholarship from NSF [11].…”

How Certainty in Selecting an Engineering Major Is Influenced by First-Year Course Offerings

“…Finally, introductory courses are shifting from a classic lecture-lab format, to a more innovative project-based learning (PBL) format. PBL allows students to increase career path awareness, certainty in engineering, their discipline within engineering, and helps create healthy study groups and foster relationships [18,19]. In one example, a traditional lecture-lab engineering course was changed to a 2-semester innovative course with PBL on an individual and team level, which yielded increased level of engagement, better results in the desired learning outcomes and improved and more positive feedback from students [20].…”