Major Observations from a Specialized REU Program for Engineering Students with ADHD

Zaghi, Arash E.; Tehranipoor, Mark; O'Brien, Caitlin Nichole

doi:10.18260/p.25588

Cited by 5 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…This may be especially important when it comes to attracting and retaining students with ADHD, because they may struggle with convergent thinking‐based assignments and assessments, yet excel on tasks requiring divergent thinking. Specialized programs designed to encourage the participation of students with ADHD in engineering have been developed (e.g., Esmaili Zaghi, Tehranipoor, & O'Brien, ) to capitalize on the untapped creative potential of those with ADHD in engineering programs. These types of programs are important for increasing diversity in engineering education to develop a more diverse and innovative workforce.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Divergent thinking and academic performance of students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder characteristics in engineering

Taylor

Zaghi

Kaufman

et al. 2020

J of Engineering Edu

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Background Creativity is increasingly recognized as an important skill for success in the field of engineering, but most traditional, post‐secondary engineering education programs do not reward creative efforts. Failing to recognize creativity or creative efforts can have particularly negative effects for those students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), who may exhibit enhanced divergent thinking ability yet struggle in the traditional educational environment. Purpose/Hypothesis This study was conducted to investigate how ADHD characteristics, academic aptitude, and one important component of creativity (divergent thinking) contribute to academic performance in engineering programs and how traditional markers of academic performance and ADHD characteristics predict divergent thinking. Design/Method Undergraduate engineering students (n = 60) completed measures of ADHD symptoms and divergent thinking. Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores and grade point average (GPA) were collected from university records, and hypotheses were tested using a series of multivariate regression models. Results Verbal SAT scores were the only positive predictor of overall GPA and engineering GPA. ADHD characteristics did not significantly predict overall GPA but negatively predicted engineering GPA. ADHD characteristics were the only positive predictor of divergent thinking ability. Conclusions ADHD characteristics negatively predict academic performance (i.e., GPA) in engineering programs but are more predictive of divergent thinking ability than traditional markers of academic performance.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Divergent thinking and academic performance of students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder characteristics in engineering

Taylor

Zaghi

Kaufman

et al. 2020

J of Engineering Edu

Self Cite

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“…The offering of the current Site built on the extensive knowledge and experience gained from the administration of a previous REU Site (2,11,12), and benefits from the unique expertise of the PIs in the mentorship of neurodiverse students.…”

Section: Highlights Of Previous Programmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Unfortunately, this data on not available. For students with ADHD, traditional engineering programs, which typically focus on structured problem solving and allow little room for creativity, are often overwhelmingly challenging, tedious, and unrewarding (2). In addition, these individuals are academically vulnerable; only 22% of individuals with ADHD attend college, and of those who attend, only 5% to 10% graduate (1).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Board 431: Why Research Involvement Makes an Engaging Learning Experience for Neurodiverse Students

Hain,

Esmaili Zaghi,,

Grey

2023 ASEE Annual Conference &Amp; Exposition Proceedings

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This presentation combines the findings of two closely-related Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) programs, one which ran from 2015-2019 and was specifically for engineering students with ADHD, and a second program, running from 2022-present, open to neurodiverse engineering students (specifically targeting ADHD, dyslexia and/or anxiety). These programs are inspired by research which links the above neurodiversities to increased creativity and innovation, as well as the ability to visualize complex systems. Both REU programs are inspired by the strengths-based approach to neurodiversity. This model builds an environment which plays to a neurodiverse student's strengths, rather than mitigating their challenges. This presentation will provide an overview of the sites and present three datasets: 1) the impact of the programs on the participants' confidence as engineering students, 2) how the programs impacted the participants' views of their neurodiversity, and 3) the profound effect exposure to academic research has on these non-traditional learners to understand engineering topics and expand their knowledge base. Consistently, these neurodiverse students reported gaining a deeper understanding of their subject matters after research, and at a significantly faster rate, than they could attain in the classroom.Our findings provide evidence of a pressing need for a paradigm shift within engineering education to not only accommodate neurodiverse students, but to help them realize their full potential. Doing so not only benefits the student, but allows society to benefit from their unique, non-conventional thinking and innovative ideas, which can push research forward at a faster pace. It is anticipated that sharing this data may lead to a shift within engineering education from a deficit-to strength-based view of neurodiversity. We hope to inspire others to develop similar programs that highlight the mutually-beneficial nature of the ecosystem we have developed through 10 weeks of summer research.

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“…The motivation for the project and underlying principle of the neurodiversity movement is that neurodiversity has unique benefits to offer society [1] and engineering problem solving [2]. We believe in a growth-mindset [3], positive psychology [4], strengths-based perspective [5] so we omit disability and disorder from our vocabulary and use terms like difference instead.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Improving the Learning Experience of Neurodiverse Students in a Fluid Mechanics Course During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Wakeman,

Bagtzoglou,

Chrysochoou

ASEE-NE 2022 Proceedings

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UConn) working in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering on the INCLUDE project. Caressa is currently studying education in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction and using her firsthand experience acquired during her undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering to break ground in the field of Engineering Education. Caressa identifies as neurodiverse and is passionately committed to building community for neurodiverse students on the UConn campus.

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Major Observations from a Specialized REU Program for Engineering Students with ADHD

Cited by 5 publications

References 11 publications

Divergent thinking and academic performance of students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder characteristics in engineering

Divergent thinking and academic performance of students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder characteristics in engineering

Board 431: Why Research Involvement Makes an Engaging Learning Experience for Neurodiverse Students

Improving the Learning Experience of Neurodiverse Students in a Fluid Mechanics Course During the COVID-19 Pandemic

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