2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

This Complete Evidence-Based Practice paper presents 'Exploring Engineering Technology,' a multi-disciplinary, project-based course designed to introduce new and prospective engineering students to the field. Choosing engineering as a major could be influenced by many factors, such as demographics, achievement scores, social contacts, mentors and role models, and the learning experiences from pre-high school to the first year in college. However, many students beginning their engineering studies often lack a clear understanding of the details of an engineering curriculum and the profession. A significant number of first-year students, and occasionally second-year students, lack a comprehensive understanding of the engineering field, including its diverse roles and specialties across various disciplines. As a result, dissatisfaction, misinformation, and high dropout rates continue to be significant challenges in engineering programs.

Focused on Mechanical, Electrical, and Computer Engineering Technologies, this course addresses the challenges students face in understanding the engineering curriculum and profession. It aims to guide students to make informed decisions when selecting their academic major. The course, developed collaboratively by faculty across three engineering technology departments and the First-Year Programs, centers on a hands-on project involving an automated robotic system for testing and sorting light bulbs, simulating real-world engineering applications.

This paper discusses the course's design, objectives, and pedagogical strategies. It includes a literature review on factors influencing engineering major choices and highlights the importance of addressing students' misconceptions and lack of understanding about engineering. The curriculum's multidisciplinary nature and project-based learning (PBL) approach emphasize hands-on experience and real-world applications. The core project involves developing a robotic system, illustrating the integration of mechanical design, electronics, and programming, and fostering a comprehensive educational experience. The learning outcomes focus on fostering understanding across the three engineering disciplines, enhancing teamwork, problem-solving, and multi-disciplinary collaboration, and exploring college success practices. Assessment results from a pilot implementation show positive trends in students' comprehension of engineering disciplines, academic readiness, and confidence.