2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Motivation and Problem Statement

This complete evidence-based practice paper is a continuation of the authors on going research that details first-year engineering students commencing their undergraduate studies with an incomplete or nascent understanding of the diverse engineering disciplines available. This lack of initial clarity often translates into academic uncertainty, diminished engagement, and increased risk of attrition. Addressing this critical challenge, educators are increasingly integrating innovative, project-based learning (PBL) experiences to expose students to authentic, real-world applications of engineering principles. This study investigates the efficacy of strategically designed course projects and assignments as tools to facilitate students' identification and selection of a specific engineering discipline, thereby supporting informed academic decision-making and improving institutional retention rates.

Background and Theoretical Framework

Prior academic literature consistently supports the notion that early exposure to discipline-specific content and hands-on technical experiences positively influences students' academic and career trajectories. However, there remains a dearth of empirical evidence specifically demonstrating how structured PBL in introductory engineering courses impacts students' cognitive ability to discern and commit to a particular engineering discipline. This research leverages and expands upon the theoretical foundations of experiential learning and career development theory. We propose that authentic, discipline-oriented projects serve as informal, embedded advising instruments that effectively guide students toward professional fields that are robustly aligned with their individual interests, perceived strengths, and personal values.

Methodology and Assessment

The study was systematically executed within a first-year Introduction to Engineering course at a small undergraduate institution. The course curriculum underwent a comprehensive redesign to incorporate a sequential series of discipline-themed projects. Each project was intentionally crafted to highlight core concepts, domain-specific challenges, and professional roles from different major branches of engineering (e.g., mechanical, civil, electrical, and environmental).

The assessment strategy employed a mixed-methods approach. Students completed pre- and post-course surveys designed to quantitatively measure their initial and terminal awareness of and interest in various engineering disciplines. Furthermore, students submitted structured reflective essays after each project, documenting its influence on their professional understanding and preferences. Quantitative survey data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and paired t-tests to evaluate longitudinal changes in disciplinary interest. Qualitative data from reflections were subjected to systematic thematic coding to identify recurrent patterns in student reasoning and disciplinary commitment.

Key Results and Findings

While preliminary quantitative results strongly hypothesize that students will achieve a statistically significant increase in clarity regarding their preferred engineering discipline by the conclusion of the course, data is still being collected and will be analyzed at the end of the fall 2025 semester. It can be theorized that qualitative data will reveal that specific projects were instrumental in helping students visualize the inherent nature of the work within each field and assess their personal fit. For instance, students that will engage in a mechanical design challenge report enhanced interest in mechanical engineering, explicitly citing enjoyment of the hands-on prototyping and problem-solving elements. Conversely, students that encounter significant difficulty with a coding-based project frequently articulate a reconsideration of their initial interest in computer engineering.

Preliminary thematic analysis of the reflective essays has identified three principal factors driving disciplinary identification: (1) Perceived relevance of the project to salient real-world problems, (2) Personal alignment with the required skills, strengths, and interests, and (3) Clarity of disciplinary boundaries articulated through the project. Students highly valued the opportunity to "simulate" or "try on" different engineering roles via the projects, which ultimately facilitated the development of more informed and deliberate academic choices. It is theorized that the final analysis of this data will support these findings.

Conclusion and Recommendations

This research could provide compelling empirical evidence that innovative, project-based learning can serve a critical pedagogical function in aiding first-year engineering students to definitively identify their desired disciplines. By systematically integrating discipline-specific, authentic projects into the introductory curriculum, educators can proactively create meaningful opportunities for professional exploration, critical reflection, and self-discovery.

These findings could carry significant implications for engineering curriculum design, academic advising protocols, and faculty professional development, particularly within programs dedicated to enhancing student engagement and retention through early, targeted exposure to diverse engineering pathways. The paper will conclude with practical recommendations for the effective implementation of discipline-oriented projects in first-year courses, including pragmatic strategies for scaffolding reflective practice, balancing curricular breadth and disciplinary depth, and aligning project learning outcomes with institutional advising goals. Future research will concentrate on exploring the longitudinal impacts of this intervention on student retention and subsequent academic performance across various engineering disciplines.