2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Using Quests and Events to Promote Agency and Holistic Development

Presented at Teaching Practices and Course Design

This full paper in the evidence-based practice track is the second in a five-year longitudinal study that examines the design of an experimental course to promote student agency and holistic learning within an electrical and computer engineering (ECE) program. The course supports student exploration in areas related to their engineering and other academic related interests. This paper examines the first offering of the course in spring 2025 to first year ECE students and builds upon a previous study describing how the course was prototyped and co-developed by faculty and students. In this paper, we explore the following research questions: 1) What events and quests did students choose? 2) How did students perceive the value of the activities they pursued? 3) How did the course structure impact the development of student agency and holistic learning?

The course features three primary aspects: discussing the book Designing Your Life, attending “events” selected based on interests, and completing short-term “quests” of their choosing which result in a deliverable to show development or achievement. Student learning experiences were measured by guided reflections in an ePortfolio and an end-of-semester survey that asked about the value students placed on these activities and other aspects of the course. Analysis of these sources was performed to understand how the students exercised their agency to develop in ways supportive of becoming an engineer and how they valued the various aspects of the course. The analysis of the first semester provides insight into how students utilize autonomy to develop holistically and will inform adjustments to the course contents and course structures.

Results indicate the course approach aligned with student interest and students pursued a variety of opportunities. Major course components received generally positive feedback and several students noted ways they had grown holistically. Overall, the course is achieving its initial goals, though the data also highlighted areas of improvement. Some students desire more choice in quest selection, some reported challenges with time management, and some found only parts of the course valuable. While most students found something meaningful in the course, additional work is needed to understand the perspectives of those who did not and to adapt the course to better fit their interests.

Authors

Dr. Stu Thompson http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3444-8503 Bucknell University [biography]

Stu is an associate professor and chair of the department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Bucknell University, in Lewisburg, PA. While his teaching responsibilities typically include digital design, computer-related electives, and senior design, his focus has shifted more and more towards engineering education.
Dr. Rebecca Thomas http://orcid.org/https://0000-0003-2426-4759 Bucknell University [biography]

Rebecca Thomas is the inaugural director for the Pathways Program at Bucknell University, where she oversees the rollout of Bucknell’s ePortfolio initiative. She is also a Associate Teaching Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. She holds a B.S. and M.Eng. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Louisville and a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from North Carolina State University.
Michael W. Beach Bucknell University
Dr. Alan Cheville Bucknell University [biography]

Alan Cheville studied optoelectronics and ultrafast optics at Rice University, followed by 14 years as a faculty member at Oklahoma State University working on terahertz frequencies and engineering education. While at Oklahoma State, he developed courses
Sarah Appelhans http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7313-3504 Lafayette College [biography]

Sarah Appelhans is an Assistant Professor of Engineering Studies at Lafayette College. She earned her PhD in Cultural Anthropology at the University at Albany (SUNY) where she conducted research on the cultural factors that contribute to inequalities in engineering. As a postdoc at Bucknell University, she was the resident ethnographer in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, exploring applications of Amartya Sen’s capabilities approach in engineering education. Her current book project, On the Bleeding Edge: Gender, Immigration and Precarity in Semiconductor Engineering, investigates the intersections of gender, race/ethnicity, and immigration status among semiconductor engineers.

Note

The full paper will be available to logged in and registered conference attendees once the conference starts on June 21, 2026, and to all visitors after the conference ends on June 24, 2026

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