2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Motivating engineering technology students to shift from rote memorization to deeper conceptual understanding remains a fundamental challenge in STEM education (Prince, 2004). Writing-to-Learn (WTL) pedagogy, rooted in the concept of writing as a tool for learning itself (Britton, 1970; Elbow, 1973), is empirically associated with positive effects on academic achievement and metacognitive awareness (Herrington & Bonk, 2021; Shirkhani & Zarei, 2020). Despite these noted theoretical benefits, systematic studies quantifying WTL's effectiveness in enhancing critical thinking (CT) and Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) among minority student populations, particularly within the context of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), are limited (Ke, 2025). This project-in-progress directly addresses this critical gap.
The intervention is implemented within a sophomore-level Basic Electronics course (ITE 111), primarily serving students in the Electronics Technology concentration. It utilizes a hybrid WTL model, combining Monday/Wednesday in-class instruction with online assignments administered via Canvas on Fridays. Students engage in three structured instructional cycles, each requiring homework, a learning plan, quizzes, and reflective writing and evaluation. These assignments embed explicit cognitive, metacognitive, and motivational regulation prompts (Ennis, 1987) to systematically foster higher-order thinking and self-regulated learning.
Data, composed of students’ free-text responses and reflective journals, were collected from students in Spring 2025 (initial set) and will be collected in Fall 2025 (second set), aggregating data from approximately 23 students. Content analysis will quantify conceptual gains and assess the manifestation of CT dispositions and abilities (Jeon et al., 2021; Johnson et al., 2020). Preliminary instructor observations suggest the WTL method is effective, promoting student engagement and developing confidence in technical comprehension, while the research also critically examines the challenge posed by generative AI (e.g., ChatGPT) in open-ended online tasks.
The research project provides an evidence-based pedagogical model specifically tailored for underrepresented groups in technology disciplines. By exploring innovative curricula and assessment methods for literacy education, this research contributes directly to the ASEE 2026 thematic goal of "Advancing Equity Through Engineering and Technological Literacy: Decision-Making, Justice, and Public Engagement". The findings from this initiative will not only inform best practices in engineering education but also serve as a model for other institutions aiming to enhance diversity and inclusion in STEM fields.
References
Britton, J. (1970). Language and learning. Penguin Books.
Elbow, P. (1973). Writing without teachers. Oxford University Press.
Ennis, R. H. (1987). A taxonomy of critical thinking dispositions and abilities. In J. B. Baron & R. J. Sternberg (Eds.), Teaching thinking skills: Theory and practice (pp. 9-26). W.H. Freeman.
Herrington, A. J., & Bonk, C. J. (2021). Exploring the effectiveness of writing-to-learn strategies in higher education: A meta-analysis. Journal of Educational Psychology, 113(6), 1173-1194.
Jeon, A. J., Kellogg, D., Khan, M. A., & Tucker‐Kellogg, G. (2021). Developing critical thinking in STEM education through inquiry‐based writing in the laboratory classroom. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education, 49(1), 140-150. https://doi.org/10.1002/bmb.21414.
Johnson, A., Smith, B., & Thompson, C. (2020). The impact of writing-to-learn activities on conceptual understanding and critical thinking in a college physics course. Journal of Physics Education, 45(2), 025001. http://doi:10.1088/1361-6552/ab6232.
Ke, J. (2025). Enhancing critical thinking skills through writing-to-learn pedagogy in STEM education. The Researcher, 31(3), 1-18.
Prince, M. (2004). Does active learning work? A review of the research. Journal of Engineering Education, 93(3), 223-231. http://doi.org/10.1002/j.2168-9830.2004.tb00809.x.
Shirkhani, S., & Zarei, A. A. (2020). The effects of writing-to-learn strategies on academic achievement and metacognitive awareness: A meta-analysis. Educational Psychology Review, 32(1), 127-158.