2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Computational Learning Analytics in First-year Engineering: Examining Student Attitudes, Persistence, and Experience

Presented at FPD: Complete Papers - Potpourri Session (TAs, Computational Thinking, Open-Ended Problems)

Computational learning analytics that integrate statistical modeling, logistic regression, and natural language processing (NLP) offer scalable approaches for understanding student experiences in engineering education. This study examines first-year engineering students at a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) to investigate attitudinal development and predictors of STEM persistence, a critical factor in improving retention and equity. A multi-phase analytical framework was employed. Paired-samples t-tests showed significant gains in engineering confidence and sense of belonging, with medium-to-large effect sizes. Sequential logistic regression demonstrated that post-course attitudes predict STEM persistence with substantially higher accuracy than demographics or pre-course measures, with engineering value and intent to major as the strongest predictors. NLP analysis of open-ended responses identified math integration as the most dominant and recurring theme across all questions. Sentiment analysis indicated primarily neutral and positive student feedback. Findings consistently show that course-driven attitudinal shifts rather than demographic factors drive persistence. This work contributes to a replicable, data-driven framework that integrates quantitative and qualitative analytics to generate actionable insights for improving first-year engineering experiences, particularly in HSI contexts.

Authors

Anuradha Choudhury University of Texas at El Paso
Dr. Meagan R. Kendall http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9940-4405 University of Texas at El Paso [biography]

An Associate Professor at The University of Texas at El Paso, Dr. Meagan R. Kendall is a founding member of the Department of Engineering Education and Leadership. With a background in both engineering education and design thinking, her research focuses on how Latinx students develop identities as engineers and navigate moments of identity interference, student and faculty engineering leadership development through the Contextual Engineering Leadership Development framework, and promoting student motivation. Dr. Kendall is the Past Chair of the Engineering Leadership Development Division of ASEE.
Monika Akbar University of Texas at El Paso
Dr. Nichole Ramirez University of Texas at El Paso [biography]

Dr. Nichole Ramirez is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Engineering Education and Leadership at the University of Texas at El Paso. Previously, she served as the assistant director of Vertically Integrated Projects at Purdue University. Her research focuses on access to engineering education and the stigma surrounding mental illness. She earned her doctoral degree in engineering education and a master’s degree in aviation and aerospace management from Purdue University, along with a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Alabama.

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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