Creating the Context for Learning Engineering: A Seminar for Freshmen

Establishing the context in which the technical content of an engineering curriculum will be applied to problem solving in the workplace as well as the context in which engineering education will take place are important motivational aspects of freshman engineering education. We have developed a seminar for first semester in college, calculus ready freshman that addresses these contextual issues. Through assigned readings, examination of Web sites, presentations by advanced students and faculty, group discussions and writing assignments students were encouraged to reflect on why they chose engineering, how they will achieve their educational goals, what it means to be an engineering professional, and what the engineering profession might be like when they graduate. Emphasis was placed on the engineering disciplines, professional ethics, advising, curriculum, student life, time management, sustainable engineering, and the global nature of collaboration and competition. The seminar was assessed by gathering student comments concerning each of its three major components. Generally, student reaction was positive