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Engineering Retention Initiative at VUW

Dale Carnegie, Craig Watterson

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Objectives

• Endeavour to predict success in tertiary “modern/digital” engineering study

• Identify barriers to successful university engineering study•At secondary school•At VUW

• Increase awareness of modern engineering in Wellington region (in partnership with WelTec)•Website (www.engineering.geek.nz)•Geek booklet

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Attrition (2010)• Grade rates – B grade or above required to

progress in VUW engineering study

•ECS courses (COMP, ENGR) ~ 50 %

• In Physics, 25 - 30%

• In (ECEN) Mathematics, ~30%

Influencers

• Maths and Physics expectations of students

• NCEA preparation

• Meeting student expectation of engineering study•Senior ECEN students critical of first year

experiences

NCEA as a predictor

• 350 student results from VUW, Canterbury, Waikato, Massey

• NCEA performance in Sciences, Maths, English, Computing compared to first year engineering GPA

NCEA vs First Year Engineering• Strongest result is anti-correlation with

computing unit standards• Strongest correlation is Calculus and Physics

combined Merit & Excellence at 0.72• Results worse for Network and Software Engineering

(c.f. Electronics/Computer Systems)• Does not improve weeding out:

•GPA < 1.0•GPA < 2.0•GPA < 3.0•GPA > 6.0•GPA between 3.0 and 6.0

NCEA summary• Correlations in isolation not an adequate

predictor

• Not all well qualified students succeed•Cultural and expectation contributors

• We do not have “top engineering cohort”•Some trying engineering but are not suited

• Mathematics dubious quality•Difficult to get students to access help

•Directly impacts on physics results

•Bridging courses are not effective

Supporting Information

• Survey all years of engineering at VUW

• Anecdotal & experiential evidence

• Focus groups (1st and 3rd year)

• Literature support

Intervention

• Secondary school connections

• Diagnostics

• PASS Groups and other directed assistance

• Pastoral care

• Create relevant and inspiring first year engineering course

• Inspire/encourage engineering culture •Teeshirts/hoodies

•Support of Student Engineering Club

On-going Initiatives

• Looking to increase engineering design and construction skills by providing additional ECEN course at 100 level

• Aim for early intervention for at-risk students

• Looking to rationalise and make relevant first year mathematics papers

• Other mechanisms to increase sense of belonging to an “engineering culture”