Special Session: Discovering Implications of the Academic Pathways Study for YOUR Campus

Abstract Special Session: Discovering Implications of the Academic Pathways Study For YOUR CampusThe Academic Pathways Study (APS) was a large study of the engineering student experiencethat was part of the Center for the Advancement of Engineering Education (CAEE). The APSinvolved a broad collaboration of scholars who conducted innovative multi-year studiesinvolving over 5,400 students at more than 20 institutions. The scholarship generated asubstantial set of research findings that can be used to inform practice in engineering education.In this interactive special session, we invite engineering educators – faculty, administrators, andstudent affairs specialists – to consider the implications that APS findings have for theircampuses. The goal of the session is to offer participants a chance to forge connections betweenAPS research findings and sound educational practices on their campuses, given their uniqueengineering programs, college culture, and student body. Participants will consider “local inquiryquestions” that have been informed by the APS research in any of the following areas: 1. Welcoming Students into Engineering (questions about topics like recruiting, admissions process, new student support) 2. Understanding and Connecting with Today’s Learners (questions about topics like getting feedback from students, attending to diversity, identifying and encouraging students’ passions) 3. Helping Students Become Engineers (questions about topics like developing students’ professional identity, design learning, knowledge integration) 4. Developing the Whole Learner (questions about topics like helping students get the most from their WHOLE college experience, providing opportunities for significant learning) 5. Positioning Students for Professional Success (questions about topics like meeting workforce needs), and 6. Welcoming Students into the Work World (questions about topics like helping students transition into the workplace).The session will consist primarily of small group discussions and guided activities. Several APSresearchers will be on hand to answer audience questions about the study as needed. The sessionwill consist of the following parts: PART 1. Overview of key research results that form the foundation for local inquiry questions. APS researchers will present (40 minutes). PART 2. Considering priorities (30 minutes). In small group discussion and guided activities, participants will be asked to consider and prioritize local inquiry questions. Which areas are of key interest to you in your role as a (teacher/administrator/program planner/etc.)? Considering your perspective in particular, what questions would you most like to pursue the answers to?PART 3. Formulating answers (30 minutes). In small group discussion and guidedactivities, participants will reflect and exchange ideas about how to gauge their campus’effectiveness in any of the areas described above, and potential interventions to improvetheir engineering education.PART 4. Taking it to your campus. In the large group, we will report out and discuss nextsteps for translating APS research to practice on attendees’ unique campuses.