Publications and Research
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
4-6-2018
Abstract
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, an 8% increase in employment for civil engineers is expected in the next decade.1 To assist in attracting more undergraduates to pursue a degree in Civil Engineering Technology, New York City College of Technology has implemented an instructional strategy in one of the main gatekeeper courses. Statics has been identified as a course where undergraduates either decide to retain in their Civil Engineering Technology major or transfer out to another one. To provide more support for undergraduates taking this course, the Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) strategy was adopted. This study compared the final grade distribution of the Statics course in three categories: no PLTL, non-mandatory PLTL, and mandatory PLTL. These categories reflect the time periods of the Statics course where PLTL was not offered at all, when it was an optional support program, and when it officially became part of the curriculum. After analyzing the final grade distribution, results showed that the ABC pass rates of the mandatory PLTL sections were approximately 20% higher when compared to both the no PLTL and non-mandatory PLTL sections. Moreover, the withdrawal rates were approximately 10% lower for the mandatory PLTL sections when compared to the rates of the other two sections.
Comments
Villatoro, M., & Peña, K. K., & Liou-Mark, J. (2018, April), The Effects of Peer-Led Workshops in a Statics Course Paper presented at 2018 ASEE Mid-Atlantic Section Spring Conference, Washington, District of Columbia. https://strategy.asee.org/29497 ©2018 American Society for Engineering Education.