Case Study: UMD Freshman Programs
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (UMD) used multiple assessment
tools to evaluate its pilot FC freshman engineering programs.
Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used to study student
retention, academic performance, attitude toward teaming, life-long
learning, and technology use. Comparison of retention data for
first-time, full-time students showed that 83% of FC students
continued to study engineering at UMD, compared to about 62% of
students in traditional engineering programs. FC students reported
more experiences working in teams, better integration of course
material, increased use of technology, and a greater expectation
to return to UMD for the sophomore year. Finally, evaluation of
student performance measures indicated that FC students outperformed
comparison groups in successful completion of earned credits during
the first semester, as shown to below. Based on the results of
these assessments, UMD engineering faculty chose to implement
FC programs after offering its pilot for only one year.
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