Creating A Catalog And Meta Analysis Of Freshman Programs For Engineering Students: Part 2: Learning Communities

Curriculum modification and the implementation of special programs are two primary ways to improve the freshman year experience for engineers. Following a SUCCEED-sponsored Freshman Engineering Programs Best Practices Conference held in Charlotte, NC, in May 2000, a catalog and meta-analysis of freshman programs for students in US engineering colleges is underway. This paper will briefly describe the larger project, which will study a variety of approaches to improving the success of freshman engineering students, and specifically report on the catalog and meta-analysis of summer bridge programs. The catalog will classify programs by their design options and the meta-analysis will review highlights of assessment results drawing generalizations where possible.