Re-Socializing First Year Engineering

In 2021, during the global pandemic that necessitated lockdowns and primarily online delivery of education, the University of Saskatchewan introduced its new Re-Engineered first-year program. Engineering students often self-report as more introverted than the general population, raising concerns that their preference to spend time alone, coupled with pandemic restrictions, could lead to feelings of isolation and undermine the successful implementation of the new program. To mitigate potential isolation, the Re-Engineered program introduced “Study Squads” which were an impactful, low-investment addition to the program that received far less attention than other major pedagogical innovations like the implementation of competency-based-assessment and the elimination of final exams. The program’s use of block registration allows for easy creation of Squads of approximately 12 students with a common schedule. Students are introduced to their Squad members and exchange contact information early in the first term during an Introduction to Engineering course session on group dynamics. Throughout the academic year, students complete certain course requirements as a Study Squad. Students are also given optional opportunities to interact and compete as a Squad. Examples of these activities will be discussed in the paper. Re-Engineered has now been offered four times since the fall of 2021. Surveys conducted at the end of each academic year reveal that students have generally positive perceptions of their Study Squads. Many students have reported that the inclusion of Study Squads has facilitated meeting new people and enhanced both their learning and their enjoyment of first-year engineering. This implementation of Study Squads has had a very high return on investment and can be easily implemented in other engineering programs. The authors hope that this work contributes to fostering a more collegial environment for students.