READY FOR SUCCESS, FIRST YEAR EFFICIENCY FOR INDUSTRIAL DESIGN ENGINEERING EDUCATION
Year: 2017
Editor: Berg, Arild; Bohemia, Erik; Buck, Lyndon; Gulden, Tore; Kovacevic, Ahmed; Pavel, Nenad
Author: Blom, Stephan; Bosch, Mirjam van den
Series: E&PDE
Institution: Rotterdam University of applied science, Netherlands, The
Section: Assessment Methods in Design Education
Page(s): 418-423
ISBN: 978-1-904670-84-1
Abstract
The Industrial Design Engineering (IDE) bachelor program of the School of Engineering and Applied Science at the Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences started a program in 2015. Its goal was to increase the study efficiency of the first-year students: we wanted more students to pass the first year successfully. The students, teachers, management and work field are very pleased by the IDE programand the level of the graduates. But the study efficiency was still negative. Of all first-year students in 2013, 22% succeeded to finish all first-year courses (60 ECTS), after the second year, 43% did not succeed and had to quit the program. In 2014, with a better teacher approach on building a learner’s community and a better organisation of the curriculum, the first-year efficiency increased to 45%. Still 38% did not succeed within 2 years and had to leave. After extensive research IDE increased the first year ECTS threshold, limited second changes by tests and added a small compensation in the first-year program. This as a goal to improve the student bonding to form a strong engaged learning community. In 2015, the results of the first year increased to 70% successful students to finish all courses (60 ECTS) in their first year, 10% was able to finish the first-year program in the second year, they achieved the increased threshold of 52 ECTS. This paper elaborates on the complex combination of factors which influenced the increase of firstyear student learning efficiency.
Keywords: Course Efficiency, Student Motivation, Learning Community, Course Innovation, Design Engineering, Engagement.