ENGAGING ENGINEERING STUDENTS THROUGH SERVICE LEARNING

In the Personnel & Supervisory Methods class (CET 4200) the students start off by writing a paper describing what they expect to get from the class.I received comments such as, "nothing, I think this is going to be a big waste of my time" , and "I've spent the past six months as an assistant project engineer and already know how to manage people."That kind of negative attitude can be difficult to overcome, but each year I have tried new exercises in an effort to make this an important and enjoyable class.Due to the subjectivity of the information, it can sometimes be difficult to engage engineering students who tend to expect to find the answer in a digital readout to two decimal places.It is also difficult to convince a college senior that managing contractors on a construction site is a skill which can be taught and not just ingrained or experienced.Three of the methods which make the most impact on the students, are open discussions, role playing exercises, and inclusion of a service learning project.Open discussions engage all of the students in class and encourage them to come prepared.Role playing exercises give the students the opportunity to interact with their peers and attempt to resolve common situations they will encounter in the work force.Of most importance, though, is the service learning project.Correctly organized, the project becomes the centralizing core of the class to which all lessons can be linked.It also introduces the students to the concept of becoming part of, and giving back to, the community.