What is Success? Lessons Learned from a Student-Taught Co-Curricular CAD Program

When engineering students become teachers in a student-led, co-curricular, computer-aided design (CAD) training program, they gain a new perspective.This paper on engineering practice explores how the student leaders' definition of success evolved over three years and documents the lessons they learned as a result.The students initiated the program through the Engineering Success Centre, a help centre devoted to providing academic support for students in a Sustainable Design Engineering degree.Additional CAD training was needed primarily due to the lack of a dedicated course, as CAD is currently taught as part of a first-year communications design course with different student instructors each year.Additionally, the CAD training program is an opportunity for students to earn a certification that could bolster both their skills and their resume.In a retrospective analysis of program records, teaching materials, and communication with students, this paper documents testimonials from the student leaders, students in the program, and their staff and faculty mentors to compare the three years that the program was offered.The co-curricular program shifted from a more traditional format to a more exploratory format, and the definition of success changed from counting the number of certifications to focusing on student learning and engagement.The student instructors' experiences as teachers have shifted how they act as students, as they now notice the pedagogical practices of their instructors.Ultimately, empowering students as teachers in co-curricular programs benefits both students and student instructors, and lessons learned are offered to implement similar programs.