Assessment of a New Approach to Implement Life-Long Learning into Civil and Environmental Engineering Courses

Florida Gulf Coast (FGCU) University College of Engineering and Rowan University College of Engineering have recently modified their Program Outcomes to meet the ABET (formerly Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology) outcome of life-long learning (LLL). FGCU and Rowan engineering faculty have routinely provided in-class, interdisciplinary activities to promote course student learning. However, no clear guidelines are available on how to truly integrate student understanding and engagement of LLL into the curriculum and to then assess it effectively. In order to accomplish and assess this goal, courses were restructured at both Universities in order to introduce and integrate the concept of life-long learning into the classroom. These courses were redesigned in order to incorporate life-long learning activities with a renewable energy, "green" engineering theme. Activities included research of innovative technologies/applications, selection and evaluation of specific green technologies for regional application, and the development of marketing strategies for the selected green technology application. These activities and associated objectives were specific to each course. This paper provides an overview of the overall philosophy, content, and evaluation of assessment results obtained by faculty at both Universities. Data from nearly 300 students was collected, and students were assessed on their ability to review and choose appropriate scholarly research publications as well as their ability to self-direct and advance their critical thinking ability. An evaluation rubric was prepared and surveys were administered throughout the semester to evaluate life-long learning skill development. Both schools used 3 years of post-graduation data to assess this new requirement. Results from student surveys, faculty assessment and evaluations of student reports were analyzed, and a statistical analysis was conducted. Assessment results showed an apparent improvement in student LLL skill development. Results indicate that this newly developed approach is an effective tool to assess student learning and can be adapted by other University Engineering programs. Recommendations and guidelines on incorporating this approach across the curriculum are provided.