Integrating Formal and Informal Engineering Learning through a Residence-based Educational Approach Diane Sieber Director Global Engineering Program Faculty-in-Residence University of Colorado, Boulder Keywords: informal learning, vertical integration, student leadership development, educational culture, first-year experience, residential academic program, persistence

Why? Formal and Informal Objectives Students are each other’s greatest educational resource, but they need contexts and encouragement to live that out Key Factors, Resources & Problems We’re a large public university Many of our students are really good at math and science but have no tactile relationship to engineering The Engineering curriculum is too restrictive for language, philosophy, cultural courses Full-time students spend hours per week in the classroom; the other 154 determine the quality of their education Incoming students need to enter an educational culture that expects more than good grades; returning students need to be asked to own and create that culture Create sustainable globally-aware culture Promote organic vertical integration Create social networks of learning Craft a culture that is about paying it forward to the next engineers Craft cultures of collaborative student initiatives (projects, causes, interests) Ask students to be accountable for each other Future engineers, especially leaders, need more than the formal curriculum could ever provide them Foster & support unique student initiatives Provide real leadership opportunities

When? 2006CU launches first Residential Engineering College: Engineering Honors Program (EHP). 2013Professor Diane Sieber launches the Global Engineering Residential College: a language immersion (Spanish, French, Russian) residence hall with a focus on the globalization of engineering, language and cultural fluency, engineering for development. Facility includes: faculty apartment, computer lab, two classrooms, dedicated study spaces, music room, a large common room. Pilot cohort: 56 students. 30% Hispanic, 55% female. Spanish only in the first year % of first cohort return. Program doubles in size to 110. Across campus, fewer than 1% of first-year students chose to live on campus beyond the required first year. 30% Hispanic, 50% female. Spanish only in the second year. Program stabilizes at 50% returners/50% first year engineering students. 30% Hispanic, 50% female. French, Russian and Spanish languages. Additional 13 languages spoken natively. 45% of first cohort (now juniors) study abroad.

Where? Formal education takes place in: Social Sciences and IT course The Meaning of Information Technology/Informática global, taken by all students (3ch) Returning students volunteer as recitation leaders Spanish for Engineers, French for Engineers (1 ch each) Informal education takes place in: The scope of our Residential College model is the entire student experience. Art and Tapas Night Study Abroad Speakers TED Talks Organic study groupsStudent Retreat Speaker events Cultural events Weekly in-house meals Dedicated MakerSpace Funded student projects not associated with classes Student TED talks Educational mentoring Organic study groups Supportive workshops Living together with students from all majors

What? What has worked really well? Finding ways for students to invest, developing a sustainable Global culture, vertical integration, faculty-in-residence, having minimal requirements and maximal opportunities, creating a context for organic community to flourish Theory of Change : Returning students carry forward, own and evolve a culture – student leaders emerge and own new initiatives – live-in faculty families change the dynamic – setting up a culture of opportunity, collaboration, individuality and risk-taking – seeding opportunities for students to own their education – informal education (eg. Reading groups, learning communities, LFG—”looking for group”-type projects) has more impact on culture than does formal education – providing concrete ways for students to give back – developing a common vocabulary and reference constellation early on matters. Student Leadership Global Engineering community leaders, Language Leads Leaders who promote specific things: research, global engagement, intramurals, makerspace projects 24 recitation leaders for 12 recitations of 5-6 students for the required 1 st -year course Only 4 required big events : TED talks, annual retreat, Spring Cultural Event, Spring Banquet Informal Projects: Stereo for music room furniture design and construction for Idea Forge Interactive global news map Non-required Events: student symposia, reading groups, Tapas Night, foreign language movies, research nights, study nights, dinners for 8, movie premieres The Meaning of IT: one common required first semester course taught by the Director

Prognosis? FOEE GOALS: (1) Clarification of Informal Educational Objectives; (2) Ideas for new themed Residential Colleges; (3) Ideas for non-curricular projects and initiatives (4) Ideas for global engagement LARGER PLAN: The College of Engineering would like to create themed and non- themed vertically-integrated residential programs for all CEAS students NEXT STEPS: Create Computational Life Residential College; expand Global Engineering Residential College CHALLENGES: (1) integrating multiple “stakeholders” (Res Life, Facilities, Housing IT, “traditionalist” colleagues who don’t see the value of this model; (2) CU culture of not living on campus beyond the required first year; (3) the uniqueness of Engineering’s Residential College model when it comes to uniform, “one size fits all” policies and resource allocation (4) Res Life and Housing not accountable to academic oversight (are for-profit auxiliaries) Assessment: track academic performance and persistence; participate in college-wide engagement surveys; track residential hall return rates, behavioral statistics, event attendance.