AALHE 2018 Annual Conference

Journalist Anne Kingston writes that the new wave of students entering college classrooms are "smarter than Boomers, and way more ambitious than the Millennials (2014). Known as Generation Z (Gen Z) or the iGeneration, these students are culturally diverse, have a great interest in social justice, and prefer learning environments that are customized to their specific needs. In this session, we will discuss how the implementation of hands-on problem-based learning activities in introductory courses can enhance engagement of these students while preparing them for their careers. We will examine the case of a course redesign of an introductory seminar in Aerospace Engineering (AE) and its impact on student engagement and program development. We will discuss how we responded to concerns about high attrition rates among students in the early stages of the AE program and lessons learned through the implementation process. In addition, we will reflect on how intentional course design that addresses the needs of Gen Z students can lead to programmatic changes that encourage improved student retention over time. This session will be helpful to faculty developers and professors working together to develop courses tailored to the needs of the newest generation of students.