Implementing large scale curricular changes-the Drexel experience

Abstract

In 1988, Drexel University began a comprehensive experimental project designed to enhance its undergraduate engineering curriculum. The project called for the creation of a major paradigm shift in which the environment and all activities would focus on the students as emerging professional engineers with the faculty serving as their mentors. The primary objectives were to provide the student an integrated exposure, throughout the first two years, to a common core of elements which the faculty believe will be essential to successful practice in the next century. Achievement of these objectives required faculty to use and/or develop a combination of several different teaching methodologies and to totally reorganize the subject matter. In anticipation that the magnitude of these changes might cause difficulties, the experiment provided for a properly scaled incremental approach with continuous evaluation and options to adopt or reject the new curriculum in whole or in part, at the conclusion of the project. The results of the experiment were extremely positive. Student achievement and enthusiasm were high. Strong bonds were established with their faculty mentors from thirteen different departments who found the experience to be both challenging and rewarding. Consequently, the faculty approved a plan to revise the total curriculum of all engineering departments. Each department is now restructuring its upper division curriculum using the experimental program as the common lower-division core. Full scale implementation began with the entering class in 1994. The implementation of such fundamental, large scale changes is complicated by the diversity of the constituencies involved and beset with a variety of challenges and issues. These range over a broad spectrum from matters relating to academic and administrative authority to faculty development and rewards, to the allocation of fiscal physical and human resources.