“Engineering” Student Success: How Does it Happen and Who is Responsible?

Despite increasing interest in strategies for enhancing academic performance, several factors limit the ability of engineering students and professors to collaborate in improving the way students approach learning. Evidence indicates that it is worthwhile overcoming these limitations in order to facilitate change. There is a great deal of valuable information available about study skills training as well as evidence that this training results in better academic performance. Moreover, research on motivation suggests that professors can play a key role in helping students make improvements in their study behavior. This paper provides recommendations for helping students recognize the benefits of changing the way they study and for motivating them to participate in study skills training.