Motivating engineering freshmen with "buzz-words": high-tech applications in introductory engineering courses

Conventional approaches to engineering education require that fundamental principles be taught in the freshman year and high-tech applications presented in the junior/senior years. This paper proposes an alternate approach wherein freshman engineering students are exposed to high-tech applications, suitably modified and with minimal theory, based on "buzz-words" that are propagated in the media. The authors believe that this approach will enhance student motivation and improve retention. The paper describes two freshman engineering class projects that have been used for implementing this technique.