EET counselor takes on student role

An undergraduate advisor in the Electrical Engineering Technology Department at Purdue University challenged herself to participate as a student in the introductory electrical circuits course. The initial purpose for a counselor with a nontechnical background to undertake such a task was to become a better counselor for the technical majors. The objectives were to gain a better understanding of the fundamentals of the academic program and to gain a better appreciation of the freshman year experience in a lab-oriented major. The counselor essentially become a part-time student and completed all aspects of the course that are required of the enrolled students: attending both lectures and labs and completing all student assignments. With the involvement and support of the course instructor, and the interaction of the students, a deeper than anticipated insight into the student experience was gained. The counselor and teacher had new insights into the academic program, classroom experience, and counseling strategies. The shared experiences and insights gained are described