Electric circuit analysis is a gateway course for students in the electrical and computer engineering disciplines. Such courses build upon a foundation developed in the first weeks of class, making student success heavily dependent upon a strong command of this initial material. Therefore, it is paramount to identify struggling students early. This has prompted the search for instruments that can reliably identify at-risk students within the first week of class, as it is believed that this will afford sufficient time to provide the necessary assistance for at-risk students to succeed. For the purposes of this research, at-risk students are those identified as likely to receive a D, F, or to withdraw from the course. This paper examines the use of various tools to help identify at-risk students in an introductory course in circuit analysis. Based on initial analysis, it is speculated that early activities that promote basic metacognitive skill development and the construction of proper mental models are critical to promoting success in the typical circuit analysis course. The features described provide a model for delivering meaningful assistance to at-risk students in such courses.
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