Exploring Engineering Faculty Experiences with COPUS: Strategies for Improving Student Learning
- Conference
- Location
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Salt Lake City, Utah
- Publication Date
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June 23, 2018
- Start Date
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June 23, 2018
- End Date
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July 27, 2018
- Conference Session
- Tagged Topic
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Faculty Development Constituency Committee
- Page Count
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10
- DOI
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10.18260/1-2--30486
- Permanent URL
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https://peer.asee.org/30486
- Download Count
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841
Paper Authors
Tareq Daher
University of Nebraska, Lincoln
orcid.org/0000-0001-8901-0608
Tareq Daher earned his Bachelors in Computer Science from Mutah University in Jordan. He pursued a Master’s of Instructional Technology at the University of Nebraska –Lincoln while working as the coordinator for the Student Technology Program on the UNL campus. Currently, Dr. Daher works as an Instructional Design Technology Coordinator for the college of engineering at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln leading the instructional design team at the College of Engineering. Dr. Daher collaborates with engineering faculty to document and research the integration of innovative instructional strategies and technologies in thier classroom. His latest collaborative submitted publication discusses use of interactive instructional videos in an engineering classroom.
Lance C. Pérez University of Nebraska, Lincoln
Dr. Lance C. Pérez received his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Virginia, and his M.S. and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Notre Dame. He is currently a Professor of Electrical Engineering at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where he directs the Perceptual Systems Research Group. His research interests include information, video and signal processing, engineered healthcare and engineering education. He was appointed interim dean of the College of Engineering in July 2016.
Wayne A. Babchuk University of Nebraska, Lincoln
Wayne A. Babchuk is an Associate Professor of Practice in the Department of Educational Psychology (Quantitative, Qualitative, and Psychometrics Program), the Department of Anthropology, and the Department of Sociology at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL).. He also serves as Dean's Professor of Teaching and Learning for the College of Arts and Sciences Teaching Academy at UNL and as a Research Associate for the Kalahari Peoples Fund of southern Africa. As a research methodologist, he teaches and conducts research on the history, epistemology, application, and instruction of qualitative research across disciplines, research ethics, grounded theory, ethnography, grounded ethnography, and mixed methods. He is also involved in several other research tracks including faculty teaching and evaluation strategies, interdisciplinary collaboration, teaching applied anthropology, Kalahari San land and resource rights, research to practice links in minority health care, and student and instructor perceptions of the impact of social media on student success. With a broad and diverse background in both education and the social sciences, he strives to bring a holistic and interdisciplinary approach to all aspects of teaching, research, and service.
Leilani A. Arthurs University of Nebraska, Lincoln
Dr. Arthurs holds a PhD in Civil Engineering & Geological Sciences and has four years of formal graduate-level training in pedagogy. Her scholarly work over the past ten years focuses on STEM course transformation and STEM faculty professional development. She is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Abstract
The present research study explored engineering faculty’s perceptions and experiences with the Classroom Observation Protocol for Undergraduate STEM (COPUS). Many peer-observation programs are instated in engineering colleges with the goal of improving teaching practices. Instructors participating in peer-observation faculty development programs can use COPUS to characterize student and instructor behaviors as-well-as the extent of use of student-centered teaching practices in their classrooms. Research on the Classroom Observation Protocol for Undergraduate STEM (COPUS) has demonstrated success in Engineering classrooms. However, the majority of the studies have neglected to document Engineering instructors’ experiences with the protocol.
In recognizing the colleges’ desire to improve student learning, measure current usage of research-based instructional practices, and enhance teaching practices employed by the faculty, a pilot peer-observation program was instituted. The program was facilitated by an interdisciplinary research and faculty development team led by the dean of the college.
Six faculty observers and six instructors across five engineering departments volunteered to participate in the program. First, the observers completed the COPUS training. In teams of two, they observed 6 instructors for a total of 12 observations. Post observations, the observers provided feedback to the instructors and shared the results of their observational protocol. Faculty observers and instructors were interviewed by the researchers to gather their opinions on the protocol and survey interest and willingness to participate in future iterations of the program. Similarly, instructors were interviewed on their opinions of participating in the program. In addition, instructors completed the Teaching Practices Inventory. Data gathered through the semi-structured interview protocol and the teaching practices inventory were analyzed by the research team. Results of the study are presented in this paper.
Daher, T., & Pérez, L. C., & Babchuk, W. A., & Arthurs, L. A. (2018, June), Exploring Engineering Faculty Experiences with COPUS: Strategies for Improving Student Learning Paper presented at 2018 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition , Salt Lake City, Utah. 10.18260/1-2--30486
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