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Session XXXX

A Student Centered Approach to Improving Course Quality Using Quality Function Deployment (QFD) Madara M. Ogot and Gül E. Okudan School of Engineering Design and Professional Programs The Pennsylvania State University

Abstract

The aim of this study was to develop an approach based on the QFD method to use appropriate pedagogies found in the literature, that will lead to an increase in student satisfaction with their education experience in a redesigned course. The key elements of the approach are to obtain and categorize in the students’ own words, attributes that would constitute a good course, and a good instructor. Mapping these attributes to established pedagogies, coupled with continuous assessment and refinement ensures that there is not a mismatch between the student and faculty expectations. The approach was successfully implemented in a first-year engineering design course that had previously undergone a major revision in course content and delivery, resulting in very poor student evaluations at semester’s end and general student dissatisfaction. Maintaining the new content, the QFD-based approach was able to significantly increase student satisfaction.

1.0 Objectives

The quality of a course should be judged by the extent to which the learning objectives are realized and the value the students attribute to it. A component of course quality is the delivery or presentation of the course content. This study focused on developing strategies to improve this aspect of course quality. Often in engineering, instructors focus more on what they believe is good for the students (and they are often correct), but do not adequately take into account the students’ point of view on the instructional delivery methods and the entire educational experience. This often results in gaps or mismatches between student expectations and learning preferences, and faculty expectations and teaching preferences. Stedinger [1] illustrates how these gaps can be overcome if faculty members help students to better articulate what is working and not working for them in a course. Similarly, Felder and Stice [2] state that students are better prepared to improve their learning environment when they understand and can articulate what is effective for them. Further, Anson et al. [3] observe that “[with a] diversity of approaches [to engineering education], the potential for mismatches between students’ learning styles, preferences and practices on the one hand, and teaches pedagogies on the other, is considerable”. They go onto state, “… to understand and solve such mismatches requires seeing education as a … symbiosis involving complex relationships between students’ and teachers’ beliefs and practices.” While we acknowledge that students are not adequately equipped to address broader learning objectives, appropriate course content and teaching methodology [1.4], we hypothesize

Proceedings of the 2005 American Society of Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright © 2005, American Society of Engineering Education

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Okudan, G., & Ogot, M. (2005, June), A Student Centered Approach To Improving Course Quality Using Quality Function Deployment (Qfd) Paper presented at 2005 Annual Conference, Portland, Oregon. 10.18260/1-2--14661