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Session 2520

Faculty Proficiency with Technology: Distribution among Rank and Institution

John C. Chen1, Mike Ellis2 1 Mechanical Engineering, Rowan University 2 Architectural Engineering, North Carolina A&T State University

Abstract

In recent years there has been a rapid growth in interest to integrate technology into the engineering curriculum, both to extend the reach and effectiveness of teaching and learning, and in response to industry needs. We have conducted a survey of engineering faculty at the eight SUCCEED coalition universities to identify the training needs and present levels of experience with various technologies. The results of that survey are presented here, with an emphasis on the variations between faculty rank and the institutions’ emphasis on teaching or research

The results showed that, as a coalition, there is little variation between faculty rank (Assistant, Associate, or Full Professor) with regard to either (1) faculty skill level, (2) current use of various technologies, and (3) faculty willingness to attend technology workshops. When the data was further segregated according to whether each institution’s main mission is research or undergraduate teaching, the results were unchanged for faculty skill level and current use of each technology. The only observed difference between research and teaching institutions was that a higher percentage of Associate and Full Professors at teaching institutions are willing to attend technology workshops, while Assistant Professors at either institution type are equally willing.

1. Introduction

Information technology holds great promise for enhancing the teaching and learning processes. Correctly designed and implemented, it promotes active learning, addresses the various learning styles of students, and is more accessible to students via the Internet or on portable media, either synchronously or asynchronously [1,2 ,3]. While examples of successful technology-based learning environments aimed at specific courses or topics abound, a large proportion of faculty simply do not have the skills needed to undertake the development of such projects, or even to borrow and revise them for their own use.

The Southeastern University and College Coalition for Engineering Education (SUCCEED), an NSF-sponsored engineering education coalition composed of the engineering colleges of eight southeastern universities, is committed to a comprehensive revitalization of undergraduate engineering education for the 21st Century. The eight institutions comprising SUCCEED are: Clemson University, Florida A&M/Florida State University (FAMU/FSU), Georgia Institute of Technology (Ga Tech), North Carolina A&T State University (NCA&T), North Carolina State University (NCSU), University of Florida, University of North Carolina-Charlotte (UNCC), and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Va Tech).

The coalition has identified four themes, or Focus Areas, which it will target for improving the teaching and learning enterprises. These Areas are Faculty Development, Assessment and

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Chen, J., & Ellis, M. (2000, June), Faculty Proficiency With Technology: Distribution Among Rank And Institution Paper presented at 2000 Annual Conference, St. Louis, Missouri. 10.18260/1-2--8377