Impact of Undergraduate Teaching Fellows Embedded in Key Undergraduate Engineering Courses
- Conference
- Location
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Columbus, Ohio
- Publication Date
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June 24, 2017
- Start Date
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June 24, 2017
- End Date
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June 28, 2017
- Conference Session
- Tagged Division
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Civil Engineering
- Page Count
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15
- DOI
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10.18260/1-2--28471
- Permanent URL
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https://peer.asee.org/28471
- Download Count
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764
Paper Authors
Molly A McVey University of Kansas
Dr. Molly A. McVey is a post-doctoral teaching fellow at the University of Kansas School of Engineering where she works with faculty to incorporate evidence-based and student-centered teaching methods, and to research the impacts of changes made to teaching on student learning and success. Dr. McVey earned her Ph.D in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Kansas in 2012.
Caroline R. Bennett P.E. University of Kansas
Caroline is an Associate Professor in the KU Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering department, with a specialty in structural engineering and bridge structures. She works closely with KU Engineering’s post-doctoral Teaching Fellow and oversees the overall Engaged Learning Initiative in the School of Engineering. Caroline is responsible for overseeing KU Engineering’s active-learning classroom design and usage, prioritizing course assignments in the active-learning classrooms, helping faculty to advance their pedagogy by incorporating best practices, and advancing implementation of student-centered, active-learning approaches in the School of Engineering. Caroline is also active in contributing to university-level discussions in the area of course redesign, and has been closely involved with the KU Center for Teaching Excellence since 2006. She regularly teaches courses in bridge engineering, steel buildings, structural analysis, fatigue and fracture, elastic stability, and how to be an effective college teacher.
Jae Hwan Kim University of Kansas
Jae Hwan Kim is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering at the University of Kansas, working mainly in the incorporation of resilient and sustainable building practices in wood-frame residential housing. Jae also works as a research assistant with the University of Kansas School of Engineering, involved with the incorporation of student-centered teaching methods.
Alexandra Self University of Kansas
Abstract
Research has shown the positive impact of peer mentoring on student learning in STEM. With the goal of improving student learning and retention, the School of Engineering (SoE) has undertaken a program in which Undergraduate Teaching Fellows (UGTFs) have been utilized in key courses across the School. The UGTFs support in-class activities, such as team-based problem-solving activities, hands-on activities and demonstrations. This program has grown from four UGTFs in Spring 2015 to 22 UTFs in Fall 2016, with UGTFs embedded in eleven courses across the SoE.
This paper explores the impact of the UGTF program by investigating three primary questions. First, has the program resulted in greater adoption of active learning techniques? We hypothesized that the program would allow faculty to engage with active learning techniques at a higher level or spark a change in course structure. This question was investigated by analyzing faculty surveys, UGTF surveys, and class observations. Next, are students and faculty more satisfied with the course outcomes given the UGTF resources? This was investigated by analyzing student surveys and course evaluations. We hypothesized that students and faculty would have greater satisfaction with the courses. Finally, has the program positively impacted student learning? This question was investigated by tracking changes in learning outcomes over time for each of the 11 courses. Outcomes for four key courses were focused upon: CE 301 (Civil Engineering Statics and Dynamics), CE 310 (Civil Engineering Strengths of Materials), ME 320 (Mechanical Engineering Dynamics), and ME 211 (Mechanical Engineering Statics). Learning outcomes were assessed by comparing student performance in later courses (downstream courses) based on whether students took the prerequisite course with or without UGTFs.
Results of this investigation showed that students and faculty groups both responded very positively to the UGTF program, perceiving that the program resulted in improved student outcomes. Class observations performed using the Classroom Observation Protocol for Undergraduate STEM (COPUS) showed that in courses utilizing UGTFs, the majority of class-time was spent on activities other than listening, indicating that the UGTF program was successful in supporting student-centered teaching practices. The data that was examined for downstream course performance was suggestive of positive learning gains, but not conclusive at this stage since many students who were in courses with UGTFs have not yet taken the following courses.
McVey, M. A., & Bennett, C. R., & Kim, J. H., & Self, A. (2017, June), Impact of Undergraduate Teaching Fellows Embedded in Key Undergraduate Engineering Courses Paper presented at 2017 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Columbus, Ohio. 10.18260/1-2--28471
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