Leveraging an Active-Learning Approach through Online Courses to Foster Sustainable, Equitable, and Resilient Infrastructure Concepts

Rubaya Rahat; Mohamed ElZomor

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Conference: 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Portland, Oregon
Publication Date: June 23, 2024
Start Date: June 23, 2024
End Date: July 12, 2024
Conference Session: Student Engagement in Construction Education
Tagged Division: Construction Engineering Division (CONST)
Tagged Topic: Diversity
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/47736

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Paper Authors

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Rubaya Rahat Florida International University orcid.org/0000-0002-0524-5619

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Rubaya Rahat grew up in Bangladesh, where she pursued her Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering at the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET). After graduating she worked for two years in a construction management company in Dhaka, Bangladesh. She was involved in various residential and infrastructure construction projects. Rubaya now is a Ph.D. candidate at Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Teaching/Research Assistant at Moss School of Construction, Sustainability and Infrastructure, Florida International University. Her research interest includes Sustainable and resilient infrastructure, Engineering Education, and Sustainable transportation system.

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Mohamed ElZomor P.E. Florida International University orcid.org/0000-0002-7734-9601

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Dr. Mohamed ElZomor is an Assistant Professor at Florida International University (FIU), College of Engineering and Computing and teaches at the Moss School of Construction, Infrastructure and Sustainability. Dr. ElZomor completed his doctorate at Arizona

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Abstract

This study aims to position active learning as a potential approach for teaching equitable resilience of infrastructure projects through online courses within construction curricula. Exposure to active learning methods can significantly enhance the problem-solving abilities of construction management (CM) students, preparing them for complex technical challenges in their future careers. Additionally, such interactive teaching strategies can help students retain information about advanced and practical concepts. However, in online learning environments, keeping students engaged poses a unique challenge. Unlike in-person classes, online courses present a distinct challenge because the only means of social interaction between the instructor and the student is through the Internet. This paper explores active learning strategies that can be incorporated into the design of online learning courses to foster student engagement in teaching sustainable, equitable, and resilient infrastructure (SERI) concepts. The objective of this study is to assess the efficacy of the active learning approach in improving students’ knowledge and awareness in online settings. To achieve this objective, this study designed an active learning module that included various tasks for the participants. At first, students were instructed to watch a video that addressed current inequality in resilient infrastructure projects. Subsequently, open-ended questions were presented to the students along with instructions to respond via the Canvas online platform. Lastly, the students were requested to offer constructive feedback on a minimum of two classmates' responses that are available on Canvas. Pre- and post-activity surveys were conducted with 32 CM students for data collection. The findings highlighted that the active learning approach was effective in improving the participants’ knowledge in online class settings. Moreover, most of the participants shared positive feedback about the activity and supported utilizing such active learning techniques in online courses. This research underscores the potential of active learning methods in teaching concepts that are relevant to students’ future careers through online courses thus empowering future professionals in the future career.

Citation
Format

Rahat, R., & ElZomor, M. (2024, June), Leveraging an Active-Learning Approach through Online Courses to Foster Sustainable, Equitable, and Resilient Infrastructure Concepts Paper presented at 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon. https://peer.asee.org/47736

TY - CPAPER
AB - This study aims to position active learning as a potential approach for teaching equitable resilience of infrastructure projects through online courses within construction curricula. Exposure to active learning methods can significantly enhance the problem-solving abilities of construction management (CM) students, preparing them for complex technical challenges in their future careers. Additionally, such interactive teaching strategies can help students retain information about advanced and practical concepts. However, in online learning environments, keeping students engaged poses a unique challenge. Unlike in-person classes, online courses present a distinct challenge because the only means of social interaction between the instructor and the student is through the Internet. This paper explores active learning strategies that can be incorporated into the design of online learning courses to foster student engagement in teaching sustainable, equitable, and resilient infrastructure (SERI) concepts. The objective of this study is to assess the efficacy of the active learning approach in improving students’ knowledge and awareness in online settings. To achieve this objective, this study designed an active learning module that included various tasks for the participants. At first, students were instructed to watch a video that addressed current inequality in resilient infrastructure projects. Subsequently, open-ended questions were presented to the students along with instructions to respond via the Canvas online platform. Lastly, the students were requested to offer constructive feedback on a minimum of two classmates&#39; responses that are available on Canvas. Pre- and post-activity surveys were conducted with 32 CM students for data collection. The findings highlighted that the active learning approach was effective in improving the participants’ knowledge in online class settings. Moreover, most of the participants shared positive feedback about the activity and supported utilizing such active learning techniques in online courses. This research underscores the potential of active learning methods in teaching concepts that are relevant to students’ future careers through online courses thus empowering future professionals in the future career.
AU - Rubaya Rahat
AU - Mohamed ElZomor P.E.
CY - Portland, Oregon
DA - 2024/06/23
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - Leveraging an Active-Learning Approach through Online Courses to Foster Sustainable, Equitable, and Resilient Infrastructure Concepts
UR - https://peer.asee.org/47736
ER -