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Session 1430

Next Generation Principles for Enhancing Student Learning

Sudhir Mehta, Scott Danielson North Dakota State University / Arizona State University East

Abstract

The National Science Foundation recently funded the proposal "Statics: The next generation. "This project incorporates proven pedagogical findings to improve teaching of statics, specifically, and engineering courses in general. Using past and current research, twelve "Next Generation (NG) Principles" are proposed for enhancing student learning. These principles include incorporating active cooperative learning, service learning, writing assignments, technology, high standards of learning and teaching, and a learning support system for students. These principles are being used as a basis for teaching two sections of statics at North Dakota State University (50 and 100 student enrollments) and one section of 22 students at Arizona State University East during the fall semester of 1999. This paper describes the NG principles, their implementation in these statics sections, and initial results. The fundamental intent in using NG principles is to enable high-performance student learning and encourage faculty and students to be active partners in acquiring, constructing, and transforming knowledge.

I. Introduction

Patricia Cross, a leading educator, recently indicated in her keynote address at the American Association of Higher Education’s (AAHE’s) 1998 National Conference that, “We have more information about learning available to us than ever before in the history of the world.” Herbert Simon, a Nobel Laureate, in his plenary session at the 1997 Frontiers in Education Conference said, “Knowledge about human learning processes has developed to the point where we can do better.” Smith and Waller (1997), using current knowledge about effective teaching and learning succinctly compared old and new paradigms for college teaching (see Table 1).

TABLE 1 Comparison of Old and Next-Generation Paradigms for College Teaching (Smith and Waller, 1997)

OLD PARADIGMS NEXT GENERATION PARADIGMS Teaching assumption Any subject matter expert can teach Teaching is complex and requires considerable training & effort Knowledge Transferred from faculty to students Jointly constructed by students and faculty Students Passive vessel to be filled by Active constructor, discoverer, transformer of faculty’s knowledge knowledge Faculty’s Purpose Classify and sort students Develop students’ competencies and talents Context Competitive/Individualistic Cooperative learning Power Faculty holds and exercises power, Students are empowered: power is shared authority, and control among students and between students and faculty Technology use Drill and practice; substitute Problem solving, communication, collaboration textbook

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Danielson, S., & Mehta, S. I. (2000, June), Next Generation Principles For Enhancing Student Learning Paper presented at 2000 Annual Conference, St. Louis, Missouri. 10.18260/1-2--8593