Short Term Impact of an Engineering Education Research Workshop on Participant's Research Interests and Capabilities

Junaid A. Siddiqui; Robin S. Adams; Lorraine N. Fleming; Alison A. Dingwall

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Conference: 2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Vancouver, BC
Publication Date: June 26, 2011
Start Date: June 26, 2011
End Date: June 29, 2011
ISSN: 2153-5965
Conference Session: Knowing Ourselves: Research on Engineering Education Researchers
Tagged Division: Educational Research and Methods
Page Count: 22
Page Numbers: 22.1288.1 - 22.1288.22
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--18506
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/18506
Download Count: 416

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Paper Authors

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Junaid A. Siddiqui Purdue University, West Lafayette orcid.org/0000-0001-7243-6661

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Junaid Siddiqui is a doctoral student at the School of Engineering Education, Purdue University. Before joining the doctoral program he worked for nine years at the faculty development office of King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM), Saudi Arabia. In this role he was involved in several faculty development activities, particularly working with the faculty members for exploring the use of web-based technologies in the support of classroom teaching. He received his M.S. in Civil Engineering from KFUPM while he has also earned an MPBL degree from Aalborg University, Denmark. His research focus during his doctoral studies is on institutional and faculty development in engineering education.

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Robin S. Adams Purdue University, West Lafayette

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Robin S. Adams is an Assistant Professor in the School of Engineering Education at Purdue University. She led the Institute for Scholarship on Engineering Education (ISEE) as part of the Center for the Advancement of Engineering Education (CAEE). Dr. Adams received her Ph.D. in Education, Leadership and Policy Studies from the University of Washington, an M.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Washington, and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Dr. Adams’ research is concentrated in four interconnecting areas: cross-disciplinary thinking, acting, and being; design cognition and learning; views on the nature of engineering knowledge; and theories of change in linking engineering education research and practice.

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Lorraine N. Fleming Howard University

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Lorraine N. Fleming is a Professor of Civil Engineering at Howard University and a Carnegie Scholar. She served as a Co-Principal Investigator of the Center for the Advancement of Engineering Education (CAEE). Dr. Fleming earned her Ph.D. in civil engineering from the University of California at Berkeley and holds a Master of Science and Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from George Washington University and Howard University, respectively. Dr. Fleming’s research interest is concentrated on the reform of engineering education, broadening participation in engineering and the scholarship of teaching and learning.

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Alison A. Dingwall Howard University

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Alison Dingwall is a Ph.D. candidate in Social Psychology at Howard University. She earned a Masters in Public Health from The George Washington University and a Master of Science in social psychology from Howard University. Her baccalaureate studies were completed at American University. Ms. Dingwall is a graduate research assistant with the Department of Civil Engineering at Howard University. Her research interests include engineering education, social rejection and program evaluation.

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Abstract

Short Term Impact of an Engineering Education Research Workshop on Participant's Research Interests and CapabilitiesAbstract:This paper presents the results of a study that evaluates the impact of a multiday workshop thatseeks to build capacity in engineering education research and enable research-informedapproaches to transform engineering education. The goal of the workshop is to meet a criticalneed in the development of engineering education by targeting the following learning objectives:(1) describe relevant psychological models of student learning, (2) apply these models tolearning engineering, (3) develop a substantive engineering education research question, and (4)develop a theory-based research plan to answer the research question. The workshop wasattended by more than 40 engineering and engineering technology faculty from across thecountry and abroad with at least some prior experience in engineering education research.The evaluation plan included surveys, participant observation, end of day reflection, focusgroups, and follow up interviews to understand expectations for the experience, the conceptionsand approach for engineering education research, and impact on teaching and curriculum. Thefocus of this paper is on the short-term impacts of the 3 day workshop as measured through a preand post survey. The evaluation plan also includes long-term impacts, but this is not included inthis paper. The survey included closed and open-ended questions regarding conceptions ofengineering education research, capacities to conduct research and using research to informteaching or curriculum, and perceptions of support systems at their institution.An analysis of the pre-survey illustrates the considerable variability in participants' backgroundsin engineering education research; however, all participants emphasized a need for betterunderstanding of choosing a conceptual framework for education research, using principles ofrigor in education research, and developing a plan to answer a research question. The aggregateanalysis of pre-post changes indicate gains in the level of familiarity for distinguishingeducational research from engineering research and the knowledge of principles and methods ofrigorous educational research. An increase in the interest of building community of researcherswas also observed. One interesting observation is that participants with less teaching experiencedemonstrated relatively more interest and confidence towards educational research at the end ofthe workshop than those who had more experience. This may be an indication of theconsiderable learning curve involved in becoming an engineering education researcher and mayprovide insights into the process of building capacity in engineering education research.

Citation
Format

Siddiqui, J. A., & Adams, R. S., & Fleming, L. N., & Dingwall, A. A. (2011, June), Short Term Impact of an Engineering Education Research Workshop on Participant's Research Interests and Capabilities Paper presented at 2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Vancouver, BC. 10.18260/1-2--18506

TY  - CPAPER
AB  -           Short Term Impact of an Engineering Education Research         Workshop on Participant&#39;s Research Interests and CapabilitiesAbstract:This paper presents the results of a study that evaluates the impact of a multiday workshop thatseeks to build capacity in engineering education research and enable research-informedapproaches to transform engineering education. The goal of the workshop is to meet a criticalneed in the development of engineering education by targeting the following learning objectives:(1) describe relevant psychological models of student learning, (2) apply these models tolearning engineering, (3) develop a substantive engineering education research question, and (4)develop a theory-based research plan to answer the research question. The workshop wasattended by more than 40 engineering and engineering technology faculty from across thecountry and abroad with at least some prior experience in engineering education research.The evaluation plan included surveys, participant observation, end of day reflection, focusgroups, and follow up interviews to understand expectations for the experience, the conceptionsand approach for engineering education research, and impact on teaching and curriculum. Thefocus of this paper is on the short-term impacts of the 3 day workshop as measured through a preand post survey. The evaluation plan also includes long-term impacts, but this is not included inthis paper. The survey included closed and open-ended questions regarding conceptions ofengineering education research, capacities to conduct research and using research to informteaching or curriculum, and perceptions of support systems at their institution.An analysis of the pre-survey illustrates the considerable variability in participants&#39; backgroundsin engineering education research; however, all participants emphasized a need for betterunderstanding of choosing a conceptual framework for education research, using principles ofrigor in education research, and developing a plan to answer a research question. The aggregateanalysis of pre-post changes indicate gains in the level of familiarity for distinguishingeducational research from engineering research and the knowledge of principles and methods ofrigorous educational research. An increase in the interest of building community of researcherswas also observed. One interesting observation is that participants with less teaching experiencedemonstrated relatively more interest and confidence towards educational research at the end ofthe workshop than those who had more experience. This may be an indication of theconsiderable learning curve involved in becoming an engineering education researcher and mayprovide insights into the process of building capacity in engineering education research.  
AU  - Junaid A. Siddiqui
AU  - Robin S. Adams
AU  - Lorraine N. Fleming
AU  - Alison A. Dingwall
CY  - Vancouver, BC
DA  - 2011/06/26
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Short Term Impact of an Engineering Education Research Workshop on Participant's Research Interests and Capabilities
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/18506
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--18506
ER  -