Student Engagement Strategies in One Online Engineering and Technology Course

Julie M Little-Wiles; Patricia Fox; Charles Feldhaus; Stephen Hundley; Brandon Sorge

Download Paper | Permalink

Conference: 2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Publication Date: June 23, 2013
Start Date: June 23, 2013
End Date: June 26, 2013
ISSN: 2153-5965
Conference Session: Distance Learning and Online Teaching Session
Tagged Division: Engineering Technology
Page Count: 12
Page Numbers: 23.1096.1 - 23.1096.12
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--22481
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/22481
Download Count: 298

Paper Authors

biography

Julie M Little-Wiles Purdue School of Engineering and Technology, IUPUI

visit author page

Dr. Julie Little-Wiles is a Visiting Lecturer in the Department of Technology Leadership and Communication in the School of Engineering and Technology at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) where she teaches courses in Leadership Philosophy, Leadership Theory, Ethics and International Management.

visit author page

biography

Patricia Fox Indiana University Purdue University, Indianapolis

visit author page

Patricia Fox is Associate Chair of the Department of Technology Leadership and Communication in the Purdue School of Engineering and Technology at IUPUI. Pat has previously served on the ASEE Board of Directors for three terms, she has been involved with many ASEE groups including the Engineering Technology Council, Engineering Technology Division, Corporate Members Council, Student Division, and International Division. Pat teaches ethics, leadership and sustainability courses at IUPUI.

visit author page

biography

Charles Feldhaus Ed.D. Indiana University Purdue University, Indianapolis

visit author page

Dr. Feldhaus is currently an associate professor in the Department of Technology Leadership and Communication at the Purdue School of Engineering and Technology at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis. He spent 20 years as a P-12 educator, principal and district office administrator before receiving his doctorate in Educational Administration from the University of Louisville in 1999. Undergraduate work was completed at the University of Southwestern Louisiana in 1979 and the M.S. in Secondary Education was awarded in 1985 from Indiana University. Research interests include leadership in P-16 STEM education; STEM workforce development and leadership; P-16 STEM teacher preparation; and organizational ethics.

visit author page

biography

Stephen Hundley Indiana University Purdue University, Indianapolis

visit author page

Dr. Stephen Hundley is chair and associate professor in the Department of Technology Leadership and Commumnication at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI).

visit author page

author page

Brandon Sorge Indiana University Purdue University, Indianapolis

Download Paper | Permalink

Abstract

To Chat or Not to Chat – Student Engagement Strategies in an Online CourseAs online learning continues to grow in popularity with both students and universities, thequestion of how engaged students are with their courses remains a large concern for those inacademia. Given the technology that is available, how can we provide a more connectedenvironment for student learning while online? Are there specific methods to ensure studentsembrace the subject matter at hand?This study examined the various methods of student engagement employed in six online sectionsof the same ethical decision making course in the School of Engineering and Technology at____________ . Fivedifferent instructors taught six different online sections, and various instructional strategies wereemployed. As some instructors utilized asynchronous forum postings, others made use of real-time chats and web meetings with their students. Variation continued even within thesynchronous discussions as some faculty led the discussions themselves, while still othersappointed a rotating student leader while recording the chats for review later. How often studentsmet in synchronous discussions was another variable as some sections utilizing this approachmet bi-weekly, while others met just a few times during the entire course. As all of the sectionswere held completely online within a learning management system and shared the same coursetextbook and major assignments, it became necessary to discover what differences students mayhave experienced within the other elements of the course such as the asynchronous postings andsynchronous chats through the administration of a one-time survey toward the end of each of thecourses. Researchers were curious if one particular method of engagement was preferred by thestudents, and thus, engaged them in the course material further than any others.Besides learning basic demographic and descriptive information about the student group in allsix course sections, researchers gained perspective on their experience within the course itself.Details emerged on both the frequency and process of synchronous chats, asynchronous forumpostings, and if the students felt “connected” to the course, instructor and fellow students. Finalresults also demonstrated a mixed response on how students felt with the instructor led chatsversus them leading the chats themselves.

Citation
Format

Little-Wiles, J. M., & Fox, P., & Feldhaus, C., & Hundley, S., & Sorge, B. (2013, June), Student Engagement Strategies in One Online Engineering and Technology Course Paper presented at 2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Atlanta, Georgia. 10.18260/1-2--22481

TY  - CPAPER
AB  -                             To Chat or Not to Chat –                Student Engagement Strategies in an Online CourseAs online learning continues to grow in popularity with both students and universities, thequestion of how engaged students are with their courses remains a large concern for those inacademia. Given the technology that is available, how can we provide a more connectedenvironment for student learning while online? Are there specific methods to ensure studentsembrace the subject matter at hand?This study examined the various methods of student engagement employed in six online sectionsof the same ethical decision making course in the School of Engineering and Technology at____________ . Fivedifferent instructors taught six different online sections, and various instructional strategies wereemployed. As some instructors utilized asynchronous forum postings, others made use of real-time chats and web meetings with their students. Variation continued even within thesynchronous discussions as some faculty led the discussions themselves, while still othersappointed a rotating student leader while recording the chats for review later. How often studentsmet in synchronous discussions was another variable as some sections utilizing this approachmet bi-weekly, while others met just a few times during the entire course. As all of the sectionswere held completely online within a learning management system and shared the same coursetextbook and major assignments, it became necessary to discover what differences students mayhave experienced within the other elements of the course such as the asynchronous postings andsynchronous chats through the administration of a one-time survey toward the end of each of thecourses. Researchers were curious if one particular method of engagement was preferred by thestudents, and thus, engaged them in the course material further than any others.Besides learning basic demographic and descriptive information about the student group in allsix course sections, researchers gained perspective on their experience within the course itself.Details emerged on both the frequency and process of synchronous chats, asynchronous forumpostings, and if the students felt “connected” to the course, instructor and fellow students. Finalresults also demonstrated a mixed response on how students felt with the instructor led chatsversus them leading the chats themselves.
AU  - Julie M Little-Wiles
AU  - Patricia Fox
AU  - Charles Feldhaus Ed.D.
AU  - Stephen Hundley
AU  - Brandon Sorge
CY  - Atlanta, Georgia
DA  - 2013/06/23
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Student Engagement Strategies in One Online Engineering and Technology Course
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/22481
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--22481
ER  -