Student Perceptions on the Impact of Formative Peer Team Member Effectiveness Evaluation in an Introductory Design Course
- Conference
- Location
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Seattle, Washington
- Publication Date
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June 14, 2015
- Start Date
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June 14, 2015
- End Date
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June 17, 2015
- ISBN
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978-0-692-50180-1
- ISSN
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2153-5965
- Conference Session
- Tagged Division
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Educational Research and Methods
- Page Count
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20
- Page Numbers
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26.1422.1 - 26.1422.20
- DOI
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10.18260/p.24759
- Permanent URL
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https://peer.asee.org/24759
- Download Count
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501
Paper Authors
Nathan Mentzer Purdue University, West Lafayette
Nathan Mentzer is an assistant professor in the College of Technology with a joint appointment in the College of Education at Purdue University. Hired as a part of the strategic P12 STEM initiative, he prepares Engineering/Technology candidates for teacher licensure. Dr. Mentzer’s educational efforts in pedagogical content knowledge are guided by a research theme centered in student learning of engineering design thinking on the secondary level. Nathan was a former middle and high school technology educator in Montana prior to pursuing a doctoral degree. He was a National Center for Engineering and Technology Education (NCETE) Fellow at Utah State University while pursuing a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction. After graduation he completed a one year appointment with the Center as a postdoctoral researcher.
Andrew Jackson
Purdue University, West Lafayette
orcid.org/0000-0003-2882-3052
Andrew Jackson is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Technology Leadership and Innovation in Purdue University's College of Technology. His previous middle school teaching experience informs his role as a graduate teaching assistant for an introductory course in design thinking. His research interests are engineering self-efficacy, creativity, and decision making.
Kevin Andrew Richards Northern Illinois University
K. Andrew R. Richards is currently a visiting assistant professor at Northern Illinois University. Prior to his current post, Richards was a post-doctoral research associate with the Center for Instructional Excellence at Purdue University. His post-doctoral position focused on the evaluation of a large-scale course transformation project that sought to increase active learning and student-centered pedagogies in university-level teaching. Prior to post-doctoral studies, Richards completed his Master’s degree and Ph.D. at Purdue University, and Bachelor’s degree at Springfield College (Mass.). His research centers on teacher socialization in physical education with a particular focus on role stressers that arise from combining teaching and extracurricular roles, such as athletic coaching. He has co-authored empirical articles using occupational socialization theory, and has also written research reviews on the topics of socialization theory and role theory published in Quest, the Kinesiology Review, and Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport. Richards has served as a peer reviewer for numerous professional conferences and journals. Highlights include reviewing for the Journal of Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance, the Journal of Teaching in Physical Education, the European Physical Education Review, and Measurement in Physical Education and Exercise Science. He is currently serving as the editor of the Advocacy in Action section of the journal Strategies.
Angelika N Zissimopoulos Purdue University, West Lafayette
Dr. Zissimopoulos holds a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering From Northwestern University. She is currently an Instructional Developer at the Center for Instructional Excellence at Purdue University and works extensively with course design and faculty development. She also holds a courtesy appointment with the College of Technology.
Dawn Laux Purdue University
Dawn Laux is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer and Information Technology (CIT) at Purdue University. She has been with the University since 2007 and is responsible for teaching database fundamentals courses and introductory technology courses. Laux has 10 years of industrial experience in the information technology field, and her research area of interest includes technology readiness, the social impacts of technology, and increasing interest in the field of computing.
Abstract
Student Perceptions on the Impact of Formative Peer Team Member Effectiveness Evaluation in an Introductory Design CourseCooperative learning abilities are important for engineering students to develop. It is essentialthat graduates are able to work in a team and make valuable contributions to the team’s work.The inclusion of cooperative learning in the classroom provides opportunities to develop theseskills, but the impact of critically evaluating and providing constructive feedback for teammembers is challenging to measure. Peer team member effectiveness evaluation has beenidentified by previous research as a complement of teamwork that can increase accountability,social skills, and group processing and minimize disruptive behaviors. Previous work has shownthat the incorporation of formative peer team member evaluation can not only help with theseconcerns but also improves student attitudes when used as a tool during a team design project.Despite improvements in student performance, learning climate and competence (demonstratedin previous research), the underlying reasons for student growth are unclear. This study seeks toanswer the question, "Why does formative peer evaluation work to impact students?"In response to the prompt, "Please describe the impact peer evaluation (CATME) had on yourcontribution to the team's work" survey responses from 450 students were qualitatively analyzedto identify emerging themes. Multiple iterations produced a set of four broad themes based onstudent perceptions on the impact of a peer evaluation tool. The primary results align with thebasic psychological needs identified by Deci and Ryan as part of Self-Determination Theory.Students reported an appreciation of peer evaluation as a tool for self-evaluation, increasedaccountability during autonomous work, promoting change in behavior, and improving overallteam function. Findings from this study promote the use of formative peer evaluation as a tool ingroup design activities as a method for improving student performance and self-reflection.Qualitative findings suggest a relationship between peer evaluation and growth in studentautonomy and relatedness; further work is being done to investigate the relationshipquantitatively.
Mentzer, N., & Jackson, A., & Richards, K. A., & Zissimopoulos, A. N., & Laux, D. (2015, June), Student Perceptions on the Impact of Formative Peer Team Member Effectiveness Evaluation in an Introductory Design Course Paper presented at 2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Seattle, Washington. 10.18260/p.24759
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