Supplemental Instruction: Shaping Future Engineers

Zachary Miller; Sean Walker; Rachel Chai

Download Paper | Permalink

Conference: 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Portland, Oregon
Publication Date: June 23, 2024
Start Date: June 23, 2024
End Date: June 26, 2024
Conference Session: Educational Research and Methods Division (ERM) Technical Session 17
Tagged Division: Educational Research and Methods Division (ERM)
Page Count: 8
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--48035
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/48035
Download Count: 54

Paper Authors

biography

Zachary Miller University of South Alabama

visit author page

Zachary Miller is a graduate student pursuing a Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of South Alabama (USA). He earned his Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering in 2023 from the same university. During his undergraduate studies, Zach served as a Supplemental Instructor (SI) for engineering courses at USA. Zach's experience in SI started his passion for engineering education. Zach's primary research interests revolve around engineering education and aerospace systems, where his current thesis is on the instrumentation of an autonomous vehicle.

visit author page

biography

Sean Walker University of South Alabama

visit author page

Dr. Walker is an Associate Professor at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, AL and Program Coordinator of the Systems Engineering Program. They received their Ph.D. in Systems Design Engineering from the University of Waterloo, in Waterloo, Canada, in 2012. Dr. Walker has taught at the University of South Alabama since 2016 and has won multiple teaching awards from Mortar Board and Tau Beta Pi. Sean's research interests include Engineering Education, and Sustainable Systems.

visit author page

biography

Rachel Chai University of South Alabama

visit author page

Rachel S. Chai was born in Ocean Springs, MS in 1996. She received his B.S. and M.S. in Civil Engineering at the University of South Alabama in 2020 and 2022. She is currently pursuing a PhD student at the University of South Alabama under the Systems Engineering program focusing on lifecycle assessment for decentralized wastewater treatment systems. Drawing on her experience, her research applies systems thinking and civil engineering design toward finding innovative solutions in the Alabama Black Belt region under the guidance of Drs. Kevin White, Sean Walker, and Kaushik Venkiteshwaran.

visit author page

Download Paper | Permalink

Abstract

The evidence-based practice paper will demonstrate an effective education tool for helping engineering students. Instructors are tasked with providing students with both technical competence and a profound understanding of real-world problems. The study of engineering education is a method of determining solutions to these intellectual demands. Instructors have adopted techniques and methodologies to meet these challenges, including problem-based learning, case studies, and supplemental instruction. The author will specifically examine the use of supplemental instruction (SI). SI is the practice of integrating a student instructor that has previously demonstrated mastery of the course for the corresponding class. The use of SIs has been seen to improve students' performance on exams and knowledge retention throughout multiple courses. When an SI is part of a class, it is crucial for a relationship between the faculty and student to be formed. This relationship between the faculty member and the SI helps the faculty member assess students' needs and how to help them. Once the student is selected to be an SI, it is crucial that the SI is trained to effectively support the needs of students. Once the SI has been trained, they can implement the knowledge from training to improve the overall success of the students. The effectiveness of an SI’s presence in undergraduate courses stems from active learning techniques, peer support, and instruction given from a person of closer age. Some of the strategies enhanced by the presence of SIs include, group study sessions, individual help to students, and redirection of questions. Group study sessions improve students' understanding of course material and allow for study groups to be made outside of class for homework. Individual help provides the extra explanation some students need to grasp a concept and improve their overall success. The redirection of questions increases comprehension of the subject matter because students are able to connect ideas. All of these strategies together provide an opportunity for students to improve through interactions with a peer in their age cohort. With these strategies in mind, the goal is to compare the students that attended SI sessions and their exam grades to students who did not go or went less often. The results shown throughout the paper will convey the need for SIs to be integrated throughout Engineering undergraduate courses.

Citation
Format

Miller, Z., & Walker, S., & Chai, R. (2024, June), Supplemental Instruction: Shaping Future Engineers Paper presented at 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon. 10.18260/1-2--48035

TY - CPAPER
AB - The evidence-based practice paper will demonstrate an effective education tool for helping engineering students. Instructors are tasked with providing students with both technical competence and a profound understanding of real-world problems. The study of engineering education is a method of determining solutions to these intellectual demands. Instructors have adopted techniques and methodologies to meet these challenges, including problem-based learning, case studies, and supplemental instruction. The author will specifically examine the use of supplemental instruction (SI). SI is the practice of integrating a student instructor that has previously demonstrated mastery of the course for the corresponding class. The use of SIs has been seen to improve students&#39; performance on exams and knowledge retention throughout multiple courses. When an SI is part of a class, it is crucial for a relationship between the faculty and student to be formed. This relationship between the faculty member and the SI helps the faculty member assess students&#39; needs and how to help them. Once the student is selected to be an SI, it is crucial that the SI is trained to effectively support the needs of students. Once the SI has been trained, they can implement the knowledge from training to improve the overall success of the students. The effectiveness of an SI’s presence in undergraduate courses stems from active learning techniques, peer support, and instruction given from a person of closer age. Some of the strategies enhanced by the presence of SIs include, group study sessions, individual help to students, and redirection of questions. Group study sessions improve students&#39; understanding of course material and allow for study groups to be made outside of class for homework. Individual help provides the extra explanation some students need to grasp a concept and improve their overall success. The redirection of questions increases comprehension of the subject matter because students are able to connect ideas. All of these strategies together provide an opportunity for students to improve through interactions with a peer in their age cohort. With these strategies in mind, the goal is to compare the students that attended SI sessions and their exam grades to students who did not go or went less often. The results shown throughout the paper will convey the need for SIs to be integrated throughout Engineering undergraduate courses.
AU - Zachary Miller
AU - Sean Walker
AU - Rachel Chai
CY - Portland, Oregon
DA - 2024/06/23
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - Supplemental Instruction: Shaping Future Engineers
UR - https://peer.asee.org/48035
DO - 10.18260/1-2--48035
ER -