Using Six Sigma to Improve Student Teamwork Experience and Academic Performance in Circuits Analysis Course

Adel Al Weshah; Ruba Alamad

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Conference: 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Publication Date: August 23, 2022
Start Date: June 26, 2022
End Date: June 29, 2022
Conference Session: ECE Division Technical Session 8: Effective Teaching and Learning in Post-Pandemic Classrooms and Other Curricular Innovations
Page Count: 14
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--40873
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/40873
Download Count: 414

Paper Authors

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Adel Al Weshah University of Georgia

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Dr. Al Weshah is a lecturer in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering in the College of Engineering at the University of Georgia. He is also affiliated with the Engineering Education Transformational Institute (EETI). His engineering educational research interests include remote labs and developing innovative instructional materials and techniques.

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Ruba Alamad Kennesaw State University

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Limited-term Assistant Professor in Industrial and Systems Engineering at Kennesaw State University

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Abstract

Recently, quality of teaching and learning has gained significant importance among Higher Education Institutes (HEI) stakeholders. Engineering education in many studies emphasizes the importance of using effective teaching strategies to enhance students' academic performance and students' satisfaction. These strategies help engineering educators in multiple ways, including creating a stimulating learning environment, actively involving students in the learning process, enhancing students' engagement, and improving students' learning. One of the most effective strategies includes utilizing collaborative teamwork. Many undergraduate Electrical and Computer engineering courses include teamwork activities. Group work can offer many benefits, including improving communication and teamwork skills, appreciation and respect for others. However, group work activity sometimes leads students into a challenging experience, especially for students who are not familiar with group activities at university, and may also decrease individual performance. When creating groups, instructors are faced with deciding whether to allow students to form their groups or assign them to groups, whether to switch groups or keep them the same all semester and whether to require students to submit their work individually or as a group. An Electrical Circuits course for major and non-major students is used as a case study. Six Sigma Methodology is implemented to investigate the issues related to students' teamwork experience. A Critical-to-Quality (CTQ) tree is constructed to identify the needs of the students. Potential causes are identified and analyzed using a Fish-bone diagram and 5-whys. Students' performance is used as a quality metric to evaluate the teamwork experience before and after the improvements. We collected students' academic performances based on four exams for more than 70 students over two academic years. New strategies to overcome students' teamwork challenges are identified. As a result, we redesign groups based on diversity in performance. The results show a significant improvement in the grades and teamwork overall performance as well as students' satisfaction. The control chart helped monitor the new implementation, and a standard procedure is designed to follow in other classes.

Citation
Format

Al Weshah, A., & Alamad, R. (2022, August), Using Six Sigma to Improve Student Teamwork Experience and Academic Performance in Circuits Analysis Course Paper presented at 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Minneapolis, MN. 10.18260/1-2--40873

TY - CPAPER
AB - Recently, quality of teaching and learning has gained significant importance among Higher Education Institutes (HEI) stakeholders. Engineering education in many studies emphasizes the importance of using effective teaching strategies to enhance students' academic performance and students' satisfaction. These strategies help engineering educators in multiple ways, including creating a stimulating learning environment, actively involving students in the learning process, enhancing students' engagement, and improving students' learning. One of the most effective strategies includes utilizing collaborative teamwork. Many undergraduate Electrical and Computer engineering courses include teamwork activities. Group work can offer many benefits, including improving communication and teamwork skills, appreciation and respect for others. However, group work activity sometimes leads students into a challenging experience, especially for students who are not familiar with group activities at university, and may also decrease individual performance. When creating groups, instructors are faced with deciding whether to allow students to form their groups or assign them to groups, whether to switch groups or keep them the same all semester and whether to require students to submit their work individually or as a group. An Electrical Circuits course for major and non-major students is used as a case study. Six Sigma Methodology is implemented to investigate the issues related to students' teamwork experience. A Critical-to-Quality (CTQ) tree is constructed to identify the needs of the students. Potential causes are identified and analyzed using a Fish-bone diagram and 5-whys. Students' performance is used as a quality metric to evaluate the teamwork experience before and after the improvements. We collected students' academic performances based on four exams for more than 70 students over two academic years. New strategies to overcome students' teamwork challenges are identified. As a result, we redesign groups based on diversity in performance. The results show a significant improvement in the grades and teamwork overall performance as well as students' satisfaction. The control chart helped monitor the new implementation, and a standard procedure is designed to follow in other classes.
AU - Adel Al Weshah
AU - Ruba Alamad
CY - Minneapolis, MN
DA - 2022/08/23
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - Using Six Sigma to Improve Student Teamwork Experience and Academic Performance in Circuits Analysis Course
UR - https://peer.asee.org/40873
DO - 10.18260/1-2--40873
ER -