Using Wikis to Facilitate Writing Research Abstracts in a Civil Engineering Graduate Course

Monique H. Head

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Conference: 2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Publication Date: June 10, 2012
Start Date: June 10, 2012
End Date: June 13, 2012
ISSN: 2153-5965
Conference Session: Going Viral: Effective Instructional Techniques in an Online Environment
Tagged Division: Civil Engineering
Page Count: 7
Page Numbers: 25.1448.1 - 25.1448.7
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--22205
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/22205
Download Count: 416

Paper Authors

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Monique H. Head Morgan State University orcid.org/0000-0002-0608-9961

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Monique Head is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at Morgan State University located in Baltimore, Md. She also holds a joint appointment as an Assistant Research Professor at Texas A&M University. Head conducts reduced- and full-scale experiments that are complemented by structural analysis using state-of-the-art software to study the response of bridges subjected to lateral, dynamic, and impact loads. She has vast experience modeling bridges to characterize their system response, particularly capturing the effects of highly nonlinear elements and unseating of bearings on bridge decks. Head's academic, teaching, and research experiences are directly related to assessing bridge performance. Her research and teaching interests include structural dynamics, earthquake engineering, innovative experimental testing, performance-based design, reinforced concrete design, and seismic retrofitting of bridges. Her additional research interests include hybrid simulation of bridges, multi-hazard mitigation of transportation structures to establish guidelines for new design and retrofit criteria, and structural health monitoring of bridges. Currently, Head is working on a project funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), focusing on performance assessment of bridge structures internally prestressed with aramid fiber reinforced polymer (AFRP) tendons. Her additional research projects also include applying risk and reliability-based criteria to optimal decision-making for bridge maintenance. The broader impact of her research will help to improve the resiliency of our nation’s bridge infrastructure while protecting lives during extreme events. In addition to her research, Head is involved in several professional organizations and national service initiatives that are focused on improving bridge performance and exposing K-12 students to civil engineering. Head earned her Ph.D. in civil engineering in 2007 from the Georgia Institute of Technology and B.S. and M.S. in civil engineering in 2000 and 2002, respectively, from the University of Delaware.

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Abstract

Using Wikis to Facilitate Writing Research Abstracts in a Civil Engineering Graduate CourseAbstractThe objective of this study is to assess the impact of student performance and quality of writingresearch abstracts when using wikis to effectively engage students in a graduate course. Studentswill use wikis that are integrated within Blackboard to write an abstract for their project. Whenwriting the wikis, students are expected to demonstrate knowledge of their topic and share thisinformation for peer learning and feedback on the clarity and quality of their technical writing.Improving writing and critical thinking within the engineering curriculum is very important andrelevant for students, especially within the civil engineering community, to master beforegraduating. Assessment and evaluation of the impact of this effort includes peer review andfeedback from the instructor directly using the wikis. Changes are tracked using different colorssuch that multiple comments and suggestions can be identified. Student perceptions will beevaluated immediately after the project is submitted to examine the benefits and tradeoffs ofusing wikis to effectively engage graduate students outside the classroom. Perceptions will becompared to feedback provided by students having to write research abstracts for a project whenwikis were not used. The range of applicability and accessibility for using wikis is vast, and canbe cleverly incorporated into most courses. Lessons learned from this study will be shared, wherethe use of wikis for writing research abstracts can promote a shared learning environment withthe opportunity for students to improve their technical writing skills and remove any inhibitions,if any, about having their writing reviewed and ultimately edited for improvement.

Citation
Format

Head, M. H. (2012, June), Using Wikis to Facilitate Writing Research Abstracts in a Civil Engineering Graduate Course Paper presented at 2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, San Antonio, Texas. 10.18260/1-2--22205