2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Bridging the Gap: Exploring Real-Life Experiences of Engineering Faculty in Implementing EBIPs

Presented at Faculty Development Division (FDD) Technical Session 7

This Work-In-Progress paper presents early research findings from a project funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), aimed at Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE). This study, part of the larger IUSE project, focuses on the integration of evidence-based instructional practices (EBIPs) among engineering faculty members. We are driven to investigate EBIPs in engineering classrooms due to the disparity between faculty interest and their actual adoption. To better understand the limited integration of EBIPs, our research objectives focus on examining the real-life experiences of engineering faculty as they implement innovative teaching methods, such as EBIPs, in their courses. This paper shares initial insights derived from exploratory interviews with engineering faculty regarding their adoption of EBIPs. We report on three engineering faculty (n=3) that have generally experienced success in implementing EBIPs within their classrooms. These patterns emerged through initial thematic analysis of their interview transcripts. This analysis emphasizes the significance of instructors' openness to experimenting with customized EBIPs suited for their unique teaching environments. The engineering faculty, leveraging their extensive experience and institutional support, succeeded in boosting student engagement by incorporating relevant scenarios into practical learning and simulations. This study's findings point to the importance of adaptable teaching methods, emphasizing the need for instructors to tailor EBIPs to their specific teaching contexts. These results underscore the importance of individualized strategies for effectively adopting EBIPs into educational settings.

Authors

Stephanie Adams Oregon State University [biography]

Stephanie Adams is currently enrolled as a doctoral student at Oregon State University, where she is working towards her PhD in Civil Engineering with a concentration in Engineering Education. Her current research focuses on the adoption of evidence-based instructional practices (EBIPs) among engineering faculty members. Additionally, she is investigating the identity development of engineering students in capstone courses.
Dr. Shane A. Brown P.E. http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3669-8407 Oregon State University [biography]

Shane Brown is an associate professor and Associate School Head in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Oregon State University. His research interests include conceptual change and situated cognition. He received the NSF CAREER award in
Aturika Bhatnagar New Jersey Institute of Technology [biography]

Aturika Bhatnagar is currently pursuing her doctoral studies in Industrial Engineering at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. She holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Electronics and Communication, as well as a Master of Engineering degree in Industrial Engineering and Management. Her research is in the area of engineering education and focuses on the development of instruments and advancements in entrepreneurial education.
Dr. Prateek Shekhar http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6552-2887 New Jersey Institute of Technology [biography]

Prateek Shekhar is an Assistant Professor – Engineering Education in the School of Applied Engineering and Technology at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. He holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Texas - Austin, an MS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Southern California, and a BS in Electronics and Communication Engineering from India. Dr. Shekhar also holds a Graduate Certificate in Engineering Education from Virginia Tech. Prior to his current appointment, he worked as a Postdoctoral Researcher and Assistant Research Scientist at the University of Michigan. He is the recipient of the 2018 Outstanding Postdoctoral Researcher Award at the University of Michigan; and serves as a PI/Co-PI on multiple projects funded by the National Science Foundation. He currently serves in editorial capacity for the Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering, International Journal of Mechanical Engineering Education, and Journal of International Engineering Education.
Jeff Knowles http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1453-9923 Oregon State University [biography]

Dr. Jeff Knowles is an engineering instructor at Oregon State University who began teaching courses in 2015. His current pedagogical research is related to barriers associated with implementing Evidence-Based Instructional Practices (EBIPs) in STEM-related courses and determining what affordances can be granted to overcome such contextual obstacles. Jeff's interests also include the numerical modeling of nonlinear wave phenomena.

Download paper (2.03 MB)

Are you a researcher? Would you like to cite this paper? Visit the ASEE document repository at peer.asee.org for more tools and easy citations.

» Download paper

« View session