2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Quantitative Method for Assessing the Adaptability of Engineering Instructors

Presented at ERM: Quantitative Instrument Development

This empirical research brief entails an examination of an instrument that measures a person’s adaptability. Having such an instrument would enable instructional change to be explored through an adaptability lens. Despite the advancements in research and technologies, calls for instructional change in engineering education instruction still persist. Changes in teaching are needed to align with best practices, keep up with national needs, and respond to unpredictable changes in ways of life. Adaptability is defined as a measure of an individual’s capability to successfully adjust to changes in the environment. Adaptability of individuals in varying professions has been studied more broadly; adaptability of engineering instructors is an under explored area of research. The purpose of this study was to use survey responses to describe the overall individual adaptability of engineering instructors. Findings from this study will help inform future research about instructor change in terms of adaptability and can inform faculty development activities. Engineering instructors at an R1, midwestern university in the United States of America were surveyed in Fall 2021 and Fall 2023 using a 35-item Likert scaled Individual ADAPTability Measure (I-ADAPT-M) instrument. Descriptive statistics about participants’ overall adaptability are presented for the 80 participants. Insights from this research brief suggest that individual adaptability assessment could be valuable in studying instructional change and planning faculty development. This research brief is part of a forthcoming journal article involving exploratory factor analysis of the sub dimensions that makeup overall adaptability.

Authors

Adeyemi Oluwasola Oyelami University of Nebraska-Lincoln [biography]

Adeyemi O. Oyelami is a PhD student in engineering education research (EER) at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He is a registered mechanical engineer with 10 years of experience in energy sector (gas & power, utilities regulations). He holds a master's degree in energy technology and management from the University of Ibadan (UI), Nigeria, and a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, Nigeria.
Grace Panther University of Nebraska - Lincoln [biography]

Dr. Grace Panther is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln where she conducts discipline-based education research. Her research interests include faculty change, 3D spatial visualization, gender inclusive teamwork, and studying authentic engineering practice. Dr. Panther was awarded an NSF CAREER award in 2024. Dr. Panther has experience conducting workshops at engineering education conferences both nationally and internationally, has been a guest editor for a special issue of European Journal of Engineering Education on inclusive learning environments, and serves on the Australasian Journal of Engineering Education advisory committee. Dr. Panther received both her Ph.D. and M.S. in Environmental Engineering from Oregon State University.
Prof. Heidi A. Diefes-Dux http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3635-1825 University of Nebraska - Lincoln [biography]

Heidi A. Diefes-Dux is a Professor in Biological Systems Engineering at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln (UNL). She received her B.S. and M.S. in Food Science from Cornell University and her Ph.D. in Food Process Engineering from the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering at Purdue University. She was an inaugural faculty member of the School of Engineering Education at Purdue University. Her current role in the College of Engineering at UNL is to lead the disciplinary-based education research initiative, growing the research enterprise and the engineering education research graduate program. Her research focuses on the development, implementation, and assessment of modeling and design activities with authentic engineering contexts; the design and implementation of learning objective-based grading for transparent and fair assessment; and the integration of reflection to develop self-directed learners.

Note

The full paper will be available to logged in and registered conference attendees once the conference starts on June 22, 2025, and to all visitors after the conference ends on June 25, 2025

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