2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

This theory/method research breif paper presents the implementation and assessment of equity-focused teaching practices across multiple engineering and architecture disciplines. In response to recent efforts increasingly emphasizing equity and inclusion to better support diverse student populations and leverage multiple perspectives that enrich learning and innovation, the Provost Office at University XXX - a private university in the northeastern United State - offered a semester-long professional development training program to several faculty in Fall 2024. The training was guided by the University of Michigan’s Center for Research on Learning and Teaching (CRLT) framework for equity-focused teaching, emphasizing critical engagement of difference, academic belonging, and transparency. In addition, the Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TiLT) framework was introduced to help faculty redesign course assignments with clearly defined objectives, detailed tasks, and evaluation criteria.

Five faculty members from five distinct engineering and architecture disciplines participated in the training and collaboratively implemented selected teaching strategies across several undergraduate courses beginning in Spring 2025 and continuing in subsequent semesters. To evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions, all participating courses administered pre- and post-semester surveys - consisting of 23 Likert-scale items - to measure changes in students’ perception of belonging, engagement, and course transparency. The same post-semester survey was also conducted in comparable non-intervention course sections, which served as control groups for comparison with the intervention sections. In addition, direct assessment data - including grades from assignment, quiz, and exam potentially influenced by the interventions - were compared between the intervention semester and prior non-intervention semesters. Survey responses (sample size N=151) and performance data (sample size N=72) were analyzed using statistical t-tests, supplemented by instructor reflections to contextualize the findings.

Preliminary results suggest overall enhanced students’ sense of belonging and clearer understanding of course expectations, along with modest gains in academic performance. Ongoing work focuses on identifying and refining structured practices for integrating equity-focused teaching strategies across disciplines. This paper offers practical insights for faculty aiming to foster more inclusive and effective learning environments in STEM education.

Key words: equity, transparency, engagement, across disciplines