Enhancing the Success of Undergraduates in Engineering: A Teaching Workshop for Faculty and TAs

Abstract

ABSTRACTAmong undergraduates with math SAT scores above 600, the four most commonly cited concerns leading to switching majors from science, math, engineering and technology (SMET) include: (a) poor teaching by SMET faculty, (b) lack or loss of interest in science, (c) belief that non-SMET majors hold more interest, or offers a better education, and (d) feeling overwhelmed by the pace and load of curriculum demands [1]. Less than 50% of students who begin the study of engineering complete their education in the field. In 1999, approximately 150,000 students entered freshmen engineering programs in the United States; approximately 75,000 will not complete an engineering curriculum. The losses of these students from SMET majors occur at a time of increased demand for greater numbers of skilled graduates in engineering.In order to retain students in engineering programs and produce a pool of technically skilled graduates that is currently needed, serious efforts are required to improve the quality of instruction in these programs. Teaching is the primary concern, since it is reflected in points (a) through (d) above, and therefore, improvements in teaching skills will have the greatest impact on our students. Since most teaching assistants (TAs) and new faculty have no formal training in instruction and assessment, there is a great need for systematic programs for teaching these instructors to improve their classroom effectiveness.The National Science Foundation funded an extremely successful faculty enhancement workshop entitled “Teaching Teachers to Teach Engineering”, T4E, (1996–1998), which then evolved to the American Society of Civil Engineers' Excellence in Civil Engineering Education (ExCEEd) Program. This “learn by doing” workshop format ensures that participants will make substantive improvements in their teaching skills by the end of one week; it is touted a “be good” program rather than a “feel good” program. The adaptation of these programs as teaching workshops for new faculty and TAs at Northeastern University is discussed in light of our GE Master Teacher Program – a funded initiative to improve the success of freshman engineering students at NU.