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Fostering Student Ownership and Active Learning through Student-Led Group Lectures in a Civil Engineering Materials Course

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Conference

2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Location

Portland, Oregon

Publication Date

June 23, 2024

Start Date

June 23, 2024

End Date

July 12, 2024

Conference Session

Civil Engineering Division (CIVIL) Technical Session - Effective Teaching 3

Tagged Division

Civil Engineering Division (CIVIL)

Tagged Topic

Diversity

Permanent URL

https://peer.asee.org/47476

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Paper Authors

biography

Shenghua Wu University of South Alabama

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Dr. Shenghua Wu is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Civil, Coastal, and Environmental Engineering at the University of South Alabama. His research areas include civil engineering materials characterization, pavement performance evaluation and modeling, design, and maintenance, multidisciplinary approach to address complex engineering issues, as well as STEM education. He is the Director for the Solid Waste Sustainability Hub, Gulf Coast Center for Addressing Microplastic Pollution (GC-CAM), and the founding faculty advisor for the Society of Sustainable Engineering. He teaches a mixture of undergraduate and graduate engineering courses. Dr. Wu is a committee member for Transportation Research Board (TRB) AJE35 and AKM 90, a member of American Society of Civil Engineer (ASCE), American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), and Academy of Pavement Science and Engineering (APSE), as well as an editorial member for Journal of Testing and Evaluation and International Journal of Pavement Research and Technology. He serves panel member for several NCHRP and ACRP projects. He is also a registered professional engineer in Alabama and LEED AP.

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Basant Bhatt University of South Alabama

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Abstract

The Civil Engineering Materials course is an introductory course for junior civil engineering students to explore a variety of materials, including aggregates, cement, concrete, asphalt, wood, and steel. Traditional teaching methods often involve top-down lectures delivered solely by instructors. While instructors possess significant expertise, there is a growing recognition of the importance of making the course engaging and captivating, especially since it serves as students’ initial exposure to civil engineering disciplines. This study introduces a blended teaching approach, in which students are actively involved in delivering lectures on selected topics, rather than relying solely on the instructor. Pre-class and post-class surveys were administered to the student presenters to gauge their perceptions on delivering team lectures. The surveys also aimed to assess whether their knowledge improved, their roles in team presentations, and their development of effective presentation skills. Additionally, audience feedback on the group presentations was collected and it was observed that the majority of students reported an increase in their knowledge after lecture delivery. This not only developed a sense of student ownership in the learning process but also promoted an engaging and participative learning environment in the class. Thus, this case study provides insights into fostering greater student ownership of course materials and promoting active learning in subject matter content.

Wu, S., & Bhatt, B. (2024, June), Fostering Student Ownership and Active Learning through Student-Led Group Lectures in a Civil Engineering Materials Course Paper presented at 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon. https://peer.asee.org/47476

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