Student Engagement Strategies in One Online Engineering and Technology Course
- Conference
- Location
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Atlanta, Georgia
- Publication Date
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June 23, 2013
- Start Date
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June 23, 2013
- End Date
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June 26, 2013
- ISSN
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2153-5965
- Conference Session
- Tagged Division
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Engineering Technology
- Page Count
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12
- Page Numbers
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23.1096.1 - 23.1096.12
- DOI
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10.18260/1-2--22481
- Permanent URL
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https://strategy.asee.org/22481
- Download Count
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269
Paper Authors
Julie M Little-Wiles Purdue School of Engineering and Technology, IUPUI
Dr. Julie Little-Wiles is a Visiting Lecturer in the Department of Technology Leadership and Communication in the School of Engineering and Technology at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) where she teaches courses in Leadership Philosophy, Leadership Theory, Ethics and International Management.
Patricia Fox Indiana University Purdue University, Indianapolis
Patricia Fox is Associate Chair of the Department of Technology Leadership and Communication in the Purdue School of Engineering and Technology at IUPUI. Pat has previously served on the ASEE Board of Directors for three terms, she has been involved with many ASEE groups including the Engineering Technology Council, Engineering Technology Division, Corporate Members Council, Student Division, and International Division. Pat teaches ethics, leadership and sustainability courses at IUPUI.
Charles Feldhaus Ed.D. Indiana University Purdue University, Indianapolis
Dr. Feldhaus is currently an associate professor in the Department of Technology Leadership and Communication at the Purdue School of Engineering and Technology at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis. He spent 20 years as a P-12 educator, principal and district office administrator before receiving his doctorate in Educational Administration from the University of Louisville in 1999. Undergraduate work was completed at the University of Southwestern Louisiana in 1979 and the M.S. in Secondary Education was awarded in 1985 from Indiana University. Research interests include leadership in P-16 STEM education; STEM workforce development and leadership; P-16 STEM teacher preparation; and organizational ethics.
Stephen Hundley Indiana University Purdue University, Indianapolis
Dr. Stephen Hundley is chair and associate professor in the Department of Technology Leadership and Commumnication at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI).
Brandon Sorge Indiana University Purdue University, Indianapolis
Abstract
To Chat or Not to Chat – Student Engagement Strategies in an Online CourseAs online learning continues to grow in popularity with both students and universities, thequestion of how engaged students are with their courses remains a large concern for those inacademia. Given the technology that is available, how can we provide a more connectedenvironment for student learning while online? Are there specific methods to ensure studentsembrace the subject matter at hand?This study examined the various methods of student engagement employed in six online sectionsof the same ethical decision making course in the School of Engineering and Technology at____________ . Fivedifferent instructors taught six different online sections, and various instructional strategies wereemployed. As some instructors utilized asynchronous forum postings, others made use of real-time chats and web meetings with their students. Variation continued even within thesynchronous discussions as some faculty led the discussions themselves, while still othersappointed a rotating student leader while recording the chats for review later. How often studentsmet in synchronous discussions was another variable as some sections utilizing this approachmet bi-weekly, while others met just a few times during the entire course. As all of the sectionswere held completely online within a learning management system and shared the same coursetextbook and major assignments, it became necessary to discover what differences students mayhave experienced within the other elements of the course such as the asynchronous postings andsynchronous chats through the administration of a one-time survey toward the end of each of thecourses. Researchers were curious if one particular method of engagement was preferred by thestudents, and thus, engaged them in the course material further than any others.Besides learning basic demographic and descriptive information about the student group in allsix course sections, researchers gained perspective on their experience within the course itself.Details emerged on both the frequency and process of synchronous chats, asynchronous forumpostings, and if the students felt “connected” to the course, instructor and fellow students. Finalresults also demonstrated a mixed response on how students felt with the instructor led chatsversus them leading the chats themselves.
Little-Wiles, J. M., & Fox, P., & Feldhaus, C., & Hundley, S., & Sorge, B. (2013, June), Student Engagement Strategies in One Online Engineering and Technology Course Paper presented at 2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Atlanta, Georgia. 10.18260/1-2--22481
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