Making it Work at Your Institution “Using your ExCEEd Tools”

1. Seminar XIII Making it Work at Your Institution “Using your ExCEEd Tools” Josh Hewes—Northern Arizona University Kelly Salyards—Bucknell University

2. Construction Activity • List one ExCEEd element you plan to implement and explain why • List one ExCEEd element you do not plan to implement and why • You have 2 minutes!

3. Using Our ExCEEd Tools • How did we incorporate the ExCEEd elements into our teaching plans/universities? • How did these ‘tools’ work for us? • How to overcome potential obstacles?

4. 10 full-time CE-ENE faculty 430 undergraduate students Undergrad focused program (essentially no grad students) The Foreman: Josh • Assistant Professor • Northern Arizona University • ExCEEd Experience • West Point ETW graduate, 2006 • ETW Assistant Mentor, NAU 2007 • ETW Assistant Director, NAU 2009

5. Teaching (65%) Typically 5 courses per year No TA’s Class size at Jr. & Sr. level is 25 - 45 students Responsibilities • 30 advisees • Scholarship (25%) • Applied research with undergrad students • 1 – 2 publications per year • Service (10%) • TRB and MSJC Standing Committees • University Senate & Faculty Development Advisory Committees • Department: ABET • ASCE Faculty Advisor

6. Lessons From ExCEEd • Get to know your students • Active learning and engagement enhances retention of material • Be fair, consistent, and flexible • Teaching can be a ton of fun!

7. My Personal Favorite Tools • IR – Interpersonal Rapport • Get to know your students! • Survey at start of semester to get background info • Know names and use in/out of classroom (tent cards) • Students want to know that instructor “cares” – reflect this with consistent (positive) attitude and actions

8. My Personal Favorite Tools • IR – Interpersonal Rapport • Foster an atmosphere of “safety” – mistakes are OK • Let students get to know you • Be flexible and reasonable, and show follow through • Office hours are students’ – not mine • Be able to laugh at yourself!

9. My Personal Favorite Tools • In-class Activities • Example problem to work, group discussion, questioning • Keeps students actively engaged in learning • Provides a “break” from lecturing/note taking • Helps reset attention span • Provides immediate opportunity for application of concepts and for feedback • Can immediately improve a boring lecture-only class to more engaging, active learning environment

10. My Personal Favorite Tools • Movement within classroom • Use the entire classroom as your stage • Helps with IR as students see you as wanting “contact” versus avoiding it (and afraid) • Keeps students engaged • Can be used to reinforce a point or question • Use to bring disruptive or “checked out” student(s) back into the fold • Use to show enthusiasm!

11. My Personal Favorite Tools • Assessment • Simple assessments such as “show of hands” or colored cards provides immediate feedback • Mid-semester teaching assessment • “What one thing is working in the class?” • “What is not working and should be changed?” • Allows you to make changes before end of the semester • Provide quick turnaround on assignments and exams

12. My Personal Favorite Tools • Preparation and Organization • Learning objectives (LO) for each lesson • Refer back to LO during class and for exam review • Clear hierarchy in lesson material • Color scheme in board notes • Preparation allows for flexibility during class and demonstrates you value students’ time • Students notice and appreciate organization!

13. My Personal Favorite Tools • Physical Models/Analogies & Demos • Students love to “see” what they’re learning about • Helps students develop a “feel” for physical behavior • Provides students break from lecture and note taking • Opportunity for humor and drama • Practice the demo before class! • Extra credit for best model/demo to illustrate concept

14. Is it working? • Before ExCEEd student comments: • “Professor Hewes did not care about the students he was teaching.” • “Professor Hewes needs to work on his approach to making sure students learn.” • “There’s a difference between knowing a subject and teaching a subject.” • “The instructor need’s to relax and show that he is enjoying teaching and bring enthusiasm about the subject to the class.”

15. Is it working? • After ExCEEd student comments: • “The improvement in his teaching technique from last year is superb.” • “The lesson objectives that correlated with the notes were extremely helpful.” • “Questioning the students and really making sure they are following the material seemed to keep everyone on the same page.” • “It was especially refreshing to see Dr. Hewes take a survey halfway through the semester to see how he could improve his teaching, and then actually take our comments to heart and try to fulfill them.”

16. Is it working? • Improved Student Evaluations • ExCEEd implemented in Fall 2006

17. Is it working? • NAU Athletic Dept. Outstanding Educator Award 2009 • Unsolicited positive comments from students about teaching style and effectiveness • More confidence in the classroom • Recognition from colleagues on teaching quality and student engagement • I enjoy teaching much more! • Electives taught are highly populated

18. Bucknell University • Private, liberal arts university in Central PA • 600+ engineering students (3500 students total) • ±150 CEE undergraduate and 5-10 CEE grad students • 17 full-time (and visiting) faculty members • Class size in engineering limited to 35 students

19. The Foreman: Kelly • Assistant Professor • Responsibilities • Teaching: “5” course teaching load/year including labs (no TA’s) • Scholarship: in support of undergraduate education, 1-2 refereed publications/yr • Service: ASCE student advisor; departmental, college, university, and professional committees • ExCEEd Graduate 2007 • 5 colleagues have attended ExCEEd since • Using many of the ExCEEd tools (since 2007)

20. Lessons From ExCEEd • Be prepared and organized • Teach to variety of learning styles • Provide clear (and high) expectations… and be positive about them! • Provide frequent feedback • Make it fun!

21. My Personal Favorite Tools • Board Notes • All preps since ExCEEd are primarily Board Note Format • Supplement with PPT and/or handouts • Include notes: demonstrations, handouts, questions • More student participation – they are writing as I write • Colored Markers • All board notes color-organized • Colored chalk or colored markers • Several students have adopted it within their notes!

22. My Personal Favorite Tools • Daily Learning Objectives • Use large post-its on side wall to avoid losing board space • Post ‘running list’ of all objectives online • Reference during class • Develop exam questions from learning objectives

23. My Personal Favorite Tools • Class Participation • First day: participation expectation • Aim to hear from each student > 1/week • Keep on the move • Questioning Techniques • Preplan questions!!! • Primarily default questioning: Question, Pause, Call on student • Promote discussion by asking if someone else agrees/disagrees. Must defend opinion. • ‘I don’t know’ not acceptable – press on with hints

24. My Personal Favorite Tools • Frequent Feedback • Refer to Course Objectives as topics are covered • Mid-semester feedback – provide overview of comments/possible changes • Reply to email within 24 hours • Return graded exams within 1 week (max) • Return graded homework ASAP

25. Other Changes with Positive Outcomes: • Rearranged my office • Open conversation area – not from behind a desk • “Open Door” policy • --- even home phone number! (They never use it!) • Underclassmen need some boundaries • Shared ExCEEd tools with colleagues • 5 colleagues attend ExCEEd 2008-2010 • Share ‘board notes’ and ExCEEd binder with others

26. Still Under Construction… • Development of additional demos and activities • Never-ending process • Colleagues have borrowed props and offered suggestions for improvement • Music • Playlist for some core courses started – ongoing process • Improvement of group projects/assignments

27. Is it working? • More fun, more confidence • More efficient class prep over time • Teaching evaluations

28. Is it working? • Student Comments: • “Prof. Salyards was one of the most organized and well prepared professors I have ever had. She engaged students and created discussions in class; a hard thing to do sometimes in engineering classes.” • “Very organized notes, adapted to the classes learning styles.” • “Prof. was good at bringing in interesting ways to learn the course materials.” • “Prof. Salyards knows her students and can tell when the class understands or is shaky on material.”

29. Is it working? • Faculty Review Committee Comments: • “In many ways, the student evaluations received by Professor Salyards … are at levels expected for seasoned instructors, not for a faculty member teaching the course for the first time.” • “(Professor Salyards) is an extremely committed, well-prepared, organized, and clear teacher who is passionate about engineering and about teaching.”

30. Make it FUN: • What works for you / your students? • Humor • Kinesthetic Learning (Horsepower, Friction) • Games or Competitions for exam reviews (Jeopardy, Who wants to be an A+ student?) • Relate to failures, current events, research

31. Construction Activity • What obstacles do you foresee to implementing ExCEEd methods? • How will you overcome them?

32. Possible Construction Obstacles… • How to get started? • How much time does it take? • How do I get out of my ‘comfort zone’? • How to convince administrators to value effective teaching? • How do I deal with poor classrooms? • How do I deal with students? • How do I deal with colleagues?

33. Implementation Solutions: • How to get started? • Select your ‘tools’ carefully (biggest impact / least prep time) • Don’t attempt all! • Add one or two each time course is offered • How much time does it take? • As much time as you let it… • Set realistic goals / time limits • Efficiencies will come in time

34. Implementation Solutions: • How do I get out of my ‘comfort zone’? • Present it as an engineering experiment • Be transparent: reveal your intent • Focus on student learning • Get mid-semester feedback • Have ‘thick skin’ and a short memory

35. Implementation Solutions: • How to convince administrators (Chair, Dean, etc.) to value effective teaching • Student enthusiasm and retention! • Awards and recognition • Improved learning (good for alumni, employers, accreditation) • Make a broader impact • Higher efficiency, means more time for research or other activities

36. Implementation Solutions: • How do I deal with poor classrooms? • Plan ahead by checking classroom assignments – request classroom or switches • Project onto wall instead of covering board • Post-it notes • Bring your own chalk/markers • Be mobile

37. Implementation Solutions: • How do I deal with students? • Get to know them • Establish clear expectations • Show them you care • How do I deal with colleagues? • Share the experience • Partner with one willing colleague • Encourage colleagues to attend ExCEEd • Success attracts more partners

38. Our Advice: • Try it --- It works! • Keep in touch and use your ExCEEd network • Be flexible