Enhancing Teaching with 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