UNDERSTANDING FACULTY EXPERIENCES IN TEACHING

LARGE CLASSES: A PILOT STUDY ON FACULTY

PERCEPTIONS OF TEACHER-STUDENT INTERACTION IN
FOUNDATIONAL ENGINEERING COURSES

Michelle Soledad
Jacob Grohs
Engineering Education

FOUNDATIONAL ENGINEERING COURSES

SPECIALIZED/FOCUSES DISCIPLINE-SPECIFIC COURSES

FOUNDATIONAL DISCIPLINE-SPECIFIC COURSES

FOUNDATIONAL ENGINEERING COURSES

FOUNDATIONAL ENGINEERING COURSES

Some Foundational Engineering Courses:
Mechanics Statics, Dynamics, Deforms
Mathematics Differential Equations
Foundations of Physics
Computer Science Introduction to Computer Organization,
Data Structures and Algorithms,
Software Design and Data Structures
Electric Circuit Analysis

FOUNDATIONAL ENGINEERING COURSES

SPECIALIZED/FOCUSED DISCIPLINE-SPECIFIC COURSES

FOUNDATIONAL DISCIPLINE-SPECIFIC COURSES

FOUNDATIONAL ENGINEERING COURSES

MULTIPLE SECTIONS

MULTIPLE INSTRUCTORS

COMMON SYLLABUS

COMMON FINAL

PILOT STUDY
Semi-structured interviews, 6 participants
Phenomenologically-informed analysis of interview data
Results: Shared experiences that describe teaching
foundational engineering courses in the large class
setting

SHARED EXPERIENCES
What do the instructors care about?

STUDENTS
C
O
U
R
S
E

UNDERSTAND CONCEPTS
ACTIVELY ENGAGE WITH
THE MATERIAL
DEVELOP SUSTAINED INTEREST

SHARED EXPERIENCES
IDEAL INTERACTION:

FACILITATE LEARNING THAT

LEADS TO CONCEPTUAL
UNDERSTANDING
PROVIDE QUALITY FEEDBACK

INSTRUCTOR

FEEDBACK THROUGH CLASS

PARTICIPATION
MAXIMIZE AVAILABLE
RESOURCES

STUDENTS

SHARED EXPERIENCES
On interaction in the classroom
Students, most of their learning is from me explaining the theory
or explaining the topic. Jason
In some of the smaller class settings youll notice that
theres more people that are willing to participate and
offer feedback when the number is smaller. David
I think more of them feel like they can get away
with not being there. - Jason

SHARED EXPERIENCES
On interaction in the classroom
The level of interaction with students is more difficult In
a small classroom, if they get it or not, you can look on their
face. They get completely lost. Charles

There were so many people there that it was hard

to personalize the course. - David

SHARED EXPERIENCES
On interaction within the course

Office hours play a valuable role.. I can see their

thought process and I can help correct their thought
process right then and there but I cant do that with
every student there wouldnt be enough time. - Luke

SHARED EXPERIENCES
On interaction within the course
I think its very powerful they try to have an argument
they are right, he is wrong, and vice-versa when they try
to argue, that is I think where they understand. Charles
Those who understand it better get to teach it to
somebody else, which definitely helps their
learning. Jason

SHARED EXPERIENCES
ASKING
QUESTIONS

GIVING WORKOUT
PROBLEMS

LECTURE
(explaining theory)

INSTRUCTOR

STUDENTS

SHARED EXPERIENCES
On the use of technology and electronic resources

I like what technology allows, so things like DyKnow. Using

technology to get around some of the things that I think are
impediments to learning, like being focused on what's over
here instead of focused on listening to me explain what's
going on. - Luke

SHARED EXPERIENCES
On the use of technology and electronic resources

With WileyPLUS, they get rapid feedback about whether or

not they did it correctly. That I think is very valuable. One of
the things that I've found is that the students aren't
practicing the thought process. They're just trying to get the
right answer, so they're guessing. Luke
Online solutions is the worst thing that is happening
right now if they do actually use online solutions,
they are not going to learn that much. - Harry

SHARED EXPERIENCES
CLASSROOM
MANAGEMENT
SOFTWARE
(DyKnow)
LECTURE
(explaining theory)

LEARNING
GIVING WORKOUT
ONLINE
MANAGEMENT ASKING
PROBLEMS
HOMEWORK
SOFTWARE QUESTIONS
UTILITIES
(Canvas, Scholar)
(WileyPLUS)

INSTRUCTOR

ONLINE HOMEWORK
RESOURCES
(chegg, informal forums)

STUDENTS

SHARED EXPERIENCES
CLASSROOM
MANAGEMENT
SOFTWARE
(DyKnow)
LECTURE
(explaining theory)

LEARNING
GIVING WORKOUT
ONLINE
MANAGEMENT ASKING
PROBLEMS
HOMEWORK
SOFTWARE QUESTIONS
UTILITIES
(Canvas, Scholar)
(WileyPLUS)

INSTRUCTOR

ONLINE HOMEWORK
RESOURCES
(chegg, informal forums)

STUDENTS

SHARED EXPERIENCES
CLASSROOM
MANAGEMENT
SOFTWARE
(DyKnow)
LECTURE
(explaining theory)

LEARNING
GIVING WORKOUT
ONLINE
MANAGEMENT ASKING
PROBLEMS
HOMEWORK
SOFTWARE QUESTIONS
UTILITIES
(Canvas, Scholar)
(WileyPLUS)
ONLINE HOMEWORK
RESOURCES
(chegg, informal forums)

INSTRUCTOR

FEEDBACK THROUGH CLASS

PARTICIPATION
MAXIMIZE AVAILABLE
RESOURCES

STUDENTS

SHARED EXPERIENCES
INTERACTION IN THE COURSE IS MAINLY FROM
INSTRUCTOR TO THE STUDENT; STUDENTS MAY
BENEFIT MORE IF THEY ACTIVELY SEEK PERSONAL
FEEDBACK FROM INSTRUCTOR AND PARTICIPATE
IN CLASS
STUDENTS HAVE THE ABILITY
TO FOCUS MORE ON WHAT IS
GOING ON IN THE
CLASSROOM. THEY ARE GIVEN
HOMEWORK AND COMPLETE
THEM.

STUDENTS FOCUS MORE ON

GETTING THE RIGHT
ANSWERS, AND NOT ON
UNDERSTANDING THE
CONCEPTS THAT LEAD TO
THE RIGHT ANSWERS

SHARED EXPERIENCES
RELATIONAL ENGAGEMENT
QUALITY OF STUDENTS INTERACTIONS
IN THE CLASSROOM AND SCHOOL
COMMUNITY

BEHAVIORAL
ENGAGEMENT
QUALITY OF STUDENTS
PARTICIPATION IN THE
CLASSROOM AND SCHOOL
COMMUNITY

COGNITIVE
ENGAGEMENT

QUALITY OF STUDENTS
PSYCHOLOGICAL
ENGAGEMENT IN ACADEMIC
TASKS, INCLUDING THEIR
INTEREST, OWNERSHIP, AND
STRATEGIES FOR LEARNING

Fig. 1.1: Three Interconnected Dimensions. An Interpersonal Approach to Classroom

Management, p22. Davis, et al (2012)

FUTURE WORK
Explore ways to help faculty improve cognitive
engagement for students encouraging a focus on
mastery and conceptual understanding among
students
Look into mitigating how technology becomes
detrimental to student learning
Explore alternative ways for faculty to provide personal,
individualized, timely and meaningful feedback
(dedicated TAs?)

DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS?
Contact information:
Michelle Soledad
msoled21@vt.edu

Jacob Grohs
jrgrohs@vt.edu