Rigorous Research in Engineering Education: Creating a Community of Practice

American Society For Engineering Education, Washington DC

Investigators

Abstract

This project is establishing the structure and mechanism for training faculty to conduct rigorous engineering education research through a collaboration of engineering educators, learning scientists, and faculty developers. The engineering educators are involved through the American Society for Engineering Education. Learning scientists are involved through the Education in the Professions Division of the American Educational Research Association. Faculty developers in higher education are involved through the Professional and Organizational (POD) Network in Higher Education. The structure for training faculty is being established by creating and presenting workshops for engineering faculty on conducting rigorous research in engineering education. Five-day workshops are being offered for engineering faculty on conducting rigorous educational research. One workshop is being held each summer between 2004 and 2006. The development of this project is sustained through establishment of a community of practice. The impact of the workshops and the effectiveness of the community of practice are being assessed as part of a well developed plan by an external evaluator. This project is expanding the boundaries of engineering education research by disseminating information from the learning sciences and faculty development into engineering education. This is allowing powerful partnerships to be formed as information about how students learn and teaching methods that support students' learning are being coupled with the content knowledge of practicing engineering educators. The community of practice is enabling the effective dissemination at a national level.