Learning from the Best: How Award Winning Courseware has Impacted Engineering Education

Broad-Based Knowledge, Richmond CA

Investigators

Abstract

This project is exploring the existence of indicators that are evidence of improved student learning resulting from the National STEM Digital Library (NSDL). In particular it is studying whether focusing on a particular Library collection and using multiple methods to measure impact will provide insight into improving the design of the Library. Evidence of student impact is difficult to develop. This was the conclusion of a January 2009 "Science" article, "NSF Rethinks Its Digital Library." This article stated that there is no evidence to date that the NSDL has improved student learning. Despite this conclusion, members of this project's study team accumulated anecdotal evidence of positive impact on student learning while working with the NSDL project, "Where Have We Come From and Where Are We Going? Learning the Lessons and Disseminating Exemplary Practices from the Projects of the NSDL." This study is examining a coherent section of the NSDL, the "Premier Award for Excellence in Engineering Education Courseware," sponsored by the NSDL Engineering Pathway. It is employing the case study research method. The rationale for this approach is to focus on a collection that has a high possibility of providing data on student impact and, further, that may provide some useful insight into effects on student learning. Over the last 12 years, the Premier Award competition, and its precursor (NEEDS), reviewed 100 courseware submissions and selected 21 award winning courseware creations and eight finalist candidates. The award winning courseware has been disseminated widely. Premier Award winning materials have been the most frequently downloaded materials on the NEEDS/Engineering Pathway website. Over 20,000 Premier Award CDs have been distributed and workshops and seminars for engineering educators have been held. Hence the case study of the Premier Award has the potential of discovering a large user population. In general, identifying faculty users has been a significant challenge for NSDL research. The Premier Award provides an opportunity to reach a population of users and learn from them. The research is addressing the following questions: 1. How has receipt of the Premier Award impacted the awardees' career paths and why? 2. How has the quality of the courseware submitted changed over time? 3. How has the award winning courseware affected or impacted student learning? The project is studying the population of faculty that is using courseware available through NSDL (via the NEEDS/Engineering Pathway). The findings from this research will lay the groundwork for future in-depth, longitudinal studies of impact on teaching and learning that reach across the sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics.