Abstract:
Contribution: This paper analyzes reflective thinking within organizational structures in higher education and draws parallels between the challenges faced by educators d...Show MoreMetadata
Abstract:
Contribution: This paper analyzes reflective thinking within organizational structures in higher education and draws parallels between the challenges faced by educators developing interdisciplinary courses and their students working in ill-structured projects. Background: Interdisciplinarity as a learning goal is prevalent across engineering education literature. However, without organizational support structures to guide faculty members in developing interdisciplinary courses, interdisciplinarity as a student learning outcome is difficult to sustain. There is a need to evolve existing organizational structures faculty navigate when creating interdisciplinary courses, so that competing organizational systems do not stifle interdisciplinarity. Moreover, educators' effort in developing interdisciplinary courses is mirrored in the uncertain processes in which instructors engage students. Research Questions: In settings of interdisciplinary curriculum design and implementation, how do interdisciplinary faculty collaborations parallel that of their student design teams? How do organizational structures affect interdisciplinary faculty teams designing courses that span disciplines? Methodology: The study used a qualitative case, bound by three required courses in a new interdisciplinary undergraduate minor. Data was collected via interviews, class observations, and student reflection assignments. Analysis was guided by the conceptual frameworks of King and Kitchener's reflective judgment model and strange and banning's conceptualization of campus learning environments. Findings: Both educators and students develop through the discomfort with uncertainty-a prevalent theme in complex problem-solving. Forms of summative assessment pose an added challenge for both groups as they negotiate organizational structures. Lastly, discipline-specific expectations and ways of valuing knowledge contribute to uncertainty through the interactions among groups.
Published in: IEEE Transactions on Education ( Volume: 62, Issue: 3, August 2019)
Funding Agency:
Engineering Education Department, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
Desen S. Ozkan received the B.S. degree in chemical and biological engineering from Tufts University. She is currently pursuing the Ph.D. degree in engineering education with Virginia Tech. Her research interest includes how faculty navigate institutional structures to design and implement interdisciplinary courses. She teaches the create! course and is a Co-Leader for an intercultural engineering course called the Rising...Show More
Desen S. Ozkan received the B.S. degree in chemical and biological engineering from Tufts University. She is currently pursuing the Ph.D. degree in engineering education with Virginia Tech. Her research interest includes how faculty navigate institutional structures to design and implement interdisciplinary courses. She teaches the create! course and is a Co-Leader for an intercultural engineering course called the Rising...View more
Engineering Education Department, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
Lisa D. McNair is a Professor of engineering education with Virginia Tech and the Director of the Center for Science, Engineering, Arts and Design Education with the Institute for Creativity, Arts and Technology. She develops integrative education projects that transverse perspectives within and beyond the university. Her currently funded projects include revolutionizing the VT ECE Department, identifying practices in int...Show More
Lisa D. McNair is a Professor of engineering education with Virginia Tech and the Director of the Center for Science, Engineering, Arts and Design Education with the Institute for Creativity, Arts and Technology. She develops integrative education projects that transverse perspectives within and beyond the university. Her currently funded projects include revolutionizing the VT ECE Department, identifying practices in int...View more
Engineering Education Department, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
Diana Bairaktarova is an Assistant Professor with the Department of Engineering Education, an Affiliate Faculty with the Department of Mechanical Engineering, and a Faculty Member with the Human-Centered Design Program, Virginia Tech. Her abilities, creativity, and ethics in Design Laboratory is dedicated to Engineering Education Research and the Engineering Learner. Through real-world engineering applications, her experi...Show More
Diana Bairaktarova is an Assistant Professor with the Department of Engineering Education, an Affiliate Faculty with the Department of Mechanical Engineering, and a Faculty Member with the Human-Centered Design Program, Virginia Tech. Her abilities, creativity, and ethics in Design Laboratory is dedicated to Engineering Education Research and the Engineering Learner. Through real-world engineering applications, her experi...View more
Engineering Education Department, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
Desen S. Ozkan received the B.S. degree in chemical and biological engineering from Tufts University. She is currently pursuing the Ph.D. degree in engineering education with Virginia Tech. Her research interest includes how faculty navigate institutional structures to design and implement interdisciplinary courses. She teaches the create! course and is a Co-Leader for an intercultural engineering course called the Rising Sophomores Abroad Program.
Desen S. Ozkan received the B.S. degree in chemical and biological engineering from Tufts University. She is currently pursuing the Ph.D. degree in engineering education with Virginia Tech. Her research interest includes how faculty navigate institutional structures to design and implement interdisciplinary courses. She teaches the create! course and is a Co-Leader for an intercultural engineering course called the Rising Sophomores Abroad Program.View more
Engineering Education Department, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
Lisa D. McNair is a Professor of engineering education with Virginia Tech and the Director of the Center for Science, Engineering, Arts and Design Education with the Institute for Creativity, Arts and Technology. She develops integrative education projects that transverse perspectives within and beyond the university. Her currently funded projects include revolutionizing the VT ECE Department, identifying practices in intentionally inclusive maker spaces, and exploring professional identity development in civil engineering students with disabilities.
Lisa D. McNair is a Professor of engineering education with Virginia Tech and the Director of the Center for Science, Engineering, Arts and Design Education with the Institute for Creativity, Arts and Technology. She develops integrative education projects that transverse perspectives within and beyond the university. Her currently funded projects include revolutionizing the VT ECE Department, identifying practices in intentionally inclusive maker spaces, and exploring professional identity development in civil engineering students with disabilities.View more
Engineering Education Department, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
Diana Bairaktarova is an Assistant Professor with the Department of Engineering Education, an Affiliate Faculty with the Department of Mechanical Engineering, and a Faculty Member with the Human-Centered Design Program, Virginia Tech. Her abilities, creativity, and ethics in Design Laboratory is dedicated to Engineering Education Research and the Engineering Learner. Through real-world engineering applications, her experiential learning research spans from engineering to psychology to learning sciences, as she uncovers how individual performance is influenced by aptitudes and abilities, and personal interests and direct manipulation of physical and virtual objects.
Diana Bairaktarova is an Assistant Professor with the Department of Engineering Education, an Affiliate Faculty with the Department of Mechanical Engineering, and a Faculty Member with the Human-Centered Design Program, Virginia Tech. Her abilities, creativity, and ethics in Design Laboratory is dedicated to Engineering Education Research and the Engineering Learner. Through real-world engineering applications, her experiential learning research spans from engineering to psychology to learning sciences, as she uncovers how individual performance is influenced by aptitudes and abilities, and personal interests and direct manipulation of physical and virtual objects.View more