To Teach is to Learn: Student and Instructor Perspectives on Assignment Development as a Springboard to Deep Learning

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To Teach is to Learn: Student and Instructor Perspectives on Assignment Development as a Springboard to Deep Learning

M. Jamieson, L. Goettler, A. Liu, J. Shaw (2017).  To Teach is to Learn: Student and Instructor Perspectives on Assignment Development as a Springboard to Deep Learning. 13.
2017 13th International CDIO Conference, University of Calgary, Canada
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Of the three levels of learning – surface, strategic, and deep (Bain, 2004) – the traditional lecture style combined with large class sizes often found in engineering and science programs tends to encourage surface learning. Students may not progress to, or past strategic learning since motivation to understand a concept beyond attaining the desired grade can be limited in lecture format courses. The Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB) Graduate Attribute performance criteria for engineering programs go beyond memorization and the ability to demonstrate comprehension. The graduate attributes require deep learning with the demonstration of synthesis and evaluation of concepts. Graduates should be able to create and evaluate innovative solutions for a sustainable world. During an eight-month co-op work term, two of the authors were employed to develop instructional materials for an introductory chemical engineering design course. Our goals were to develop design lab assignments to support deep learning; target Bloom’s higher level cognitive and affective domain skills; support contextual knowledge experience, and achieve progress in all areas of the CEAB graduate attributes. Through this work experience, the co-op students gained a deeper level of understanding of the materials than achieved after completion of the course for credit in the previous term. This paper explores their experience; the instructor experience; the structure of their work; and the method of assignment design, development, and testing. Engineering instructors can encourage and abet deep learning of materials in their courses by incorporating opportunities for peer-to-peer teaching, peer editing interactions, and relevant assignment development experiences. Illustrative design course examples are presented and discussed.

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Proceedings of the 13th International CDIO Conference in Calgary, Canada, June 18-22 2017

Authors (New): 
Marnie V. Jamieson
Leah Goettler
Albert Liu
John M. Shaw
Pages: 
13
Affiliations: 
University of Alberta, Canada
Keywords: 
Peer Teaching
Deep Learning
Design
Integrated Learning
Active learning
collaborative learning
faculty development
Action Research
CDIO Standard 1
CDIO Standard 2
CDIO Standard 3
CDIO Standard 5
CDIO Standard 7
CDIO Standard 8
CDIO Standard 9
CDIO Standard 10
CDIO Standard 11
Year: 
2017
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on August 11, 2017 - 07:24   MAndersson
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