[论文解读] Cultivating the Next Generation: Outcomes from a Learning Assistant Program in Engineering

Ying Cao, Christina Smith+2 more|arXiv (Cornell University)|Jul 12, 2018

Innovative Teaching Methods被引用 9

一句话总结

本研究评估了俄勒冈州立大学工程学院对学习助理（LA）项目的改编版本，该项目采用基于工作坊的教学法培训，而非正式课程。一项为期一学期的50名LA的数据表明，该项目显著提升了学生反馈与参与度，同时LA们报告在内容掌握、沟通能力、团队合作及职业准备方面获得显著提升——证明其在工程职业中的高度可迁移性。

ABSTRACT

The LA Program at Oregon State University began in 2014 in one department as an effort to provide support for the implementation of active learning in large enrollment Biology courses. Since its start, the program has spread to include courses in five out of seven departments in the College of Science and four out of six departments in the College of Engineering. At OSU, we identified specific course logistics and educational goals in the College of Engineering and developed an adapted engineering LA Program, which has a different recruiting procedure and pedagogy professional development using a workshop model rather than requiring a pedagogy course. In this paper, we study characteristics and rationale of the adapted Engineering LA Program and assessments of the desired learning outcomes from this program. We collected survey data and qualitative data from a cohort of 50 engineering LAs through an academic term, including program development documentation, observation notes of 26 teaching sessions, weekly meetings, and training sessions, 15 in person interviews with LAs and instructors, 52 responses of LA online weekly reflections, and 13 responses of LA online surveys. Preliminary analysis shows that with LAs, the LA supported classes were better staffed and students received more immediate and strategic feedback. LAs recognize that the experience helped them solidify content knowledge, understand other perspectives, improve public speaking, better communicate with people, develop teamwork skills, and learn to deal with complex social situations. LAs also recognize how these skills transfer into professional engineering practice. Implications for engineering educators are discussed.

研究动机与目标

• 为俄勒冈州立大学工程教育量身定制并实施学习助理（LA）项目。
• 通过LA增强教学支持，应对大班工程课程的挑战。
• 评估LA项目对学生学习成果及LA职业发展的影响力。
• 评估基于工作坊的教学法培训模式相较于传统教学法课程在工程教育情境下的有效性。

提出的方法

• 该项目在四个工程系实施，LA根据学术表现和领导潜力选拔。
• 教学法培训通过结构化工作坊模式提供，而非正式课程，重点聚焦于主动学习与教学策略。
• 数据通过每周LA反思（52份回应）、在线调查（13份回应）、对15名LA和教师的面对面访谈，以及26次授课观察记录收集。
• 对项目发展文档和每周LA会议记录进行分析，以评估项目实施与演变过程。
• 对质性数据进行主题分析，识别LA经历、技能发展及感知学习成果的模式。
• 利用定量调查与反思数据，评估LA自我效能感、沟通及团队合作技能的变化。

实验结果

研究问题

• RQ1 工程领域改编后的学习助理项目在多大程度上提升了大班课程的教学支持与学生参与度？
• RQ2 工程LA通过参与该项目发展了哪些具体技能？他们如何感知自身的专业成长？
• RQ3 LA在多大程度上表示其项目经历增强了对工程内容与教学策略的理解？
• RQ4 基于工作坊的培训模式相较于传统教学法课程，在多大程度上更有效地为LA在工程教育中的教学角色做好准备？
• RQ5 LA在多大程度上认为其LA经历对其未来工程职业具有可迁移性？

主要发现

• LA的参与使班级师资更充足，使学生能在授课过程中获得更及时、更具策略性的反馈。
• LA报告在内容知识方面取得显著提升，尤其通过教学与同伴讲解过程。
• 通过与同伴及教师的定期互动，LA发展出更强的沟通与公开演讲能力。
• LA识别出团队合作与冲突解决能力的提升，特别是在管理协作学习环境中多样化的学生观点时。
• LA认为其经历直接为其未来工程职业角色做好准备，尤其体现在领导力、协作与人际沟通方面。
• 基于工作坊的培训模式有效提升了教学法自信与教学准备度，且无需修读正式教学法课程。