scholarly journals Project-Based Service-Learning and Student Motivation

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauren A. Cooper ◽  
Daria Kotys-Schwartz ◽  
Derek T. Reamon
Keyword(s):  
Service Learning ◽  
Student Motivation ◽  
Project Based Learning ◽  
First Year ◽  
Motivation Theory ◽  
University Of Colorado ◽  
Service Project ◽  
Component Design ◽  
The University ◽  
Learning Interest

We know from motivation theory that enhanced motivation in students is positively correlated with engagement and active learning, interest, and value. We know less about the types of instructional strategies and curricular interventions that work to enhance student motivation in a typical engineering course. Grounded in motivation theory, the purpose of this research is to evaluate how the context of project-based service-learning affects aspects of student motivation in a required undergraduate Mechanical Engineering course. Our research aims to answer: 1) How does project-based service learning affect students’ motivation as compared to conventional (non-service) project-based learning? 2) How are women affected differentially by project-based service-learning? The research, which began in 2010, is being completed over a two-year period. The students and activities in Component Design, an existing junior-level course at the University of Colorado at Boulder, will serve as the research focus. Specifically, project-based service-learning curriculum will be implemented into a required design and build activity for Component Design students. Using a conventional design project as the control, how the context of project-based service learning affects aspects of student motivation will be studied. This paper will discuss the research design, theoretical framework, and the results from our first year of research. Our objective is to provide a more thorough understanding of the effects of service-learning on engineering education. Although service-learning may not be appropriate for every engineering course, we can strive to identify and implement specific elements of service-learning that are correlated with student motivation.

Using Random Forests to Identify Factors of Student Motivation in a Project-Based Learning Course

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauren Cooper ◽  
Daria Kotys-Schwartz ◽  
Derek Reamon
Keyword(s):  
Random Forest ◽  
Service Learning ◽  
Student Motivation ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Project Based Learning ◽  
Research Focus ◽  
University Of Colorado ◽  
Service Project ◽  
Component Design ◽  
The University

Grounded in motivation theory, the purpose of this research is to use random forest analysis to identify factors of motivation of students who participate in a project-based learning experience. Our research aims to answer: 1) How does project-based service learning affect students’ motivation as compared to conventional (non-service) project-based learning? 2) How are women affected differentially by project-based service-learning? The research, which began in 2011, was completed over a two-year period. The students and activities in Component Design, an existing junior-level course at the University of Colorado at Boulder served as the research focus. Specifically, project-based service-learning curriculum was implemented into a required design and build activity for Component Design students. Using a conventional design project as the control, how the context of project-based service learning affects aspects of student motivation was studied. This paper discusses the research design, theoretical framework, data analysis methods, and random forest results. Our findings indicate that students’ initial non-technical skills were the most important predictor of motivation in the conventional project-based learning experience and that students’ perceived value of the course and the project were the most important predictors of motivation in the project-based service-learning experience.

scholarly journals Self-efficacy in first-year university students: a descriptive study

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paula Alvarez-Huerta ◽  
Iñaki Larrea ◽  
Alexander Muela ◽  
José Ramón Vitoria
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
Student Motivation ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Future Research ◽  
First Year ◽  
Professional Career ◽  
And Gender ◽  
The University ◽  
First Year University ◽  
Motivation And Learning

The study and analysis of the self-efficacy beliefs of students has become an important line of educational research. The purpose of this study, conducted at the University of Mondragon (Spain), is to explore the different perceptions concerning the creative and entrepreneurial self-efficacy of students on their entrance to university. Results revealed clear patterns with regards to discipline and gender. Students commencing their degrees in social sciences show lower creative and entrepreneurial self-efficacy perceptions than their peers in other disciplines. Women show lower scores than men across different disciplines with the exception of women commencing engineering studies. Self-efficacy has been related to student motivation and learning and has been found influential in the choice of the professional career. The high significance of this construct in education makes the results of this study have clear implications for the development of learning environments that address the differences found between gender and disciplines. Directions for future research are also indicated.

scholarly journals Understanding the University and Faculty Investment in Implementing High-Impact Educational Practices

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 118-135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allison White
Keyword(s):  
Service Learning ◽  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
High Impact ◽  
First Year ◽  
Educational Practices ◽  
High Impact Practices ◽  
Completion Agenda ◽  
Cumulative Learning ◽  
The University

A variety of assessment options utilizing high-impact educational practices have emerged to assist faculty in higher education with college student learning outcomes. High-impact practices are defined as teaching and learning designs which have been demonstrated to increase student engagement and persistence. Practices such as first-year seminars, tech-rich learning communities, collaborative projects, undergrad research, global/diversity learning, service learning, practicums, and internships are educational tools making it possible to assess the practices’ contribution to students’ cumulative learning. However, utilization of these practices is unsystematic due in part to the required investment of time, training, and money. This paper describes high-impact practices that support course and program level learning outcomes in conjunction with the investments for implementation. Exploration into why these types of practices are effective and which students have access to them emphasizes the need for this investment to meet accreditation standards and the mandates of our government’s “completion agenda” geared towards preparing America’s future workforce.

scholarly journals Service Learning in Human Service Classes

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 33-39
Author(s):  
Baomei Zhao
Keyword(s):  
Service Learning ◽  
Real World ◽  
Human Service ◽  
Ecological Model ◽  
The United States ◽  
Academic Disciplines ◽  
The Real ◽  
Service Project ◽  
Service Learning Projects ◽  
The University

Service Learning is a form of application learning that applies what the students learned in the classroom to the real world in the context of a community service project. In recent years, Service Learning has been included in many academic disciplines throughout the United States. Most often these service-learning activities need students to use more than what they learned in the classroom to apply critical thinking on the real world cases. This requires the faculty to work on establishing community relationships to develop service-learning projects for relevant courses, site deputies to work closely with the professor and students, and students’ passion to apply theory to practice. This paper used the Ecological Model and demonstrates Service Learning designs for four human service classes at The University of Akron to help students’ success.

scholarly journals Teaching practices that promote student learning: Five experiential approaches

2009 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott Donald Wurdinger ◽  
Jennifer Louise Bezon
Keyword(s):  
Service Learning ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Project Based Learning ◽  
Retention Rates ◽  
Teaching Approaches ◽  
Learning Problem ◽  
Innovative Teaching ◽  
University Level ◽  
Methods Of Learning ◽  
The University

University students are disengaged with learning. One reason is because educators continue to overuse the lecture format, which creates a situation where students engage in other tasks, such as sending text messages to their friends, instead to listening to the information being given by the instructor. If institutions and educators want to improve learning environments and increase retention rates, it is argued that they should consider embracing more active methods of learning that inspire and motivate students to learn. Five innovative teaching approaches discussed in this article include: project-based learning, problem based learning, service learning, place-based education, and active learning. Practical considerations are provided to help educators understand how to use and apply these approaches. It is contended that using these five innovative practices at the university level will help inspire and motivate students to learn, resulting in more exciting classrooms and a better-educated society.

Dealing With Student Profile Diversity in an Industrial Engineering and Management Program: PBL vs “Non-PBL”

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anabela C. Alves ◽  
Francisco Moreira ◽  
Celina P. Leão
Keyword(s):  
Management Program ◽  
Project Based Learning ◽  
Industrial Engineering ◽  
First Year ◽  
First Semester ◽  
Student Profile ◽  
The University ◽  
Transfer Mechanisms ◽  
Pbl Model ◽  
Distinct Approach

The Integrated Master in Industrial Engineering and Management (IEM) program has been implementing Project-Based Learning (PBL) for more than 15 years in the first year, first semester. The IEM program is currently attracting students from different programs, using transfer mechanisms, who normally already have passed some of the courses on their original program. Additionally, this program also attracts a number of students already working in some companies. These students are a bit older and their profile is also distinct from that of their fellow colleagues, which enter the university using a regular national ingress process. Thus, distinct situations are identified that demand a different learning approach. The teachers have come-up with one such distinct approach and called it “non-PBL”, since the PBL model is structured in a way that students must have a specific profile, namely, to be first-year IEM student and enrolled a similar set of curricular units. With this in mind, this paper presents these situations, and describes the solution found to address this diversity. The solution must promote similar competences on both PBL and “non-PBL” students. A heavier workload is imposed on the teachers, given that the number of “non-PBL” teams formed can be as much as the number of PBL teams. Nevertheless, the results demonstrate that the “non-PBL” students successfully conclude the first year and that they value the solution proposed, in spite of the difficulties raised with this process.

scholarly journals Teaching the Practical Skills

2011 ◽  
Vol 133 (12) ◽  
pp. 36-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Norman L. Fortenberry
Keyword(s):  
Time Management ◽  
Cultural Awareness ◽  
First Year Experience ◽  
First Year ◽  
Practical Skills ◽  
Management Skills ◽  
Engineering Technology ◽  
University Of Colorado ◽  
Creative Solutions ◽  
The University

This article explains why the next-generation engineers will need interpersonal and management skills to operate effectively. Engineers must communicate well enough—orally, electronically, and in writing—to sell clients, bosses, or a diverse group of teammates on an idea. They have to lead, make tough decisions, and frame questions in a way that fosters creative solutions to such global “grand challenges” as climate change. A strong moral compass, ethics, cultural awareness, and ability to apply engineering concepts across the disciplinary spectrum are important, too. Many engineering schools and engineering technology programs are revamping curricula to include team-based competitions and other opportunities for students to develop or hone their professional abilities. Some, including pioneers such as the University of Colorado, Boulder, have incorporated team-based design labs into the first-year experience. Teams are carefully assembled to assure a range of interests, social styles, and abilities, and students not only must incorporate several engineering disciplines into their final product, they learn time-management, budgeting, and interpersonal skills. Some projects have even attracted potential investors.

Tutoring Experiences in PBL of Industrial Engineering and Management Program: Teachers vs Students

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anabela C. Alves ◽  
Francisco Moreira ◽  
Celina P. Leão ◽  
Senhorinha Teixeira
Keyword(s):  
Normal Development ◽  
Management Program ◽  
Project Based Learning ◽  
Industrial Engineering ◽  
First Year ◽  
On Line ◽  
Project Objectives ◽  
Almost All ◽  
The University

Teamwork tutors are one of the characteristic elements of the Project-Based Learning (PBL) methodology. PBL is considered to be an active learning methodology that involves the students in their own learning, by promoting the development of a large interdisciplinary project. The project runs typically over one full semester, or longer, and it is supported by a number of Project Supporting Courses (PSC) that teach and also applies its own contents aligned with project objectives. A set of activities, tasks and milestones are planned for each team so that the project objectives are accrued, with the aid of a tutor that follows the normal development and reports on its progress. This paper discusses the role of the tutor from both sides: students’ and teachers’ tutors, and students in their first year of the Integrated Master in Industrial Engineering and Management program at the University of Minho. A total of thirteen tutors (four teachers and nine third year students) tutored six teams of students. Two on-line questionnaires were used to collect: 1) the perspectives of the tutored students with a total of 38 questions; 2) the perspectives of the tutors with a total of 22 questions. It was interesting to note that almost all students that answered to the questionnaire enjoyed having an older student tutoring them. The students’ tutors also enjoyed and they all had a good tutorship experience, being a special opportunity to help the first year colleagues.

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