https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8689-1921
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ABSTRACT
As innovations in instructional methods and educational technology become more prevalent, it becomes increasingly important to understand how research-based learning resources are utilised by students in their education. This qualitative study examines the motivators and barriers impacting students’ choices to engage with their class-provided learning resources. Students from two semesters of a core, undergraduate Dynamics course were interviewed regarding their study habits, use of resources, and perceptions of the course environment. Our results centre on availability and relevance: students were motivated to find immediately available, effective resources, and often encountered barriers due to scheduling concerns and doubts regarding the information their resources provided. Our findings expand on previous literature examining students’ help seeking choices, giving insight into students’ individual needs and concerns within a Blended Learning context. The implications of these findings are discussed, including concrete changes to the existing Dynamics course and insights regarding opportunities for future inquiry.
Acknowledgements
We gratefully acknowledge the support of our fellow Freeform team members, as well as the administration, faculty, and staff at Purdue University who have assisted us in this work. We would also like to acknowledge the work of the Purdue University Institutional Review Board (IRB), who provided oversight of this study.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Notes on contributors
David Evenhouse is a dual-degree Graduate Student and Research Assistant in the Purdue University School of Engineering Education and the School of Mechanical Engineering. He graduated from Calvin College in 2015 with a B.S.E. concentrating in Mechanical Engineering. He has both led and enrolled in study abroad experiences in Spain, taking classes at the Universidad de Oviedo and the Escuela Politécnica de Ingeniería de Gijón. His current research investigates the implementation and effects of select emergent pedagogies related to student and instructor performance and experience in undergraduate education. Other interests include engineering ethics, engineering philosophy, and the intersecting concerns of engineering industry and higher academia.
Rohit Kandakatla completed his Ph.D. in Engineering Education from Purdue University, USA and is currently the Director for Strategy, Operations, and Human Resource Development at KG Reddy College of Engineering and Technology. He also has an adjunct faculty appointment with the Centre for Engineering Education Research at KLE Technological University. He completed his Bachelor of Engineering in Electronics and Communication from Manipal Institute of Technology and Masters in Embedded Systems from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Hyderabad. His research interests include education policy, faculty development, understanding organisational development in higher education, and integration of technology and entrepreneurship in engineering education.
Edward Berger is an Associate Professor of Engineering Education and Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University, joining Purdue in August 2014. He has been teaching mechanics for nearly 20 years and has worked extensively on the integration and assessment of specific technology interventions in mechanics classes. He was one of the co-leaders in 2013–2014 of the ASEE Virtual Community of Practice (VCP) for mechanics educators across the country. His current research focuses on student problem-solving processes and use of worked examples, change models and evidence-based teaching practices in engineering curricula, and the role of non-cognitive and affective factors in student academic outcomes and overall success.
Jeffrey F. Rhoads is a Professor in the School of Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University and is affiliated with both the Birck Nanotechnology Center and Ray W. Herrick Laboratories at the same institution. He also serves as the Associate Director of PERC: The Purdue Energetics Research Center and the Director of Practice for MEERCat Purdue: The Mechanical Engineering Education Research Center at Purdue University. Dr. Rhoads received his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees, each in mechanical engineering, from Michigan State University in 2002, 2004, and 2007, respectively. Dr. Rhoads’ current research interests include the predictive design, analysis, and implementation of resonant micro/nanoelectromechanical systems (MEMS/NEMS) for use in chemical and biological sensing, electromechanical signal processing, and computing; the thermomechanics of energetic materials (including explosives, pyrotechnics, and propellants); additive manufacturing; and mechanics education. Dr. Rhoads is a Member of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) and a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), where he serves on the Design Engineering Division’s Technical Committee on Vibration and Sound.
Jennifer DeBoer is currently an Assistant Professor of Engineering Education and Mechanical Engineering (by courtesy) at Purdue University. She completed her SB degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Foreign Languages, as well as her postdoctoral research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She received her PhD in International Education Policy from Vanderbilt University. Her research focuses on international education systems, individual and social development, technology use and STEM learning, and educational environments for diverse and marginalised learners. She serves as associate editor for the IEEE Transactions on Education. During her first year as assistant professor, she received the NSF’s prestigious Early CAREER Award, and in 2017, she received the American Society for Engineering Education Mara Wasburn Early Engineering Educator Award. She is currently Director of Research for MEERCat Purdue: https://www.purdue.edu/meercat/.