NSF REU entrepreneurially minded applied energy program evaluation: traditional delivery versus alternative delivery (implemented during COVID-19)

Purpose: The National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) programs are traditionally delivered in-person and full-time (40 h per week) for 10 weeks during the summer. However, this type of format has the potential to limit broader student participation. This study aims to compare learning assessment data between a traditional NSF REU (10 weeks of summer, full-time, in-person) to an alternative NSF REU delivered virtually, part-time and over 10 months as a result of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Design/methodology/approach: A retrospective pre-then-post survey was completed to assess perceived learning gains for each REU program. Three learning gains categories were assessed: entrepreneurial competencies, career goals and research skill development. T-tests were used to evaluate a difference in means between pre and post. Findings: Findings show the greatest quantity of learning gains within the alternative program delivery. Moreover, a larger quantity of learning gains was perceived within the first semester of the alternative program delivery compared to the second semester. Practical implications: The authors propose the NSF should be intentional about trying new approaches to REU programs delivery, including duration and format, as a way to broaden participation in engineering. Originality/value: This study is original in that it is the first of its kind to assess an alternative REU program delivery (allowed only because of the COVID-19 pandemic) in comparison to traditional REU program delivery. © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Entrepreneurially-Minded Program Assessment During Emergency Situations: Using Photovoice to Understand Customer (Engineering Student) Needs

CONTEXT: Innovation, design, and entrepreneurship are economic drivers promoting competition and growth throughout the world, many of which would not exist without well-established continuous improvement and new product development processes. Continuous improvement and new product development processes, such as the lean start-up methodology and design thinking, are well known and thriving in the business world due to the vast amount of empirically-grounded research. Unfortunately, educational institutions and researchers, alike, are lagging when it comes to these processes. Although the quantity of new and transformative degree offerings has increased substantially over the past several decades, limited research has been conducted to document key procedures associated with continuous improvement and the creation of new programs. This problem is only exacerbated when considering the role of innovation during emergency situations. PURPOSE OR GOAL: The purpose of this study is to show one approach (using photovoice) to understand how student voices can be incorporated into the continuous improvement and new program development process, specifically during emergency situations. In contrast to traditional passive data collection methods, such as a survey or focus groups, photovoice is an active data collection method where students engage in the information sharing and interpretation process at a deeper level. Using photovoice, researchers and practitioners, alike, can gain greater insights into the who, what, and how of educational effectiveness. The guiding research question is as follows: What are the factors which can influence the discovery, evaluation, and exploitation of continuous improvement and new program development during emergency situations? APPROACH OR METHODOLOGY/METHODS: This approach uses participatory research, wherein students act as researchers and actively participate in the data collection and analysis process. Under the umbrella of participatory research, the study uses photovoice for collecting qualitative data. The study was implemented in a software engineering course at a university located in the United Kingdom. Students responded to the photovoice prompts by supplying both picture and narrative. The prompts target student perceptions (positive and negative) with respect to blended learning perceptions, technology integration, and career preparedness. The qualitative data was analyzed for themes using NVivo. ACTUAL OR ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES: Analysis of the qualitative data led the researchers to identify three core themes related to the blended learning approach implemented as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic: (1) Institution - macro level, (2) Instruction - mezzo level, and (3) Student - micro level. CONCLUSIONS: The study concludes with recommendations for various higher education benefactors of the user generated data including administration, faculty, marketing, recruitment, advisors, and the students, themselves. It is intended for the overall recommendations to have a direct impact on improving the student experience. Copyright © Lisa Bosman, Usman Naeem, Eranjan Padumadasa, 2021.

Responsive Educational Transformations During Emergency Situations: Collaborative Autoethnography Applied to the Engineering Classroom

In general, higher education has been slow to innovate in comparison to industry and many for-profit organizations. This is primarily because non-profit higher education institutions are highly regulated, extremely bureaucratic, and do not always act strategically concerning finances (given the non-profit status). However, COVID-19 has forced engineering educators to innovate and transform the learning experience within a short time period;yet, because COVID-19 is a recent phenomenon, there is limited literature highlighting best teaching practices for a variety of teaching formats such as HyFlex Learning, Virtual Synchronous Learning, and Blended Learning. The purpose of this study is to offer readers a collaborative autoethnographic approach summarizing the researchers' experience teaching engineering coursework in each of these learning environments. Autoethnography employs self-reflection to recognize, explore, and appreciate personal experiences and anecdotal evidence and allow for a deeper understanding across individual perspectives to contribute to a wider explanation of a phenomenon. The data was collected from three different professors at three different universities: (1) Public R1 University (Predominately White) in the Midwest United States (HyFlex Learning);(2) Hispanic Serving Institution in the Southwest United States - (Virtual Synchronous Learning);and (3) a Russell Group University in the United Kingdom - (Blended Learning). The data collection applied a structured approach, where each professor reflected upon and documented their experiences teaching during COVID-19 while considering: (1) background and context, (2) teaching and learning changes implemented, and (3) lessons learned. The study concludes with a table of best teaching practices and recommendations for engineering educators.