“What can be done, either through teaching styles or classroom dynamics, that would promote a healthy learning environment for students of various backgrounds?”
Active Learning
Retention
My goal is to support the retention of students in engineering, especially those with minimal to no exposure to the field prior to college. My approach to teaching engineering courses is to support students and develop their confidence in creating relevant connections between new course content and concepts in related subjects such as math and physics.
Every student has the right to learn if they are willing. Students pursue higher education because they have a passion for knowledge and they are eager to learn more about something they may have never encountered before. Those students who were afforded the opportunity to pursue higher education should be taught with the same passion that we, as instructors, want our students to have.
Personal Goals
It is also important for my students to have the ability to provide feedback to me on how they perceive their learning is going and be able to have a say on how we approach certain topics. While there is always a time in the classroom where learning is simply me delivering content to my students (usually when introducing a new topic), after the topics have been introduced, I allow my students the freedom to explore the topics on their own with my oversight, encourage them to ask as many questions as possible, and to discuss information with their peers to better develop their understanding. This method of teaching and exploration is my approach to empowering my students to take charge of their learning and education and be active participants and decision-makers in the entire process.
Student Testimonials
What did the instructor do that most helped in your learning?
– Students from ENGE 1215 Fall 2015