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Engineering Teaching | Community



Remote Learning

In Spring 2020, an overwhelming majority of higher education institutions in the U.S. and around the world moved away from in-person instruction to remote learning in order to protect students, faculty, and staff from the novel coronavirus. Remote learning focused on delivering the traditional in-person educational experience virtually through on-line video conferencing and collaboration tools as well as a shift in pedagogy to navigate a new paradigm for teaching. Remote learning and on-line course delivery are different with the former endeavoring to provide access to faculty, teaching assistants, laboratories, and instructional support at a comparable level to in-person, classroom-based learning. In engineering, the challenges to converting laboratories to remote learning alone are monumental, let alone designing problem-based tests and other assessments that accurately assess student learning while maintaining standards for academic honesty.

In the College of Engineering at the University of Washington, we surveyed over 600 students in sophomore and junior level engineering classes and asked them two short answer questions related to faculty and TA support. Student responses were deductively coded according to categories of response, then inductively coded to group responses within each category. Results are summarized below with detailed results available by selecting "More Information." Students provided ample guidance on how both faculty and TAs can improve the remote learning experience.

Most Popular Responses from Students by Category

What one action can your professors at UW take to best support you in your classes when they are delivered remotely?What one action can your TAs at UW take to best support you in your classes when they are delivered remotely?
OverallIncrease Availability via additional office hours, review sessions, and one-on-one appointments.Increase Availability by expanding office hours and remaining available after scheduled lab sections and recitations.
In-ClassChange Format with a preference toward structure similar to in-person learning. Ask and Facilitate Questions during lab sessions, office hours, and recitations.
Out-of-ClassProvide Video RecordingsProvide Extra Lab Support
Noteworthy Express Care and UnderstandingPrepare more for Class Sessions
More InformationClick HereClick Here



Teaching and Learning in Engineering Design

Our Engineering Design suite is divided into two sets of materials: one focused on the basic engineering design cycle and the other on additional, real world considerations associated with engineering design.

The Engineering Design suite can be navigated by selecting one of the following two introductions:

You can also select a module of interest from the list below:

Basic Engineering Design:

Real World Considerations: