PARTICIPATING INSTITUTIONS: University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF - main campus) University of Alaska Southeast (UAS - campus in Juneau)
PROJECT DESCRIPTION This project is expanding access to Electrical and Computer Engineering by transforming an introductory electrical engineering course into an interactive hybrid-teaching model, using a combination of face-to-face and online peer/teacher instruction. This course includes both inter-campus collaborative hands-on laboratory and team project experiences.
The project is addressing the needs of three very different populations of students: (i) the traditional engineering students attending the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) main campus; (ii) students enrolled in the pre-engineering program at the University of Alaska Southeast (UAS) campus in Juneau; and (iii) students attending an Alaska Native serving community campus in rural Alaska. The delivery of an exemplary, financially responsible, engineering education in each of these communities has unique challenges, including cost and availability of an instructor, cost and availability of laboratory facilities, diversity of students' prior knowledge and cultural experiences, and variety of students' learning styles.
The project has three goals: Goal 1: Deliver a hands-on electrical engineering lab course to place-bound pre-engineering and Alaska Native serving community campuses in Alaska synchronously with the identical course delivered face-to-face on the main engineering campus at UAF. Goal 2: Restructure the lab component of the class to require inter-campus collaboration between the students through data sharing and discussions in the hands-on laboratories and team projects. Goal 3: Develop expertise in Engineering Education through detailed assessment and evaluation of the engagement and learning of students, both those participating face-to-face and via distance.
The team is studying the effectiveness of inter-campus collaboration to improve both retention and academic achievement across three Alaska communities. This is the first hands-on engineering lab course delivered by distance in Alaska; therefore, it is transforming the way engineering education is delivered in the state.
BROADER SIGNIFICANCE The project is directly impacting the availability of engineering curriculum for the geographically dispersed student population in Alaska, especially the Alaska Native communities in rural Alaska. The project is creating a successful "blueprint" for development and assessment of distance-delivered laboratory-based courses, particularly for inter-campus collaborations. The effort is transforming the educational experience of the often-isolated, place-bound students in rural communities - through building their social capital and connecting them to a larger learning community. This inter-campus collaboration is generating a deeper discussion of variations and outliers in measurements and providing experiences that are more reflective of the global work environment.
