Engineering online: Assessing innovative education

Journal of Engineering Education, Jul 2002 by Haag, Susan, Palais, Joseph C

ABSTRACT

This paper presents research on student performance outcomes, satisfaction, and retention rates in a fiber optics course at Arizona State University. Although the course typically has been taught by conventional methods for over 20 years, the instructor offered alternative delivery methods, such as the Web, during the Fall 2000 semester. This course was also unique in that it was comprised of diverse groups such as undergraduates and graduates and on- and off-campus students. Although online students were significantly more satisfied with the course, performance outcomes and retention rates were favorable overall. It is likely that course options and convenience aided in student outcomes and course retention.

I. INTRODUCTION

In June 1998, the Arizona Board of Regents approved the Tri-University Master of Engineering program. This program combines courses taken from Arizona State University (ASU), Northern Arizona University, and The University of Arizona. A major thrust of the program is the development, delivery, and assessment of online graduate engineering courses.

This case study examines processes and best practices in order to continually improve the online Masters of Engineering program during the formative years. The purpose of the study was to improve future online teaching by: 1) eliciting student attitudinal data; 2) assessing the extent to which students migrated to the Web delivery; 3) examining course grades and completion rates; and 4) investigating why students choose certain delivery modes over others. Prior anecdotal data regarding student preferences for convenient course delivery gave impetus to this research.

Recent widespread interest in online instruction has been well documented [1, 2]. Institutions have made significant attempts to implement Web-enhanced or Web-delivered courses. Although advocates of this movement support all aspects of distance education, engineering assessment and evaluation literature of program and course success is limited or inconclusive. It is crucial that we assess distance delivery, curricula, and retention, as well as learner performance outcomes, interaction, and satisfaction in order to continually improve the quality of online education.

II. THE CLASS SETUP

Since the inception of the Master of Engineering program, many courses have been developed and offered. This paper discusses the assessment of one of them, a course on fiber optics. The student population was comprised of upper-division undergraduates, graduates, and both on-campus and off- campus learners. Six of the off-campus learners were working full time and received ASU classes remotely via instructional television and over the Web. A courier service transmitted curricular materials and assessment instruments between the remote locations and ASU. Additionally, five full time industry employees were enrolled in this course through National Technological University (NTU). The off-campus students could choose between either video or Web delivery of all class materials.

Fiber optics is the focus of the online course described. The course has been traditionally taught since 1979; however, the instructor transformed it for online delivery for the Fall 2000 semester. As a result, alternative delivery modes to meet student needs were made available. The lectures were recorded the preceding summer in a university TV studio. The lectures were recorded simultaneously for video and online delivery. When students arrived on campus, they were given the following options to view course curriculum and materials: TV in the class room, check out videos from the campus video loan library, video live at a company site, or Web delivery.

The media used to deliver the Web-based course involved a combination of Blackboard and Tegrity WebLearner. Blackboard enables instructors to provide students with course materials and activities (i.e., announcements, assessment, assignments, course information, course documents, discussion board, external links, and the syllabus). The instructor provided guidance to students through the use of the "Announcements" feature in Blackboard. Students could link to the recorded lectures and laboratory directions, view the course schedule, and experiment with simulations and animations.

Homework assignments were handed in at scheduled times. Course exams were also administered at scheduled times. The on-campus students took exams together in a classroom and the distance-learning students took "proctored" exams at company sites. Online learners were required to keep up with all assigned work. The instructor's prior experience with asynchronous courses strongly indicated that students need structure in terms of assessment and assignments. Without a schedule, students lag behind.

III. METHODS AND DATA ANALYSIS

The objective of this study was to assess student perceptions regarding the course options, opportunity for interaction, and aspects of delivery and course content. This particular course was interesting for study as it had a large enrollment (making results more generally applicable), and it had been taught by conventional methods for over 20 years (so that comparisons with previous offerings could be made).