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Integrating Catamount
Community ServiceLearning Projects within
Civil and Environmental
Engineering Programs at
the UVM
Hayden, N.J., M. Neumann, D.M. Rizzo,
M. Dewoolkar, A. Sadek
Civil and Environmental Engineering and Education at University of Vermont
Acknowledgements
• National Science
Foundation (Initial
planning grant and
recent
Implementation
grant)
• Local catamount
communities and
groups
• CUPS
Overall Reform Goal
• Implement an
educational framework
that shifts from
addressing problems in
isolation to one that
adopts a systems
approach.
• Integrated approach
incorporated not only to
problem solving but the
problem definition as
well.
Systems Thinking
Framework
• Considers relationships in problem definition/solution
• Curricular changes; 1st year Intro course, Geomatics, Water
and Wastewater, Senior capstone course, Prof/Design electives
• Sequence of three new systems courses (repackaged from Intro
to Environmental Engineering, Transportation, and
Engineering Economics and Analysis. New courses:
Environmental/Transportation Systems
Decision Analysis in the Environment and Transportation
Modeling Environmental and Transportation Systems
Catamount Communities
• Service-learning
projects integrated into
many courses starting
in the first year of our
programs.
• Building a long-term
relationship with
towns.
ServiceLearning
• Strategy and a
method for
incorporating
systems thinking
• Equal emphasis on
service to the
community or
community group
and learning
• Academic, civic
engagement, and
personal goals
• Critical Reflection
Service-Learning Training
• Faculty fellows
program
• Seminars and
workshops
• Reading and
discussing
• Just Do It!
Community
of Learners
Catamount Community Projects
Integrating programmatic themes
(Systems Analysis, IT, IBL) and P/I
skills in the curricula
• Systems approach and faculty teamwork
• Faculty training workshops (e.g. education, case
studies, teamwork, systems)
• Course content reform (e.g. CE 3, CE 10, new
Systems sequence co-taught by faculty, servicelearning)
• Inquiry-based learning (introducing in many
existing courses - helps meet ABET criterion)
• Laboratory reform (geotech, env, transportation)
• Undergraduate research experiences
Evaluation and Assessment
• Working with education colleagues at UVM, MSU and
consulting firm.
• Formative and summative components of both faculty
teaching and student learning and attitudes. Document the
project’s activities, identify successful components and
necessary modifications to develop strategies for
improvement (formative). Summative assessment
examines the project’s effectiveness in meeting its goals.
• Various quantitative and qualitative components related to
the project objectives and goals to measure the
effectiveness of the changes on student learning.