What can reflections from an innovation in engineering education workshop teach workshop designers and new faculty?

Abstract

This paper tracks and discusses the changes in written reflections of attendees at a week-long faculty development workshop on innovation in engineering education. Reflections largely dealt with the various motivations of workshop attendees and their perceptions of the workshop experience. While some concerns (e.g. time scarcity) remained constant throughout, the reflections also began displaying a greater sense of self- Authorship by the mid-point of the workshop. The changing motivations and perceptions of faculty workshop attendees have direct implications for how new faculty can be prepared for professional development activities; in particular, experiences as workshop "students" can help faculty develop empathy for the students they serve as teachers. Based on our data, we present several recommendations for both faculty development professionals and new faculty members, as well as literature relevant to developing reflective practices. This paper is part of a longitudinal study on engineering faculty workshop experiences intended to inform a user-centered design approach to faculty development initiatives. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2014.