Seven Traits of Highly Effective Engineering Educators

1
Seven Traits of Highly Effective Engineering
Educators

• June 23, 2003
• Autar K Kaw
• University of South Florida

2
Why Seven

• Seven Days of the Week
• Seven Sins LAGS PEG
• Seven Years of Highly Defective People

3
Synergy of Three Works

• Seven Principles for Good Practice in
  Undergraduate Education
• Seven Habits of Highly Effective People
• Emotional Intelligence

4
Trait 1 Efed is organized

• Notes
• Goals Expectations - Backwards
• Syllabus

5
Trait 2 Efed understands the importance of first
day of class

• Know your students
• Dispel myths

6
Trait 3 Efed uses teaching tools effectively

• PowerPoint
• Mathematical packages
• Simulations
• Eye-Contact
• Real-life problems

7
Trait 4 Efed is compassionate

• Trust your students
• Be a good example
• Listen

8
Trait 5 Efed gives rapid feedback

• Return HW and exams in the next class period no
  ifs or buts
• Take advantage of course software such as
  Blackboard

9
Trait 6 Efed asks questions

• Frame your questions
• Peer to peer short sessions
• How and why

10
Trait 7 Efed has high expectations

• High is not a relative term

11
Remarks

• Want to add to the list kaw_at_eng.usf.edu
• Effective teaching is not an art, it can be a
  learned habit!
• If you don't let a teacher know at what level you
  are - by asking a question, or revealing your
  ignorance - you will not learn or grow. You can't
  pretend for long, for you will eventually be
  found out. Admission of ignorance is often the
  first step in our education. - Steven Covey

12
A parting thought to take with you!

• The very first principle in
• Seven Principles For Good Practice In
  Undergraduate Teaching
• (Chickering and Gamson, 1987)
• is
• Good practice in undergraduate education
  encourages contact between students and faculty
  - Frequent student-faculty contact in and out of
  classes is the most important factor in student
  motivation and involvement.
• Astin (What matters in college? Four critical
  years revisited, 1993) found greater
  interaction with faculty may not have the same
  positive effect on engineering students simply
  because these interactions are less likely to be
  perceived as favorable!!!!!