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Improving Transportation Engineering Education By Applying The Inverted Classroom Concept

The Transportation Research Board (2009) identified the shortage of investment in human and intellectual capital as one of top nine critical issues in transportation. Women and minorities are underrepresented in the Transportation Engineering national workforce and Civil Engineering graduates are composed of less than 15 percent females and less than 10 percent minority students (Ivey et al., 2012). It has been suggested to promote careers in Transportation Engineering to students in K-12 grades to increase the attraction of future professionals (Martin, 2001). At the college level, it is necessary to attract Civil Engineering students to follow a potential career in the field of Transportation. One alternative is to improve the learning environment in order to address students’ needs by modifying the transportation related courses in the Civil Engineering curriculum.

Students learn in different ways, just as instructors have different teaching techniques. A mismatch between students learning preferences (or styles) and instructors’ teaching style may result in poor students performance, as indicated by low grades and lack of interest. The concept of the Inverted Classroom, as opposed to a traditional course, has already been implemented in courses in the General Engineering Department in order to improve the learning environment in the classroom. The proposed study, Improving Transportation Engineering Education by Applying the Inverted Classroom Concept, aims to gain knowledge on the influence of students’ learning styles, instructors’ teaching style, and learning environment on students’ performance in three Transportation Engineering courses at the undergraduate level. The results of the study will be helpful in identifying the course modifications that are required to improve the learning process and therefore increases students’ interest in Transportation Engineering.

Project Details

Project Type: 
UTRC Research Initiative
Project Dates: 
October 1, 2012 to March 31, 2014
Principal Investigators: 
Dr. Ivette Cruzado Vélez
Dr. Alberto M. Figueroa Medina
Dr. Christopher M. Papadopoulos
Institution: 
University of Puerto Rico - Mayagüez
Sponsor(s): 
Research and Innovative Technology Administration / USDOT (RITA)
Project Status: 
Active
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