Quantifying the Effects of Using Online Student Response Systems in an Engineering Ethics Course
Publication: Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education and Practice
Volume 142, Issue 2
Abstract
Most university students now have access to wireless devices (e.g., smartphones, tablets, or laptops). By using an online student response systems (OSRS), students can use those wireless devices to respond to questions and quizzes posted by the instructor. Those questions may have different styles such as multiple-choice, true/false, and open-ended questions. This paper assesses different effects of implementing OSRS on students’ engagement and performance when taking an engineering ethics course by comparing selected measures of effectiveness of an experimental group of students (where OSRS has been implemented) with those of a control group (where OSRS has not been implemented). It was found that implementing OSRS significantly increased students’ attendance rate and ability to function in a group. However, implementing OSRS in an engineering ethics course was found to have no significant effect on improving students’ performance or their level of achieving the course’s learning outcomes or performance indicators. It was also found that students tend to dedicate less time studying for an engineering ethics course than for other typical engineering courses.
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Information & Authors
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Published In
Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education and Practice
Volume 142 • Issue 2 • April 2016
Copyright
© 2015 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Dec 16, 2014
Accepted: Jul 6, 2015
Published online: Aug 17, 2015
Discussion open until: Jan 17, 2016
Published in print: Apr 1, 2016
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