Engaging Students with Diverse Learning Styles in Large Geotechnical Engineering Classes

A teaching method for large geotechnical engineering classes that integrates a classroom communication system (CCS) and tablet PC (TPC) was developed to create a learning environment in which all student learning styles are engaged and the lecture is seamlessly controlled within a single platform. The teaching method described herein is based on the recognition of the importance of engaging all student learning styles to improve overall student comprehension. The integration of the CCS and TPC in the teaching method presented herein enables all student learners to be engaged while allowing the instructor to present digital information effectively. The teaching method was developed and offered in one large upper-division geotechnical soil mechanics class at UC Davis. The results of the method's implementation are presented in this paper.