Research Projects
Assessing the Impact of Course Capturing Technology on Teaching and Learning
(Spring 2008-Ongoing) Working in conjunction with the Office of Technology for Education, we are conducting a 2-year study to examine the impact of a course capturing system on teaching and learning. While lecture capture technologies have become increasingly popular, there has been little systematic and comprehensive research on how these systems affect the teaching practices of faculty and the learning behaviors and outcomes of students, and on identifying the best approaches and contexts for use. The proposed research study is designed to answer these questions and help guide policy and practice regarding lecture capture technology. We will focus on large undergraduate courses, because: 1) these courses touch the broadest and largest sample of students, 2) they are often critical gateway courses designed to prepare students for their majors, 3) they historically receive the lowest learning and satisfaction ratings from students, and 4) they are difficult to teach. Thus, we see large lectures as providing fertile ground for exploring potential innovations and improvements.
Contact: Dr. Anne Fay or Dr. Marie Norman
Longitudinal Study of Student Experiences at Carnegie Mellon
(Fall 2002 – Ongoing) In this study, a team of six investigators is tracking the experiences of 55 Carnegie Mellon students from matriculation to graduation through a series of in-depth interviews conducted at the end of every semester.
This study will build on the quantitative data collected in previous surveys by providing a richer, contextualized understanding of student experiences, and will enable us to gain insight into areas where student satisfaction might be improved and attachment to the institution strengthened.
By using a longitudinal design, whereby we repeatedly interview the same cohort of students over the four years, we will be able to trace how student experiences evolve over time and identify the particular issues that confront students at different points in their undergraduate careers.
This rich source of data will be used to formulate recommendations for how we at Carnegie Mellon can provide more effective student support that appropriately targets the particular issues affecting students at different stages of their undergraduate life.
Contact: Dr. Marie Norman or Dr. Susan Ambrose
Helping Science Students Transition to College Learning
(Fall 2006 – ongoing) Students often have a difficult time transitioning from high school to their first semester in college. Their expectations about coursework and their strategies for learning are often mismatched to the requirements of college courses. In this project, we are studying student learning in four first-year MCS courses (Modern Biology, Modern Chemistry, Physics for Science Students, and Calculus) in order to better understand which students make a successful transition and what strategies or expectations are associated with that success. We are analyzing student learning data that are produced from students' regular course-related activities, and we are correlating these data with additional information on students' attitudes and strategies. The results of this project will increase our understanding of science students' initial academic trajectories and thereby inform the pedagogical practices of faculty who teach these students.
Contact: Dr. Marsha Lovett
Links Between Experience and Career Development at Carnegie Mellon
(Spring 2002 – Fall 2003) In this study, we have interviewed 123 past and current faculty members (both tenured and untenured) to better understand their experience at Carnegie Mellon, including what originally attracted them, sources of satisfaction and dissatisfaction, and reasons for voluntary turnover.
We employed in depth qualitative research to explore the complex and subtle processes that guided the decision-making of both those who stayed and those who left.
The results of the project have impacted both policy and practice on campus.
Contact: Dr. Susan Ambrose
Laptop Study
(Fall 2003) The use of laptop computers on university campuses is growing, and some colleges and universities are now requiring students to have laptops. However, little is known about how laptops affect the intellectual, emotional, motivational, and social lives of students and how their use affects the culture of the classroom.
In this study we are examining the impact of laptops in sophomore design classes. The study uses a control group design to investigate if and how the classroom culture, the process and quality of student work, and the social and emotional aspects of students’ lives are affected by the introduction of laptops in the classroom.
Multiple measures, including classroom observations, student interviews and surveys, and student design processes and products, will be collected to provide a rich source of both qualitative and quantitative data.
The results of the study will speak to many disciplines in which iterative design or problem-based learning are major components (e.g. engineering, architecture, information systems, drama, mathematics, biology, etc) and help these departments/schools in deciding whether requiring laptops impacts education in a positive way. This study also has implications regarding the future role of computer clusters on campus and models of software licensing.
Contact: Dr. Anne Fay
Evaluation of Course Management Systems
(Fall 2004 – ongoing) Since its adoption, Blackboard usage has increased from 80 courses in the Fall 2000 to 675 courses in the Spring of 2004. The evaluation, using student and faculty focus groups and interviews, will focus on current uses and limitations of the Blackboard system, best practices, and features or functions that would further support best practices.
The data from this project will identify course management features and practices that support faculty teaching and student learning and will guide future evaluation and selection of course management systems for the university community.
Contact: Dr. Anne Fay
