Project Team
- Ian Foulds, Assistant Professor, School of Engineering (Lead Applicant)
- Jannik Eikenaar, Assistant Professor of Teaching, School of Engineering, Faculty of Applied Science
- Amy Perreault, Strategist, Indigenous Initiatives, Centre for Teaching, Learning & Technology, UBC Vancouver
- Kerry Black, Assistant Professor, School of Engineering, Faculty of Applied Science
- Kasun Hewage, Professor, School of Engineering, Faculty of Applied Science
- Lukas Bichler, Associate Professor, School of Engineering, Faculty of Applied Science
- Ayman Elnaggar, Assistant Professor of Teaching, School of Engineering, Faculty of Applied Science
- Ernest Goh, Instructor, School of Engineering, Faculty of Applied Science
Themes
- Indigenizing Curriculum
- Professional Skills and Competencies
- Program Development and Transformation
Year
2018
About the Project
Our project responds to The Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s call for educators to “build student capacity for intercultural understanding, empathy and mutual respect” (Calls to Action, clause 63), specifically with regard to Aboriginal contexts and communities, by developing instructional modules based on case studies. As researchers have shown, case studies have many benefits: shifting emphasis to student-centred learning (Grant, 1997), exposing students to real-world issues (Raju and Sankar, 1999), and increasing student interest and motivation (Mustoe and Croft, 1999). Further, Davis and Wilcock (2005) find that case studies in Engineering classes can bridge theory and practice, and provide opportunities for active learning and development of lifelong learning skills. These findings suggest that case studies are an excellent vehicle for delivering Aboriginal-based content in the Engineering curriculum.
Ahn et al. (2014), however, note that the successful use of case studies in Engineering classes is dependent on faculty members’ ability to manage instruction of the studies and to connect the content to other course material. Further, Vivas and Allada (2006) identify a “major drawback” (p. 237) of using case studies: lack of connection between the studies themselves. The applicants will address these concerns by ensuring that the instructional modules are thematically similar (and thus connected) and by developing a training program for faculty members so that best practices are followed in using the case studies. It is worth noting that many faculty members in SoE already use case studies and will be familiar with the instructional model.