From Chalk to Electrons - Blended Engineering Education

Performance counts!"In many ways this may be the only way to change the world.This paper chronicles one instructor's journey from chalk-mediated, in-classroom andragogy to electronic-mediated, learning-time andragogy in an introductory course in management.The student population is 3:1 engineers to managers.Blending technology with purposefully mediated course design and multiple teaching methods, a diverse student population, year on year, demonstrates improvement of mastery of knowledge-skill relationships coupled with professional attitude development.Using 1) student exemplars, 2) anecdotal comments and 3) a standardized course evaluation instrument, IDEA from Kansas State University, a record of course design, teaching methods, and student performances is depicted.A chronology of interaction amongst student, instructor, and course developer underpins the discussion.Engineers and managers, scientists and artists, architects as well, engage in their initial undergraduate foray into management through [Name of Institution-Name of School]'s Introduction to Management, MGMT-1100.This course is designated as one half of the Institute's communication requirement, and, as such, awards performance."The course, by design, makes you "think" by exposing you to management and business situations, calling upon you to decide "what to do."This requires both individual and team performance criteria promoting a participative and active learning environment.The four broad areas of evaluation are (1) class participation and attendance, (2) case write-ups and presentations, (3) final executive presentation and (4) special assignments 1 ."This paper outlines a nearly eleven-year chronology of the student's improved performance as I, the instructor, journeyed into the blended learning processes.