Faculty Reflections and Adaptations in a First-Year Block Model

The paper highlights the experiences of faculty members in the transition to a block model in engineering education, where courses are taught sequentially in short blocks, blending in-person and online instruction. The block model pilot at a suburban Toronto campus aimed to improve student outcomes, alleviate student stress from heavy workloads and commuting. Kolb’s cycle of experiential education was used as a framework for understanding faculty experiences. Faculty members adapted their teaching methods for condensed learning sessions, supported by development workshops and ongoing pedagogical counseling. Faculty members identified challenges and successes in redesigning courses, emphasizing the importance of faculty development and student-centered programming. It contributes to the scholarship of teaching and learning by documenting the faculty perspective on block model implementation, informing best practices for engineering educators. The findings highlight the potential of the block model to foster active learning communities and suggest areas for future refinement.