Research and Practice Informing Curricular Change: Using Outcomes from Research Studies on Student and Faculty Motivation

Motivation is a term used frequently within undergraduate education and there is considerable research that focuses on understanding engineering student motivation in particular.  In this interactive seminar, we will consider ways to incorporate knowledge about student and faculty motivation into the design of courses and curricula.  First, we will explore seminar participants’ beliefs about undergraduate student motivation.  We will then discuss a sampling of findings from several of Dr. Matusovich’s research projects that examine engineering student motivation for learning and/or faculty motivation for teaching.  Finally, we will consider how to connect instructors’ experiences in the classroom with research-based findings on motivation to inform curricular change.

Holly Matusovich is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Engineering Education at Virginia Tech. She holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Cornell University, an M.S. in Materials Science from the University of Connecticut, and a Ph.D. in Engineering Education from Purdue University. Dr. Matusovich came to academia after nearly 12 years in industry as a Chemical Engineer and Material Scientist. She is a PI or Co-PI on 9 NSF-funded research studies focusing on the intersections of motivation, learning strategies, and conceptual understanding and has won the College of Engineering Dean's Award for Exemplary Teaching.

Refreshments will be served.

Hosted by the Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen and the Center for Teaching Excellence.