Final Paper pdf 449KB

Developing New Instructor Training and Mentorship To Enhance Mechanical Engineering Program

Often, new faculty begin their careers as educators with little to no experience in course instruction, accreditation, and policy requirements. University-wide orientations may not encompass the nuances in policy for colleges and departments, and (often optional) teaching workshops may be too general for effective engineering instruction. Thus, this mechanical engineering program is developing a structured mechanism by which to orient faculty with policy, accreditation requirements, and teaching guidelines, as well as to initiate a strong mentorship system for new faculty and assess teaching effectiveness. This is done through a departmental orientation session before the onset of the semester and by utilizing a network of senior faculty, all skilled instructors, to oversee courses and teaching assignments within a particular facet of the mechanical engineering curriculum. These committees ensure course consistency and teaching effectiveness. The mentorship structure as well as the oversight and assessment processes for teaching effectiveness are discussed forthwith.