Text Messaging as a Tool for Engaging Chemical Engineering Students

Authors

  • S. Patrick Walton Michigan State University
  • Daina Briedis Michigan State University
  • Stephen D. Lindeman Michigan State University
  • Amanda P. Malefyt Michigan State University
  • Jon Sticklen Michigan State University

Abstract

Maximizing student learning is first about engaging students. We investigated whether allowing students to use text messaging for course communication would enhance student instructor communication and concomitantly student engagement. We found that students did not prefer using text messaging for communicating with their instructor but that the availability of text messaging may have encouraged engagement via other methods such as email and face-to- face contact.

Author Biographies

S. Patrick Walton, Michigan State University

S. Patrick Walton is an associate professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science at Michigan State University. He received his bachelor's and doctoral degrees at Georgia Tech and MIT, respectively. His research interests, in addition to education, are nucleic acid biotechnology and biomolecular engineering.

Daina Briedis, Michigan State University

Daina Briedis is a faculty member in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science at Michigan State University. She has been involved in several areas of education research including student retention, curriculum redesign, and the use of technology in the classroom. She is active nationally and internationally in engineering accreditation and is a Fellow of ABET and of AIChE.

Stephen D. Lindeman, Michigan State University

Stephen Lindeman is a junior at Michigan State University. He is majoring in chemical engineering with plans to pursue a concentration in biomedical engineering.

Amanda P. Malefyt, Michigan State University

Amanda P. Ma/efyt is currently a graduate student in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science and a member of the Future Academic Scholars in Teaching (FAST) Fellowship program at Michigan State University. She received her bachelor's degree from Trine (formerly Tri-State) University. Her research interests include engineering education and nucleic acid therapeutics.

Jon Sticklen, Michigan State University

Jon Sticklen is the director of the Center for Engineering Education Research at Michigan State University. He is also director of Applied Engineering Sciences, an undergraduate bachelor of science degree program in the MSU College of Engineering that focuses both on engineering and business. He also is an associate professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering. Over the last decade, he has pursued engineering education research focused on early engineering with an emphasis on hybrid course design and problem-based learning.

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Published

2012-04-01

Issue

Vol. 46 No. 2 (2012): Spring 2012

Section

Manuscripts