ASCE’s Response to the Pandemic: Empowering Inclusion through the Remote ExCEEd Teaching Workshop

Abstract

In the spring of 2020, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) was faced with the challenge of how to best serve and support its higher education members amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, for the Excellence in Civil Engineering Education (ExCEEd) Teaching Workshop (ETW), the indefinite prohibition of in-person gatherings triggered an abrupt change from the in-person to the remote delivery in the summer of 2021. The goal of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of the remote (R)-ETW experience and to determine whether the ETW experience is comparable and independent of the delivery mode. These research questions were answered by assessing quantitative and qualitative survey data collected from participants of both the in-person and remote ETWs. The findings show that, upon completion of the R-ETW program, graduates reported improved teaching skills, an enhanced ability to self-assess their teaching, and an increased self-confidence. Results suggest that both delivery modes are effective in comparably improving participants’ teaching skills and that the experience positively impacted their development as teachers. A remote option for the ETW provides valuable professional development opportunities for educators who may not be able to attend the in-person event due to a variety of reasons. This study explores the transition of the American Society of Civil Engineers’ Excellence in Civil Engineering Education (ExCEEd) Teaching Workshop (ETW) from in-person to remote delivery due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The perceived effectiveness of the remote and in-person ETW was analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively using survey data. Findings indicate that the participants rated the remote ETW experience as similar to the in-person ETW, indicating that ETW successfully enhances teaching skills, self-assessment abilities, and self-confidence among faculty participants regardless of the delivery mode. Applications of this study include identifying strategies to maintain the quality and impact of professional development workshops in a remote format, enhancing inclusivity and accessibility.