Teaching & Learning
The Include team (I-Team) aims to build environments that foster engaged teaching and learning
with the goal of cultivating the innovative potential of a neurodiverse student body.
I-Team Faculty
I-Team faculty in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering (SoCEE) have completed a comprehensive professional development series focused on best practices for neuroinclusive teaching. Faculty then implement neuroinclusive teaching practices within redesigned courses.
Redesigned Courses (I-Courses)
I-Team faculty have developed and implemented sixteen (16) redesigned courses (known as I-Courses) within the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Within the College of Engineering, ENGR 1166 is also designated as an I-Course. I-Courses are aimed at enhancing both learning outcomes and the educational experience for engineering students, especially those in their sophomore and junior years. Students enrolled in the I-Course sections of the following courses may choose to participate in research that will provide valuable feedback to further shape the course redesign process.
I-Course Features
I-Courses are designed to foster the development of student strengths and cultivate a welcoming and inclusive learning environment. Faculty employ standards for instructional design and feature teaching practices that enhance motivation and engagement by:
- providing opportunities for active learning
- building in flexibility or choice that allow students to personalize their education to meet their learning needs and preferences
- providing multiple modes of feedback and communication to students about their learning
- providing scaffolding and/or other supports for student learning
- following principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to make the course accessible to all types of learners
I-Course Offerings
Civil Engineering Courses:
- CE 2110 - Applied Mechanics I (Statics)
- CE 2251 - Probability and Statistics
- CE 3110 - Mechanics of Materials
- CE 3220 - Construction Management I
- CE 3510 - Soil Mechanics
- CE 3610 - Structural Analysis and Design
- CE 3640 - Design of Concrete Structures
- CE 4210 - Operations Research in CEE
- CE 4510 - Foundation Engineering
- CE 4720 - Street & Highway Design
Environmental Engineering Courses:
- ENVE 2310 - Environmental Engineering Fundamentals
- ENVE 3120 - Fluid Mechanics
- ENVE 3220 - Water Quality Engineering
- ENVE 3230 - Air Pollution Control
- ENVE 4210 - Environmental Engineering Chemistry
- ENVE 4810 - Engineering Hydrology
Engineering Courses:
- ENGR 1166 - Foundations of Engineering
I-Course Information
I-Standards
The I-Standards framework was developed to guide the course redesign process. I-Team faculty collaborated with instructional design coaches, educational experts from the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL), and faculty from the Neag School of Education to create the I-Standards framework.
The I-Standards are anchored in a Strength-based Approach and outline key principles spanning three core areas: Culture of Inclusion, Teaching and Learning, and Instructional Design.
Strengths-based Approach
Studies of strength-based initiatives in higher education settings show that exposure to a strengths-based interventions can produce immediate positive short-term effects including increases in confidence, self-efficacy and learning breakthroughs (Louis, 2011). By incorporating awareness of student and faculty strengths into teaching and learning, it is hoped that I-Courses may enhance engagement, motivation, and persistence in the face of challenges (Schreiner, 2014).
Culture of Inclusion
Course instructor builds a culture of inclusion by:
- communicating their commitment to inclusion via a written or verbal statement to students
- learning more about cognitive and other forms of diversity through workshops, readings, or other professional development opportunities
- connecting with their students and/or otherwise encouraging a sense of belonging
Teaching & Learning
Course instructor carefully considers ways to encourage student motivation and engagement by:
- providing opportunities for active learning
- building in some elements of flexibility or choice that allow students to personalize their education to meet their learning needs and preferences
- providing multiple modes of feedback and communication to students about their learning
Instructional Design
Course instructor undertakes a design process that:
- centers students as stakeholders in the educational experience
- provides scaffolding and/or other supports for student learning
- follows principles of Universal Design to make the course accessible to all types of learners