Undergraduate Engineering and Education Students Reflect on Their Interdisciplinary Teamwork Experiences Following Transition to Virtual Instruction Caused by COVID-19

Abstract

This study explores undergraduate engineering and education students’ perspectives on their interdisciplinary teams throughout the rapid transition to online learning and instruction from a face-to-face to a virtual format. In this qualitative study, students’ reflections and focus groups from three interdisciplinary collaborations were analyzed using the lens of Social Cognitive Theory. COVID-19 created a dramatic change in the environment such that the most immediate and direct impact on students’ experiences was on the environmental aspects of Bandura’s triadic reciprocal determinism model, which then triggered behavioral and personal responses to adapt to the new environment. Subsequent evidence of reciprocal effects between environmental, behavioral, and personal factors took place as students continued to adapt. Results suggest that the modifications made to transition the project fully online were meaningful experiences for students’ learning and teaching of engineering through teams. This interdisciplinary partnership provided both pre-service teachers and undergraduate engineering students with the opportunity to learn and practice content and professional skills that will be essential for success in future work environments.

Engineering Students’ Perception on Self-Efficacy in Pre and Post Pandemic Phase

“…Our study showed a more significant increase in F4 than in F3, being the work capacity increase more pronounced in those who were not attending school during the pandemic or in the group of older students. These results are in accordance with other works that reported an enhancement in collaboration (teamwork), digital skills, and in self-efficacy [31]. Other studies also claim that the online environment favored some students who were more self-motivated or with higher self-regulating capacities [33,49].…”

“…In a study conducted by Ievers and collaborators on The Impact of COVID-19 Restrictions upon Transversal Skills Development amongst Higher Education Students, the authors found negative but also positive effects [44]. They mention positive impacts the developments that students report in their use of technology and digital literacy in general, which is corroborated by the findings of Gutierrez et al [31]. In this way, with the right resources and support during the online classes, the authors argue students may even have the opportunity to improve their professional skills, such as communication, collaboration, self-efficacy, and digital skills.…”

“…In the last three years, many studies have focused on the impact of COVID-19 on young people and adolescents. Particularly with regard to students in higher education, research reports that the pandemic had an impact on several dimensions of students' lives, including their lifestyle, interpersonal competences, behaviors, emotions, feelings, and educational experiences [19,[30][31][32]. Studies from different parts of the globe indicate some common issues experienced by students, such as a decrease in motivation due to social aspects and especially a lack of communication and interactions with teachers and peers [33][34][35][36].…”

Teamwork Perception in Engineering Programs through the Lens of Gender and Race

“…Gutierrez et al [10] studied the perceptions of undergraduate engineering and education students about their interdisciplinary teams while transferring from a face-to-face format to an online delivery mode. They concluded that early establishment and maintenance of roles and routines, synchronous communication tools to facilitate richer communication, and managing time to gain a common understanding of team members' tasks were reported by students as strategies to successfully adapt to new environmental conditions.…”

How Does Working on an Interdisciplinary Service-Learning Project vs. a Disciplinary Design Project Affect Peer Evaluators' Teamwork Skills?

“…The quick transition to online learning due to the COVID pandemic affected students and professors across the globe.For example, professors reported having to change their teaching methodologies and strategies to accommodate online learning [8], while other logistical challenges, such as internet access, emerged, affecting both students and instructors [9].Team projects that would otherwise be done in person were deeply affected. Prior studies found that students complained about needing help staying motivated, missing their instructors and peers, and declining hands-on experiences during online learning [10], [11]. However, while some students struggled and others are still struggling and feeling disengaged with the new technology-driven instruction, findings have suggested that some others quickly adjusted to the shift to online learning [12].…”