On Delivering the Electrical Engineering Program at the RELLIS Campus

• Published in: Proceedings - Frontiers in Education Conference pp. 1 - 6
• Main Authors: Farraj, Abdallah, Znidi, Faycal, Morsy, Mohamed
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: IEEE 18.10.2023
• Subjects: Accreditation; Electrical engineering; Engineering Education; Engineering profession; Geography; Hybrid Course Delivery; Laboratories; Satellite Campus; Statistical analysis; Student Success; Video conferencing
• ISSN: 2377-634X
• DOI: 10.1109/FIE58773.2023.10343013

With the rise of communication networks and powerful computer technologies, distant education has gained popularity. It has undergone advancements, introducing new tools and terms. Traditionally used for subjects like languages, law, geography, and history, distance education was considered challenging for engineering due to the involvement of course notes, lab sessions, equation manipulation, and laboratories. Traditional engineering education is design-oriented and content-centered, with full-time classes and laboratory experiments. Distance engineering education must consider delivering laboratory experiments effectively. Extensive research has proposed solutions for improving online engineering education, but the best teaching mode for web-based distant engineering education and conducting laboratory experiments remains unclear. The Electrical Engineering program at Texas A&M University System's RELLIS campus started offering classes in Fall of 2020 in Bryan, TX. This program provides a unique educational concept as it combines the strengths of this campus and its home campus at Texas A&M University - Texarkana (TAMUT). The Electrical Engineering program at RELLIS offers the students the opportunity to earn a Bachelor of Engineering degree by enrolling them in a mix of courses offered by the home campus at TAMUT via Web-based courseware and videoconferencing (TTVN) and face-to-face classes and hands-on laboratories at the RELLIS campus. This article analyzes innovative course offerings by comparing students enrolled at the RELLIS campus (with a split model between online and face-to-face classes) and TAMUT (which uses traditional face-to-face teaching for courses and laboratories). Factors such as students' support, satisfaction, peer relationships, resource support, accreditation, and performance were compared using a mixed-methods design, combining quantitative and qualitative approaches. Statistical analysis of the collected data discusses students taking engineering courses in the blended mode at the RELLIS campus compared to those at TAMUT who took face-to-face courses. Additionally, support programs and performance comparisons with the home campus and ABET accreditation efforts are described. Research reveals that the Electrical Engineering program at RELLIS matches TAMUT in terms of academic rigor and performance, with RELLIS students demonstrating high levels of academic achievement and pursuing advanced careers in electrical engineering fields. Correctly implemented synchronous online courses can be as effective as face-to-face classes.