Alejandra J. Magana

Polytechnic Institute

The instructional strategies used by Alejandra J. Magana, W.C. Furnas professor in Enterprise Excellence of Computer and Information Technology and professor of Engineering Education, are focused on promoting the acquisition of disciplinary practices and multicultural teamwork skills in the context of large-size classes.  

The Polytechnic Murphy nominee’s educational practice revolves around instructional interventions that take the form of project-based learning, direct instruction, and in-class practice. Her goal is for students to attain learning outcomes that focus on knowledge and skills that can be readily applied in the workplace and foster lifelong learning. Her work is informed by theory and improved through the scholarship of teaching and learning. 

In her course, CNIT 280 Systems Analysis and Design Methods – with a student population of 120 to 150 students – Magana’s educational practices emphasize active learning pedagogies where the students are responsible for exploring and gathering relevant information and then constructing personally meaningful experiences that add to their own individual knowledge. 

The undergraduate committee that selected Magana as CNIT’s 2021 Murphy nominee noted her support of undergraduate research, having mentored or co-mentored more than 60 students. She was also recognized for direct impact on undergraduate students through her efforts to “Protect Purdue” from the novel coronavirus as evidenced by an article co-published in The Journal of Engineering Education on cooperative learning/teamwork pedagogy related to the COVID-19 pandemic. For these initiatives, in 2022, Magana was inducted into the Purdue University Teaching Academy. 

How has your teaching evolved over the last five years? 

My teaching has continuously evolved since I taught CNIT 280 for the first time as an assistant professor in 2011. I was fortunate to also participate in the IMPACT program during my first year as an instructor, giving me the opportunity to think through the multiple aspects of the course. I must also mention that I consider myself a learning engineer, so I apply this philosophy to my research and my teaching. That is, as I engage in aspects of my teaching and my research, I have a transformative agenda.    
 
When I first taught the course in 2011, I started revising learning objectives, aligning those with assessments for the course, and then implementing forms of active learning. However, in the last five years, my primary focus has been on improving the teamwork learning experience. Most of the teams succeed as they engage in semester-long projects, but there are other teams that struggle and are unable to resolve conflict. Research suggests that it is not enough to ask students to work in teams and let team behaviors emerge. Research also suggests that for undergraduate students to develop teamwork values and skills, those need to be first taught, facilitated, and practiced in the context of projects. To facilitate and improve the teamwork experience, I have implemented four evidence-based practices: scrum teamwork framework, cooperative learning, transformative pedagogy in multicultural learning, and conflict management and conflict resolution training.  

What changes to your teaching during the pandemic did you take with you going forward?

During the COVID-19 pandemic, my primary concern was to be able to still provide an active learning experience to my students and to be able to facilitate teamwork interactions. For this, I used two platforms. First, I experimented with Zoom and its capabilities for breakout rooms, but Microsoft Teams was more useful in facilitating small group interaction by enabling a permanent channel for each team. I also reorganized the lecture component; the Tuesday lecture focused on introducing and practicing concepts and skills, and the Thursday lecture focused on teamwork interaction. Specifically, every Thursday, students have a chance to work in teams on their semester-long project and then reflect on their experiences. All these elements have been carried out until today. 

What suggestions do you have to Purdue instructors who want to improve their teaching and/or their students’ learning?

My advice is to start small. When I have consulted with colleagues who want to engage in the scholarship of teaching and learning, they often want to redesign their entire course. My suggestion is to focus on one thing to improve at a time. Perhaps, in one semester, focus on developing rubrics for assessment; in another semester, focus on improving materials over Brightspace, or redesign one lesson on a topic that students find challenging. Also, take feedback from your students. I often do a small instructional evaluation in the middle of the semester to have a sense of how the semester is going. That gives me time to make easy changes to better support my students. For example, it could be something as simple as using a microphone!   

What motivates you to do your best work in a student-centered learning environment?

It is very rewarding to see how students learn and the satisfaction they experience when they see what they are capable of. I also get a lot of satisfaction when I get emails from my students who tell me how the course elements prepared them well to perform their jobs during their summer internships.   

The Charles B. Murphy Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award is Purdue West Lafayette’s highest undergraduate teaching honor and awarded annually in the spring semester. Each College selects and advances its own nominee the previous fall as a model in excellent undergraduate education and includes input from its students. For other nominee interviews, see the Insights webpage. Further details on the award and selection procedure and university awardees are available on the Office of the Provost website.