Talk at INTED 2016, Valencia, Spain

1. STUDENT ATTITUDES TOWARDS ACTIVE
LEARNING METHODS IN A SENIOR-YEAR
COMPUTER ENGINEERING COURSE
Abdel Salam Sayyad
Assistant Professor
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Birzeit University, Palestine
March 8th, 2016

2. Bio
• 2015 - Present
– Assistant Professor of Computer Engineering,
Birzeit University, Palestine
• 2014 - 2014
– Visiting Assistant Professor, St. Mary’s College of
Maryland, USA
• 2011 - 2014
– Ph.D. Student, West Virginia University, USA
• 2005 - 2011
– Instructor of Computer Engineering, Birzeit
University, Palestine
• 2000 - 2005
– Electronic Engineer, Patton Electronics Company,
Maryland, USA
• 1998- 2000
– Master’s Student, University of Maryland, USA
• 1993- 1998
– Bachelor’s Student, Birzeit University, Palestine
Abdel Salam Sayyad

3. Why does a dog wag its tail?
• Because a dog is
smarter than its tail.
Abdel Salam Sayyad
• If the tail were smarter
than the dog, then the
tail would wag the dog.

4. The Flipped Classroom
Abdel Salam Sayyad

5. Exactly what to flip?
Abdel Salam Sayyad

6. Abdel Salam Sayyad

7. What to do with Class Time
“I focus on the pain, the only thing that’s real.”
“Hurt” by Nine Inch Nails (1994) Cover by Johnny Cash (2002)
Abdel Salam Sayyad

8. Let the Students Try
Abdel Salam Sayyad

9. Let the Students Collaborate
Abdel Salam Sayyad

10. There will be resistance!
Abdel Salam Sayyad
Bob
Widlar
(1937 –
1991)

11. Why the Teachers Resist (1)
Abdel Salam Sayyad

12. Why the Teachers Resist (2)
Abdel Salam Sayyad

13. Why listen to Student Attitudes?
Abdel Salam Sayyad
The words of the
prophets are written
on the subway walls,
and tenement halls…

14. Survey Question
Rank the following methods on how they were useful for learning.
(Tally of ranks from 44 valid survey responses. 1 == BEST, 8 == WORST)
Abdel Salam Sayyad

15. Diversify your Methods
Abdel Salam Sayyad