Robert Garrick - Featured Faculty 2012

Dr. Garrick's laboratory is the classroom. He is interested in the interactive effects of ubiquitous digital technologies and modern pedagogical principles changing how we teach STEM concepts. These transformative components of interactive classroom technology and student centered teaching are re­defining our views of what it means to teach and learn in both synchronous and asynchronous learning environments. The key focus of Dr. Garrick's work is to purposely select learning environment technologies, immersive visualization, and collaborative software to create a more interactive and social learning environment.

Dr. Garrick's research has forged a fruitful collaboration with the University of Rochester Warner School of Education and faculty within the College of Applied Science and Technology, School of Engineering Technology and the Kate Gleason College of Engineering, Mechanical Engineering Department. The research group has found that the technology rich interactive learning environment (TRiLE) approach in the classroom helps students succeed in engineering science & engineering technology classes. The traditional lec­ture 'stand and deliver' or 'teaching by telling' approach, while commonly used, needs to be re-examined as a pedagogical method for introductory courses. These traditional teaching methods do not take advantage of cur­rent technology available to help students construct and internalize accu­rate understandings of fundamental engineering concepts through actively engaging with those concepts.

Overall, the research group has found that students with a lower GPA en­tering the courses and traditionally underrepresented groups in engineering perceived a greater benefit from this learning environment.