Enriching the Geotechnical Engineering Classroom through Novel Multidisciplinary Examples

This study is a preliminary effort that aims to develop novel examples and in-class activities that convey geotechnical engineering concepts to students in a multidisciplinary way. A library of examples in eleven most common topics of geotechnical engineering has been established. Each example comes from one of five categories including engineering, science, history, global issues, and art. The examples and in-class activities for each topic are compiled in the format of slides for ease of use. To assess the effectiveness of this approach, a survey was designed and distributed to the students taking the "Geotechnical Engineering" class. Survey results highlight the importance of the study and provide insights into the future design of novel examples. This study is expected to promote critical thinking and result in greater retention of geotechnical engineering knowledge.