Showing papers in "European Journal of Engineering Education in 2009"

Identifying barriers to and outcomes of interdisciplinarity in the engineering classroom

Abstract: In addition to developing deep knowledge of a single discipline, engineers must also be able to collaborate across disciplinary boundaries and develop interdisciplinary expertise to successfully address the complex challenges of the contemporary workplace. While numerous descriptions of interdisciplinary courses and projects appear in the literature, educators still lack rigorous research about learning barriers, outcomes, and concrete interventions to support this interdisciplinary development. This paper addresses that gap by pairing a review of the literature with a case study of students in a sustainable engineering program to identify the key challenges to success in interdisciplinary contexts. The findings suggest that students (1) lack the ability to connect interdisciplinary subjects to their own more narrowly defined fields of expertise, and (2) fail to identify and value the contributions of multiple fields to complex problems. This paper concludes with possible teaching interventions to address...

Re-engineering graduate skills - a case study

Abstract: Research on student-learning outcomes indicates that university graduates do not possess important skills required by employers, such as communication, decision-making, problem-solving, leadership, emotional intelligence, social ethics skills as well as the ability to work with people of different backgrounds Today, engineering graduates are required to work within multicultural and multinational workplace environments, and thus need to possess adequate professional attributes and competencies This paper elaborates on the missing links between engineering graduate attributes and employers’ expectations It further investigates whether the attributes gained by engineering graduates from Monash University, Australia, meet the expected needs of the industry The paper also proposes a 3-D Competency Model to address the potential shortfalls of employers’ expectations in that regard

Learning as acquiring a discursive identity through participation in a community: improving student learning in engineering education

Abstract: In this paper, we propose that learning in engineering involves taking on the discourse of an engineering community, which is intimately bound up with the identity of being a member of that community. This leads to the notion of discursive identity, which emphasises that students’ identities are constituted through engaging in discourse. This view of learning implies that success in engineering studies needs to be defined with particular reference to the sorts of identities that students develop and how these relate to identities in the world of work. In order to achieve successful learning in engineering, we need to recognise the multiple identities held by our students, provide an authentic range of engineering-related activities through which students can develop engineering identities and make more explicit key aspects of the discourse of engineering of which lecturers are tacitly aware. We include three vignettes to illustrate how some of the authors of this paper (from across three different institu...

Increasing the diversity of engineering education – a gender analysis in a PBL context

Abstract: This paper discusses how to increase the diversity of engineering education by making it more relevant and gainful for all students, as well as more attractive to women Questions were raised whether, and in which ways the problem-based and project-based learning (PBL) method is apt for increasing gender diversity from both the quality and the quantity point of view Empirical resources of this article are based on the results from two PhD studies on gender and PBL in engineering education carried out in a Danish context The results suggest that the learning environment along with the establishment of new engineering programmes with more contextualised content would result in increased recruitment of women along with a substantial level of appreciation of learning However, recruitment in terms of increasing numbers is not enough for the improvement of diversity A solution for producing both more and better engineers therefore calls for a change in engineering education This can be achieved by not only

Variation Theory Applied to Students' Conceptions of Computer Programming.

Abstract: The present work has its focus on university-level engineering education students that do not intend to major in computer science but still have to take a mandatory programming course. Phenomenography and variation theory are applied to empirical data from a study of students’ conceptions of computer programming. A phenomenographic outcome space is presented, with five qualitatively different categories of description of students’ ways of seeing computer programming. Moreover, dimensions of variation related to these categories are identified. Based on this discussion it is suggested how to use patterns of variation in order to support students’ learning of computer programming. Finally, results from a pilot study demonstrate the successful application of two patterns of variation in a computer lab assignment.

Barriers to innovation in online pedagogy

Abstract: In this article, the authors report on a study that was carried out at the University College of Borarings. Teachers using an online learning platform (WebCT) were surveyed to see to what extent they made use of the various features available to them on the learning platform. The extent to which teachers employed all the features was low. The article provides comparative details about the use of the various features (chat, discussion forums, assessment etc) and analyses reasons for their underutilisation. This case study is used to make more general points about pedagogy of online learning and discusses the need for greater cooperation between all the stakeholders involved in putting courses online. It can be counter productive for a university to simply impose a learning management system upon its teaching staff and decree that they put their courses online. If a university is concerned with quality and innovation in the education it offers its students, then a great deal of groundwork needs to be done if teachers and students are going to get the most out of a move to blended or online learning. This article offers a number of recommendations for ensuring that teachers embrace rather than resist a move to innovative and quality assured online education.

Management of Change-Implementation of Problem-based and Project-Based Learning in Engineering

Abstract: Erik de Graaff and Anette Kolmos, eds Management of Change-Implementation of Problem-based and Project-Based Learning in Engineering, Sense Publishers, 2007 Problem-Based and Project-Based Learnin

Student learning in an electric circuit theory course: critical aspects and task design

Abstract: Understanding time-dependent responses, such as transients, is important in electric circuit theory and other branches of engineering. However, transient response is considered difficult to learn since familiarity with advanced mathematical tools such as Laplace transforms is required. Here, we analyse and describe a novel learning environment design, the problem-solving lab, for learning transient response. This design merges problem-solving classes and labs, allowing students to engage in deep learning through the integrated use of tools like paper and pencil, MATLAB®, simulations, and experiments. A key element in this design is the systematic use of variation in line with variation theory. We describe critical features for learning transient response, and ways to facilitate the establishment of links between the ‘worlds’ of theories/models and objects/events for students. We contend that an integrated use of tools, and systematic use of variation, is crucial for learning and establishing these links.

Creativity Enhancement in a Product Development Course through Entrepreneurship Learning and Intellectual Property Awareness.

Abstract: Product development is the set of activities starting with the perception of a market need and ending in the production and sale of a new product satisfying that need. Broadly speaking, it is a process that should follow a structured methodology, if a certain level of effectiveness and efficacy is envisaged. In the Portuguese industrial environment, there is, in general, a weak perception of this methodology. Even when this perception exists, it is hardly integrated with the company's culture and related processes. In university engineering degrees curricula, there is very little integration of interdisciplinary knowledge that leads to a global understanding of what engineering and product development integrated with entrepreneurship issues should be. This work presents an integrative approach to bridge this gap between industry and university by the teaching of a course on product development and entrepreneurship, at a graduate level. Special attention is given to innovation and creative thinking during ...

Communication as part of the engineering skills set

Abstract: Engineering graduates are facing changing requirements regarding their competencies, as interdisciplinarity and globalization have transformed engineering communities into collaboration arenas extending beyond uniform national, cultural, contextual and disciplinary settings and structures. Engineers no longer manage their daily tasks with plain substance expertise; instead they must be adept at communication, collaboration, networking, feedback provision and reception, teamwork, lifelong learning, and cultural understanding. This calls for a concomitant change in university curricula, challenging the current university system to supply graduates that possess working life skills relevant in today's work communities. However, before committing to such a reform, universities need to understand the significance and strategic role of communication in engineering communities. This article attempts to establish the potential offered by corporate communications by first introducing factors undermining the role an...

Attracting girls to science, engineering and technology: an Australian perspective

Abstract: This paper describes a project undertaken by the school outreach team at the School of Engineering, University of Tasmania, Australia, to attract girls to science, engineering and technology (SET) The project was a pilot program designed to engage female students from upper primary to senior secondary in the teaching of physical sciences A pre-project survey revealed girls preferred working in small groups, they preferred learning through practical activities, technology was reported as artefact and they preferred learning about biological or environmental sciences Based on this information the outreach team devised a program that provided schools with hands-on resource kits, provided professional learning for science teachers, connected schools with professional female engineer mentors, and encouraged girls to participate in extra-curricular SET activities and competitions The outcomes of the year-long project are discussed and recommendations are made for further research

Seeing through the lens of social justice: A threshold for engineering

Abstract: In recent times the need for educational research dedicated to engineering education has been recognised. This PhD project is a contribution to the development of engineering education scholarship and the growing body of engineering education research. In this project it was recognised that problem solving is a central activity to engineering. However, it was also recognised that the conditions for doing engineering are changing, especially in light of pressing issues of poverty and environmental sustainability that humanity currently faces, and as a consequence, engineering education needs to emphasise problem definition to a greater extent. One mechanism for achieving this, which has been adopted by some engineering educators in recent years, is through courses that explicitly relate engineering to social justice. However, creating this relationship requires critical interdisciplinary thinking that is alien to most engineering students. In this dissertation it is suggested that for engineering students, and more generally, engineers, looking at their practice and profession through a social justice lens might be seen as a threshold that needs to be crossed. By studying the variation present among students in three different courses at three different North American universities, the intention was to understand how students approach and internalise social justice as a perspective on engineering and/or develop their abilities to think critically. A conceptual model to frame the study was developed by combining elements of threshold concept theory and the educational research methodology, phenomenographic variation theory. All three of the courses studied operated on a similar basic pedagogical model, however, the courses were framed differently, with social justice in the foreground or in the background with the focus on, in one case, ethics and in the other, sustainability. All courses studied appeared to be successful in encouraging engineering students to engage in critical thinking and a similar general trend in the development of students’ conceptions of social justice was observed in each of the three courses. However, it does appear that if one is interested in developing an articulated understanding of social justice, with respect to engineering, that an explicit focus on social justice is preferable.

Pipeline or personal preference: women in engineering

Abstract: Although the number of women in the engineering field has increased since the 1960s, those increases have largely stagnated over the last few years. This paper re-examines the pipeline for bringing women into engineering and, based on survey data, examines the attitudes, motivations, and interests of 969 male and female engineering students. Gender similarities and differences are identified, and their implications for recruitment and retention of women are considered.

eProblem-based learning: problem-based learning using virtual teams

Abstract: Literature on engineering education stresses the need for graduates to have skills such as working globally in a multicultural environment; working in interdisciplinary teams; sharing of tasks on a global, around the clock basis; working with digital communication tools and in a virtual environment. In addition, accreditation criteria include attributes such as problem solving, communication, life-long learning skills and ethics. Problem-based learning (PBL) is well established in traditional on-campus settings in many professions but its use in 'virtual' or online environments is not well-documented, particularly in engineering. However, it is ideally suited to delivering many of the required attributes. A fully online PBL course has been successfully delivered to engineering students studying via distance education. Students work entirely in a virtual mode, conducting online team meetings and utilising a variety of technologies to communicate and solve complex, real-world engineering problems. Design, implementation and evaluation results are discussed.

Perceptions of Mathematics in Engineering.

Abstract: Students entering engineering programmes are typically expected to be competent in mathematics and science. Design competencies are seldom required. This research focuses on mathematics and investigates how concepts of mathematics may affect perceptions of design. Case studies, consisting of interviews and web-based material, reveal a range of concepts. Mathematics bestows its knowers an intellectual status. Some see mathematics as the gateway to engineering, paving the way to sound design; others see mathematics as a gatekeeper, denying entry to otherwise talented would-be engineers. Mathematics is frequently seen as favouring closed solutions. For some students, this means that mathematics provides an unambiguous, reliable means of evaluation; others see mathematics as the suppression of creativity and open-ended design. If design is to flourish, mathematics must cease to be the litmus test of engineering abilities, and design must be taught alongside mathematics, not in its wake.

Teaching in Higher Education through the Use of Variation: Examples from Distillation, Physics and Process Dynamics

Abstract: Contemporary learning research and development that is embedded in primary and secondary schooling is increasingly acknowledging the significance of a variation approach for enhancing the possibility of learning. However, the variation approach has so far attracted very little attention in higher education, but where it has, the results have been most worthwhile and encouraging. In this article, aspects of the approach that are useful for higher education are described and illustrated using three examples: learning distillation in third-year chemical engineering using a computer simulation, learning Newton's third law in first year physics using an interactive class session, and a proposal for teaching and learning a particular application of Laplace transforms in process dynamics. It is contended that explicit use of variation enhances the possibility of learning for students.

Influences on engineering enrolments. A synthesis of the findings of recent reports

Abstract: The decline in engineering degree enrolments in many western nations poses a range of challenges that are easy to identify but difficult to address. There have been at least 30 major reports on the issue of engineering enrolments in universities and a great many more on an allied issue, enrolments and achievement in science and maths areas at a secondary school level. Typically such reports are funded through government or private agencies at local, regional and national level, and their authors obtain access to significant numbers of respondents, and secondary data sources; however, because of their size and scope the reports are rarely synthesised. Indeed, their lack of influence is often noted and deplored. This study undertakes the task of drawing together reports directed specifically at engineering enrolments to identify the main influences that result in enrolments or work against enrolments. The influences identified fall into four strands and can be seen to form the basis of a complex structure; ...

Think engineer, think male?

Abstract: Engineering education needs to develop the competencies required for engineering work, and attract and retain students from diverse backgrounds. This study investigated the possibility that the perceived importance of competencies is subconsciously influenced by gendered assumptions, and as a consequence, this lowers the status given to stereotypically feminine competencies. In two surveys, engineers rated the importance of 64 competencies. The ratings made by the first sample were assumed to be relatively unaffected by gender typing. However, engineers in the second sample were asked to think of a typical engineering job, and therefore their responses were more likely to have been affected by gender typing. Results confirmed that there are stereotypically feminine competencies that are important to engineering, and suggested that senior male engineers in the study gender typed engineering jobs, consequently under-rating the importance of some stereotypically feminine competencies recently added to the en...

Assessment for learning and skills development: the case of large classes

Abstract: It is widely accepted that assessment has a great influence on the quality of learning. Assessment can be a powerful tool for improving students’ learning and motivation. It also helps in developing a positive and supportive learning environment. The present paper briefly outlines the original assessment arrangements for a cross-department programme at the University of Bristol, Faculty of Engineering before describing the process of reviewing these arrangements and designing a more developmental teaching, learning and assessment framework. The programme is called Professional Studies (PS) and has become compulsory for all six branches of Engineering taught at Bristol. The total Engineering undergraduate population of around 800 students attends the PS course every year. PS is crucial for Engineering degrees to be accredited by the respective professional bodies, such as I. Mech. E., Inst. Civil Eng. and Inst. Aero. Eng. In addition to teaching professional awareness, the PS course seeks to develop a rang...

A new group-formation method for student projects

Abstract: In BSc/MSc engineering programmes at Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto (FEUP), the need to provide students with teamwork experiences close to a real world environment was identified as an important issue. A new group-formation method that aims to provide an enriching teamwork experience is proposed. Students are asked to answer a questionnaire to evaluate their teamwork profiles and are assigned to groups by an algorithm aiming to achieve maximum diversity within groups and homogeneity among groups. The profile diversity/complementarity within a group is an important factor to promote members’ commitment and coordination in order to achieve the proposed goals. The proposed method is compared to a standard self-selection method for three engineering programmes in three academic years. The results show that, with the new method, there are a higher number of medium ranked groups which surpass the expectation and that, contrary to some students’ beliefs, the method does not have a negative im...

A Multidisciplinary Engineering Summer School in an Industrial Setting.

Abstract: Most university-level engineering studies produce technically skilled engineers. However, typically students face several difficulties when working in multidisciplinary teams when they initiate their industrial careers. In a globalised world, it becomes increasingly important that engineers are capable of collaborating across disciplinary boundaries and exhibit soft competencies, like communication, interpersonal and social skills, time planning, creativity, initiative, and reflection. To prepare a group of engineering and industrial design students to acquire those capabilities, an international summer school that combined industrial design with different kinds of engineering disciplines was organised on the site of Bang & Olufsen (B&O) in Denmark. This multidisciplinary engineering summer school was attended by students from six European university-level teaching institutions and was supervised by teachers from those institutions and industrial experts from B&O. The main aim of the summer school was to ...

Physics group work in a phenomenographic perspective – learning dynamics as the experience of variation and relevance

Abstract: In this paper, we analyse learning dynamics in the context of physics group work of the kind increasingly found in engineering education. We apply a phenomenographic perspective on learning, seeing the notion of variation as the basic mechanism of learning. Empirically, we base our analysis on data from first year engineering students discussing physics problems concerning force and friction while working in small groups of three or four. The discussions were captured on video and audio, and the subsequent analysis primarily relies on detailed transcriptions and the students' notes. The results illustrate how students relate different parts of the whole learning object (Newtonian mechanics) to one another and create a variation with respect to the parts and/or the whole; how the presence and experience of variation complemented by an experience of relevance may result in identifiable learning; and how tutor interventions may have a favourable impact on the learning dynamics.

Liminal spaces and learning computing

Abstract: ‘Threshold concepts’ are concepts that, among other things, transform the way a student looks at a discipline. Although the term ‘threshold’ might suggest that the transformation occurs at a specific point in time, an ‘aha’ moment, it seems more common (at least in computing) that a longer time period is required. This time period is referred to as the ‘liminal space’. In this paper, we summarise our findings concerning how computing students experience the liminal space and discuss how this might affect teaching. Most of our findings so far relate to software engineering. As it is likely that similar liminal spaces occur in other engineering disciplines, these findings have relevance across engineering education.

Learning computer science : Perceptions, actions and roles

Abstract: This phenomenographic study opens the classroom door to investigate teachers’ experiences of students learning difficult computing topics. Three distinct themes are identified and analysed. Why do students succeed or fail to learn these concepts? What actions do teachers perceive will ameliorate the difficulties facing students? Who is responsible, and for what, in the learning situation? Theoretical work on threshold concepts and conceptual change deals with mechanisms and processes associated with learning difficult material [Meyer, J. and Land, R., 2005. Threshold concepts and troublesome knowledge (2): epistemological considerations and a conceptual framework for teaching and learning. Higher Education, 49 (3), 373–388; Entwistle, N., 2007. Conceptions of learning and the experience of understanding: thresholds, contextual influences, and knowledge objects. In: S. Vosniadou, A. Baltas and X. Vamvakoussi, eds. Re-framing the conceptual change approach in learning and instruction. Amsterdam, The Netherl...

Using journal clubs to cultivate a community of practice at the graduate level

Abstract: This paper discusses the benefits of a community of practice (CoP) approach to graduate education in engineering and examines guidelines for implementation. Community of practice theory and applications to practice are presented. Journal clubs, groups of faculty and students who meet regularly to discuss literature, are identified as one specific tool to improve engineering graduate education by building a community. Although the benefits of a journal club are implicit, few empirical studies validate these claims or tie them to theory. Therefore, we undertook an observational study of a long-standing journal club at a large university in the eastern USA. The findings demonstrate that principles of community found in the theory are present in the journal club. Thick description of specific interactions further defines the benefits of (1) knowledge accumulation, (2) problem solving and creativity, and (3) collaboration and peer-learning. Additionally, specific guidelines are given for the practical implemen...

The creative platform: a didactic approach for unlimited application of knowledge in interdisciplinary and intercultural groups

Abstract: In interdisciplinary or intercultural groups, it is highly important that the members of the group are able to apply and share knowledge across the standard boundaries that exist around disciplines and practices. Often, a lot of effort is required to avoid pitfalls such as misunderstandings, judgemental discussions or just the inability to understand each other's professional, social or cultural way of thinking. This paper introduces the creative platform as a didactic approach for enabling a group to apply and share their knowledge without limitations coming from professional, social or cultural patterns of thinking and doing. In that sense, the creative platform is a mental meeting place where people with different professional, social and cultural backgrounds can meet and create new thoughts and actions together. The key in developing the creative platform as a learning environment is the use of 3D cases, which are learning exercises where the simultaneous use of brain, body and attitude const...

Editorial: Educational research impacting engineering education

Abstract: In recent years research studies into critical factors for learning in engineering education have started to emerge in Europe and worldwide. One manifestation of this is the formation of the SEFI working group for engineering education research (EER) at the 36th annual conference in Aalborg last year. We hope this special issue will serve as another indication and realisation of the emerging field of EER. For this issue, we were searching, in particular, for papers with a qualitative approach and which had a firm foundation in the educational theory with a strong connection to, or a strong potential for affecting, the praxis of engineering education. The interest to get a paper published in this special issue greatly exceeded our expectations and we received 38 paper proposals. In this introduction, we will not attempt to give another summary of the 10 papers finally published – that is given in the abstracts of the papers. Rather we will try point out some common topics and make some cross-paper comparisons. We believe it is necessary in educational research and in engineering to use quantitative as well as qualitative approaches. However, there is a tension between qualitative and quantitative approaches as captured by Winkelman’s (this issue) paper about Perceptions of mathematics in engineering. According to Mitcham (1994, p. 147) ‘design is what constitutes the essence of engineering’. In design, Winkelman argues, creativity and open-endedness are important elements and he reminds us that ‘open-endedness implies a multiplicity of possible solutions for a given problem’. However, often, the way in which mathematics and science are presented to undergraduate students is that ‘a single, “correct” answer is generally assumed’ and the ‘vast majority of ... answers [in “engineering problem solving”] are single, numerical values’. The warning against the belief in ‘a single, “correct”, answer’ is almost identical to the warning that ‘any one-dimensional measure of a person’s achievement in many different tasks is almost certainly inadequate, and may be entirely misleading’ (our italics) (Ramsden 1991, p. 191). Furthermore, in a discussion about ‘scientific culture’ and ‘scientific rigor’ in educational research Erickson and Gutierrez (2002, p. 121) remind us that ‘a logically and empirically prior question to “Did it work?” is “What was the ‘it’?”’ and that such a ‘question [is] best answered by qualitative research’. According to Skolimowski (1966) ‘in technology we create a reality according to our designs’ (p. 374, italics in original) and a ‘ “technological object” [is produced] to serve a function’ (p. 375). Hence Winkelman’s argument that one of the ‘[pivotal concepts] within engineering design ... is that of function; function is not a mathematical concept’ is important. Whether we design, describe or analyse the function of a technological object or a learning environment, quantitative data will not be sufficient. To improve quality and to understand why we do what we do, a focus on qualities and not only quantities is essential. Winkelman’s contribution could be taken as a critique of the ‘quantitative discourse’ often found in engineering and engineering education. Questions about ‘discursive identity’ is the main

Engineering education: environmental and chemical engineering or technology curricula – a European perspective

Abstract: Over recent years, universities have been incorporating sustainable development (SD) into their systems, including their curricula. This article analyses the incorporation of SD into the curricula of chemical and environmental engineering or technology bachelor degrees at universities in the European Union (EU) and European Free Trade Association (EFTA) states. Available textbooks of some courses were analysed regarding their content and pedagogical-didactical perspectives based on a revised Bloom's taxonomy of cognitive domains. The research showed that both the universities and textbooks reviewed have room for improvement regarding SD incorporation into their curricula.

Professional Socialization of Electrical Engineers in University Education.

Abstract: University educators constantly seek ways in which courses and curricula would promote students’ professional development in line with the needs of industries. The purpose of this study was to develop a framework for analysing professional socialization particularly in the context of electrical engineering education and explore factors associated with professional socialization. We analysed professional socialization as the degree to which graduates perceive they have adopted domain-specific capabilities and ways of thinking. We carried out an Internet questionnaire among electrical engineering graduates (n=99) at Helsinki University of Technology, completed statistical analyses, and as a result identified technology adoption, professional benefit, and scientific thinking as dimensions of professional socialization. The findings contribute by demonstrating a domain-specific analysis approach for estimating professional socialization in electrical engineering and by suggesting further tests for the framewo...

A multicultural, multidisciplinary short course to introduce recently graduated engineers to the global nature of professional practice

Abstract: Since 2001, the International Institute of Women in Engineering (IIWE) at EPF, Ecole d'ingenieurs generaliste, Sceaux, France, has conducted a 3 week short course for culturally and discipline diverse, recently graduated and final year engineering students. The aim of this course is to introduce young engineers to broad global concepts and issues relating to their future professional practice, through intercultural learning. The initial course programme provided examples of engineering practices in various countries throughout the world. However, to achieve an intercultural, multidisciplinary learning outcome, a specific course theme and a project focussing on sustainable engineering and the inclusion of a variety of industrial visits were introduced in 2006. This paper will discuss the success of the strategies used to engage international students in the IIWE course activities, and after consideration of the results of participant surveys, the curriculum initiatives that followed.