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Showing papers on "Engineering education published in 2014"


Book
05 Apr 2014
TL;DR: In the past ten years, leaders in engineering industries have identified specific knowledge, skills, and attitudes required of their workforce if they want to be innovative and competitive in a global environment as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: In the past ten years, leaders in engineering industries have identified specific knowledge, skills, and attitudes required of their workforce if they want to be innovative and competitive in a glo

924 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Systematic reviews can benefit the field of engineering education by synthesizing prior work, by better informing practice, and by identifying important new directions for research.
Abstract: Background In fields such as medicine, psychology, and education, systematic reviews of the literature critically appraise and summarize research to inform policy and practice. We argue that now is an appropriate time in the development of the field of engineering education to both support systematic reviews and benefit from them. More reviews of prior work conducted more systematically would help advance the field by lowering the barrier for both researchers and practitioners to access the literature, enabling more objective critique of past efforts, identifying gaps, and proposing new directions for research. Purpose The purpose of this article is to introduce the methodology of systematic reviews to the field of engineering education and to adapt existing resources on systematic reviews to engineering education and other developing interdisciplinary fields. Scope/Method This article is primarily a narrative review of the literature on conducting systematic reviews. Methods are adapted to engineering education and similar developing interdisciplinary fields. To offer concrete, pertinent examples, we also conducted a systematic review of systematic review articles published on engineering education topics since 1990. Fourteen exemplars are presented in this article and used to illustrate systematic review procedures. Conclusions Systematic reviews can benefit the field of engineering education by synthesizing prior work, by better informing practice, and by identifying important new directions for research. Engineering education researchers should consider including systematic reviews in their repertoire of methodologies.

365 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
Erin A. Cech1
TL;DR: In this paper, the importance of training ethical, socially conscious engineers has been discussed, but does US engineering education actually encourage neophytes to take seriously their professional responsibili...
Abstract: Much has been made of the importance of training ethical, socially conscious engineers, but does US engineering education actually encourage neophytes to take seriously their professional responsib...

342 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors developed a framework for describing what constitutes a quality K-12 engineering education, which can be used as a tool for evaluating the degree to which academic standards, curricula, and teaching practices address the important components of a quality engineering education.
Abstract: Recent U.S. national documents have laid the foundation for highlighting the connection between science, technology, engineering andmathematics at the K-12 level. However, there is not a clear definition or a well-established tradition of what constitutes a qualityengineering education at the K-12 level. The purpose of the current work has been the development of a framework for describing whatconstitutes a quality K-12 engineering education. The framework presented in this paper is the result of a research project focused onunderstanding and identifying the ways in which teachers and schools implement engineering and engineering design in their classrooms.The development of the key indicators that are included in the framework were determined based on an extensive review of the literature,established criteria for undergraduate and professional organizations, document content analysis of state academic content standards inscience, mathematics, and technology, and in consultation with experts in the fields of engineering and engineering education. Theframework is designed to be used as a tool for evaluating the degree to which academic standards, curricula, and teaching practicesaddress the important components of a quality K-12 engineering education. Additionally, this framework can be used to inform thedevelopment and structure of future K-12 engineering and STEM education standards and initiatives.

221 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, a case study of engineering pedagogy at a single university with seven engineering courses where instructors stated the goal of fostering creativity was conducted, which revealed opportunities for growth in students' creative skill development.
Abstract: Background The ability to engage in a creative process to solve a problem or to design a novel artifact is essential to engineering as a profession. Research indicates a need for curricula that enhance students' creative skills in engineering. Purpose Our purpose was to document current practices in engineering pedagogy with regard to opportunities for students' creative growth by examining learning goals, instructional methods, and assessments focused on cognitive creative skills. Design/Method We conducted a critical case study of engineering pedagogy at a single university with seven engineering courses where instructors stated the goal of fostering creativity. Data included instructor and student interviews, student surveys, and course materials. For qualitative analysis, we used frameworks by Treffinger, Young, Selby, and Shepardson and by Wiggins and McTighe. Results One aspect of creativity, convergent thinking (including analysis and evaluation), was well represented in the engineering courses in our case study. However, instruction on generating ideas and openness to exploring ideas was less often evident. For many of the creative skills, especially those related to divergent thinking and idea exploration, assessments were lacking. Conclusions An analysis of pedagogy focused on goals, instruction, and assessments in the engineering curriculum revealed opportunities for growth in students' creative skill development. Designing assessments that motivate students to improve their creative skills and to become more aware of their own creative process is a key need in engineering pedagogy.

209 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A much more extensive quantitative analysis of the research on active learning in college and university STEM courses than previously existed is provided and the results that emerge have important implications for the future of STEM teaching and STEM education research.
Abstract: The quality of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education in the United States has long been an area of national concern, but that concern has not resulted in improvement. Recently, there has been a growing sense that an opportunity for progress at the higher education level lies in the extensive research on different teaching methods that have been carried out during the last few decades. Most of this research has been on “active learning methods” and the comparison with the standard lecture method in which students are primarily listening and taking notes. As the number of research studies has grown, it has become increasingly clear to researchers that active learning methods achieve better educational outcomes. The possibilities for improving postsecondary STEM education through more extensive use of these research-based teaching methods were reflected in two important recent reports (1, 2). However, the size and consistency of the benefits of active learning remained unclear. In PNAS, Freeman et al. (3) provide a much more extensive quantitative analysis of the research on active learning in college and university STEM courses than previously existed. It was a massive effort involving the tracking and analyzing of 642 papers spanning many fields and publication venues and a very careful analysis of 225 papers that met their standards for the meta-analysis. The results that emerge from this meta-analysis have important implications for the future of STEM teaching and STEM education research.

197 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors compare two models for reforming engineering education, problem/project-based learning (PBL), and conceive-and-implement-operate (CDIO), identifying and explaining similarities and differences.
Abstract: This paper compares two models for reforming engineering education, problem/project-based learning (PBL), and conceive–design–implement–operate (CDIO), identifying and explaining similarities and differences. PBL and CDIO are defined and contrasted in terms of their history, community, definitions, curriculum design, relation to disciplines, engineering projects, and change strategy. The structured comparison is intended as an introduction for learning about any of these models. It also invites reflection to support the understanding and evolution of PBL and CDIO, and indicates specifically what the communities can learn from each other. It is noted that while the two approaches share many underlying values, they only partially overlap as strategies for educational reform. The conclusions are that practitioners have much to learn from each other’s experiences through a dialogue between the communities, and that PBL and CDIO can play compatible and mutually reinforcing roles, and thus can be fruitfully combined to reform engineering education.

190 citations


Book ChapterDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, three principles guiding the development of two-year postgraduate programs in technological design at the Institute for Continuing Education of Eindhoven University of Technology (EUT) are discussed as a contribution to the establishment of quality standards in this area.
Abstract: The field of Continuing Engineering Education comprises a diversity of course types, educational objectives and means, contents, organisational forms, types of students and teachers, in which 'quality' is a rather vague notion. In this paper 'quality' is considered a result of deliberated choices, decision–making and adaptation of wishes and possibilities between parties involved, and is restricted to selected educational means for the achievement of certain agreed objectives under specific circumstances. Three principles guiding the development of two–year postgraduate programs in technological design at the Institute for Continuing Education of Eindhoven University of Technology (EUT) are discussed as a contribution to the establishment of quality standards in this area. In accordance with these principles, a conceptual model for the construction, representation, comparison and evaluation of design education programs is discussed.

188 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The authors focused on the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and their implications for teacher development, particularly at the undergraduate level after an introduction to NGSS and the IGS and the i
Abstract: This article centers on the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and their implications for teacher development, particularly at the undergraduate level After an introduction to NGSS and the i

182 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This article explored the experiences of four engineering students who chose to leave the engineering program and provided insight into their reasons for leaving and found that the key to understanding why students leave engineering is at the confluence of institutional and individual factors.
Abstract: Background While spending to prepare precollege students for engineering at universities increases, the number of engineering graduates continues to decrease, and attrition rates for engineering undergraduates remain high. Universities are motivated to understand the factors contributing to low retention of engineering undergraduates. Purpose/Hypothesis This article explores the experiences of four undergraduates who chose to leave engineering and provides insight into their reasons for leaving. Through attention to their experiences, this study captures participants' points of view as they explain how they made their decisions. Design/Method Students who recently left engineering were interviewed and completed a journey-mapping exercise describing their motivations and experiences. Analysis identified institutional and individual factors that contributed to their decisions to leave. Results Common themes of nonpersisting engineering undergraduates included individual factors (such as poor performance, feeling unprepared for demands of the engineering program, difficulty fitting into engineering) and institutional factors (such as disappointment with engineering advising). Concepts uncovered in this article not present in existing research include an emotional attachment between participants and the concept of being an engineer, students' sense of loss and failure, and their easy transition from engineering to another major. Conclusions Individual factors leading to attrition include unwillingness of students to adapt to the rigor of the engineering program and loss of confidence due to poor performance. Institutional factors also contribute to attrition. The key to understanding why students leave engineering is at the confluence of institutional and individual factors.

170 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A survey conducted by the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) as discussed by the authors found that the greatest promise for transformative change in engineering education lies in developing a shared vision for educational innovation, and the most commonly used change strategies in other STEM education efforts are developing and disseminating new instructional approaches, supporting faculty members in their own scholarly teaching, and implementing policies that enable and reward teaching innovation.
Abstract: Background Many reports present a vision of what engineering education should look like, but few describe how this should happen. An American Society for Engineering Education initiative in 2006 attempted to bridge this gap by engaging faculty, chairs, and deans in discussion of change in engineering education; results were reported in a Phase I report (2009). In a second phase, survey data were integrated into a Phase II report (2012). Purpose This article uses the ASEE survey results to identify promising pathways for transforming engineering undergraduate education. Design/Method The survey asked faculty, chairs, and deans at engineering departments at 156 U.S. institutions to reflect on the recommendations of the Phase I report. Quantitative and qualitative responses were separately analyzed and then mixed by mapping findings to the Four Categories of Change Strategies model developed by Henderson et al. (2011), which frames the results and illustrates gaps and opportunities. Results Responses mapped to three of the four categories of the model that were most commonly used in other STEM education efforts: developing and disseminating new instructional approaches, supporting faculty members in their own scholarly teaching, and implementing policies that enable and reward teaching innovation. No responses mapped to developing a shared vision through activities such as strategic planning. Conclusions The greatest promise for transformative change in engineering education lies in developing a shared vision for educational innovation. The findings of this article provide a foundation for ongoing discussion and evaluating progress.

Journal Article
TL;DR: Smith and Streveler as discussed by the authors summarized STEM integration in both K-12 and undergraduate education with a focus on U.S. and international trends, and highlighted best practices and programs both in classrooms and in research around STEM integration.
Abstract: The inaugural issue (Volume 1, Number 1, 2000) of the Journal of STEM Education (then titled Journal of SMET Education) included an article by Nor- man Fortenberry titled "An examination of NSF's programs in undergraduate education." Fortenberry provided a comprehensive summary of the National Science Foundation (NSF) undergraduate education and training programs, which he categorized in five areas for impact in SMET education - curricula and institutions, faculty, courses and laboratories, diversity, and students. He concluded, "With sufficient resources, NSF can both strengthen its core pro- grams and address unmet needs and opportunities. Unmet opportunities can be grouped into five areas: (1) systemic reform of curricula and institutions, (2) high-quality instruction by faculty, (3) educational research, materials, and methods, (4) emphasis on meeting the needs of diverse student populations, and (5) student support (p. 4)."Since Fortenberry's call for embracing research (area 3), discipline-based education research has advanced through the efforts of a rapidly increasing community of researchers, the emergence of engineer- ing education research (and more broadly STEM education research) centers and programs, and reports, such as, the 2012 National Research Council (NRC) report, Discipline-Based Education Research (DBER; NRC, 2012a).Discipline-based education research in science and engineering has con- tinually advanced in the past ten years. Engineering education research (EER) has been on the fast track since 2004 with a dramatic rise in the number of PhDs awarded and the establishment of new programs, even entire EER de- partments (Benson, Becker, Cooper, Griffin, & Smith, 2010). The rapid ad- vancement of EER has been documented in a series of editorials (Smith, 2006; Streveler & Smith, 2006; 2010) and EER Networking sessions at American Society for Engineering Education conferences. Smith and Streveler have orga- nized and facilitated Engineering Education Research and Innovation (EER&I) networking meetings at each ASEE annual conference since 2010. Each session was attended by between 40 and 60 representatives of engineering education research and innovation programs, departments and centers. At ASEE 2014 the networking sessions will be held at the EER Lounge, which is part of the Engineering Education Research and Innovation space in the Exhibition area.The 2012 National Research Council's Discipline-Based Education Research (DBER) report captures the state-of-the-art advances in our understanding of engineering student learning and highlights commonalities with other science-based education research programs. The DBER report is the consensus analysis of experts in undergraduate education research in physics, chemistry, biology, geosciences, astronomy, and engineering. The study committee also included higher education researchers, learning scientists, and cognitive psy- chologists. Editorials on the DBER report have been published in ASEE Prism (Singer & Smith, 2013a) and the Journal of Engineering Education (Singer & Smith, 2013b). A recent special issue of the Journal of Research on Science Teaching was devoted to Discipline-Centered Postsecondary Science Education Research.Now that the EER community has been established and is growing, it is time to explore the next major advancement, STEM integration, and the Jour- nal of STEM Education, which was established in 2000, is the ideal venue to present this editorial. Research-to-practice efforts on STEM integration are the central organizing feature of the University of Minnesota STEM Education Center, established in 2009 by co-founders Tamara Moore and Gillian Roehrig and cur- rently led by Karl Smith and Kathleen Cramer. Our purposes for this editorial are to summarize STEM integration in both K-12 and undergraduate education with a focus on U.S. and international trends. We will feature known best practices and programs both in classrooms and in research around STEM integration. …

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors proposed a Space Control and Inertial Technology Research Center at Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China 2 School of Control Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, China 3 College of Information and Control Engineering, China University of Petroleum, Qingdao 266555, China 4 School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia 5 College of Engineering and Science, Victoria University, Melbourne, VIC 8001, Australia
Abstract: 1 Space Control and Inertial Technology Research Center, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China 2 School of Control Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, China 3 College of Information and Control Engineering, China University of Petroleum, Qingdao 266555, China 4 School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia 5 College of Engineering and Science, Victoria University, Melbourne, VIC 8001, Australia

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors explore the contradiction that has developed between market-driven and academic strategies of response to the challenges facing engineering and engineering education and propose a transformation to an integrative mode that is less prominent historically, but growing in importance.
Abstract: Background This article explores the contradiction that has developed between market-driven and academic strategies of response to the challenges facing engineering and engineering education. In these contending response strategies there are deep-seated, underlying historical tensions at work. Purpose This article aims to create a theoretical and conceptual framework, which allows engineering educators to reflect on their perceptions and practices in regard to institutional change and reform. Design A historical review traces the history of the tensions between different traditions of engineering education from their medieval roots through the institutionalization of engineering education in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and discusses the different conceptions of engineering and engineering knowledge on which they are based. We then relate the historical review to educational conceptualizations of the university as well as curriculum models. Results On the basis of a synthesis of the historical and educational perspectives, we present an analytical distinction between three modes of engineering education. We propose a transformation to an integrative mode that is less prominent historically, but growing in importance. By introducing the term hybrid learning, we furthermore outline important aspects to be considered in the process of transforming engineering education. Conclusions We conclude by inviting engineering educators, students, administrators, and policy makers to consult our theoretical and conceptual framework and consider a transformation to an integrative mode. This integrative mode is designed to foster hybrid learning, a contextual, transformative, collaborative, and situated learning approach that holds potential in facing the increasing complexity of engineering.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a systematic review and critique of the representation of engineering in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and related reform documents is presented, and it is suggested that the disciplinary core ideas of engineering can be disregarded safely if the practices of engineering are better articulated and modeled through student engagement in engineering projects.
Abstract: Engineering is featured prominently in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and related reform documents, but how its nature and methods are described is problematic. This paper is a systematic review and critique of that representation, and proposes that the disciplinary core ideas of engineering (as described in the NGSS) can be disregarded safely if the practices of engineering are better articulated and modeled through student engagement in engineering projects. A clearer distinction between science and engineering practices is outlined, and prior research is described that suggests that precollege engineering design can strengthen children’s understandings about scientific concepts. However, a piecemeal approach to teaching engineering practices is unlikely to result in students understanding engineering as a discipline. The implications for science teacher education are supplemented with lessons learned from a number of engineering education professional development projects.

Book ChapterDOI
01 Feb 2014
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a combined understanding of problem-and project-based learning, the theoretical and historical background, and the different models of PBL that can capture the existing practices, ranging from small-to large-scale practice, from classroom teaching to institutional models, and from single-subject to interdisciplinary and complex knowledge construction.
Abstract: Introduction In the practice of engineering education, there is a wide variety of implementations of problem-based or project-based learning (PBL). In this chapter we aim to explain the relationships between different types of problem-based and project-based learning to help teachers and educational managers make innovative choices and provide benchmarks for educational researchers. We present a combined understanding of problem- and project-based learning, the theoretical and historical background, and the different models of PBL that can capture the existing practices, ranging from small- to large-scale practice, from classroom teaching to institutional models, and from single-subject to interdisciplinary and complex knowledge construction. It is well known that one-way dissemination of knowledge by means of lectures is not very effective in achieving learning (van der Vleuten, 1997). In higher education concepts such as “self-directed-learning,” “case-based learning,” “inquiry based learning,” “experiential learning,” “service learning,” “project-based service learning,” “active learning,” CDIO (Conceive, Design, Implement, and Operate), “project-based learning,” and “problem-based learning” were introduced in the decades after the Second World War. All these new learning concepts come under the umbrella of learner-centered or student-centered learning models. Problem-based and project-based learning, both known as PBL, originate from the reform universities, and the new educational models, established between 1965 and 1975. In problem-based learning, problems form the starting point for students’ learning emphasizing a self-directed learning process in teams. The educational model problem-based learning was introduced at curriculum scale at the medical faculty of McMaster University, Canada, followed by Maastricht University in the Netherlands and many others. Project-based learning shares the aspect of students working on problems in teams, but with the added component that they have to submit a project report completed collaboratively by the project team. The problem- and project-based/project organized model adopted at Aalborg University and Roskilde University, Denmark, was inspired by the critical pedagogy in Europe after the student revolts of the 1960s. At Aalborg University both models of PBL were eventually combined in problem-based project organized learning, which was practiced at all faculties – the Faculty of Engineering and Science being the largest. This combined approach is the central point of reference for this chapter, as the pedagogical development in engineering education indicates that both educational practices are successful in their own way and the abbreviation PBL is here defined as including both practices.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined the effects of a professional development program focused on engineering integration, and how teachers chose to implement engineering in their classrooms as a result of the professional development.
Abstract: With the increasing emphasis on integrating engineering into K-12 classrooms to help meet the needs of our complex and multidisciplinary society, there is an urgent need to investigate teachers' engineering-focused professional development experiences as they relate to teacher learning, implementation, and student achievement. This study addresses this need by examining the effects of a professional development program focused on engineering integration, and how teachers chose to implement engineering in their classrooms as a result of the professional development. 198 teachers in grades 3–6 from 43 schools in 17 districts participated in a yearlong professional development program designed to help integrate the new state science standards, with a focus on engineering, into their teaching. Posters including lesson plans and student artifacts were used to assess teachers' engineering practices and the implementation in their classrooms. Results indicated that the majority of the teachers who participated in the professional development were able to effectively implement engineering design lessons in their classrooms suggesting that the teachers' success in implementing engineering lessons in their classroom was closely related to the structure of the professional development program.

BookDOI
14 Mar 2014
TL;DR: Fenwick et al. as mentioned in this paper proposed a framework for re-conceptualising professional knowing, work arrangements and responsibility in the context of telemedicine and the digital workplace.
Abstract: Professional knowing, work arrangements and responsibility: new times, new concepts? Tara Fenwick, University of Stirling and Monika Nerland, University of Oslo Section1: Reconceptualising Professional Knowing *Professional knowing-in-practice: rethinking materiality and border resources in telemedicine Silvia Gherardi, University of Trento, Italy * Learning through epistemic practices in professional work: examples from nursing and engineering Monika Nerland and Karen Jensen, University of Oslo, Norway * The doctor and the blue form: learning professional responsibility Miriam Zukas, Birkbeck, University of London and Sue Kilminster, Leeds Medical Education Institute, University of Leeds * Re-thinking teacher professional learning: a more than representational account Dianne Mulcahy, University of Melbourne, Australia * Surfacing the multiple: diffractive methods for rethinking professional practice and knowledge Davide Nicolini and Bridget Roe, Warwick University, UK Section II: Reconceptualising Professional Work Arrangements * Nurturing occupational expertise in the contemporary workplace: an 'apprenticeship turn' in professional learning Alison Fuller, University of Southampton Lorna Unwin, Institute of Education, UK *A technology shift and its challenges to professional conduct: mediated vision in endodontics Asa Makitalo, University of Gotenburg, Sweden Claes Reit * Engineering knowing in the digital workplace: aligning sociality and materiality in practice Aditya Johri, Virginia Tech University, USA * Interprofessional working and learning: a conceptualization of their relationship and its implications for education David Guile, Institute of Education, UK * Arrangements of co-production in healthcare: partnership modes of interprofessional practice Roger Dunston, University of Technology at Sydney, Australia Section III: Reconceptualising Professional Responsibility * Materiality and professional responsibility Tara Fenwick, University of Stirling, UK * Developing professional responsibility in medicine: a sociomaterial curriculum Nick Hopwood, University of Technology at Sydney, Australia Madeleine Abrandt Dahlgren, Linkoping University, Sweden Karin Siwe, Linkoping University, Sweden * Dilemmas of responsibility for health professionals in independent practice Sarah Wall, University of Alberta, Canada * Putting time to 'good' use in educational work: a question of responsibility Helen Colley, Huddersfield University, UK Lea Henriksson, University of Tampere, Finland Beatrix Niemeyer, University of Flensburg, Germany Terri Seddon, Monash University, Australia * Professional learning for planetary sustainability: 'thinking through country' Margaret Somerville, University of Western Sydney

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors employ expectancy value theory and examine the success and value beliefs motivating individuals' choices to create and sustain innovations within the engineering education system, and find that the same motivation constructs generally matter for research, practice, and research-informed practice, although practice-informed research was nearly absent from the data.
Abstract: Background Transformative change in higher education requires a continuous interplay between educational research and educational practice In considering how to engage researchers and practitioners in “cycles of educational practice and research” (Jamieson & Lohmann, 2009), we focus on individuals and what motivates them to create and sustain innovations within the engineering education system Purpose Through this study, we seek to better understand why faculty do or do not engage in the research–practice cycle Specifically, we employ expectancy value theory and examine the success and value beliefs motivating individuals' choices Design/Method We used mixed methods assessment data from two engineering education conferences that focused on promoting transformational change Data included observational notes, open-ended written responses submitted after conference sessions, open-ended survey questions, and quantitative survey questions For data analysis we used descriptive statistics and open coding techniques Results We identified expectancy of success and cost value and utility value as important to participants Notably, the same motivation constructs generally matter for research, practice, and research-informed practice, although practice-informed research was nearly absent from the data Participants cited strategies that are currently working to improve only some of the success and value categories Conclusions Expectancy value theory provides a useful framework for understanding faculty choices in the research–practice cycles required for change and innovation in engineering education Our findings indicate that in addition to improving individuals' competence with critical research and teaching practices, our field should also support collective efficacy and value beliefs

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This paper examined the relationship between engineering students' beliefs about intelligence and their perceived use of active learning strategies such as collaboration and knowledge-building behaviors, self-efficacy for learning and performance, and course grade.
Abstract: Background Students' beliefs about their intellectual ability influence their use of learning strategies, learning effort, and response to failure or setbacks. Students with incremental views of intelligence believe that learning is possible with sufficient effort, whereas those with entity views believe that intelligence is a fixed quality and expenditure of effort reflects an insufficient amount of that quality. Purpose This study examined the relationship between engineering students' beliefs about intelligence and their perceived use of active learning strategies such as collaboration and knowledge-building behaviors, self-efficacy for learning and performance, and course grade. The study also examined the extent of entity and incremental beliefs in a sample of engineering students. Design/Method The correlational study analyzed data from 377 engineering students recruited from required engineering courses at a large public university. We used bivariate correlations to examine relationships between study variables and multiple regression analyses to examine predictive ability of the variables on learning strategies and course grade. Results Our results showed that students' intelligence beliefs were correlated with active learning strategies. Self-efficacy, reported use of collaboration, and incremental beliefs about intelligence were predictive of students' reported use of knowledge-building behaviors. Intelligence beliefs were not predictive of course grade. Conclusions Our results demonstrate the utility of these motivational beliefs for understanding university engineering students' learning efforts. Our results also suggest a need for instructors to support incremental views of intelligence among engineering students.

15 Jun 2014
TL;DR: Jim Borgford-Parnell as discussed by the authors is associate director and Instructional Consultant at the Center for Engineering Learning & Teaching at the University of Washington and has been involved in instructional development for 18 years, and currently does both research and instructional development in engineering education.
Abstract: Dr. Jim Borgford-Parnell is Associate Director and Instructional Consultant at the Center for Engineering Learning & Teaching at the University of Washington. He taught design, education-research methods, and adult and higher education theory and pedagogy courses for over 30 years. He has been involved in instructional development for 18 years, and currently does both research and instructional development in engineering education. Jim has taught courses on the development of reflective teaching practices, and has presented workshops on learning how to learn and developing metacognitive awareness.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors identify observable outcomes that engineering undergraduate students should demonstrate related to leadership, adaptability to change, and synthesis abilities and create an instrument to assess them, which may help to define learning outcomes and competencies for engineering leadership programs, and may provide faculty with an assessment tool for their students.
Abstract: Background Studies have highlighted the importance for engineers of leadership, adaptability to change, and synthesis of multiple perspectives. Yet only a few studies and instruments have explored the operational definitions of these concepts for engineering undergraduates. Purpose The goals of this research were to identify observable outcomes that engineering undergraduate students should demonstrate related to leadership, adaptability to change, and synthesis abilities and to create an instrument to assess them. Design/Method In the first phase of the study, 12 engineers working in academia and 11 engineers working in industry were interviewed. The transcripts were analyzed using a constant comparative method to determine constructs related to leadership, change, and synthesis. In the second phase of the study, survey items were developed and administered to 753 engineering undergraduate students in the spring of 2011. An exploratory factor analysis determined the common factors across the survey items. Results The mixed methods approach resulted in the creation of 45 survey items categorized into four factors: Being an Engineering Leader, Engineer's Impact on Society and Economy, Engineering Leadership, and Development of an Adaptor to Change. Conclusion This study operationalized leadership, change, and synthesis within the context of engineering education. This operationalization may help to define learning outcomes and competencies for engineering leadership programs, and may provide faculty with an assessment tool for their students. Students may also use the tool to self-assess their leadership, change, and synthesis abilities.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The goal in this article is to reflect on the role LEGO robotics has played in college engineering education over the last 15 years, starting with the introduction of the RCX in 1998 and ending with the introducing of the EV3 in 2013.
Abstract: Our goal in this article is to reflect on the role LEGO robotics has played in college engineering education over the last 15 years, starting with the introduction of the RCX in 1998 and ending with the introduction of the EV3 in 2013. By combining a modular computer programming language with a modular building platform, LEGO Education has allowed students (of all ages) to become active leaders in their own education as they build everything from animals for a robotic zoo to robots that play children's games. Most importantly, it allows all students to develop different solutions to the same problem to provide a learning community. We look first at how the recent developments in the learning sciences can help in promoting student learning in robotics. We then share four case studies of successful college-level implementations that build on these developments.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors report on findings from a three-year study of project-based learning implemented in the first year of the Industrial Engineering and Management program, at the University of Minho, Portugal.
Abstract: This paper reports on findings from a three-year study of project-based learning implemented in the first year of the Industrial Engineering and Management programme, at the University of Minho, Portugal. This particular model was inspired on project-led education (PLE), following Powell and Weenk's [2003. Project-Led Engineering Education. Utrecht: Lemma] work. It aims to analyse students’ perceptions of PLE as a learning device and its implications for faculty and students’ role in teaching and learning. Data collection took place in two phases through individual surveys and focus groups to students. Findings suggest the importance of PLE as a device to enhance meaningful learning and provide evidence from students that it helps to increase their engagement in learning. Implications of PLE for faculty and students role in teaching and learning will be discussed in the paper.

Journal ArticleDOI
01 Feb 2014
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a new concept of engineering education called "successful education", which is a new model for educating successful engineers, based on the theory of successful intelligence and the Da Vinci principles.
Abstract: The objective of this paper is to present a new concept of engineering education called ‘successful education’. First, the paper provides a brief discussion of the major forces driving the evolution of engineering education. These include the evolution in general of our civilisation from knowledge-based to creativity-based and the corresponding emerging challenges this transformation presents. Next, the paper provides an overview of selected sources of our inspiration and knowledge used to develop successful education, including an interpretation of the evolution of engineering education from both the systems and theory of inventive problem solving perspectives. It includes basic information about the theory of successful intelligence, about the Medici effect and about the Da Vinci principles. The core of the paper is a description of successful education as a new model for educating successful engineers. Basic objectives, assumptions and concepts of the model are presented. They include the concept of a ...

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This article conducted a survey to collect responses about sustainability and other variables of interest from a national sample of college students in introductory English classes and found that those who perceive improving quality of life and saving lives as associated with engineering are more likely to pursue the profession.
Abstract: Background Sustainability is increasingly a vital consideration for engineers. Improved understanding of how attention to sustainability influences student major and career choice could inform efforts to broaden participation in engineering. Purpose Two related questions guided our research. How do career outcome expectations related to sustainability predict the choice of an engineering career? Which broader sustainability-related outcomes do students perceive as related to engineering? To address both questions, we compared effects for engineering and nonengineering students while controlling for various confounding variables. Design/Method We conducted a survey to collect responses about sustainability and other variables of interest from a national sample of college students in introductory English classes. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and correlational analysis. Results Students who hope to address certain sustainability issues such as energy, climate change, environmental degradation, and water supply are more likely to pursue engineering. Those who hope to address other sustainability issues such as opportunities for women and minorities, poverty, and disease are less likely to do so. Students hoping to address sustainability-related outcome expectations with obvious human relevance are less likely to pursue engineering. Yet those students who perceive “improving quality of life” and “saving lives” as associated with engineering are more likely to pursue the profession. Conclusions Our results suggest that showing students the connection between certain sustainability issues and engineering careers could help those striving to increase and diversify participation in engineering. A broader range of engineers would likely bring new ideas and ways of thinking to engineering for sustainability.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined how engineering students experience studying entrepreneurship in a course that is based on a socio-constructivist view of learning and the integrative pedagogy model and identified four qualitatively different categories of experiencing entrepreneurship as part of an engineering degree program.
Abstract: Background Entrepreneurial learning, or the acquisition of entrepreneurial skills, in engineering at the college level has become an important topic. The labor market needs engineers who are prepared to adapt to changing market conditions and enhance innovations that offer new value to customers and society as a whole. An entrepreneurial mindset, knowledge, skills, and attitudes are closely related to innovation and creativity as enablers of entrepreneurial actions that are essential to prepare students for a successful professional life. Purpose This study sought to examine how engineering students experience studying entrepreneurship in a course that is based on a socio-constructivist view of learning and the integrative pedagogy model. Design/method The data were collected using semistructured group interviews (n = 48) and individual in-depth interviews (n =16). The study adopted a phenomenographic research approach. Results As a result of the analyses, four qualitatively different categories of experiencing entrepreneurship as part of an engineering degree program were identified. Entrepreneurship studies were experienced by students as a first step to self-directed learning, a preparation for work life, a path to possible self-employment, and a context for developing leadership and responsibility for group achievement. Conclusion The four categories identified show that integrating entrepreneurship studies in an engineering degree program can be experienced in a variety of ways by students. Pedagogical implications are discussed.

Book ChapterDOI
01 Feb 2014
TL;DR: Barley and Trevelyan as discussed by the authors argue that research on professional engineering work is too sparse and that a focus on "preparation" of future engineers not be tied to an agenda that solely emphasizes what professional engineering "needs" and economic competitiveness.
Abstract: Introduction The focus of our chapter is on current research-based understandings of professional engineering work. We argue for the relevance of these understandings to engineering education. We will also argue, as others have as well (Barley, 2004; Trevelyan, 2007, 2010; Vinck, 2003), that research on professional engineering work is too sparse. Therefore a good part of this chapter is oriented in a programmatic, agenda setting direction. From the perspective of engineering education, the sparseness of research on professional engineering work is puzzling for a number of reasons. First, engineering education is often reorganized against the backdrop of claims about what professional engineering work is now or will be in the future. Without trustworthy and specific representations of engineering work practice and of the dispositions, skills, and identity orientations of professional engineers, how are engineering educators to know whether engineering education is preparing engineering students to be successful, creative, or impactful engineers? A prominent consensus report from the National Academy of Engineering highlights a “disconnect between engineers in practice and engineers in academe” (National Academy of Engineering [NAE], 2005, pp. 20–21). The report stated that “the great majority of engineering faculty, for example, have no industry experience. Industry representatives point to this disconnect as the reason that engineering students are not adequately prepared, in their view, to enter today's workforce” (National Academy of Engineering [NAE], 2005, pp. 20–21). It is important that a focus on “preparation” of future engineers not be tied to an agenda that solely emphasizes what professional engineering “needs” and economic competitiveness. It also is possible to organize an engineering educational system to prepare recent graduates to be change agents and participants in new social movements within engineering work practice. However, in either case, concrete images of engineering work are critical resources for rethinking engineering education and making empirically based assessments of progress.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors argue for methodological approaches that take into account not just what students name as criteria, but also how they weigh, balance, and choose between criteria and reflect on these decisions during complex tasks.
Abstract: Problem scoping—determining the nature and boundaries of a problem—is an essential aspect of the engineering design process. Some studies from engineering education suggest that beginning students tend to skip problem scoping or oversimplify a problem. However, the ways these studies often characterize students’ problem scoping often do not reflect the complexity found in experts’ designing and rely on the number of criteria a student mentions or the time spent problem scoping. In this paper, we argue for methodological approaches that take into account not just what students name as criteria, but also how they weigh, balance, and choose between criteria and reflect on these decisions during complex tasks. Furthermore, we discuss that these problem-scoping actions should not be considered in isolation, but also how they are connected to the pursuit of a design solution. Using data from an elementary school classroom, we show how these ways of characterizing problem-scoping can capture rich beginnings of students’ engineering.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The aspects that need to be considered when designing an e‐learning platform for engineering education are analysed and a methodology, based on the Quality Function Deployment approach, useful for the preparation phase of distance learning systems is proposed.
Abstract: Modern corporations, institutions, universities and schools in developed countries consider e-education as a way to educate larger groups of students in less time and reducing the use of various resources. Since setting up a web-system for e-education takes significant amount of time as well as computer and other resources, assessment of goals and desired effects of the online system should be done in the preparation phase. It is important to highlight that only putting course content on the web, without using appropriate pedagogical models and principles, as well as without sufficient share of appropriate communication types between participants and with the instructor and use of modern information technologies to present the formative contents is not enough to fulfill the educational goals. It should be noted that, after substantial initial investment and excitement about the possibilities of eeducation, there are many sources of difficulties and dissatisfaction of the online instruction or course participants. Most e-learning studies are centered around propositions of possible improvement in course materials with a little attempt to explore the learners’ dimension, context, pedagogic considerations and technology dimension In this paper we analyze the aspects to consider for designing an e-learning platform in engineering education and we propose a methodology, based QFD approach, useful into the preparation phase of distance learning systems. Finally we explain the impact of new information technologies (WEB3D technologies) on online engineering education and we highlight how these tools have been implemented in our developed e-learning platforms in mechanical education.