Engineering Technology Students Research Articles

Power Distribution Transformer Maintenance Skills Required byElectrical Engineering Technology Students ofPolytechnics inNorth-East Nigeria

Electric power distribution industry in North-East, Nigeria is faced with inadequate number of power transformer maintenance personnel which has led to numerous abandonment of broken down power transformers. Transformer faults have been blamed for many power outages of long duration in many towns and communities in North-East, Nigeria.It is against this backdrop that thisstudy determined the power distribution transformer maintenance skills required by Electrical Engineering Technology students of polytechnics in North-East Nigeria. Three research questions and three hypotheses guided the study which employed a descriptive survey research design. The population of the study was 144 comprising of 135 Electrical Engineering Technology Lecturers, 3 Power Transformer Maintenance Technicians and 6 Electric Power Distribution Company-Based Supervisors. The entire population was used hence, there was no sampling. The instrument used for data collection was a structured questionnaire titled: Power Distribution Transformer Maintenance Skills Required Questionnaire (PDTMSRQ) developed by the researchers. The instrument was validated by three experts and a reliability of 0.74 was obtained using Cronbach Alpha reliability method. Mean statistic was used to answer the research questions while ANOVA was used to test the two null hypotheses of the study at 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the study revealed that the Electrical Engineering Technology students of polytechnics in North-East Nigeria required preventive, predictive and corrective maintenance skills. The study recommended the following: Lecturers should encourage the students’ skill acquisition process by exposing them to various maintenance activities in order for them to imbibe the different methods of power transformer maintenance; Students should be trained to recognize sounds and sights of faulty equipment in order to predict the parts or components that needed replacement or repairs.

Speaking Anxiety Among ESL Learners: A Comparative Study Between Electrical Engineering and Digital Technology Students

Speaking Anxiety Among ESL Learners: A Comparative Study Between Electrical Engineering and Digital Technology Students

Coming Full Circle: The 360° Experience for Biomedical Engineering Technology Students

Coming Full Circle: The 360° Experience for Biomedical Engineering Technology Students

Librarian Perspectives on Technical Standards at Academic Institutions with Engineering Technology Programs

Technical standards are resources that are important for engineering and engineering technology students due to ABET accreditation requirements and future professional use of the documents. Previous studies have surveyed librarians at Association of Research Libraries (ARL) institutions with engineering programs and librarians at universities with top-ranked engineering programs about standards. This study fills a gap by focusing on librarians at institutions with engineering technology programs. We surveyed 34 academic librarians at institutions with four-year bachelor programs in the disciplines of mechanical engineering technology or electrical and electronics engineering technology to learn about standards access and challenges at their libraries, standards education for students, and librarians’ standards-related professional development experiences and needs. Key findings include: standards access and standards education efforts are skewed towards larger institutions; librarians encounter significant cost challenges in providing standards access; few librarians receive education about standards until moving into their careers; and there is a need for self-paced librarian training materials focused on standards. Further education for librarians about standards and increased standards access has the potential to have a significant impact on many students, given the reach of librarians in their liaison roles.

Designing a Pronunciation Self-Assessment Checklist for Aircraft Engineering Technology Students in an ESL Higher Education Context

Designing a Pronunciation Self-Assessment Checklist for Aircraft Engineering Technology Students in an ESL Higher Education Context

Pengaruh Penampilan Dan Fitur Robot Quality Check Apilastik Terhadap Tingkat Kepuasan Pengguna

Rapid advances in technology, particularly in the Internet of Things (IoT), are enabling the development of devices and robots that can be operated remotely. This research explores the effects of APILASTIK Quality Check Robot Appearance and Features on User Satisfaction Level. This tool, developed by Computer Engineering Technology students at IPB University's Vocational School, aims to detect defects in production products. The robot attracted great attention when it was presented at IT FEST 2023, showing the potential for wide use. Evaluations of the robot's appearance and features showed a positive and significant influence on the level of user satisfaction, with each variable contributing 66.4% and 25.4%, respectively. Hypothesis testing confirmed the overall positive and significant impact, with the coefficient of determination (R2) reaching 82.7%. The results of multiple linear regression analysis and t-test show that the robot's appearance and features individually contribute significantly to user satisfaction. With these findings, we can understand the factors that influence user satisfaction with damage-scanning robots. The recommendation is to focus on feature development or appearance enhancement to improve overall user satisfaction.

The Flipped Classroom: Enhancing Students’ Learning in Teaching Calculus

Educators have faced difficulties in efficiently teaching within the present regular school system. State, university, and college officials have been pressed to shift from face-to-face classes to teaching methodologies that address the constraints of the traditional method of instruction. Digital natives, also known as modern educators, spend more class time connecting with students and filling learning gaps with technological tools. To assist the development of learning, they began using interactive movies, interactive in-class activities, and video conference technologies. This includes utilizing a Flipped Classroom. This effort determined the effect of employing the flipped classroom technique in teaching Calculus in order to solve the issues experienced in teaching Mathematics during the new normal. The study included 20 first-year Electrical and Mechanical Engineering students who were enrolled in the second semester of the academic year 2019-2020 students whose problem-solving abilities and Calculus ability were assessed using a researcher-created test. A One-Group Pretest-Posttest Experimental Design was used by the researcher. The experimental study used four sessions of video instruction during pandemic season before the online class interactions. The researchers feel that flipped classrooms are appropriate for teaching Calculus since slow learners can watch the video repeatedly until they understand the material. As a result, assignments in the classroom focused on collaborative learning. As seen by the posttest findings, the use of the flipped classroom technique helped students enhance their problem-solving skills and mastery of solving Calculus issues. Thus, the flipped classroom method was found to be helpful in improving students' problem-solving skills and performance in Calculus among Guimaras State College's College of Engineering and Industrial Technology students.

The Importance of STEM Sense of Belonging and Academic Hope in Enhancing Persistence for Low-Income, Underrepresented STEM Students

The purpose of this longitudinal investigation was to examine the effectiveness of a comprehensive, integrated curricular and co-curricular program designed to build community, provide academic and social support, and promote engagement in academically purposeful activities resulting in more equitable environments for historically underrepresented, low-income science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) information technology (IT) students. The study also focused on the role that the sense of belonging and academic hope play in enhancing persistence to degree completion. Program participants had significantly higher persistence rates compared to a matched comparison group. Additionally, STEM-specific belonging and academic hope significantly predicted students’ intentions to persist to degree completion in IT. A major finding was that STEM domain–specific belonging was a stronger predictor of persistence than general belonging. Our investigation has implications for the role that cohort-based programs, industry engagement, peer mentoring, proactive advising, undergraduate research opportunities, career preparation, and leveraging need-based financial aid play in ensuring equity in STEM.

Approach to problem solving and use of intuition by engineering technology students

Engineering technology students often forgo a methodical approach of solving or answering questions on assignments or exams in favor of an intuition-based approach, emphasizing educated guessing (Broberg et al., 2008). Faculty observations have noted these student solutions often provide explanations, usually sans calculations, to support answers the students believe to be reasonable when in reality deviated from the correct answer. An extensive study was developed to assess several distinctions between student intuition and use of cognition in problem solving, as related to a generalized student population. The study was comprised of a survey and interview. The survey utilized two instruments, the Types of Intuition Scale (TIntS) and the Cognitive-Experiential Self Theory (CEST). The interview element was comprised of questions related to the student's background and personal experience with math phobia. Data provided by study participants responding to specific questions from the TIntS and CEST instruments allowed researchers to determine how likely students are to use intuition rather than analytical processes. The results of the study found these students prefer to approach problems using logic but tend to rely upon their intuition when problem solving, especially in unfamiliar and high-pressure scenarios. Furthermore, this paper is intended to enlighten educators and other related groups regarding the degree to which intuition is used as a means of solving problems, and the types of intuition generally involved, especially for engineering technology students. Thus, providing practitioners and administrators with a better idea of what these students may provide in response to homework or other problem-solving situations.

Students’ achievement in an online course on technical writing and communication skills

PurposeThis study aims to investigate students’ satisfaction, self-efficacy and perceived competencies in a ‘technical writing and communication skills’ course after the switch of teaching the course from face to face to fully online during and after COVID-19. The study also measured the Achievement of Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology course learning outcomes (CLOs).Design/methodology/approachA descriptive cross-sectional survey design approach was adopted in this study. Students were asked to respond to an online survey after completion of the course to measure the target parameters. The data of 250 respondents, analyzed with IBM SPSS Statistics 28, show high scores on all constructs.FindingsStatistically significant differences among gender, field of study, grade point average (GPA) level, type of school attended and attainment of English proficiency certificate were detected for students in terms of their baseline perceived competencies, achievement of CLOs and self-efficacy scores. In addition, gender, field of study, GPA and holding an international English proficiency certificate had statistically significant effect, whereas the academic level and type of school were insignificant.Research limitations/implicationsFirst, the data had been collected through survey only. A limitation of this method is that there could be survey fraud. Second, as some respondents found the survey long, their responses might have been less reliable. Moreover, as the survey was entirely conducted online, this may have caused limited sampling, because some respondents are less likely to have internet access/disconnection and respond to online surveys. Furthermore, this research had focused on studying the impact of an online course on university students’ achievement in a Jordanian university, this limits the generalizability of the result to students of other levels and classes, or ones studying in other universities or living in different countries.Practical implicationsBecause of its impact on effective teaching and achievement, educators need to pay much attention to self-efficacy when designing new curricula for different environmental contexts. Furthermore, it is apparent that some courses, such as “technical writing” can be taught fully online without affecting students’ performance and achievement. Because educators always look for ways that make teaching effective, they may need to consider online platforms for teaching specific courses, hence save time, effort and resources.Originality/valueA course on technical writing and communication skills offered to undergraduate engineering and information technology students at Princess Sumaya University for Technology was switched from face to face to fully online modality during the COVID-19 pandemic in the period 2020–2021. The effect of such massive and sudden transformation on students’ achievement and satisfaction called for immediate scrutiny of the prospect and expectancy of online learning.

STEM Integration through shared practices: examining secondary science and engineering technology students’ concurrent think-aloud protocols

To address the complete vision of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS Lead States. [2013]. Next Generation Science Standards: For States, by States. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press of the United States, the research focused on how scientific inquiry and engineering design shared practices promote design thinking and problem-solving skills. High school science and engineering technology students participated in the integrated STEM project, TRAILS, and learned engineering design-based integrated STEM lesson, D-BAIT. After each lesson implementation, triads of students from each class participated in a Concurrent Think-Aloud (CTA) protocol session. During the protocol session, the triads of students engaged in a design task as a team and discussed to solve a transfer problem, which required the application of STEM knowledge from the integrated STEM lesson. A total of 27 Think-Aloud datasets were collected and analyzed from the 2017–2019 school years. The results show that key features of TRAILS (scientific inquiry, biomimicry, and engineering design) emerged from the dialogue of both groups (engineering technology and Biology students). Additionally, patterns from the cognitive protocols (transitions between scientific inquiry, biomimicry, and engineering design) suggest that both groups used similar approaches to solving the engineering design problem.

Analysis of Engineering Technology Students’ Digital Footprints in Synchronous and Asynchronous Blended Courses

The advent of Covid-19 provided an enormous academic and logistical challenge to almost all academic institutions in the United States and around the world. As a precautionary measure surrounding the novel coronavirus and in line with recommendations from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) at that time (spring 2020), most higher education institutions in the United States shut down campuses and completed the second half of the spring 2020 semester virtually. During the fall 2020 semester, when relatively more was known about the virus, some institutions started with face-to-face classes but had to switch to virtual learning after noticing a spread of the coronavirus on their campuses. Others adopted a blended approach that supplements face-to-face meetings with virtual learning synchronously or asynchronously. Whichever approach adopted in place of the traditional face-to-face meetings did not necessarily solve the challenge faced by Engineering Technology programs, which typically infuse hands-on learning in most of the courses in their curriculum. Due to the applied nature of engineering technology, it is important to ensure that students stay engaged with creative ways to learn by doing. And to ensure that the students do not miss critical course content in virtual and blended engineering technology courses, it is vital that the students maintain high interactions with online resources such as class video recordings. This paper reviews students’ patterns of interactions with course videos to assess its impact on the academic success of engineering technology students in some upper-level blended courses delivered during the spring and fall 2020 semesters.

Using machine learning to predict engineering technology students’ success with computer‐aided design

AbstractComputer‐aided design (CAD) programs are essential to engineering as they allow for better designs through low‐cost iterations. While CAD programs are typically taught to undergraduate students as a job skill, such software can also help students learn engineering concepts. A current limitation of CAD programs (even those that are specifically designed for educational purposes) is that they are not capable of providing automated real‐time help to students. To encourage CAD programs to build in assistance to students, we used data generated from students using a free, open‐source CAD software called Aladdin to demonstrate how student data combined with machine learning techniques can predict how well a particular student will perform in a design task. We challenged students to design a house that consumed zero net energy as part of an introductory engineering technology undergraduate course. Using data from 128 students, along with the scikit‐learn Python machine learning library, we tested our models using both total counts of design actions and sequences of design actions as inputs. We found that our models using early design sequence actions are particularly valuable for prediction. Our logistic regression model achieved a >60% chance of predicting if a student would succeed in designing a zero net energy house. Our results suggest that it would be feasible for Aladdin to provide useful feedback to students when they are approximately halfway through their design. Further improvements to these models could lead to earlier predictions and thus provide students feedback sooner to enhance their learning.

Development of a low-cost PID setup for engineering technology students

PID controllers are the most frequently used controllers. Theoretical understanding of the system to be controlled and the working principle of PID controllers are crucial for closed-loop control. This fundamental knowledge is - in principle - learned by all engineering students at the undergraduate level. However, understanding the practical aspects of the application of a PID controller and their connections to theoretical concepts must be combined in a clever way. This paper explores the process of the development of a low-cost, easy to manufacture demonstration setup which can act as the bridge between the theoretical and practical world of the control system knowledge. As a reaction to the COVID epidemy, this project is made with the philosophy that the students should be able to take these setups home or even replicate them themselves. The proposed setup comes with an interactive block diagram-based graphical user interface which allows the user to observe the physical changes of the process in -nearly- real-time. The aim of the provided exercises is to comprehend the similarities and the difference between the theoretical and practical aspects of closed-loop control. This paper explains the components of the setup, the development process, the recommended exercises, and feedback from our students.

The Implementation of the Simple Multi Attribute Rating Technique Method for Evaluating the Guidance Process for the Final Project of the Applied Software Engineering Technology Students

Simple Multi Attribute Rating Technique (SMART) is a method that is able to solve problems with multi criteria. In the evaluation of the final project guidance process students of applied software engineering technology are intended to identify supporting factors as well as obstacles for students in completing the final project. Used several criteria such as liveliness of guidance, guidance response, how to communicate, mastery of materials, problem solving and report writing. The problem in determining the cause of the hampered completion of the final project is the lack of tools that can help in processing the criteria data. The solution is to utilize the SMART method with multi criteria problem solving as a tool in decision making. With the utilization of this method is expected to provide solutions in evaluating the guidance process so that the results can be accepted by all students objectively. With the decision support system model, it is expected to be able to know the problem factor in completing the final project so as to help in the implementation of the final project in the next period.

The Implementation of the Simple Multi Attribute Rating Technique Method for Evaluating the Guidance Process for the Final Project of the Applied Software Engineering Technology Students

Simple Multi Attribute Rating Technique (SMART) is a method that is able to solve problems with multi criteria. In the evaluation of the final project guidance process students of applied software engineering technology are intended to identify supporting factors as well as obstacles for students in completing the final project. Used several criteria such as liveliness of guidance, guidance response, how to communicate, mastery of materials, problem solving and report writing. The problem in determining the cause of the hampered completion of the final project is the lack of tools that can help in processing the criteria data. The solution is to utilize the SMART method with multi criteria problem solving as a tool in decision making. With the utilization of this method is expected to provide solutions in evaluating the guidance process so that the results can be accepted by all students objectively. With the decision support system model, it is expected to be able to know the problem factor in completing the final project so as to help in the implementation of the final project in the next period.

Experiential Learning in the Energy Based Classroom

Engineering technology students revel in enhanced learning experiences that include the use of hands-on methods to teach the real-world usage of the tech-nical material. These learning experiences increase applied knowledge and retention in these students and others in related STEM fields. Using research-based learning theory in a project-based and team-based learning environment, the course developers transformed the learning experience from sterile lecture type courses to interactive experiences that enhance and build on the course concepts. Surveys were used to further delve into student perception of the learning experience providing faculty with an assurance that students have ful-ly developed a level of competency in the desired topic used in the interven-tion. The goal of this research is to further delve into the use of personalized learning to engage and encourage student growth.
 Course developers incorporated known practices of team and project-based learning theory when making changes to the course foundation. The application of project-based learning theory is based on literature reviews, and the results seen within similar technology and engineering based STEM disciplines. Course surveys were used to collect information from the students to further understand how changes to the course delivery impacted them and affected the learning environment.
 Initial results suggest improved student engagement, and engagement with course materials as a result of the transformation of class delivery. Evidence shows that the classroom experience is enhanced by this type of activity. Sup-porting findings by researchers in other areas show that experiential or active learning improves students’ understanding and engagement with concepts taught through project-based learning methods.

How the COVID-19 Outbreak Shapes the Education of School Children: A case of Engineering Technology Students in the Mulatiyana Educational Zone, Matara, Sri Lanka

The OUSL Journal is a peer-reviewed open access journal published by the Open University of Sri Lanka (OUSL). It is the first scholarly journal in Sri Lanka focusing on research in the field of Open and Distance Learning (ODL), and is being published since 1997. The journal provides a platform to publish research and pedagogy relating to teaching and learning at the University level, and in particular to Open and Distance Learning (ODL). It also provides a forum for research and review articles related in the areas of Agriculture, Natural Sciences, Education, Engineering, Humanities and Social Sciences and Health Sciences.

Engineering Students’ Use of Digitized Databases in Federal Polytechnics in South-Western Nigeria: Computer Literacy Skills as Predictor.

The empirical work investigated the levels of computer literacy skills and use of digitised databases among engineering students in federal polytechnics in South West Nigeria. For a better academic performance, computer literacy skills has been discovered to be an essential tool that can aid the use of digitised databases among engineering technology students in federal polytechnics in Nigeria. The descriptive research design was adopted for this study while questionnaire was used as the instrument of data collection for the study. For the purpose of administration of research instrument, total enumeration technique was used to select 770 male and 177 female respondents totalling 947 Higher National Diploma II engineering technology students in four federal polytechnics in South-Western Nigeria. Computer literacy skills (α = 0.76); and use of digitised databases (α = 0.93) scales were used to collect data. Out of the 1456 copies of the questionnaire distributed, 947 copies representing 65% were properly filled and returned and found suitable for analysis. On the gender distribution of respondents, majority of them, 81% are male while 19% are female. The skewness can be adduced to the nature of the course under study. Findings from the result revealed that the level of use digitised database was high with overall mean score of 46.93 and standard deviation of 6.72. Also, it was found that the level of computer literacy skill of the respondents was found to be moderately high with overall mean score of 75.71. The study recommended that scholars should add the use of digitised databases to the use of print resources and the Management of the polytechnics should provide proper and consistent computer and information literacy programmes in their curricular to cater for low computer skilled users.

Interdisciplinary, Innovative, and International: Nursing and Engineering Technology Students Creating New Patient Technology.

This article describes an innovative interdisciplinary project that partnered nursing and engineering technology students. The students constructed patient transfer and mobility technology that addressed crucial operational, safety, and usability metrics. The final constructed prototype was presented to an international audience during a two-week study abroad. The project was designed to explore the development of effective interdisciplinary teamwork, recognition of discipline-specific expertise, and a greater understanding of the global health care environment. Qualitative content analysis design was used to determine the impact on leadership development, effective team synergy, and the global health care experience.