Engineering Education Experience Research Articles

Serious games research streams for social change: Critical review and framing

The number of scientific publications about serious games has exponentially increased, often surpassing human limitations in processing such a large volume of information. Consequently, the importance of frameworks for summarising such fast‐expanding literature has also grown. This paper draws a panorama of serious game research streams, focusing on higher education in engineering and management. The research design involves a systematic review using PRISMA guidelines, along with bibliometric and content analyses. The sample comprises 701 documents collected from both Scopus and Web of Science databases. For supporting bibliometric analyses, Bibliometrix and Biblioshiny tools are employed. In addition, a coding schema is developed for in‐depth analysis of 701 documents selected according to the inclusion criteria. In short, the literature on serious games for engineering and management education grows more rapidly than modern science, following a globalised, collaborative and context‐based trajectory. The results reveal five main research streams: game design guidelines, game design cases, game experiment guidelines, game experiment cases and generalists. These streams are summarised in a proposed framework. Cross‐tabulation and statistical analyses conducted in SPSS Statistics identify the key relationships amongst the research streams. Finally, opportunities to investigate serious games for sustainable development education arise, and there is a need for future efforts to formalise the framework classification algorithm. Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic Scientific production related to Serious Games (SGs) has grown exponentially in a globalised manner. It reflects the interest from various domains, particularly the field of sustainability in management. Literature reviews on SGs have emphasised various topics, including the acceptance of simulations and games as effective methods of teaching and learning. The role of technology‐enhanced games and simulations in the context of digital transformation in education and the emergence of sustainability as a promising field for future SGs research are also highlighted. The literature has introduced three categories for empirical research on SGs: (1) game presentation, (2) game evaluation and (3) game effectiveness. It has also highlighted methodological rigour as a common challenge across studies. What this paper adds Scientific research on SGs in Engineering and Management Higher Education (EMHE) experiences exponential and significantly faster growth compared to modern science in a globalised and collaborative manner. This growth reveals the scarcity of experts in this area and attracts the attention of various fields, particularly in the realm of sustainability. Thematic trajectories indicate a decline in discussions regarding users' perceptions of SGs and their validity as educational tools. They also demonstrate consistency in discussions about SGs design, and the potential of sustainability emerges as a promising area for future SGs in EMHE. A comprehensive framework composed by five primary research streams connects game design cases and guidelines, game experiment cases and guidelines and generalists. This framework can serve as a lens for future context‐based literature reviews, and the relationships amongst its streams reinforce the idea that the field can benefit from increased methodological rigour in experiments. Implications for practice and/or policy This review offers categorised supplementary material in which educators can discover a variety of artefacts for application in their specific educational contexts. Designers can access guidelines for enhancing the design of innovative games. Researchers can access guidelines for more effective evaluation of their artefacts across various contexts. Finally, policymakers can explore numerous experiments to inform decisions related to technology‐enhanced innovations in the classroom.

Impact and Utilization of Instructional Materials in Enhancing Effective Teaching of Technical Drawing in Senior Secondary Schools in Education District V Zone III in Lagos State

The study was carried out to examine the impact and utilization of instructional materials in enhancing effective teaching of Technical Drawing in senior secondary schools in Education District V zone III in Lagos State. A descriptive survey research design was used for the study. The population for the study consisted of sixty teachers teaching Technical Drawing from six senior secondary schools in the education district V zone III. No sample was used because the population is manageable. A structured questionnaire was designed for data collection. Three research questions were developed. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions. The findings revealed that drawing instruments and materials were not sufficiently available and the few available ones were not utilized properly for enhancing effective teaching of Technical Drawing in senior secondary schools in Education District V zone III in Lagos State. The finding also showed that the professionally qualified technical teachers were inadequate and, in some cases, other science teachers were being drafted to teach the subject. From the results of these findings, it was recommended that Technical drawing subject should be mandatory in the Senior secondary schools for science and technical Students. The recruitment of technical drawing teachers should be based on experience and qualification in engineering and technical education. Regular training should be organised for Teachers teaching technical drawing in digital instructional techniques using the application of software such AUTO CAD to actively impart in the students’ quality knowledge and skills among others.

Living-Learning Communities in the First-year Engineering Experience

This exploratory study investigates the design and impacts of a curated Living-Learning Community (LLC) piloted at a large student residence for a large (1000+ student) first-year engineering design course. Alongside the live-in Faculty-in-Residence (FiR), the research includes surveying first-year engineering students participating in this program and understanding the impacts on the lived student experience, and student motivation. The first-year engineering design, teamwork, and communication course is central to engineering education at this large institution. The course offers opportunities for students to work in multidisciplinary teams, applying term knowledge to authentic engineering applications, in a problem-based learning environment. The goal of the LLC is to create opportunities for interaction and scaffolded connection between like-minded students taking similar courses and inspire learning within the students living environment; an entire floor of the Residence is assigned to be an LLC for the 2022 academic year, with support from the Don, ResLife Office, and the Faculty-in-Residence (an engineering faculty member). The purpose of this study is to observe and report on the student experience throughout the duration of the course. We aim to learn how participating in the Living-Learning community can affect the perception of confidence in students’ learning of course concepts, and inter-team relations. In order to do so, students will be surveyed at multiple check points throughout the semester. Furthermore, additional relevant information will be gathered from the Living-Learning Community Don, teaching assistants, and the course instructors. The outcome of this analysis has the potential to educate us on the positive and negative connotations that come along with close-quarters learning. The applications of the results found with this study can be vast, from influencing future residence programs and the first-year engineering education experience. This study focuses on the student’s perception of their experience. Understanding how the perception of manageability of workload [1] can affect student mental health leads the curiosity of how close-quarters learning can affect the student experience, to what degree, and how this understanding can help influence future programming. A positive experience that improves student confidence of understanding and course material has the potential to positively improve mental health and engagement in education; we hope that this research brings together the academic and lived-experiences of students through this work.

Computer Engineering Education Experiences with RISC-V Architectures—From Computer Architecture to Microcontrollers

With the growing popularity of RISC-V and various open-source released RISC-V processors, it is now possible for computer engineers students to explore this simple and relevant architecture, and also, these students can explore and design a microcontroller at a low-level using real tool-flows and implement and test their hardware. In this work, we describe our experiences with undergraduate engineers building RISC-V architectures on an FPGA and then extending their experiences to implement an Arduino-like RISC-V tool-flow and the respective hardware and software to handle input-output ports, interrupts, hardware timers, and communication protocols. The microcontroller is implemented on an FPGA as a Senior Design project to test the viability of such efforts. In this work, we will explain how undergraduates can achieve these experiences including preparation for these projects, the tool-flows they use, the challenges in understanding and extending a RISC-V processor with microcontroller functionality, and a suggestion of how to integrate this learning into an existing curriculum, including a discussion on if we should include these deeper experiences in the Computer Engineering undergraduate curriculum.

Pedagogical Features of the Safety Culture Formation in the Process of Training Bachelors of Technosphere Safety

The solution of the strategic tasks of the Russian Federation development requires a significant improvement of the higher professional education system and training of competent specialists who are able to perform the professional and social functions necessary for society. In the article, the author analyzes the features of the safety culture formation in the process of training bachelors of technosphere safety, whose professional activity is aimed at ensuring human safety in the modern world. The main condition for the training of competent bachelors at the university is the formation of general cultural and professional competencies in life safety. The conducted theoretical and methodological analysis and generalization of the engineering education experience in the direction of training “Technosphere safety” has revealed the problems of the professionally significant qualities formation and safe thinking in technosphere safety bachelors. The content of the concepts: “general cultural competence of a bachelor of technosphere safety” and “culture of technosphere safety” and a group of general cultural competencies that should be formed in graduates of this direction are clarified, a connection between the level of the formed culture of life safety in the technosphere and the level of acceptable risk accepted in society have been established. Peculiarities of safety culture formation and competence value-semantic orientation, which a bachelor of technosphere safety has, are observed by using the developed training course “Cultural foundations of technosphere safety”. Keywords: life safety culture, technosphere safety, general cultural competencies, bachelor’s degree, safe thinking, technosphere, acceptable risk

New Perspectives for Implementing Grounded Theory

Background: Grounded theory has evolved to become one of the most prominent qualitative approaches in social science research. However, this methodology has been adopted in a variety of ways across the engineering education landscape, reflecting and amplifying debates surrounding the nature and quality of grounded theory research. This can be problematic for novice researchers and those new to the methodology and may potentially limit its application and theoretical contributions to the field. Purpose: In this theoretical manuscript, we reflect on the evolution of grounded theory and its core tenets to implore engineering education to think about the ways we can collectively conceptualize, interpret, and implement this methodology. By gaining a greater understanding of the paradigmatic underpinnings and practices of grounded theory, scholars in engineering education will be better equipped to assess the affordances and limitations of this approach and identify when, why, and how it is appropriate for implementation in their work. Scope: First, we discuss the historical and paradigmatic underpinnings of three grounded theory traditions: classic, pragmatic, and constructivist grounded theory. Second, we describe the difference between implementing grounded theory methodology versus applying grounded theory methods. Third, we compare and clarify points of confusion often encountered in conducting grounded theory studies. Lastly, we offer a reconceptualized perspective of grounded theory and implications for expanding its use in the engineering education community. Discussion/Conclusions: We encourage engineering education researchers to position grounded theory as a living methodology that not only generates new theory, but also bridges past and current research by deepening methodological and theoretical connections across contexts. Reconceptualizing grounded theory allows us to more intentionally account for evolving cultural nuances that influence the engineering education experience as to further broaden participation in the field and the impacts of our work.

CDIO Initiative: A Guarantee for Successful Accreditation of Engineering Programmes

The accreditation bodies and engineering councils set a number of qualifying requirements and accreditation criteria to ensure the quality of engineering graduates and programmes. One of these requirements is the engineering curriculum. Some institutions using the traditional engineering curriculum often face difficulties and burden to meet the accreditation minimum academic requirements as their curriculum lacks the innovation and the integration of graduate attributes such as personal, interpersonal, teamwork, entrepreneurship, development of life skills and emotional wellbeing, among many. This eventually leads to deferred or even declined accreditation. To overcome these difficulties, the CDIO initiative is an ideal tool for successful accreditation. The CDIO standards, syllabus, engineering curriculum, and learning outcomes are not only meeting what accreditation bodies require, but they offer innovative curriculum more on high-level cognitive skills set in the context of the product-system lifecycle; Conceiving-Designing-Operating-Implementing metaphases. This paper shares a successful engineering education experience of the School of Engineering/Taylor’s University and how the CDIO initiative contributed not only to a successful accreditation but also to have a new innovative engineering curriculum. The adopted new curriculum is innovative, hands-on and project-based in order to achieve integrated learning where acquiring discipline-specific knowledge and CDIO skills take place simultaneously

A COMPARISON OF THE TEACHING PRACTICES OF NOVICE EDUCATORS IN ENGINEERING AND OTHER POST-SECONDARY DISCIPLINES

There is a perception in higher education that engineering educators teach differently than those in other disciplines. Surveys of student engagement consistently rank the undergraduate engineering experience lowest among ten disciplines, as do faculty surveys of student engagement. These results suggest there is opportunity and need to improve the engineering education experience. This research sets out to identify differences in the teaching practices of beginning engineering educators from those in other disciplines. Using the Dreyfus and Dreyfus model of skill acquisition as a framework, this study examines institutional data collected during four consecutive terms of mandatory teaching observations of new full-time and selected part-time instructors. Descriptive statistics found that the performance of novice educators in engineering-related disciplines did rank lowest overall compared to all other disciplines. This analysis also found that there is little difference in the teaching practices of novice engineering educators from those of their more experienced colleagues. Thematic analysis found that traditional engineering classroom practices such as lecture and worked examples are common, and could be enhanced by including opportunities for meaningful active learning. These results can inform both engineering educators and those responsible for their educational development about the common teaching practices of novice instructors and will be useful in shaping the professional development opportunities offered to engineering educators.

STEM challenge: two years of community-engaged engineering

PurposeCommunity-engaged partnerships have the ability to combine expertise and resources to enhance the local STEM learning ecosystem, by engaging the actors in communities that can enhance students' experiences in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. Texas Tech University (TTU) and Lubbock Independent School District (LISD) have partnered to coordinate an annual STEM Challenge to encourage STEM learning and interest among local middle grade students. Each summer, teams of (three to four) students from ten LISD middle schools participate in a week-long engineering design challenge, facilitated by TTU undergraduate mentors and their teachers, structured by the Engineering Design Process (EDP).Design/methodology/approachQuantitative (survey) and qualitative (open-ended responses) data from two years of student glider and hovercraft projects offer insight into how 66 students developed STEM knowledge and leveraged 21st-century skills to accomplish a shared aim (design challenge).FindingsFindings suggest growth in students' 21st-century skills, most among underrepresented (racial, ethnic and gender minority) groups. Data from year one (2018) informed year two (2019) in both programming and the research, including enhanced training for mentors and a deeper exploration of students' experiences during each stage of the EDP during the STEM challenge.Originality/valueSignificant and salient findings are discussed along with recommendations for both programmatic and methodological improvements for year three (2020). This study provides insight into how to structure similar community-engaged partnerships in enhancing the community STEM ecosystem through collaborative STEM experiences for diverse, younger learners.

Improving Teaching and Learning Experience in Engineering Education Using Sentiment Analysis Techniques

Students are the golden commodity when it comes to ringing in revenue for academic institution. Therefore, it is vital to ensure the opinions and feedback of students is taken seriously to ensure continuous improvement in the teaching and learning experience. In an era of digital information and rich opinionated text being easily available, it is crucial to look into different forms of data analysis from which vital information can be extracted. Sentiment and emotion analysis are one such area of research that looks to extract implicit information from written text and analyse data that would be able to provide a deeper insight compared to conventional measures. This paper is an extension of a previously conducted study of analysing emotion as well as sentiment of students’ feedback taking Thermal Engineering (MEC551) from Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM). Supervised learning technique was adopted and data analysed revealed students were biased towards assignment and quizzes as these would help improve their carry forwards for the subject and the preference of chapters to the exam was more for conduction and convection compared to others which had more mathematical related calculation.

A Business Analysis Perspective for Engineering Education in Egypt

This work examines engineering education in Egypt provided by state (government funded) universities. There have been concerns from all stakeholders about the graduates’ knowledge and skills. The chronic problems with higher education in Egypt in general have been previously reported in the Literature, but this paper provides insights form engineering academics with many years of experience in Egyptian engineering education and a fresh look from a business perspective at the phenomenon. In this manuscript, the institutions are analyzed using the integrated business anatomy model, in order to identify the underlying causes of the problems observed. The structural, operational and environmental (both external and internal) challenges that lead to the current status are clearly detected. The analysis highlighted several constraints that hinder radical reforms. Amongst these constraints is the legal and organizational framework in which the state funded universities operate. Other social, technological and economic factors also play important parts. The recipe for improvement provided by the authors has taken all these elements into consideration. This work hopes to provide focus and direction for future reform efforts.

Factors Influencing Engineering Identity Development of Latinx Students

Contribution: This paper explores the factors contributing to the development of engineering identity in Latinx students at two institutions. A better understanding of these factors will support the development of more inclusive engineering education environments and experiences. Background: Persistence of Latinx engineering students is of particular interest due to their underrepresentation in the field. Identity is a lens for understanding student persistence, but Latinx students are underrepresented in prior engineering identity studies. This paper seeks to identify the unique factors, academic and professional, that contribute to engineering identity development, and potential means for supporting the persistence of Latinx engineers. Research Questions: 1) What academic and professional affect factors predict engineering identity development of Latinx students? and 2) What role does the institution play in Latinx students’ engineering identity development? Methodology: A mixed-methods approach was used to measure engineering identity based on a framework incorporating both academic and professional affect elements. Regression analyses were conducted on 892 responses to an online survey from Latinx engineering students, with additional insight from interviews with ten Latinx engineering students. Findings: Six of the nine factors analyzed (performance/competence, interest, recognition, analysis, framing and solving problems, and tinkering) were significant predictors of Latinx students’ engineering identity, as were institution, gender, and having a parent with an engineering degree. Engineering identity was higher for Latinx students at the Hispanic Serving Institution, but none of the interaction terms were significant, so the relationship between these factors and engineering identity is similar at each institution.

Cross-Case Analysis of Engineering Education Experiences in Inclusive STEM-Focused High Schools in the United States

In an attempt to broaden participation in STEM, a new type of high school is emerging, high schools which include a focus on engineering, have few or no academic admission criteria, and actively involve students of all levels of ability, known as Inclusive STEM High Schools (ISHSs). One aspect of successful ISHSs includes the intentional and explicit integration of engineering learning opportunities into coursework. The purpose of this paper is to report results of a systematic cross-case analysis exploring the extent of engineering learning opportunities in five exemplar ISHSs. The results are framed by the Engineering in K-12 Education report from which seven different topics were derived to appropriately represent the field of engineering in schools: design, identifying constraints, modeling and analysis, engineering habits of mind, systems thinking, modeling, identifying constraints, communication, and optimization,. The cross-case analysis was conducted by aggregating the information gathered through surveys, interviews, focus groups, classroom observations, and document analysis, noting similarities and differences across schools and mechanisms for the course foci. It was found in the participating ISHSs that engineering is not merely an elective; all students must take at least one engineering course to graduate, although the states in which the schools are located did not require engineering for a diploma. The most prominent topics from the recommended list found at the schools were design, engineering habits of mind, and communication, while the least prominent were modeling, analysis, and identifying constraints. Based on the results of this study, the engineering education community is encouraged to continue making engineering concepts and skills accessible to K-12 educators, who may not have prior formal training in the field of engineering or engineering education.

Benefits of a STEAM Collaboration in Newark, New Jersey: Volcano Simulation Through a Glass-Making Experience

ABSTRACTA simulated physical model of volcanic processes using a glass art studio greatly enhanced enthusiasm and learning among urban, middle- to high-school aged, largely underrepresented minority students in Newark, New Jersey. The collaboration of a geoscience department with a glass art studio to create a science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) educational experience increased strong interest in learning about volcanoes by 40.7% and learning of volcanic concepts by up to 92% across four major topic areas. In particular, using hands-on, interactive experiences, activities effectively informed and enthused students about the heat of a volcano and lava, lava flows and the dangers they pose, forms of falling volcanic bombs, volatiles in lava, and interaction of lava with water. Teachers found that students remained highly motivated by the experience even after their return to school. The Glass Volcano Experience has the potential to constitute a critical incident in encouraging students to pursue geoscience as an interest and/or profession. Such innovative collaborations of unlikely partners has the potential of creating new and innovative learning experiences for urban students who might not otherwise have the opportunity to witness geologic phenomena in situ.

African-American women’s experiences in graduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education at a predominantly white university: A qualitative investigation.

African-American women’s experiences in graduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education at a predominantly white university: A qualitative investigation.

Using Student Video Cases to Assess Pre-service Elementary Teachers’ Engineering Teaching Responsiveness

Our study addresses the need for new approaches to prepare novice elementary teachers to teach both science and engineering, and for new tools to measure how well those approaches are working. This in particular would inform the teacher educators of the extent to which novice teachers are developing expertise in facilitating their students’ engineering design work. One important dimension to measure is novice teachers’ abilities to notice the substance of student thinking and to respond in productive ways. This teacher noticing is particularly important in science and engineering education, where students’ initial, idiosyncratic ideas and practices influence the likelihood that particular instructional strategies will help them learn. This paper describes evidence of validity and reliability for the Video Case Diagnosis (VCD) task, a new instrument for measuring pre-service elementary teachers’ engineering teaching responsiveness. To complete the VCD, participants view a 6-min video episode of children solving an engineering design problem, describe in writing what they notice about the students’ science ideas and engineering practices, and propose how a teacher could productively respond to the students. The rubric for scoring VCD responses allowed two independent scorers to achieve inter-rater reliability. Content analysis of the video episode, systematic review of literature on science and engineering practices, and solicitation of external expert educator responses establish content validity for VCD. Field test results with three different participant groups who have different levels of engineering education experience offer evidence of construct validity.

Improving Laboratory Experiences in Engineering Education

Improving Laboratory Experiences in Engineering Education

Center for Productivity Innovation's Student Project with Industry Program at the University of Tennessee, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering

A robust graduate engineering education experience requires students to learn the fundamental subject knowledge, to develop their ability to apply what they know to actual projects, and to contribute to the current body of knowledge by writing theses or dissertations. At the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Industrial and Systems Engineering students have an opportunity, in the Student Projects with Industry (SPI) program within the Center for Productivity Innovation, to develop their research ideas in conjunction with industry. The success of the SPI program is assessed by evaluating the impact of the SPI program on the preparation of the students, the academic welfare of the department, and the program's economic and social impact on the community. The SPI program provides students with simulated work experiences that enhance their leadership attributes, developing students' critical thinking capabilities, and improving their technical, organizational, and social skills. That these skills enhance students' success both in the university and in their careers is evident in measurable results, including higher student graduation rates, an increased number of publications, and a wider sponsor network for potential funding. The impact can further be measured by the millions of dollars affecting the local economy, in addition to the intangible social benefits gained.

Teacher perception of professional skills in a project-led engineering semester

This study explores the perceptions of teachers with regard to professional skills in project-led engineering education experiences for first year engineering students at the University of Minho, Portugal. Their perception on which professional skills to include, how to develop these skills and how to assess them is studied through six semi-structured interviews with experienced teachers of the first year programme, who served as tutors as well as teachers in at least four projects. Analysis of their perceptions reveals a strong commitment to professional skills for engineering students, and also a lack of confidence in the support they can offer to help students develop these skills.

Hands-on Training and International Experience in Engineering Education

The holistic training of an engineer includes hands-on experience and theoretical study. Engineering at the University of Waterloo (UW) is unique because of its co-op program, which exposes students to practice of engineering in industry, interwoven with academic terms in the university.This paper details conduct of International Industrial Training Programs for the students of UW. These programs conducted over the past five years have addressed both issues of hands-on training and internationalization of engineering education. These programs provide skills and training on use of tools and machines culminating in a design and build project experience. This paper emphasizes safety and security in planning and implementing the programs in a foreign country. It also discusses issues related to international travel and cultural challenges faced by students and organisers. It summarizes the gains for the engineering students from the program based on immersive international exposure to a foreign culture through personal interactions with locals and planned trips, industrial practices, study of preparatory engineering courses like machining, welding, foundry, wood working, properties of materials and computer aided design leading to student designed and built projects.Five decades ago, when the university was founded, the students came from a demographic, that was split between a majority from rural and small urban centers. The students had some experience with tools and machines at high school and at home, as cars were simpler and home repair was a common activity. This was especially so on farms and in rural environments. This has gradually shifted to the present day when students primarily come from large urban centers and are very competent in working with high-tech gadgetry like computers, communication devices and entertainment consoles. Conversely, nowadays most high school children are not exposed to working safely with tools and machines.Over time co-op jobs have also shifted from hands-on engineering and shop floor work, to softer jobs using computers for design, analysis and managerial tasks. This has increased the challenge of engineering education where the facilities for teaching hands-on skills in the university are deterred by the lack of time in the curriculum, shortage of equipment and trained instructors. The economic environment of our nation has also evolved from a national manufacturing based economy a few decades ago, to a global economy of today. Industries have gone global in their routine functions, requiring engineers to routinely work in collaborative work with functionaries of their industry in other countries, with different culture, language and skill sets. It has thus become vital for engineering education to adapt and introduce the students to aspects of global engineering environment in the curriculum.