Practice In Engineering Education Research Articles

Reforming Civil Engineering Practice Teaching: A Case Study on Material Testing in Civil Engineering

Reforming Civil Engineering Practice Teaching: A Case Study on Material Testing in Civil Engineering

A novel taxonomy for facilitating in-depth comparison of continuing engineering education practices

IntroductionThis study addresses the urgent need for standardized frameworks in Continuing Engineering Education (CEE) to support lifelong learning in the rapidly evolving global workforce. Significant events, such as the Digital Transformation and the rise of artificial intelligence, have highlighted the demand for adaptable and diverse learning systems, especially in engineering education. On the one hand, the World Economic Forum's, 2023 Future of Jobs Report predicts a transformation in 44% of workers’ core skills within 5 years, with engineering facing substantial labor shortages. On the other hand, the Paris Agreement’s call for sustainable development necessitates a workforce with skills aligned with the green transition.MethodsThe research introduces an innovative framework taxonomy that categorizes and organizes CEE programs by integrating standardized terminologies. It focuses on critical elements such as resourcing, organizational models, and program development strategies to provide a comprehensive structure that supports consistency and comparability across diverse educational contexts.ResultsUnlike existing models, the proposed framework enhances cross-institutional learning and dissemination of best practices. It identifies key components required for effective CEE management, filling a critical gap in the literature. The study’s output is a taxonomy for discussing and comparing CEE institutional approaches and practices to advance the field and foster a global CEE community committed to excellence in engineering education.DiscussionsThis study equips educators, policymakers, and industry leaders with a practical tool to design, implement, and scale CEE programs. It ultimately fosters a skilled workforce prepared to meet the challenges of future technological and sustainable transitions, supporting the development of a standardized approach to CEE.

Editorial for Special Issue “Practices in Science and Engineering Education”

As Co-Editors of this Special Issue on science and engineering practices (SEP), we are delighted to curate five excellent submissions that have come our way over the last three years [...]

Factors influencing educators’ implementation of quality teaching practices in Australian engineering education

ABSTRACT Improving teaching quality within engineering education is a long-standing challenge, made more difficult by the complex economic, political, and social environment in which educators operate. Understanding the enablers and barriers to implementing quality educational practices from a holistic perspective is thus critical for developing evidence-based actions for improving practice. This study addresses the research question: ‘what key factors influence engineering educators’ implementation of quality educational practices, and how?’. Using Bourdieu’s Theory of Practice as the theoretical lens, interviews were conducted with 21 engineering educators from 11 distinct Australian universities. Conceptualising the field as the engineering departments of Australian universities, data were thematically analysed to identify key themes relating to capital (what is valued within the field) and habitus (characteristics influencing individuals’ perceptions). Five factors emerged relating to capital: knowledge of engineering subject matter, knowledge of quality educational practices, recognition of teaching quality, resource allocation for teaching, and collegial network. These interacted with four factors relating to educators’ habitus: role context, personal motivation towards teaching, subject and student characteristics, and institutional context. Recommendations for educational leaders include increasing the value of educational and industry acquired engineering knowledge, developing enhanced impact evaluation approaches aligned to recognition processes, and supporting engagement between educators.

CREATION OF A NEW METHODOLOGY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF DESIGN COMPETENCE AMONG FUTURE ENGINEERS

This article explores the challenge of developing design competence in engineering students, a skill set increasingly vital in the face of modern technological demands. It introduces a novel methodology aimed at enhancing the training of future engineers, equipping them with the necessary tools to solve complex design and construction problems effectively. Grounded in an in-depth analysis of current engineering education practices, the proposed methodology integrates modern technologies, project-based learning, and an interdisciplinary approach to create a comprehensive and innovative educational framework.

Improving Students Wellbeing, Resilience and Employability Skills in Capstone Projects - Highlights of Good Practice

In recent years, there has been a significant shift towards providing comprehensive support to university students for their professional development, transferable skills, and employability. Capstone projects play a pivotal role in bridging the gap between academic learning and practical application, equipping students to navigate the challenges of their future careers (Fung, 2017) . These projects often serve as a reflection of students' growth and development, with successful completion signifying the acquisition of essential skills and knowledge in their chosen field of study. This engineering education practice paper explores the latest developments in engineering capstone project coordination, tutoring, and assessment, with a specific focus on enhancing student wellbeing. These practices aim to equip students with greater resilience, improved employability, and stronger teamwork skills, essential in the dynamic and diverse field of engineering. The intervention showcased here represents a significant enhancement for the 2022-2023 academic year in reinforcing the structure of capstone projects within the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering at The University of Sheffield. Initial findings indicate improvements in student wellbeing and interpersonal skills due to well-structured tutoring support and clear module deliverables guidelines.

Foreword

Never has there been a more dynamic period in higher education. The wide variety of demands and influences at personal, institutional and societal levels necessitate creativity in the development of pedagogy and scholarship. Engineering Education is no exception; the Engineering Education Research Network (EERN), a community of teachers, researchers, and practitioners seeks to critique, reflect, evaluate, and disseminate the innovative practices that enable Engineering Education to thrive whilst navigating the challenges of the current environment. These proceedings from the 2023 UK and Ireland EERN Annual Symposium illustrate a diversity of activities explored in and by the EERN community. The papers draw attention to the changing landscape of learning and teaching, emphasising the responsibility of Engineering Education to prepare our graduates to become professionals who innovate in industry, benefit society, and promote the planet. Hence this publication includes research and practice in the areas of Learning Approaches, Technology for Learning, Embedding Sustainability and Employability in Education, Learning in the Context of Degree Apprenticeships, and Enhancing the Student Experience. Working together, the community represented in this publication is enabling our students, tomorrow’s engineering talent, to flourish, thrive, and succeed. In exploring important areas that have evolved within Engineering Education this publication presents the ideal opportunity for a much-needed call to revolutionise Engineering Education so that what we are offering is fit for a new era; Engineering Education 5.0. It is time to challenge what is ‘usual’ and break from the safety of gradual progress by revisiting and problematising established engineering education research and practice to imagine and begin to shape what could be. As a community of engineering educators, we must welcome the possibilities that ‘change’ will inevitably bring; accepting new challenges and opportunities as they arise and providing our students with increasingly flexible problem-finding-and-solving skills and capabilities. Therefore, there is no better time for our community to be a Community; to work as a single, synergetic body of professionals through sharing ideas, collaborating across institutions, borders and disciplines to investigate and disseminate new ideas, leading the future rather than being led by it! Professor Robin Clark Dean, WMG University of Warwick, UK

The Setting and Dynamic Adjustment Mechanism of Law Majors Facing the Development of Regional New Economy

Digital services, including healthcare, among others, have recently seen a massive volume of complicated data that arrives rapidly due to a rapid increase in the number of smart devices, focusing on the needs of regional emerging economic development and industrial structure adjustment, this paper explores the dynamic adjustment of a major in which schools, governments, enterprises and international cooperation participate in the development of regional emerging economies. mechanism. Based on the concept of future-oriented development, formulate a development plan for the legal profession, build a community of government, school, enterprise and international cooperation, promote the vigorous implementation of engineering practice education, and cultivate high-quality, high-level, international graduates, and to form the school-running characteristics of law majors in local application-oriented undergraduate colleges.

학사제도 유연화 적용 성과 및 개선방안 연구

Objectives As part of the flexible application of the academic system, the purpose of this study is to confirm the factual perception of instructors and learners on the effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction of the operation of the graduation research intensive semester system, which has been in place since 2018, and to check the operation status and performance of the graduation research intensive semester system at H University, and secondly, to find ways to improve by checking learners and instructors' perceptions of the graduation research intensive semester system.
 Methods As for the research method, the operation status was identified through literature research and advice, and technical statistics using SPSS 18.0 were used to analyze the differences between majors implemented and non-executed in the graduation research intensive semester system and 108 respondents who surveyed 266 engineering participants from 2018 to 2023 to check their performance. FGI was conducted on 8 graduates, prospective graduates, and 6 incumbent teachers to derive improvement measures.
 Results The research results are first, as of 2023, 8 out of 12 majors are operating. It was analyzed that majors implementing the graduation research intensive semester system had higher satisfaction with support and feedback for tasks provided by professors in charge of subjects and preference for the intensive semester system than those that did not. Second, improvement measures such as introducing a seasonal semester that can provide continuity and continuity of graduation research, timely payment of materials, introducing an industry-academic graduation research program, and preparing a system to maintain continuity of supervisors were derived.
 Conclusions In conclusion, it has been verified that the graduation research intensive semester system is established as a specialized curriculum model, and if the improvement plan is implemented in practice, the graduation research intensive semester system can play an effective role in improving the quality of practical engineering education models.

Construction of the Engineering Practice Education System in Local Application-Oriented Universities From the Perspective of New Quality Productivity

The development of new quality productive requires higher engineering education to adapt. Local universities should integrate these new demands into their engineering practice education systems, focusing on practical and innovative forms of education. Beijing Institute of Petrochemical Technology is an example, emphasizing the fusion of academic learning with industrial application and promoting interdisciplinary collaboration. Their goal is to produce exceptional engineering talent capable of driving the progression of new quality productive through diverse pathways for engineering practice education.

Delivering computing module for the large part-time software development class from pre- to post-pandemic: An online learning experience

IntroductionCovid-19 pandemic brought dramatic changes to higher education settings, particularly for curriculum delivery, moving quickly to online learning. This paper discusses teaching experience covering practices of technology-enhanced learning for the MSc Computing Foundations module (20 CATS) for a large class studying part-time Software Engineering course at the School of Electronics, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EEECS), Queen's University Belfast (QUB) during 2019–2022 academic years. We compare on-campus learning with the abrupt shift to online learning during the pandemic and with sustainable online learning a year later. The objective of this study is to answer how part-time software development students perceived their technology-enhanced learning experience from pre- to post-pandemic and to evaluate the impact of the shift to online learning for the part-time class MethodsThis study is based on data collected during 2019/2020, 2020/2021, 2021/2022 academic years. Methodology types employed in this study include online observation with statistics collected from the virtual learning environment (VLE) Canvas, quantitative analysis, individual student surveys on teaching techniques and module content ResultsThis study provided an effective online teaching method for Computer Foundation module, reviewing the impact of different curriculum items and online educational activities starting with content delivery – both synchronous and asynchronous – and moving on to VLE Canvas discussion forums, ungraded formative quizzes, in-term formative assessment in the form of mock exam and, finally, to online summative assessment delivered on VLE Canvas. We investigate positive and negative aspects of technology-enhanced learning from pre- to post-pandemic according to part-time adult students studying the MSc software development program and focus on how this effective learning environment contributes to education practice with a view what developments are worth retaining post-pandemic and what did not work well. Analysis of the data from individual student surveys on teaching techniques and module content for the Computing Foundations module allowed us to conclude that students perceived very positive their technology-enhanced learning experience after shifting to online learning. We also found out that сhanging the module delivery format (from face-to-face to online) did not affect the results of the students’ performance. Conclusion and implicationsAdaptation of the MSc Computing Foundation module to a new model of distance learning has proved to be successful, so we can conclude that this delivery format is appropriate for this target audience. This study explored the effectiveness of the pedagogical approach while also gaining valuable insights into the software development student experience of learning in the VLE. The findings from this study may contribute to developing effective teaching practices in software engineering education and adult learning, and improve the preparation of future software professionals in the IT industry.

Fostering Entrepreneurial Spirit in Higher Education: A Case Study of Startup Education in Japan

This study delves into the innovative initiative at Suzuka National College of Technology, where a creative workshop initially established onsite for entrepreneurial experimentation has been replicated in a virtual space to enhance the educational experience in startup education; by integrating real-time simulations with foundational business theories the virtual center not only provides a platform for testing business ideas through simulations that mimic market reactions and consumer behavior but also bridges the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application, which is crucial in practical engineering education where experiential learning is key. This dual-environment approach not only facilitates the development of practical skills but also enables students to gain insights into the realities of business management and innovation, preparing them effectively for the challenges of the entrepreneurial world; the future of this virtual center looks promising as it plans to incorporate tools for business planning, financial forecasting, and market analysis to provide a comprehensive preparation platform for students, ensuring they are well-equipped to conceive, plan, and execute their business ideas successfully.

REMOTE: First insights into assessing and evaluating remote learning practices in STEM

The rapid transition to remote learning practices in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education necessitates a comprehensive assessment and evaluation of their effectiveness. This article presents the first findings of the UE funded project REMOTE “Assessing and evaluating remote learning practices in STEM” (ref: 2022-1-ES01-KA220-HED-000085829) project: a literature review focused on assessing and evaluating remote learning practices in STEM. Drawing on a wide range of scholarly articles, reports, and studies, this article review examines various dimensions of remote learning, including instructional design, student engagement, assessment methods, and instructor-student interaction associated with remote STEM learning in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). The set of academic contributions detected can be classified into four major typologies according to the area in which they are focused: students, teaching methodologies, teaching staff and technologies. In consequence, the review carried out, summarized in a categorization of the research developed so far, allows a broad and critical view of the state of the art. The findings of this article contribute to the broader conversation surrounding remote learning and serve as a valuable resource for stakeholders involved in STEM education.

Software engineering education in the era of conversational AI: current trends and future directions.

The developments in conversational AI raised urgent questions about the future direction of many aspects of society, including computing education. The first reactions to the fast-paced evolution of conversational agents were varied: Some announced "the end of programming," while others considered this "premature obituary of programming." Some adopted a defensive approach to detecting the use of conversational AI and avoiding an increase in plagiarism, while others questioned, "So what if ChatGPT wrote it?" Nevertheless, questions arise about whether computing education in its current form will still be relevant and fit for purpose in the era of conversational AI. Recognizing these diverse reactions to the advent of conversational AI, this paper aims to contribute to the ongoing discourse by exploring the current state through three perspectives in a dedicated literature review: adoption of conversational AI in (1) software engineering education specifically and (2) computing education in general, and (3) a comparison with software engineering practice. Our results show a gap between software engineering practice and higher education in the pace of adoption and the areas of use and generally identify preliminary research on student experience, teaching, and learning tools for software engineering.

Reform of Robotics Engineering Practice Teaching in Applied Undergraduate Colleges and Universities Based on OBE Education

The modern society has put forward higher level requirements for the development of robotics technology, which also puts forward new challenges to the teaching practice of robotics engineering majors in applied undergraduate colleges and universities. In this paper, guided by the concept of OBE education, we discuss the reform strategies for the practical teaching of robotics engineering majors in applied undergraduate colleges and universities from the three aspects of project-driven learning, focusing on diversified assessment, and being practice-oriented. Through the implementation of these reform measures, students' practical ability, teamwork ability and problem-solving ability can be better cultivated, and their application level in the field of robotics engineering can be enhanced.

Developing Structural and Civil Engineering (SCE) Curriculum in sub-Sahara African Nations on the Foundation of the Developed Nations, in Training, Practices and Technology – Nigeria as Case Study

The training and practice of structural and civil engineering (SCE) education in developing nations, especially the sub-Sahara African nations, are not as robust and dynamic when compared to what are operating in the developed Nations of the World. Available resources in the public domain show strong evidence of a sustained fundamental link of SCE training and practice of the developed nations to the classical training of the ancient Caesar’s Rome. This paper looks into the training and practice of structural and civil engineering about 2000 years ago in the imperial Caesar’s Rome. The data used were collected from the information available from the public domain. The results showed that: (i) the curriculum for SCE education was very wide and deep and it is in partnership with the State (ii) the training together with the attendant skill development program/schemes began early at Roman home, (iii) SCE is deeply connected to Latin and Greek languages, and (iv) a heavy dependence on classical philosophical studies existed. It is thus concluded that the curriculum for SCE engineering in developing nations be tied to these foundations.

Research and practice on the practical teaching system of intelligent manufacturing engineering under the integration of industry and education

The pace of intelligent development in the manufacturing industry is constantly accelerating. In such an environment, the optimization and upgrading of the industry poses a huge challenge for teachers majoring in intelligent manufacturing engineering in universities to break the traditional mode of talent cultivation. As manufacturing engineering professional teachers, we should establish new teaching concepts and implement teaching reforms. In the process of practical teaching in the field of intelligent manufacturing engineering, the integration of industry and education is adopted to cultivate talents. In specific work, it is necessary to construct a new practical teaching system, innovate teaching methods, and efficiently utilize teaching resources to improve students' professional qualities, and cultivate composite talents required by the intelligent manufacturing engineering industry. This paper conducts research on the practice of the intelligent manufacturing engineering practical teaching system under the integration of industry and education.

Theory and Practice Integrated Research on Engineering Project Management Course Based on Multi-Role-Playing Method

The goal of cultivating applied talents in colleges and universities is that students not only need to have sufficient theoretical knowledge and professional qualities, but also be able to comprehensively use professional skills to solve practical problems and create economic and social benefits for society. Therefore, in view of the current disconnect between theory and practice in construction engineering education. We should promote innovation in teaching systems and reform of internal operating mechanisms of courses. In the engineering project management course, we designed a real engineering project background, where students play the roles of seven types of participating parties and manage them independently to complete the main engineering activities from the project decision-making stage to the implementation stage. The result is that we have fundamentally subverted the previous pure case-based teaching with unclear goals.

Evolving trends in student assessment in chemical engineering education

Alongside innovation in teaching practice, student assessment in chemical engineering has seen significant changes in the recent past. This article undertakes a systematic review of the recent advances that have been reported in assessment practice in chemical engineering education. The main trends that emerge are: a shift towards authentic assessment methods, an increase in emphasis on peer-assessment and other approaches for group-based assignments, and a greater use of digital tools for the delivery of authentic assessments and improvement of marking and feedback practice. The analysis also examines the diversity of assessment methods used across the different chemical engineering subjects and how these map against assessment frameworks reported in the wider pedagogical literature. The emerging strand of research on synoptic and interdisciplinary assessment is used to develop an assessment framework for producing chemical engineering graduates who are also socially responsible and competent global citizens.

Investigating the Future of ‘Engineer of 2020’ Attributes: Moving from Access to Engagement & Sense of Belonging

Using data from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), this study seeks to explore the presence and relevance of NAE’s ‘Engineer of 2020’ competencies and key student learning outcomes (SLOs) among samples of undergraduate engineering majors (UEMs). Data were analysed using a battery of statistical tests assessing UEMs achievement of NAE SLOs, the extent to which SLO achievement in NAE domains influence UEMs’ key outcomes (e.g., grades, satisfaction) and sense of belonging. Follow-up tests explored meaningful differences among groups by race, gender, disability status, to name a few. Implications for future engineering education policy, practice, pedagogy and research are highlighted.