Engineering Education Research Research Articles

Making impact within emerging frontiers

The field of educational technology is full of interesting and innovative new ideas and research. However, sometimes the impact of this work is limited by the way it is presented to the community. Presenting educational technology research and practice to what is usually an interdisciplinary audience that can incorporate people in many different roles is challenging, and opportunities to receive feedback on the best ways to communicate this work are not always readily available. The aim of this half-day, face-to-face workshop is to expose participants (both researchers and practitioners) to effective strategies for the design and delivery of presentations that increase engagement with and impact of their work. In this interactive session participants will have the opportunity to workshop their own presentations reconsidering structure, visual aids, interactivity, and delivery. Facilitated by a workshop team with many years of experience presenting educational technology research and practice across a range of interdisciplinary conferences and professional learning venues (plus some theatrical experience), and drawing on key literature on effective presentation design and delivery, this workshop will be a safe space for participants to explore different and creative ideas to deliver the outcomes of their work in memorable and impactful ways.

An Open-Source Adaptive Comparative Judgement App for Technology Education Research and Practice: Alpha Version

An Open-Source Adaptive Comparative Judgement App for Technology Education Research and Practice: Alpha Version

The Giant Leap in the Development of Higher Engineering Education in China

Purpose This study discusses the development of higher engineering education and its future direction following the increased enrollment in higher education institutions in China. Design/Approach/Methods By compiling and analyzing corresponding policies and historical and statistical data, the large-scale expansion process and quality enhancement pathways of China's higher engineering education are summarized. Additionally, probable future development scenarios are identified based on the current situation. Findings Ever since the expansion of higher education enrollment in China, higher engineering education has experienced rapid expansion in scale and quality, leading China toward becoming a prolific global leader in this aspect. Through a series of national engineering educational reforms, such as “Engineering Program Accreditation,” “Outstanding Engineer Plan,” and “New Engineering Construction,” China has sought to improve the quality of engineering talent to “transition from a large state to a powerful state” in higher engineering education. Therefore, this development process can be considered a “golden age” of higher engineering education development in China. Going forward, China's higher engineering education should focus on continuous quality improvement, strengthen international exchanges and collaboration, and expansion into new engineering fields. Originality/Value This study systematically analyzes the large-scale expansion and quality enhancement routes of China's higher engineering education. By enhancing the understanding of such education, this study can serve as a reference for domestic and foreign engineering education researchers.

Humanizing Data-Driven Methods in Engineering Education Research: A Systematic Literature Review of Four Journals From 2011 to 2021

Humanizing Data-Driven Methods in Engineering Education Research: A Systematic Literature Review of Four Journals From 2011 to 2021

Collaboration or competition? The value of sector-wide collaboration in educational technology research

Collaboration or competition? This question is at the centre of this editorial, which explores the importance of sector-wide approaches to research into educational technology. This has become particularly relevant in recent years in response to a range of significant challenges or disruptions the tertiary education sector has had to face, for example, responding to the COVID-19 pandemic or the emergence of new generative AI tools. To address these challenges, we have taken a collaborative approach to writing this editorial, with contributing authors from across the world responding to four key questions. The responses to those questions were then arranged into four key themes: collaboration in response to disruption, individual benefits from collaboration, communal benefits from collaboration, and ensuring collaborative wisdom. The editorial concludes with a section that situates the preceding discussion in a broader context and challenges us to consider our wider impact on the world as a sector and, in particular, as related to educational technology. We conclude that collaboration is a must and has the potential to empower us to push the boundaries of what is possible.

Reflecting on Current State and Future Research of Empathy Assessment and Development within the Game- Based Learning Community

There are decades of growing interest in social-emotional learning (Muravevskaia, 2023; Hoffman, 2009). According to the founders of the SEL concept, Cherniss, Goleman, et al. (2006), SEL is “the process of acquiring a set of social and emotional skills—self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making within the context of a safe, supportive environment.” One of the most popular SEL frameworks is CASEL (2003), which includes five aspects: self-awareness, social awareness, self-management, decision-making skills, and relationship skills. The social awareness aspect includes competencies related to empathy: (taking others’ perspectives, demonstrating empathy, and showing concern for the feelings of others). Empathy is widely used and mentioned in SEL and other literature across the research fields of game-based learning, design research, social psychology, neuroscience, affective computing, artificial intelligence, educational technologies, and others. Design thinking methodology and user experience research claim empathy is the first step in user research and developing multiple tools and measures (Dorst, 2011; Wright, 2008). Virtual reality is suggested as an “empathy machine” and promoted as a good tool for empathy development (Ventura, 2020). Affective computing works on modeling and measuring empathy in artificial agents to create systems that would scaffold the learning experience using SEL components (Gebhard, 2021). Empathy games are emerging as a new separate sub-domain (Muravevskaia,2023). Such situation multiplies many different definitions, methodologies, and measures for empathy. Such an active and divided interest in empathy across different domains can cause potential research confusion and challenges for educational technology and game-based research communities. We invite the GBL Research community to gather together as an interdisciplinary community to be able to discuss what empathy means for our community, how we define it and which methods use, which role it plays in the GBL, and which emerging future research in this area we envision together.

Effective mentoring strategies to support underrepresented students during a virtual summer research experience for engineering education undergraduates

PurposeIn this study, students’ perceptions of the effective practices of their research mentors were examined. The research mentors implemented the practices informed by the Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER) mentorship competencies to mentor underrepresented students in engineering education research in a virtual environment.Design/methodology/approachThis research experience for undergraduates (REU) program, situated in the United States of America, consisted of undergraduate students (i.e. mentees), graduate students and faculty mentors who all had at least one underrepresented identity in engineering (i.e. Black, Latiné/x, and/or women). Using qualitative methods, we used data from reflection surveys and follow-up interviews with REU mentees to understand the outcomes of the mentorship strategies employed by the mentors in the program. The data were analyzed thematically using CIMER model constructs and social capital theory as guiding frameworks.FindingsThe results indicated the identified strategies students perceived as the most impactful for mentorship throughout the program. Students in the REU gained knowledge on how to activate social capital in mentorship relationships and how to better mentor others.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings provide insight on how to operationalize the CIMER mentorship competencies to skillfully mentor underrepresented students in engineering. Given the size of the REU and the nature of qualitative research, the sample size was limited.Practical implicationsThe results help inform mentorship practices for underrepresented individuals in engineering education and the workforce. Further, they add to the practical knowledge of implementing CIMER best practices virtually, at a time when the world has transitioned to more hybrid and virtual working and learning environments.Originality/valueThis study identifies impactful strategies for operationalizing mentorship strategies informed by theory- and evidence-based CIMER mentorship competencies. In addition, this study extends knowledge about how to implement mentoring best practices and engage mentorship in a virtual environment.

SBD-Net: Incorporating Multi-Level Features for an Efficient Detection Network of Student Behavior in Smart Classrooms

Detecting student behavior in smart classrooms is a critical area of research in educational technology that significantly enhances teaching quality and student engagement. This paper introduces an innovative approach using advanced computer vision and artificial intelligence technologies to monitor and analyze student behavior in real time. Such monitoring assists educators in adjusting their teaching strategies effectively, thereby optimizing classroom instruction. However, the application of this technology faces substantial challenges, including the variability in student sizes, the diversity of behaviors, and occlusions among students in complex classroom settings. Additionally, the uneven distribution of student behaviors presents a significant hurdle. To overcome these challenges, we propose Student Behavior Detection Network (SBD-Net), a lightweight target detection model enhanced by the Focal Modulation module for robust multi-level feature fusion, which augments feature extraction capabilities. Furthermore, the model incorporates the ESLoss function to address the imbalance in behavior sample detection effectively. The innovation continues with the Dyhead detection head, which integrates three-dimensional attention mechanisms, enhancing behavioral representation without escalating computational demands. This balance achieves both a high detection accuracy and manageable computational complexity. Empirical results from our bespoke student behavior dataset, Student Classroom Behavior (SCBehavior), demonstrate that SBD-Net achieves a mean Average Precision (mAP) of 0.824 with a low computational complexity of just 9.8 G. These figures represent a 4.3% improvement in accuracy and a 3.8% increase in recall compared to the baseline model. These advancements underscore the capability of SBD-Net to handle the skewed distribution of student behaviors and to perform high-precision detection in dynamically challenging classroom environments.

Exploring Twitter as a social learning space for education scholars: An analysis of value‐added contributions to the #TPACK network

AbstractSocial media has been shown to be an efficient way to engage in networked participatory scholarship (NPS), which is defined as the use of online social networks to share and further develop scholarship. As leaders in the field, educational technology scholars should be at the forefront of this practice. We used social network analysis (SNA) to examine the structure and characteristics of the #TPACK Twitter network and to determine whether and how the users were engaging in value‐added NPS. Our findings revealed that the #TPACK Twitter network was loosely organized, and users were not very well connected outside of their clusters. Our findings also revealed that #TPACK tweets largely did not represent value‐added NPS. The majority of posts lacked useful context, were limited to merely sharing links to resources and did not establish meaningful interactions among users. The implications of this study provide a new direction for educational technology researchers and PK‐12 practitioners to approach social media from a value‐added standpoint and to apply value‐added NPS to improve their use of social media to advance research, enhance professional learning and forge closer ties between researchers and practitioners. Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic Publication in high‐impact academic journals and measuring research impact through citations and journal indexing is still the dominant practice in research dissemination; however, there is growth in the use of alternative methods and the use of altmetrics to measure the impact of these methods. Scholars struggle with using social media in ways that align with networked participatory scholarship (NPS). Social network analysis (SNA) is the study of the structure and characteristics of the relationships that form in social networks, and can be used to fanalyze an online social network. What this paper adds Value‐added social learning theory and NPS can be used in SNA to both evaluate and inform scholars' social media practices. Educational technology scholars and practitioners struggle with using social media for value‐added NPS. Lost opportunities for value‐added NPS that were documented in this study include lack of engagement with the wider network, not sharing the role of spreading ideas and not making value‐added contributions. Implications for practice and policy Education scholars should use SNA as a tool to evaluate the level of value‐added NPS in the social media networks around areas of study they care about so that they can develop both personal and systemic plans for implementing value‐added NPS to create more dynamic learning spaces on these platforms. Institutions should investigate ways they can remove barriers and incentivize value‐added NPS. Innovations in the dissemination of scholarship should involve helping scholars to develop the skills needed for successful value‐added NPS.

Exploring fundamental engineering course instructors' test usage beliefs and behaviors: A multicase study

AbstractBackgroundTests are commonly and heavily used in fundamental engineering courses (FECs) to assess student learning of concepts. With existing literature presenting mixed benefits and disadvantages of testing to students' motivation to learn and documenting widely alternative assessments, the lack of questioning of heavy and common test usage must be addressed to diversify classroom assessment and promote intentionality in test usage.Purpose/HypothesisThis study begins to address the lack of questioning by exploring and uncovering test usage beliefs and behaviors of seven FEC instructors from two engineering departments in a land‐grant, public, Research 1 universityDesign/MethodGrounded in the Situated Expectancy–Value Theory (SEVT), we conducted a multicase study. Data include two interviews, course syllabi, and sample tests provided by the participants, and public documents from the institution and departments. We conducted a priori and emergent coding and thematic analysis to identify the beliefs and behaviors before developing individual case summaries for cross‐case analysis to identify groupings.ResultsThree test usage groups emerged: enthusiastic, default, and questioning. All test usage groups featured tests heavily in their FECs, resulting in varying alignment between these participants' test usage beliefs and behaviors.ConclusionsOur findings reveal the various factors that can shape FEC instructors' test usage beliefs and behaviors, and the complexity in terms of alignment. This work lays important implications, including laying the foundations for future scholarship on testing in engineering education research and leveraging findings to begin efforts in diversifying assessment approaches and promoting intentional test usage in FECs.

Systematic Review of Technology-Based STEM Education Research in the United States

This study reviewed technology-based STEM education research papers published during 2015–2022. Data collection and analysis were conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) checklist. Eighty-two papers were analyzed. The findings provide a summary of research trends over the past eight years. Technology education effects on STEM education participation are no longer emphasized when assessing knowledge and skills. Rich research contents, such as environment and experience-related research are emphasized. Furthermore, this study clarified the characteristics of technology education research distribution in various stages of general education and revealed some important research concerns.

Arrebatos and institutionalized barriers encountered by low‐income Latino/a/x engineering students at Hispanic‐Serving Institutions (HSIs) and emerging HSIs

AbstractBackgroundLatinos/as/xs continue to face many barriers as they pursue engineering degrees, including remedial placement, lack of access to well‐funded schools, and high poverty rates. We use the concept of arrebatos to describe the internal reckoning that Latino/a/x engineering students experience through their journeys, particularly focusing on the impact of socioeconomic inequalities.PurposeTo bring counternarratives in engineering education research focusing on the experiences and lived realities of low‐income Latino/a/x engineering students. These counternarratives are an important step in interrogating systemic biases and exclusionary cultures, practices, and policies at HSIs and emerging HSIs and within engineering programs.MethodsPláticas were conducted with 22 Latino/a/x engineering undergraduates from four different universities in the US Southwest. These pláticas were coded and analyzed drawing from Anzaldúa's theoretical concept of el arrebato. Special attention was given to participants' arrebatos triggered by their college experiences as low‐income individuals.ResultsAnalysis indicates that Latino/a/x engineering students' arrebatos arise from events that shake up the foundation of their own identity, including an institutional lack of sociopolitical consciousness. This lack of consciousness becomes evident not only in individuals' attitudes toward these students but also in institutional policies that put them at a further disadvantage.ConclusionsFindings have implications for engineering programs, particularly at HSIs and emerging HSIs regarding the creation of policies and practices that aim to secure the retention of low‐income Latino/a/x engineering students and alleviate the systemic barrier they face by affirming the practice of servingness.

Efficiency analysis of engineering classes: A DEA approach encompassing active learning and expositive classes towards quality education

The science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education research delves into the core of sustainable development goals (SDGs), including the pillars of quality education (SDG4), robust economic growth (SDG8), and diminished inequalities (SDG10). These pursuits stand as keystones in sculpting inclusive societies and bridging societal gaps. While previous studies utilising data envelopment analysis (DEA) have explored educational performance mainly from a macro-perspective, there is a lack of micro-perspective investigation. Our study aims to fill this gap by proposing a DEA approach to assess the relative efficiency of engineering classes. We analysed 70 classes covering 38 subjects in the first semester of 2022 at a South American school. Methodologically, we employed the slack-based measure (SBM) model under the benefit of doubt (BoD) condition. Unlike prior research, we analysed classes' relative performance considering different pedagogical approaches - 11 active-learning classes (15.7 %) and 59 passive-learning classes (84.3 %). Our results showed that 18 classes were efficient (25.7 %). Active classes were more efficient, but few subjects maintained similar efficiencies for all classes. Moreover, efficient classes were concentrated in the last two years prior to graduation (57.9 %). This may represent an additional barrier for low-income students, who tend to drop out in the first years. The findings support several improvement recommendations, such as integrating digital technologies, boosting active learning opportunities, and bolstering classes in foundational subjects. Also, implications for researchers, decision- and policy-makers are discussed. Our approach can be replicated in diverse educational contexts, enabling the identification of strengths and weaknesses for more efficient educational management.

Principals And 21st Century Leadership Challenges: A Phenemenological Study

This purpose of this paper is to share the findings of a study which was conducted to figure out the views of principals of Teacher Training Institutions (TTIs) about existing leadership practices that are aligned with the needs and demands of 21st century requirements. The study also explored challenges that Principals encounter in making their institutes according to the vision of 21st century. The study was qualitative in nature and within this paradigm a phenomenological approached was used to collect data from the principals of public sector Teacher Training Institutions (TTIs). At present 27 TTIs are working in different cities of Sindh. Ten Principals of TTIs, 5 males and 5 females were selected using purposive sampling techniques. For data collection individual interviews were conducted. Thematic approach was used for data analyses. The themes emerged were personal challenges and institutional challenges. The findings of the study suggested that principals encounter personal and institutional challenges that are hurdle for them to meet the requirements of 21st century. These challenges included lack of facilities and resources such as internet facility, frequent break downs of electricity, absence of working computers and Science labs. Other challenges included teacher educators’ poor English language skills, low capacity in using ICT tools and low personal commitment. The study recommends to develop the capacity of principals and teacher educators in educational technology and educational research. The study also recommends to renovate computer and science labs of TTIs.

Mewujudkan Pembelajaran Kejuruan yang Nyaman: Implementasi Kaidah Ergonomi dalam Praktek Pengelasan di SMK Negeri 1 Purworejo

Various welding positions and extended durations of welding practice sessions can contribute to Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) complaints among Vocational High School (SMK) students. MSDs encompass conditions that manifest symptoms affecting muscles, nerves, tendons, ligaments, joints, cartilage, and the spinal cord. The implementation of an ergonomic welding table may assist welding operators in working on projects for prolonged periods with a reduced risk of MSDs complaints. This article reports on the community service activities conducted by the Vocational and Mechanical Engineering Education research group at Universitas Sebelas Maret in developing and implementing an ergonomic welding table at SMK Negeri 1 Purworejo. Ergonomic parameters used for reference include the Nordic Body Map (NBM), Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA), and Rapid Under Limbs Assessment (RULA). The pre and post experiment analysis indicates a decrease in NBM, REBA, and RULA scores following the implementation of the ergonomic welding table, suggesting the potential for minimizing MSDs complaints.

The Impact of Color Cues on the Learning Performance in Video Lectures.

This study explores the learning effects of color cues in video lectures and their underlying mechanisms. With the rapid growth of online education, lifelong learning, and blended learning, video lectures have become integral to teaching and learning. Color, a crucial element in visual design, directs attention, organizes content, and integrates information. Evaluating 78 college students, we assessed learning performance by comparing video content with no-color, single-color, and multi-color cues using eye-tracking technology and cognitive load scales. Results indicate that students viewing videos with color cues demonstrated better retention and transfer test performance, while absence or excess of color cues increased cognitive load. These findings have practical implications for video producers and provide a theoretical foundation for enhancing learners' viewing experience and overall effectiveness. This study not only offers an in-depth analysis of color cue utilization in video lectures, highlighting their positive impact on learning outcomes but also introduces fresh perspectives for educational technology and cognitive psychology research. Future investigations should consider color cue effects in diverse cultural contexts and subject areas, exploring varied strategies to optimize the learning experience.

Research trends in engineering education research through bibliometric analysis

This study aimed to explore research trends in engineering education research through bibliometric analysis. This review comprised studies indexed in the Scopus database between 2014 and 2023. In total, 6,338 articles were examined using the bibliometric analysis method. The results revealed an increase in the number of publications in the research on engineering education from 2014 to 2023. The results also showed that most of the top-10 authors are from the USA and slight collaborations between research groups. The results also revealed that most institutions with the highest publications and citations are from the USA, a leading country in engineering education research, and only three are from other countries, Denmark, Spain, and Sweden. Also, we found that the top-three journals are the periodicals that publish articles specifically on engineering education. The results regarding research trends revealed the existence of research on participants’ self-efficacy beliefs, experiences, and perceptions and the effects of education technology practices on learning outcomes and teaching methods like project-based learning and problem-solving. Additionally, the research trends were found on design skills, decision-making, product design practices and professional development, technology integration practices, and teaching practices using artificial intelligence. Based on the results, we made implications for further studies.

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

Computational analysis of knowledge and complexity trends in educational technology research titles from 1927 to 2023

Computational analysis of knowledge and complexity trends in educational technology research titles from 1927 to 2023

Research hotspots and development trends of K-12 engineering education research: Bibliometric analysis based on CiteSpace

To comprehensively assess the impact of K-12 engineering education research (K-12 EER) and provide insights to stakeholders and policymakers, this study uses the scientometric analysis software CiteSpace to evaluate recent advances in K-12 EER. A search of 885 articles from the Web of Science Core Collection was conducted. This study analyzed publication trends, authors, countries, and research institutions to determine the trajectory of the K-12 EER. In addition, keyword co-occurrence and clustering maps were generated to identify major hotspots, and keyword burst detection was used to demonstrate development trends. The analysis reveals that global interest in the K-12 EER is growing, and the results are accumulating rapidly. However, cooperation between universities, institutions, experts, and scholars must be strengthened. Current significant topics in K-12 EER focus on the practical form of engineering education, its impact on learners, the centrality of engineering design, and teachers' professional development. Research frontiers primarily revolve around the nature of engineering. Future research efforts should promote the systematic integration of K-12 engineering education through the learning process, develop comprehensive measurement tools to assess its impact on learners, and expand research on teachers’ professional development in K-12 engineering education.