Undergraduate Engineering Students Research Articles

A corpus-based comparison of linguistic markers of stance and genre in the academic writing of novice and advanced engineering learners

AbstractStance-taking in academic writing plays a crucial role in enabling tertiary academic writers to express their positions about their topics and other voices. Based on a corpus linguistic analysis of academic reports by civil and environmental engineering (CEE) undergraduate students and student papers in the Michigan Corpus of Upper-Level Student Papers (MICUSP), this article investigates the use of stance markers in the genres of persuasive and argumentative writing as well as analytical explanatory writing. This study compares the stance markers used by L2 engineering students (Hong Kong University) and native engineering students (U.S. University) to investigate the genre-specific lexical stance patterns used by academic writers. This study found that stance within the CEE reports and MICUSP was expressed through approximative hedges and boosters, code glosses, and adversative and contrast connections, pointing to a specific developmental trajectory as academic writers. Non-native engineering students were found to use a significantly smaller number of approximative, self-mention, and evidential verb hedges. In addition, they tend to use a more significant number of modal hedges compared to native English speakers. The CEE students’ reports also tended to be characterized by the underuse of boosters, contrastive connectors, emphasis, and counter-expectancy markers. However, the study found no significant difference in the use of exemplification markers between the CEE and MICUSP. The findings of this study support the construction of the academic stance as a process of delimiting one’s perspective. This is achieved by deploying selected stance features to account for other scholarly perspectives.

The development and evaluation of an educational board game on basic geotechnical soil characterization

This paper discusses the potential of gamification as a tool for teaching and learning in geotechnical engineering. Gamification involves incorporating elements of gameplay such as challenges, rewards, competition, and cooperation into teaching and learning environments to make the process more interactive and engaging. Although gamification is widely used in many fields, it is still relatively new in geotechnical engineering. This paper presents the ‘Soil Character’ board game developed by the GeoFUN group as an example of successful gamification in geotechnical engineering education. The game focuses on basic soil characterization, including soil classification systems, index properties, and geotechnical characterization tests such as sieving, sedimentation, and Atterberg limits. The paper provides background information on the development of the game, and a description of the game components. The online Portuguese version of the game was tested with eight civil engineering undergraduate students who had successfully undertaken the introductory soil mechanics module. Student’s satisfaction in terms of game design, rules, and gameplay was measured via a questionnaire. Results of the questionnaires showed that the game was well evaluated in all aspects. Student volunteers reported that they felt very motivated, and that they wished they had been able to play the game when they were learning the topic. Thus, results presented in this paper suggest that gamification has the potential to make geotechnical engineering education more interactive and engaging. Exploring the effectiveness of the game in various contexts and with diverse student populations constitutes a key direction for our future research.

Determinants of Intra-major Specialization and Career Decisions Among Undergraduate Biomedical Engineering Students

Biomedical engineering is a broad and interdisciplinary field that prepares graduates for a variety of careers across multiple career sectors. Given this breadth, undergraduate degree programs often have formal or informal opportunities for students to further specialize within the biomedical engineering major to develop skills in subdisciplines of biomedical engineering. While previous work has explored factors that influence student decision-making of engineering major choice, including the role of gender, limited work has explored factors that influence intra-major specialization in biomedical engineering. The present study sought to expand on existing research to understand factors that influence biomedical engineering students’ choice of intra-major specializations and how, if at all, these factors are related to gender. Grounded in social cognitive career theory, the present study leveraged quantitative surveys from undergraduate biomedical engineering students to understand factors influencing intra-major specialization choice, including the impact that students viewed on their career plans. Participants rated multiple factors as important in their intra-major specialization decisions, with professors/classes rated as the most important influence and alumni as the lowest. Similarly, participants rated multiple outcome expectations of their specialization, although income was rated lower than other factors. Participants most commonly indicated interest in pursuing careers in industry and medicine. We found some differences in intra-major specialization, outcome expectations, and career interests by gender, with women students indicating a higher influence of professors/classes and higher expectations for their track decision to provide a career with a good income. Further understanding of how undergraduate students select specializations in engineering coursework will inform curriculum design and student advising.

Measures of Ethics and Social Responsibility Among Undergraduate Engineering Students: Findings from a Longitudinal Study

Prior research on engineering students’ understandings of ethics and social responsibility has produced mixed and sometimes conflicting results. Seeking greater clarity in this area of investigation, we conducted an exploratory, longitudinal study at four universities in the United States to better understand how engineering undergraduate students perceive ethics and social responsibility and how those perceptions change over time. Undergraduate engineering students at four U.S. universities were surveyed three times: during their 1st (Fall 2015), 5th (Fall 2017), and 8th semesters (Spring 2019). The students who completed all three surveys (n = 226) comprise the sample that was analyzed in this paper for changes in their scores on five instruments: Fundamentals of Engineering/Situational Judgment, Moral Disengagement, ABET Engineering Work and Practice Considerations, Macroethics, and Political and Social Involvement Scale. We found that students modestly increased their knowledge of ethics and ability to apply that knowledge in situations calling for them to exercise judgment. In addition, they consistently indicated that health and safety considerations in engineering were of highest importance. They also showed steady levels of social consciousness over time, in contrast to other studies which detected a culture of increasing disengagement in engineering students throughout the four years of their undergraduate studies.

Transmedia storytelling in materials selection design: an interdisciplinary experience with undergraduate engineering students

ABSTRACT This article aims to present our experience with transmedia storytelling in the design of materials selection, integrating two disciplines within an undergraduate mechanical engineering curriculum in Brazil. The students’ project involved developing a narrative within the fictional universe of superheroes while exploring material properties using Ashby’s methodology. The study aimed at answering two key questions: (1) Can transmedia storytelling contribute to student learning and skills development? and (2) What are the difficulties when using this methodology? Three evaluation approaches were used: test scores, students’ perceptions, and our observations of students’ skills development during this project. It was observed that participating students demonstrated significant test score improvements, indicating enhanced learning, with reported challenges in effort and skill development, particularly in story creation and teamwork. Ultimately, this project allowed students to achieve several cognitive learning objectives, fostering the development of crucial skills like communication and problem-solving. The use of transmedia storytelling in undergraduate engineering courses has the potential to facilitate the cultivation of essential competencies for future engineers across a varied range of cognitive levels, albeit requiring considerable time for planning strategies and creating content.

Ways of Being Smart in Engineering: Beliefs, Values, and Introductory Engineering Experiences

Common discourse conveys that to be an engineer, one must be “smart.” Our individual and collective beliefs about what constitutes smart behavior are shaped by our participation in the complex cultural practice of smartness. From the literature, we know that the criteria for being considered “smart” in our educational systems are biased. The emphasis on selecting and retaining only those who are deemed “smart enough” to be engineers perpetuates inequity in undergraduate engineering education. Less is known about what undergraduate students explicitly believe are the different ways of being smart in engineering or how those different ways of being a smart engineer are valued in introductory engineering classrooms. In this study, we explored the common beliefs of undergraduate engineering students regarding what it means to be smart in engineering. We also explored how the students personally valued those ways of being smart versus what they perceived as being valued in introductory engineering classrooms. Through our multi-phase, multi-method approach, we initially qualitatively characterized their beliefs into 11 different ways to be smart in engineering, based on a sample of 36 engineering students enrolled in first-year engineering courses. We then employed quantitative methods to uncover significant differences, with a 95% confidence interval, in six of the 11 ways of being smart between the values personally held by engineering students and what they perceived to be valued in their classrooms. Additionally, we qualitatively found that 1) students described grades as central to their classroom experience, 2) students described the classroom as a context where effortless achievement is associated with being smart, and 3) students described a lack of reward in the classroom for showing initiative and for considerations of social impact or helping others. As engineering educators strive to be more inclusive, it is essential to have a clear understanding and reflect on how students value different ways of being smart in engineering as well as consider how these values are embedded into teaching praxis.

Enhancing Employability Skills of Biology Graduates through an Interdisciplinary Project-Based Service Learning Experience with Engineering and Translation Undergraduate Students

We describe an interdisciplinary experience based on the application of the Project-Based Service Learning (PBSL) methodology for six learning outcomes directly related to employability skills. The objective was to assess students’ learning outcomes, the level of satisfaction of students and lecturers with the PBSL, and the advantages and disadvantages of the implementation of this learning methodology. Interdisciplinary teamwork of undergraduate science, engineering, and humanities students was required to design real-world projects to develop their transferable skills, through the process of learning by doing. Students perceived that PBSL favored employability skills such as knowledge acquisition, self-directed learning, problem-solving, critical thinking, communication, and teamwork skills. Students and lecturers showed high satisfaction with PBSL and outlined its advantages as an active and experiential learning methodology. In conclusion, the implementation of the collaborative and interdisciplinary PBSL methodology is decidedly recommended to enhance Biology, Engineering, and Translation graduates’ learning satisfaction and their future employability.

Student and Instructor Ratings in Geographic Information Systems: A Comparative Analysis

Geographic information system (GIS) education empowers engineering students to make informed decisions, integrate comprehensive data, and communicate effectively through maps and visualizations. In GIS education, it is common to employ problem-based learning, which can benefit from the advantages of peer assessment methods. Among the benefits of peer assessment are the enhancement of students’ capacity for analysis and synthesis, improvement in organizational and professional communication skills, and the development of critical judgement. However, a consequence of its application is that there may be variation in students’ final grades, with no consensus in the literature on this matter. This paper explores the extent to which the application of peer ratings among students can modify student grades in the field of GIS education. This was achieved by conducting an experiment in which undergraduate engineering students assessed two problem-based learning activities carried out by their peers in two different basic GIS courses. The ratings obtained after the peer assessment were compared with the grades given by the instructors. The results allowed us to debate whether the teaching benefits of this strategy compensate for the differences between the students’ grades and those given by instructors. Although no clear pattern was found in the mean ratings awarded by the two groups of evaluators, the results show that student engagement in peer assessment was high. This experience has demonstrated that the assessments of the two groups complement each other and allow students to gain a better understanding of their ratings and how to improve their skills.

Inherent Process Risk Index (IPRI) – A tool for analyzing inherently safer design using Aspen Plus simulation

The rapid expansion of the chemical process industry necessitates an increased emphasis on process safety. Inherently safer design strategies are one of the most reliable and robust methods for process safety and are generally considered cost-optimal for loss prevention. In this manuscript, a semi-quantitative risk-based index, named the Inherent Process Risk Index (IPRI), is proposed to evaluate a process’s inherent safety from first-principle chemical engineering calculations. The strategy proposed relies on simulation data from Aspen Plus and helps quantify the risk associated with both individual unit operation and the process. Input to the risk calculations include process parameters, such as temperatures, pressure, and flow rates. More specifically, in this manuscript, the risk estimated is presented using two case studies to elaborate the functioning of IPRI, namely the production of formic acid using Kemira-Leonard process and methyl methacrylate production. In addition to benchmarking the process risk with IPRI, the results obtained were compared to those obtained using existing indexing methods to highlight the novelty of IPRI and also explain the differences between IPRI and other indexing methods. It is believed that integrating risk indexing with Aspen plus simulation will aid in teaching process safety to undergraduate engineering students.

Designing and evaluating an augmented reality system for an engineering drawing course

Currently, augmented reality (AR) is one of the emerging technologies which is being widely used in the education sector. In engineering drawing, AR has been implemented to enhance learners’ spatial ability but not their conceptual knowledge yet. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the effect of AR on engineering drawing students’ learning performance. In this study, we developed an AR-based application EDINAR to learn engineering drawing concepts for undergraduate engineering students. The study included 392 first-year students from an engineering institution. The control group (N = 196) studied engineering drawing using traditional methods, whereas the experimental group (N = 196) used an AR-based engineering drawing application (EDINAR) to learn engineering drawing. One-way ANOVA was used to analyse the performances of both groups. The findings revealed that students studying engineering drawing with the help of EDINAR outperformed those using traditional approaches. In addition, we received positive feedback about the AR application from the experimental group about their learning experience. Based on these results, it is recommended to incorporate AR in engineering education to improve the learning performance and students’ learning experience.

A learning-centred computational fluid dynamics course for undergraduate engineering students

The great demands for computational fluid dynamics (CFD) practitioners in industry have motivated universities to integrate CFD courses into undergraduate curricula. This article introduces a learning-centred CFD course that aims to train critical users of commercial CFD codes. The main features of the course include a project-based approach to learning and assessment-guided learning activities, both scaffolded by technologies. The implementation of the course is informed by contemporary pedagogical theories that encourage students to have the ownership of their own learning and constructively build their knowledge in an inclusive and supportive learning environment. The students upon completing the course have developed a conceptual understanding of the CFD principles and the importance of performing CFD simulations in a critical way, making them ready for more advanced CFD learning and practices. Course evaluation based on feedback from various sources demonstrates that the learning-centred approach is the key to the success of the course.

Investigating Factors Contributing to Student Disengagement and Ownership in Learning: A Case Study of Undergraduate Engineering Students

Aim/Purpose: Despite playing a critical role in shaping the future, 70% of undergraduate engineers report low levels of motivation. Student disengagement and a lack of ownership of their learning are significant challenges in higher education, specifically engineering students in the computer science department. This study investigates the various causes of these problems among first-year undergraduate engineers. Background: Student disengagement has become a significant problem, especially in higher education, leading to reduced academic performance, lower graduation rates, and less satisfaction with learning. The study intends to develop approaches that encourage a more interesting and learner-motivated educational environment. Methodology: This research uses a mixed methods approach by combining quantitative data from a survey-based questionnaire with qualitative insights from focus groups to explore intrinsic and extrinsic motivators, instructional practices, and student perceptions of relevance and application of course content. The aim of this method is to make an all-inclusive exploration into undergraduate engineering students’ perspectives on factors contributing to this disengagement and the need for more ownership. Contribution: Inculcating passion for engineering among learners seems demanding, with numerous educational programs struggling with issues such as a lack of interest by students and no personal investment in learning. Understanding the causes is of paramount importance. The study gives suggestions to help teachers or institutions create a more engaged and ownership-based learning environment for engineering students. Findings: The findings revealed a tangled web influencing monotonous teaching styles, limited opportunities and applications, and a perceived gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world engineering problems. It emphasized the need to implement more active learning strategies that could increase autonomy and a stronger sense of purpose in their learning journey. It also highlights the potential use of technology in promoting student engagement and ownership. Further research is needed to explore optimal implementation strategies for online simulations, interactive learning platforms, and gamification elements in the engineering curriculum. Recommendations for Practitioners: It highlights the complex interplay of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation factors and the need to re-look at instructional practice and emphasize faculty training to develop a more student-centered approach. It also stresses the need to look into the relevance and application of the course content. Recommendation for Researchers: More work needs to be done with a larger, more diverse sample population across multiple institutions and varied sociocultural and economic backgrounds. Impact on Society: Enhancing learners’ educational experience can result in creating a passionate and competent team of engineers who can face future obstacles fearlessly and reduce the production of half-baked graduates unprepared for the profession’s challenges. Future Research: Conduct long-term studies to assess the impact of active learning and technology use on student outcomes and career readiness. Investigate scaling up successful strategies across diverse engineering programs. See if promising practices work well everywhere.

Developing Teamwork Skills in Undergraduate Engineering Students: A Comparison Between Disciplinary and Cross-Disciplinary Projects

Developing Teamwork Skills in Undergraduate Engineering Students: A Comparison Between Disciplinary and Cross-Disciplinary Projects

Teaching Tips: Employing Critical Reflection in a Fluid Mechanics Course to Improve and Document Ethics Learning by Undergraduate Engineering Students

Teaching Tips: Employing Critical Reflection in a Fluid Mechanics Course to Improve and Document Ethics Learning by Undergraduate Engineering Students

Students Unlock the Power of Real Systems: An Experiential Learning in System Software Course

System Software is a fundamental core course for undergraduate students of Computer Science and Engineering. The traditional approach to teaching the System Software course within the School of Computer Science and Engineering lacked a meaningful connection to real-world machine architectures, leading to disinterest and reduced engagement among undergraduate students. This paper introduces an innovative teaching method designed to empower students to grasp the system programs of real systems effectively. Our approach involves effortlessly integrating the delivery of system software content with the Atmel AVR ATmega32 real-time machine, which students have previously encountered in a prior semester. Moreover, this paper provides a detailed examination of the use of a hypothetical machine in traditional teaching methodologies. While this method allowed for a more in-depth exploration of system software concepts, it struggled to establish a practical link to real machine. The novel teaching approach employed in this study adopts a unique method that links all the system software concepts with the practical system program of a real-time machine. This paper also explains how the advances in Technology has played a crucial role in considering real-time machines as examples. And it also discusses the limitations of teaching concepts using only hypothetical machine and concise overview of the chosen real-time machine is provided, followed by the observation of enhanced knowledge of system software concepts through its integration. To measure the effectiveness of the proposed methodology, we also gathered valuable feedback from the students. The course result analysis shows substantial improvement in understanding the concepts, performance and lifelong learning of the students. Keywords—System Software, Atmel AVR ATmega32, Hypothetical machine. Design thinking, Problem solving

An Empirical Study on the Use of Lexical Bundles by Undergraduate Students in Science and Engineering Based on Corpora

An Empirical Study on the Use of Lexical Bundles by Undergraduate Students in Science and Engineering Based on Corpora

Application of Paired Problem Solving for Effective Identification of Misconceptions

Abstract— In engineering education, most courses have numerical problems and complex concepts that need to be applied. Students sometimes find it difficult to apply the concepts in numerical problems and subsequently end up performing poorly in examinations. Timely feedback on numerical problems solved by the students will address this. A systematic understanding of student misunderstandings and misconceptions is likely to lead to improved effectiveness in learning. TAPPS (Think Aloud Paired Problem Solving) is one of the best practices in engineering education and provides an opportunity for students to solve problems collectively by thinking and sharing their individual thoughts and ideas. When the instructor is involved as a keen observer the student misconceptions can be documented comprehensively enabling the instructor to address the problem in a timely manner. TAPPS also provides ample scope for educators to identify individual thinking processes and understanding patterns and therefore enables them to guide the students towards the correct approach to problem solving. This article describes a case study of an implementation of TAPPS with a dialogue conducted for undergraduate electrical engineering students in the third year. Keywords—TAPPS, Numerical Problem Solving, Heterogeneous groups

An economical in-class sticker microfluidic activity develops student expertise in microscale physics and device manufacturing.

Educating new students in miniaturization science remains challenging due to the non-intuitive behavior of microscale objects and specialized layer-by-layer assembly approaches. In our analysis of the existing literature, we noted that it remains difficult to have low cost activities that elicit deep learning. Furthermore, few activities have stated learning goals and measurements of effectiveness. To that end, we created a new educational activity that enables students to build and test microfluidic mixers, valves, and bubble generators in the classroom setting with inexpensive, widely-available materials. Although undergraduate and graduate engineering students are able to successfully construct the devices, our activity is unique in that the focus is not on successfully building and operating each device. Instead, it is to gain understanding about miniaturization science, device design, and construction so as to be able to do so independently. Our data show that the activity is appropriate for developing the conceptual understanding of graduate and advanced undergraduate students (n = 57), as well as makes a lasting impression on the students. We also report on observations related to student patterns of misunderstanding and how miniaturization science provides a unique opportunity for educational researchers to elicit and study misconceptions. More broadly, since this activity teaches participants a viable approach to creating microsystems and can be implemented in nearly any global setting, our work democratizes the education of miniaturization science. Noting the broad potential of point-of-care technologies in the global setting, such an activity could empower local experts to address their needs.

"BARBED-WIRE BOUNDARIES": HIDDEN CURRICULUM, FIRST-GENERATION AND LOW-INCOME ENGINEERING STUDENTS, AND INTERNSHIP ACQUISITION

Engineering industry internships provide significant benefits for undergraduate engineering students' careers. First-generation and low-income students (FGLI) are one group of marginalized students who access internships at lower rates compared to their non-FGLI peers; however, the reasons for this gap have not yet been explored in the literature. In this article, we investigate the internship acquisition experiences of FGLI engineering undergraduate students at a mid-sized private university in the western United States. We conducted ten semi-structured interviews to capture FGLI engineering students' experiences encountering and navigating the process of obtaining an internship. Our findings highlight the ways in which much of the knowledges surrounding the internship search and recruitment process are implicit and how this implicit hidden curriculum and technocratic culture create structural barriers to internship access for FGLI engineering students. We present a structural critique of internship recruitment through the framework of hidden curriculum and propose that companies and engineering education institutions work together toward transparent modes of evaluation for internship recruitment.

Implementation of Outcome-Based Education in the Accounting Program for Undergraduate Engineering Students

Implementation of Outcome-Based Education in the Accounting Program for Undergraduate Engineering Students