Undergraduate Engineering Students Research Articles

Exploring the Role of TESOL in Enhancing Education for Marine Engineering undergraduate students: A Literature Review

The utilization of English within the domain of marine engineering holds paramount significance, especially as exploration of the oceans continues and the field of marine engineering undergoes globalization. Nevertheless, traditional English education in marine engineering exists certain shortcomings. Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), as an educational technology, harbours the potential to overcome these deficiencies. This paper conducts an analysis of the current state of marine engineering English education and related research areas, while scrutinizing the application needs and characteristics of marine engineering English. These analyses are compared with the attributes of TESOL education technology to explore its potential applicability. This paper provides a comprehensive examination of the field, pinpointing its inherent limitations. Among these challenges are hurdles in educator training, technical complexities, and a paucity of teaching resources. Additionally, it offers insightful recommendations for advancement and outlines promising prospects for the future. Essentially, this paper serves as a commendable coupling of arts and sciences, offering a valuable reference point for the advancement of English language education within the realm of marine engineering.

EXPLORING THE INFLUENCE OF REQUIREMENT REPRESENTATION ON IDEA GENERATION

Abstract The objective of this research is to understand how different representations of requirements influence idea generation in terms of quantity, addressment, novelty, and variety of conceptual sketches. Requirements are testable statements of need, desires, and wishes of the stakeholders that are used by engineers to frame the problem. Project success is highly dependent on well-defined requirements documents. An experimental study was conducted with 52 fourth year mechanical engineering undergraduate students. Two design problems were formulated with three different representations: a problem statement with embedded requirements, a problem statement and a traditional requirement list, and a problem statement with contextualized scrum stories. Each student was provided both design problems with two different representations of requirements. It was found that the use of contextualized scrum story representations significantly affected the novelty of solution fragments and addressment of requirements, while no significant change in variety and quantity was seen. Finally, it was found that quantity is not directly related to the number of requirements addressed in the sketches.

Latino/a/x Engineering Undergraduate Students’ Experiences with Racialized Ideologies: The Case of One Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and Three Emerging HSIs

ABSTRACT In this paper, we draw on Anzaldúa’s conocimiento framework to examine 22 Latino/a/x undergraduate students’ trajectories to and through engineering education at four university campuses. Findings show that these students have encountered an array of racial stereotypes about Latinos/as/xs, grappled with the lack of representation of Latino/a/x students and faculty in their departments, and been subject to racial microaggressions. Our findings have implications for engineering education regarding the creation of policies and practices that set a welcoming culture for Latino/a/x students and challenge oppressing practices in engineering.

Enhancing Spatial Ability among Undergraduate First-Year Engineering and Architecture Students

Spatial ability (SA) refers to the ability to generate, retain and manipulate abstract visual images in one’s head. Research of this ability conducted during the last few decades had shown that SA is an essential ability to the development of mathematical skills in children. Later studies addressed adult SA development and accordingly found that SA was a predictor of success in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields of academic studies. Recently, focus has also been directed to another related field which is architecture. This group has not been extensively researched in relation to its spatial thinking abilities. The current research examines the efficiency of a new training program aimed at improving engineering and architecture student’s SA abilities. This program was based on previous intervention programs but was innovative in its combination of both traditional and computer-based teaching methods and combining frontal learning, hands on model building and augmented reality (AR) tools, all in a short program of 20 h. We asked whether the training program will be effective in improving student’s SA ability and whether this improvement will remain across different factors such as gender, faculty and math level. The results showed a significant improvement in SA abilities among the students who took the training program, compared with the control group. These results were true for both engineering and architecture students. Moreover, the results showed the training program to be efficient regardless of gender or prior math level.

CAMPUS: A mobile app for construction processes learning and teaching in higher education

AbstractThis article presents a descriptive, correlational, and quantitative study investigating the learning processes of undergraduate construction engineering and architecture students. The study aims to analyze the effectiveness of an alternative learning method compared to traditional approaches in engineering, architecture and construction education. The study focuses on the use of a mobile application (CAMPUS Javeriana) as a tool for experiential learning by using digital technologies, such as construction videos and photos, infographic images, building information modeling (BIM) models, virtual and augmented reality, among others, within the app. Forty‐six architecture students participated in the study, divided into control and experimental groups within each of three undergraduate courses. Pretest and posttest questionnaires were administered to assess the students' learning outcomes, preferences, and perception of the importance of learning technologies. The test results were analyzed using scatter plots, and statistical analysis was conducted using the Jamovi package in R Studio. The students' perceived importance of the mobile app and their preference to use it in the future were also evaluated. Contextual factors such as student characteristics, available resources, and instructors' teaching style were taken into consideration. The study implemented rubrics based on the Expected Learning Results for each course to measure the overall academic performance. Furthermore, the study explores the concept of learning gain and its relationship with the obtained results, shedding light on experiences, perceptions, and academic performance in the specific context of construction education. Findings suggest a positive impact on learning outcomes and perception as a result of using a series of multi‐media technologies in the mobile application.

When perceived similarity overrides demographic similarity: examining influences on STEM students’ developmental mentor networks

BackgroundWhile dyadic faculty–mentored relationship research currently saturates the mentoring literature, recent developments suggest the need for a broader consideration of a student's mentor network. Research taking a network approach may provide deeper insights into the formation and benefits of mentorship for undergraduate students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. Utilizing Developmental Mentor Network Theory and ego-centric social network analysis, this pre-registered study evaluates how the characteristics of mentees and mentors relate to both the content of support and structure of mentor networks in a large sample of White and Hispanic/Latino(a) STEM undergraduates across 12 universities.ResultsResults were nuanced but showed that perceived psychological similarity with their mentor(s) predicted both dyadic and network average levels of mentor support (i.e., psychosocial, career, role modeling) and relational satisfaction. Furthermore, results point to homophily and engagement in undergraduate research effects on mentor network structures.ConclusionsThese findings highlight the importance of using a network approach to deepen our understanding of the factors (e.g., psychological similarity) that may influence the formation and maintenance of robust and diverse supportive mentoring networks.

Engineering culture under stress: A comparative case study of undergraduate mechanical engineering student experiences

AbstractBackgroundEngineering culture research to date has described the culture as rigid, chilly, and posing many barriers to entry. However, the COVID‐19 pandemic provided an important opportunity to explore how engineering culture responds to a major disruption.PurposeThe purposes of this study are to understand how elements of engineering culture emerged in mechanical engineering students' perceptions of their classroom experiences during the pandemic and how their experiences varied across two national contexts.MethodThis qualitative comparative case study examines undergraduate mechanical engineering students' perceptions of their experiences taking courses during the pandemic at two universities—one in the United States and one in South Africa. Semistructured interviews were conducted across both sites with 21 students and contextualized with 3 faculty member interviews. Student interviews were analyzed using an iterative process of deductive coding, inductive coding, and pattern coding.ResultsWe identified two key themes that characterized participants' experiences during the pandemic: hardness and access to resources. We found that students at both sites experienced two types of hardness—intrinsic and constructed—and were more critical of constructed forms of hardness. We found that the South African university's response to facilitating student access to resources was viewed by students as more effective when compared with the US university.ConclusionsWe found that hardness remained a central feature of engineering culture, based on student perceptions, and found that students expressed awareness of resource‐related differences. A key distinction emerged between intrinsic and constructed hardness.

Development of pilot plants for engineering education

The rapid changes in social interactions and the easy access to information brought by technological advances require that professors rethink and rebuild teaching to maintain its quality. Active methodologies have been used to ensure the development of essential skills in professionals to deal with the current challenges and demands of the job market. This study presents the use of active project-based methodologies with undergraduate and postgraduate engineering students at the Federal University of Minas Gerais. This study aims to report on the implementation of a pilot plant for the causticizing stage of the pulp and paper Kraft Process and the development of two prototypes of industrial sludge drying equipment using solar energy and to evaluate the impact of the activities on the professional training of the people involved and the development of skills and competencies expected of engineering professionals according to the National Curriculum Guidelines, such as the ability to work in teams. The students could apply their technical knowledge in real situations in an interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary collaborative environment that encourages the resolution of complex engineering problems innovatively, with a holistic and humanistic vision that also considers social and sustainable aspects. They also demonstrated increased motivation and experienced the connection between industry and academia, which is essential to demonstrate the applicability of the techniques learned during the courses.

IJCM_397A: A Cross-Sectional Study on Dietary Intake In Relation To Sleep Quality Among Undergraduate Engineering Students

Background: Sleep is an important resting state and essential part of life that could have effect on many aspects of life. Life style factors such as physical activity and consumption of certain foods have effect on quality and quantity of sleep. In this context, there were very few studies done in comparing dietary intake & sleep pattern. So, the present study is planned to be conducted among undergraduate engineering students. Objective: 1. To assess the dietary intake and sleep patterns among undergraduate students. 2. To determine the relationship between dietary intake and sleep quality. Methodology: A Cross-sectional analytical study was done among the undergraduate students of a government engineering college in November 2023. Students (n=200) were randomly selected and data was collected using pre-tested, semi structured questionnaire to assess the dietary intake and Pittsburgh sleep quality index questionnaire (PSQI) to assess sleep quality. Results: The mean age of the study population was 20.2 ± 1.6 years and 54.5% were female. Sleep quality was fairly good among 58%, good in 29%,fairly bad in 11.5%,and very bad in 1.5%. Participants skipping breakfast, lunch and dinner more than three times a week was reported to be 21%,10%, and 16.5% respectively. Conclusion: The quality and quantity of sleep can be influenced by the eating habits. Specific awareness regarding sleep and food intake should be created among the students, as in the long run NCD s can be prevented and to form a healthy nation.

Development of Self-Directed Learning Readiness among Undergraduate Engineering Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Development of Self-Directed Learning Readiness among Undergraduate Engineering Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Hybrid Soft-Rigid Active Prosthetics Laboratory Exercise for Hands-On Biomechanical and Biomedical Engineering Education.

This paper introduces a hands-on laboratory exercise focused on assembling and testing a hybrid soft-rigid active finger prosthetic for biomechanical and biomedical engineering (BME) education. This hands-on laboratory activity focuses on the design of a myoelectric finger prosthesis, integrating mechanical, electrical, sensor (i.e., inertial measurement units (IMUs), electromyography (EMG)), pneumatics, and embedded software concepts. We expose students to a hybrid soft-rigid robotic system, offering a flexible, modifiable lab activity that can be tailored to instructors' needs and curriculum requirements. All necessary files are made available in an open-access format for implementation. Off-the-shelf components are all purchasable through global vendors (e.g., DigiKey Electronics, McMaster-Carr, Amazon), costing approximately USD 100 per kit, largely with reusable elements. We piloted this lab with 40 undergraduate engineering students in a neural and rehabilitation engineering upper year elective course, receiving excellent positive feedback. Rooted in real-world applications, the lab is an engaging pedagogical platform, as students are eager to learn about systems with tangible impacts. Extensions to the lab, such as follow-up clinical (e.g., prosthetist) and/or technical (e.g., user-device interface design) discussion, are a natural means to deepen and promote interdisciplinary hands-on learning experiences. In conclusion, the lab session provides an engaging journey through the lifecycle of the prosthetic finger research and design process, spanning conceptualization and creation to the final assembly and testing phases.

Influence of the use of 3D printing technology for teaching chemistry in STEM disciplines

AbstractTeachers can create engaging learning environments in engineering courses through pedagogical innovation using Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). Introductory chemistry courses in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines typically include the study of molecular models and periodic properties, which are inherently visual concepts. Unfortunately, these concepts are often taught using two‐dimensional drawings, although three‐dimensional (3D) printing offers an engaging approach to learning chemistry in these disciplines. Undergraduate engineering students are provided with modelling software and a 3D printer, allowing them to construct 3D models of basic Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion theory shapes using polylactic acid. The results of this research showed that the average score of the students in the control group was lower than that of the students in the 3D technology group. This research has found that the learning curve for modelling and the time required for printing are high, limiting the practical application of this exercise in student laboratory classes. However, in an appropriate environment, 3D printing technology has the potential to be a valuable tool for teaching and learning molecular models and periodic properties of chemistry courses in STEM disciplines.

Investigating Canadian Engineering Students’ Perceptions of Graduate Attributes: Frequency, Criticality, and Relative Importance

This study investigates the perceptions of Canadian engineering students regarding the frequency and criticality of the 12 graduate attributes (knowledge, skills, values, and behaviors that engineering students are expected to demonstrate upon graduation) outlined by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB). This study aims to assist engineering educators in gaining a better understanding of students’ expectations regarding how engineering competencies will be demonstrated in practice. This information can guide the improvement of engineering curricula and help engineering programs meet accreditation requirements for continuous enhancement. Descriptive and test statistics were used to analyze a quantitative survey administered to 340 undergraduate engineering students at a large Canadian university. Findings suggest that the students perceived the frequency and criticality of most graduate attributes differently. Individual and teamwork, communication, professionalism, lifelong learning and engineering tools, were viewed as more frequent than critical, while ethics and equity, impact of engineering, investigation, and design were perceived as more critical than frequent. The study also found that communication, individual and teamwork, and problem analysis were perceived as the graduate attributes with the highest relative importance (frequency multiplied by criticality), which is consistent with the literature.

Developmental Changes of the Responses to Peer Assessment of Group Projects: a Case Study of Civil Engineering Undergraduates

The changes in the responding behaviour to peer assessments of group projects as students progress through their studies were explored to assist educators in designing peer assessment tools to suit students’ maturity levels and better understand the students’ responses to peer assessments. We collected and analysed the responses to a peer assessment tool after group project assignments of a group of civil engineering undergraduate students in their second and third years. The responses displayed a relatively higher satisfaction level by the students on their peers’ contribution to the group projects in both units, with a markedly higher satisfaction level in the third year of study than in the second year. The data also suggests that smaller groups tend to have higher peer satisfaction levels among group members than in bigger groups. Average peer rating versus group mark comparison was identified as a reliable indicator to identify groups that had internal issues while working on group projects but were not openly disclosed. Responses to individual criteria of the peer assessment tool confirmed that the group members are highly satisfied with each other’s attendance in group meetings and are increasingly satisfied with each other’s intellectual contribution towards the group project as the year level progresses. Given the participants in this study belong to one specific discipline, the results may not be generalisable to the entire student population, and we encourage more research in this area.

Academic Self-Concept Development for STEM College Students: An Analysis on Gender Difference

Using a nation-wide college student dataset, this study examines the gender disparities in academic self-concept for undergraduate students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) majors and investigates college experiences affecting academic self-concept in this population. Findings of the current study suggest that overall college satisfaction is the strongest positive predictor of academic self-concept for college students in STEM majors and that institutions and their members should strive to facilitate satisfactory and educationally meaningful college experiences for these students at the macro level. Also, faculty members and administrators in STEM majors should be aware of the importance of positive faculty support on students’ academic self-concept development and should continue trying to create an environment where students can experience more frequent and positive encounters with their faculty members. Lastly, our findings show that the effects of some college experiences on academic self-concept development for STEM students vary by student gender. The findings underscore the significance of the nature or type of college experiences and the corresponding gender inequity and suggest that STEM majors need to facilitate departmental environments where both male and female students can equivalently benefit from their college experiences not only for their academic development but also for other desired college outcomes.

Speech analysis of teaching assistant interventions in small group collaborative problem solving with undergraduate engineering students

AbstractThis descriptive study focuses on using voice activity detection (VAD) algorithms to extract student speech data in order to better understand the collaboration of small group work and the impact of teaching assistant (TA) interventions in undergraduate engineering discussion sections. Audio data were recorded from individual students wearing head‐mounted noise‐cancelling microphones. Video data of each student group were manually coded for collaborative behaviours (eg, group task relatedness, group verbal interaction and group talk content) of students and TA–student interactions. The analysis includes information about the turn taking, overall speech duration patterns and amounts of overlapping speech observed both when TAs were intervening with groups and when they were not. We found that TAs very rarely provided explicit support regarding collaboration. Key speech metrics, such as amount of turn overlap and maximum turn duration, revealed important information about the nature of student small group discussions and TA interventions. TA interactions during small group collaboration are complex and require nuanced treatments when considering the design of supportive tools. Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic Student turn taking can provide information about the nature of student discussions and collaboration. Real classroom audio data of small groups typically have lots of background noise and present challenges for audio analysis. TAs have little training in how to productively intervene with students about collaborative skills. What this paper adds TA interaction with groups primarily focused on task progress and understanding of concepts with negligible explicit support on building collaborative skills. TAs intervened with the groups often which gave the students little time for uptake of their suggestions or deeper discussion. Student turn overlap was higher without the presence of TAs. Maximum turn duration can be an important real‐time turn metric to identify the least verbally active student participant in a group. Implications for practice and/or policy TA training should include information about how to monitor groups for collaborative behaviours and when and how they should intervene to provide feedback and support. TA feedback systems should keep track of previous interventions by TAs (especially in contexts where there are multiple TAs facilitating) and the duration since previous intervention to ensure that TAs do not intervene with a group too frequently with little time for student uptake. Maximum turn duration could be used as a real‐time metric to identify the least verbally active student in a group so that support could be provided to them by the TAs.

Digital Game-Based Language Learning: The Impact of Story-Driven Game Life Is Strange 1 on Language Learners’ Listening Skills

The study aimed to examine the impact of employing a digital game, Life is Strange 1: Episode 1, on the listening skills of English as a Second Language (ESL) learners. To conduct the study, the researchers employed a one-group pretest-posttest mixed-methods research design. A sample of 24 intermediate undergraduate engineering students from a private university in Chennai, India, participated in this study. During the experiment, the participants who enrolled in the course Interpersonal Listening Skills played the game Life is Strange 1: Episode 1 in the university’s language lab for four weeks. To collect quantitative data, all the participants took pre- and post-listening comprehension tests (LCT), and through close-ended questionnaires on students' perceptions using SPSS software, quantitative analysis of the data was made using frequency and percentage. And through the participants’ face-to-face interviews, qualitative data were collected and analyzed to gain deeper insights into the participants' experiences and perceptions. The post-test results revealed that participants' listening skills had improved in comparison to the pre-test results. Additionally, qualitative data showed that participants enjoyed playing the game and found it motivating, engaging, and an effective method to improve their listening skills. These findings were in line with those of several other studies. Thus, the study revealed that ESL learners' listening skills could be improved by playing the video game, which may have significant implications for ESL educators and researchers who can integrate DGBLL to improve language learning outcomes into their teaching and research.

Machine learning-based stress classification system using wearable sensor devices

<p>University students often become victims of high-stress levels due to the highly competitive work environment. Unmonitored stress levels in students can inflict severe physiological health problems. This work aims to build a stress classification framework using wearable sensor devices to predict mental stress levels for undergraduate engineering students. It comprises a study to collect a data set of 23 university students using wearable devices for four physiological signals, i.e., electroencephalogram (EEG), electrodermal activity (EDA), skin temperature (SKT), and heart rate (HR), when the students perform the montreal imaging stress task (MIST) for the mental workload. The machine learning models proposed in this work help classify stress into three levels: rest, moderate, and high. The models achieve a classification accuracy of 99.98% using the EEG signals’ time-frequency domain features and an accuracy of 99.51% using the EDA, HR, and SKT signals. The proposed models achieve better scores than all the previous studies on stress classification, using EEG signals and EDA, HR, and SKT signals. This study is novel since it also demonstrates the applicability and proficiency of wearable sensor devices in developing accurate stress classification models to help build real-time stress monitoring systems.</p>

LGBTQ + engineering students’ recommendations for sustaining and supporting diversity in STEM

LGBTQ + engineering students in higher education face systemic challenges in their educational contexts because of interlocking systems of oppression that privilege majority identities. The current study uses thematic analysis to explore LGBTQ + graduate and undergraduate engineering students’ recommendations for supporting diverse students in engineering higher education programs. A sample of ten LGBTQ + engineering college students in the United States shared effective classroom norms and recommendations for integrating LGBTQ-informed content. Suggestions for higher education institutions revolved around increasing students’ feelings of safety or addressing feelings of unsafety in their educational contexts. Students cited community ignorance as well as invisibility/isolation as root causes of their dis-ease as LGBTQ + people in the engineering field. To that end, students suggested improved, expanded, and mandated LGBTQ Allies trainings at the campus level. Our findings incorporate both students’ accounts of the problem and their proposed solutions, using community wisdom as the basis for increased support for diversity. Further action is needed from engineering programs to protect and promote the wellness of their LGBTQ + students. We conclude with clinical and research implications to further support and sustain a diverse student body in engineering programs.

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.