Undergraduate Engineering Research Articles

Development of a Scale to Measure Planned Behavior in Inclusive Science Communication: Validity Evidence in Undergraduate STEM Students.

Science communication has historically been inequitable, with certain voices and perspectives holding the power and dominant ways of knowing being promoted over others. Recently, there has been a push toward inclusive science communication, which values diverse perspectives and ways of knowing in collaborative conversations to solve complex socioscientific issues. However, there is a lack of both trainings in inclusive science communication for undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students as well as established ways to evaluate the efficacy of these trainings. To address this need, we designed a new multifactorial survey based on the Theory of Planned Behavior to assess students' attitudes/norms, self-efficacy, behavioral intents, and behaviors in inclusive science communication, which we termed the Planned Behaviors in Inclusive Science Communication (PB-ISC) Scale. We utilized expert review, exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, cognitive interviews, and quantitative measures to gather evidence of validity supporting the proposed use of the final 4-factor, 26-item survey. This survey can be used as a tool by science communication educators and researchers to assess students' planned behavior in inclusive science communication in response to trainings or experiences in science communication or related topics like socioscientific issues, civic engagement, and citizen science.

Integrating Extended Reality in undergraduate engineering programmes: operational feasibility and descriptive analysis of student perspectives

Integrating Extended Reality in undergraduate engineering programmes: operational feasibility and descriptive analysis of student perspectives

A PBL strategy for incorporating 3D cell culture into the classrooms of undergraduate biotechnology engineering students

ABSTRACT Background In Mexico, the undergraduate curriculum in biological, biomedical and related sciences only gives hands-on experience in 2D cell culture due to its low cost and ease of implementation. These traditional lecture-based cell culture courses are often limited to routine learning methods and fail to demonstrate alternative culture strategies that would be needed to realistically mimic the processes occurring within the human body and be used to solve relevant medical problems. The use of 3D cell culture, on the other hand, makes it possible to recreate a microenvironment similar to that of living tissue, which is extremely useful for physicochemical studies. Moreover, the incorporation of problem-based learning (PBL) techniques to teach 3D cell culture has the potential to greatly enhance student learning. Purpose The objective of the work herein was to evaluate the success of implementing a 3D cell culture technique using the PBL method of teaching. Sample In this pilot study, eight students attended a traditionally structured cell culture course to learn cell culture techniques (control group), and six students were taught using a PBL model. Design and methods The activities were carried out either with the guidance of an instructor (traditional learning) or through an autonomous search for information (PBL).3D cell culture and scaffold printing exercises were incorporated into the course schedule, fostering in our students the ability to solve real world problems within a team. Results With the PBL teaching method, students displayed a slight tendency to better interpret and discuss their results (P = 0.436). Conclusion This pilot study highlights the usefulness of self-learning through a PBL system and warrants larger-scale research to better examine the potential benefits of incorporating a PBL strategy for teaching 3D cell culture in undergraduate biotechnology engineering laboratories.

Exploring career choice and retention among engineering undergraduate students and systems engineers: A gender perspective

The underrepresentation of women in engineering is a significant concern. This study applies the social cognitive theory and the social career cognitive theory (SCCT) to investigate gender differences in engineering career choices. We examined reasons given by 19 systems engineers and 330 undergraduate engineering students for choosing engineering and categorizing them according to SCCT themes. We compared the distribution of reasons across themes and categories by career stage and gender. For engineers, the category <i>self-efficacy</i> correlated significantly with <i>challenges and opportunities</i> and <i>current job suitability</i> categories, and women engineers cited challenges mainly with work-life balance and the gender glass ceiling. Undergraduate students cited personal reasons more frequently than environmental ones, with behavioral reasons being the least common. The extended SCCT model includes the categories <i>challenges and opportunities</i> and <i>current job suitability</i> within the behavioral theme, with the latter pertaining specifically to career retention. This research the set of provides insights into gender-dependent engineering career choice and retention by expanding the set of SCCT categories.

A Comprehensive Framework for Research-based Learning to Elevate Undergraduate Research

Objectives: This study proposes a comprehensive framework for Research-based Learning (RBL) that actively engages undergraduate students from diverse disciplines in collaborative research, and aims to enhance their problem-solving and research skills. Methods: RBL was introduced in the 2020-21 curriculum for six engineering branches at Thakur College of Engineering & Technology (TCET), Mumbai, and was expanded to include three additional branches in 2023-24. It comprises four courses namely RBL1, RBL2, RBL3, and RBL4, spanning from the third to the final year. RBL activities were designed and implemented for over 4,300 students from 2020 to 2024. Findings: The outcomes of RBL activities were analyzed based on students’ achievements at the end of each semester. Application of the framework across different engineering branches for 4 years produced tangible outcomes in the form of an increase in in-house publications, participation in project competitions, and improved students' skills contributing to individual growth and institutional branding. The number of publications in TCET increased from 133 to 274 from 2022 to 2024. The total prize money received by students through participation in different project competitions amounted to INR 9.44 lakhs. The effectiveness of the framework is evaluated through online feedback surveys. A survey of 605 students consisting of 5 questions yielded 87.76% positive responses, while a survey of 83 teachers consisting of 9 questions showed positive feedback ranging from 90% to 96.4%. The successful research outcomes and positive feedback from students and teachers support the implementation of the framework in other institutions offering degree programs. Novelty: The RBL framework is integrated into the undergraduate engineering curriculum, providing time-bound achievements. It offers flexibility for online and offline use and is scalable for large groups of undergraduate students. Keywords: Research-based learning (RBL), Undergraduate research (UR), Research outcomes, Publications, Problem-solving skills

Bringing embodied approaches to on-campus research methods teaching for large STEM cohorts: design, challenges, learning

In the post-pandemic world, Learning Development researchers have posited a ‘new hybrid era of teaching’, in which lessons from lockdown in best practice for online and remote teaching play a key role in increasing the inclusivity of higher education (Kantcheva and Bickle, 2023). At the same time, as many students have returned to campus, research has begun to interrogate the role that campus spaces and in-person interaction play in teaching and learning in this new era (Hrach, 2021; Cox et al., 2022). Whether through explicit pedagogical design or implicitly, courses with practical elements, particularly in many scientific disciplines, tend to favour principles of embodied learning through ‘learning-by-doing’. Courses incorporate hands-on interaction with laboratory equipment and social constructivist approaches through student co-creation (Deshmukh, 2021), the centrality of which to students’ professional training was made even more apparent during the move to remote learning. However, these same principles have not underscored the pedagogical approach to research methods education on the undergraduate Engineering degree programmes at the University of Manchester, which has typically been taught more didactically in recent years. This lecture-format approach has been used partially due to challenges of practicality, with the course unit being delivered to a large cohort that can reach 500 students in a typical year. With these principles in mind, this academic year, the Library Teaching, Learning and Students team has collaborated with academic leads across Engineering disciplines to deliver embedded research methods workshops that incorporate elements of an embodied, social constructivist approach, playing to the unique strengths of in-person group learning. This presentation charted the process of Learning Developers and academic staff co-designing these workshops, highlighting challenges encountered, and outlining learning from the process to take forward into future collaborations with disciplines with large cohorts.

Enhancing Learning Engagement in the Flipped Classroom using a Video-Annotation Tool

In the realm of academia, there has been a burgeoning interest in examining student engagement within the context of the flipped classroom approach, particularly at the higher education level. Nevertheless, research pertaining to a pivotal facet of this pedagogical methodology—namely, student engagement during the individualized, at-home preparatory phase—remains limited. Within this void, the primary objective of this study is to delve into the prospective benefits offered by a video annotation tool in augmenting students’ level of engagement during this autonomous study phase. Throughout the course of this investigation, a bespoke questionnaire was crafted, grounded in a multifaceted framework for evaluating student engagement, with a specific emphasis on dissecting four distinct dimensions: behavioral, emotional, agentive, and cognitive. This questionnaire is geared towards gauging student engagement within the domain of the Flipped Classroom model that relies on video-based instructional content—a facet heretofore poorly explored within the scholarly literature. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected by administering the aforementioned questionnaire to a cohort of 68 undergraduate engineering students at Politecnico di Milano (Italy), all within the authentic context of a case study. The outcomes stemming from this empirical inquiry showcase a noteworthy enhancement in student engagement, with particular prominence accorded to the realms of emotional and agentive engagement. Moreover, this study establishes that the interactivity and proactive involvement necessitated by the video annotation tool do not obstruct students’ behavioral and cognitive engagement levels. In summation, this research endeavors to illuminate the potentiality of bridging a pivotal juncture in the Flipped Classroom paradigm, specifically the phase characterized by independent at-home study. This bridge is facilitated by the utilization of a video annotation tool designed to heighten student engagement. This transformative approach effectively transmutes the traditionally passive at-home study phase of the Flipped Classroom into an active experience, thereby enhancing the overall efficacy of this pedagogical approach.

Engineering under oppressive regimes: exploring the role of engineers during apartheid South Africa

ABSTRACT Engineers’ contribution to society tends to be located in rational, technical constructs devoid of social and political interests. This paradigm presents a challenge to engineering educators tasked with undergraduate engineering curriculum content that links to society in some way. This article reports on a study undertaken by engineering educators who were motivated to understand the role of the social and political on the work of engineers. It explores how engineers conceived of their role during apartheid, an oppressive political regime for the majority of South Africans that officially ended in 1994. Interviews were conducted with engineers and academic staff to examine how participants’ navigated engineering practice and academic work during that period. The thematic findings allow for a conceptualisation of the apartheid ‘system’ they encountered, depicts how they saw their role in this system and explores the underlying reasons for why they behaved in the ways that they did.

Developing and validating an online module for formative assessment of summary writing with automated content feedback for EFL academic writing instruction

The present paper provides an overview of an online module for formative assessment of summary writing skills for second language (L2) introductory academic writing instruction in Japan and presents initial empirical results on how Japanese undergraduate students’ summary writing performance changed with a series of automated summary content feedback delivered in the module. A key feature of this module was the provision of fine-grained feedback delivered as scaffolding during revisions in terms of two key aspects of summary content: main idea representation and paraphrasing. Participants were 64 Japanese undergraduate engineering majors in introductory academic writing courses at a private university in Tokyo. The students completed two summary writing tasks provided through the online module. Results of a multivariate analysis of variance showed significant improvement of the content analytic score on revision on the initial summary task, and that this improved performance level was retained on a transfer task. The language use analytic score also improved significantly on the transfer task. Detailed analyses of learner-produced summaries based on descriptive statistics further suggested that the learners made substantively meaningful changes concerning main idea coverage and verbatim copying of the source text while still meeting the length requirement, although the results differed somewhat across the source texts assigned. Despite some study limitations, these results provide initial support for immediate content feedback provision for the development of basic summary writing skills.

Agency Building with Early Research Exposure: A Study of an Undergraduate Science Education Exposure Program

Undergraduate research exposure provides students with opportunities to positively perceive their association with their scientific discipline through agentic experiences, and thereby fostering their disciplinary identity building. In the present study, we explore students’ experiences of participating in an undergraduate level research exposure camp in Chemistry discipline. The camp is organized under a national level nurture initiative for undergraduate science and engineering students in India. It is a two-week long residential camp in which students are engaged in lectures on theoretical topics in chemistry, problem solving sessions, long laboratory exercises, abstract writing session, and students’ seminars. The camp also serves as a first step to select a small cohort of students based on their performance in the different activities during the camp for extended research projects opportunities. We apply the critical science agency framework to examine students’ experiences during the camp, and how understand how students connect their prior experiences and future career related choices with their camp experiences. The qualitative analysis describes students’ accounts of the emergence of agentic personalities at the entry, during, and beyond the camp. We noted instances in which students’ decisions and subsequent actions of applying to and attending the camp surfaced, and through students’ narration interpreted how some of these were markers of critical science agency. Based on authors’ understanding, this is the first, and one of the few studies conducted using critical science agency framework with science undergraduate students about their early research experiences. The study provides insights about potential programmatic features for similar undergraduate research camps in India as well as on a global platform.

Exploring mental health experiences and supports among international engineering undergraduate students – insights to inform university support

ABSTRACT This study explores the mental health perceptions, expectations for mental healthcare, and use of existing mental health services among international engineering students at a Western Canadian university. Employing a phenomenological qualitative approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 international undergraduate engineering students to understand their mental health challenges and service usage. The thematic analysis revealed three significant themes: students’ understanding of mental health; their experiences within the engineering programme, and recommendations to enhance and facilitate a positive mental health experience at the university. Findings suggest that mental healthcare for international engineering students should be responsive to the students’ unique needs, providing support and accessible services during their transition from their home countries and recognising the impact of the environmental and cultural factors on their experiences as members of the Faculty of Engineering and the broader university community.

Using TED talks to improve engineering students’ oral skills

This paper deals with the training of undergraduate engineering students and is interdisciplinary in nature. It brings together three distinct aspects of scientific dissemination: the content of an engineering degree; the oral transmission of this content following the effective TED talks model; and the use English as a medium of scientific transmission. The paper highlights the need for trainee Spanish engineers to be able to communicate their work to the public through oral presentations that are brief and entertaining, yet scientifically rigorous. The core of the study consists of an analysis of a particular TED talk that is relevant for a variety of engineering degrees. We conclude that while it is necessary for Spanish engineers to receive specific training at a professional level in oral communication skills, there is a close relationship between the mode of transmission and the subject specific content to be transmitted that needs to be considered carefully. Developing a mastery of English is important, but essential communication skills are the most crucial aspect, regardless of the language of communication.

Exploring undergraduate engineers’ accommodation of engineering problem typology to support their initial framing and scoping of open-ended problems

ABSTRACT This study explores students’ initial engagement with ill-structured problems before and after the introduction of engineering problem typology as a framework for problem engagement and reflection. Using problem discussions, debrief interviews, and qualitative analysis of written artifacts, we considered observed changes to students’ initial problem framing and scoping discussions before and after the introduction of engineering problem typology. Two student pairs were examined as a comparative analysis of possible extremes on a continuum of adoption. One student pair demonstrated transformational adoption, leveraging problem typology as a guide for problem framing and scoping, and as a shared metacognitive framework. The other pair demonstrated transactional adoption that had limited impact on their thinking, and no apparent impact on the nature and trajectory of their problem framing and scoping. Through exploration of these cases, we find support for the use of problem typology as a frame for facilitating ill-structured problem engagement among undergraduate engineers. We also find evidence related to challenges that must be overcome in disrupting students’ established approaches to learning. We argue that this work can serve as a starting point for developing scaffolds that support problem design and facilitation, metacognitive development, and disrupting undergraduates’ conditioned approaches to problem engagement.

Exploring the Enterprise Knowledge of Black Males in Undergraduate Engineering Programs

Exploring the Enterprise Knowledge of Black Males in Undergraduate Engineering Programs

Comparative Analysis of Augmented Reality in Engineering Drawing Course: Assessing Spatial Visualization and Cognitive Load with Marker-Based, Markerless, and Web-Based Approaches

This study investigates the integration of augmented reality (AR) into engineering education, with a specific focus on its impact on spatial visualization abilities and the cognitive load in the context of an engineering drawing course. The research employs a structured approach, involving three experimental groups utilizing marker-based (MBAR), markerless (MLAR), and web-based AR (WBAR) applications, in comparison to a control group receiving traditional instruction. The primary objective is to rigorously assess the comparative effectiveness of these instructional approaches in enhancing spatial visualization skills and reducing the cognitive load of undergraduate engineering students. Spatial visualization, a vital cognitive skill for engineering disciplines, is evaluated using the Purdue Spatial Visualization Test: Rotations (PSVT-R) questionnaire. The cognitive load of students is assessed with the help of a questionnaire comprising items related to mental load and effort. This study not only quantifies the impact of AR applications but also highlights subtle differences among the various AR modalities. The findings suggested that the group that used marker-based AR had better improvement in their spatial ability and felt less cognitive load compared to those who utilized markerless AR and web-based AR.

Gamification Powered by a Large Language Model to Enhance Flipped Classroom Learning in Undergraduate Computer Science

The flipped classroom in computer science has become a popular pedagogy where students complete preparatory reading and videos before class, leaving class time for hands-on practice. In theory, students come to class predisposed with knowledge to complete programming tasks, quizzes, and homework assignments. However, if students do not complete or do not fully understand the preparatory material, those students will not be equipped for class and may also be embarrassed to ask questions during class. In this study, we created a gamified quiz that is powered by a Large Language Model (LLM) that loads in questions from the flipped content transcripts. The game offers students a fun assessment after completing the flipped content that will both motivate them and prepare them for class. The game also provides an anonymous way for students to ask questions as they progress through the game content. Those questions can then be analysed by the instructor and reviewed in class. The study compares in-class quiz scores of a control group versus a group that had access to the gamified quiz in an undergraduate software engineering course over three consecutive course modules. The results obtained from both quantitative and qualitative data are promising, showing an increase in student in-class quiz scores along with positive student engagement with the gamified quiz. Students also reported that the game made them more comfortable with asking questions. Future work would extend this research to more students and over a longer period. The LLM and gamification also have much potential, where games can be created dynamically and be customized and personalized for each student's needs. This work shows an exciting gap in research that could lead to gamified experiences for students in the flipped model that are both relevant and personalized with the use of a LLM, offering the students the greatest chance for success.

Exploring the Effectiveness of Advanced Chatbots in Educational Settings: A Mixed-Methods Study in Statistics

The Generative Pre-trained Transformer (GPT) is a highly advanced natural language processing model. This model can generate conversation-style responses to user input. The rapid rise of GPT has transformed academic domains, with studies exploring the potential of chatbots in education. This research investigates the effectiveness of ChatGPT 3.5, ChatGPT 4.0 by OpenAI, and Chatbot Bing by Microsoft in solving statistical exam-type problems in the educational setting. In addition to quantifying the errors made by these chatbots, this study seeks to understand the causes of these errors to provide recommendations. A mixed-methods approach was employed to achieve this goal, including quantitative and qualitative analyses (Grounded Theory with semi-structured interviews). The quantitative stage involves statistical problem-solving exercises for undergraduate engineering students, revealing error rates based on the reason for the error, statistical fields, sub-statistics fields, and exercise types. The quantitative analysis provided crucial information necessary to proceed with the qualitative study. The qualitative stage employs semi-structured interviews with selected chatbots; this includes confrontation between them that generates agreement, disagreement, and differing viewpoints. On some occasions, chatbots tend to maintain rigid positions, lacking the ability to adapt or acknowledge errors. This inflexibility may affect their effectiveness. The findings contribute to understanding the integration of AI tools in education, offering insights for future implementations and emphasizing the need for critical evaluation and responsible use.

Fear of Writing and Motivation to Write among Engineering Undergraduates

Fear of Writing and Motivation to Write among Engineering Undergraduates

The Undergraduate Engineering Mental Health Help‐Seeking Instrument (UE‐MH‐HSI): Development and validity evidence

AbstractBackgroundUndergraduate engineering students experiencing distress are less likely than peers to ask for professional help. A population‐specific instrument to facilitate the identification of factors that influence mental healthcare utilization could guide development and testing of interventions to increase help seeking.PurposeWe used mixed methods guided by the Integrated Behavioral Model (IBM) to develop and evaluate the Undergraduate Engineering Mental Health Help‐Seeking Instrument (UE‐MH‐HSI).MethodFirst, we adapted existing measures of mental health help‐seeking intention and mechanisms (i.e., attitudes, perceived norm: injunctive, perceived norm: descriptive, personal agency: autonomy, personal agency: capacity). Second, we coded qualitative interviews (N = 33) to create population‐specific mental health help‐seeking belief measures (i.e., outcome beliefs, experiential beliefs, beliefs about others' expectations, beliefs about others' behavior, beliefs about barriers and facilitators). Third, we tested the psychometric properties using data from 596 undergraduate engineering students at a historically White, research‐focused institution in southern United States.ResultsPsychometric analyses indicated that (1) help‐seeking mechanism and intention measures demonstrated unidimensionality, internal consistency, construct replicability, and sufficient variability; (2) mechanism measures demonstrated criterion evidence of validity; and (3) most items within the belief measures demonstrated sufficient variability and convergent evidence of validity.ConclusionsThe UE‐MH‐HSI is an evidence‐based tool for investigating mental health help‐seeking factors and their relationship to help‐seeking behavior, well‐being, academic success, and engineering identity formation. Guidelines for use are provided.

Educating Undergraduates in Civil Engineering on Macroethics by Developing a Technical Elective Course on Energy and Sustainability

Educating Undergraduates in Civil Engineering on Macroethics by Developing a Technical Elective Course on Energy and Sustainability