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Full-Text Articles in Engineering
Work In Progress- Understanding Discomfort: Student Responses To Self-Direction, Jonathan Stolk, Mark Somerville, John Geddes, Rob Martello
Work In Progress- Understanding Discomfort: Student Responses To Self-Direction, Jonathan Stolk, Mark Somerville, John Geddes, Rob Martello
Jonathan Stolk
The literature consistently reports that students express some degree of discomfort when they are thrown into self-directed learning environments. In this paper, we present the preliminary results of an investigation of the causes of student discomfort in several different self-directed project-based courses. Our results suggest that student motivation and opportunities for the development of deep understanding and transferable skills are important in creating a positive self-directed learning experience. Negative experiences and student discomfort in self-directed environments may stem from problems with self-regulation, low self-perceptions of content learning, lack of personal engagement with the topic, and difficulties related to the social …
Student-Directed, Project-Based Learning In An Integrated Course Block, Jonathan Stolk, Rob Martello, Steven Krumholz
Student-Directed, Project-Based Learning In An Integrated Course Block, Jonathan Stolk, Rob Martello, Steven Krumholz
Jonathan Stolk
Imagine a course block in which students discuss the cultural implications of 17th century iron working in North America in one hour, and design experiments to examine connections between composition and strength in modern steel padlocks immediately afterward. In the Paul Revere:Tough as Nails course block, students don’t just study materials science and history of technology topics … they experience them. Through a series of readings, discussions, and self designed projects, students explore materials science concepts alongside the social, cultural, and environmental factors that shaped technological and scientific history. Although some formal in class activities are planned, many class sessions …
Engineering Students' Conceptions Of Self-Directed Learning, Jonathan Stolk, John Geddes, Mark Somerville, Robert Martello
Engineering Students' Conceptions Of Self-Directed Learning, Jonathan Stolk, John Geddes, Mark Somerville, Robert Martello
Jonathan Stolk
Researchers have developed numerous theories and developmental models to describe self directed learning, lifelong learning, and self-regulated learning. The literature includes a large body of research that illustrates the cognitive, metacognitive, motivational, affective, and behavioral attributes of self-directed learners; the influences of social and physical environment on self-directed learning development; and the roles of self-perceptions, causal orientations,learning conceptions, and demographics in determining certain self-directed learning responses. But how do undergraduate engineering students characterize and critique self-directed learning? This paper evaluates the responses of engineering students to questions regarding the definition of self-direction and the primary positive or negative factors contributing …
Paul Revere In The Science Lab: Integrating Humanities And Engineering Pedagogies To Develop Skills In Contextual Understanding And Self-Directed Learning, Rob Martello, Jonathan Stolk
Paul Revere In The Science Lab: Integrating Humanities And Engineering Pedagogies To Develop Skills In Contextual Understanding And Self-Directed Learning, Rob Martello, Jonathan Stolk
Jonathan Stolk
ABET, ASEE, and the wider engineering community have long acknowledged the potential benefits of interdisciplinary education, including the opportunity to develop non-technical skills such as communication and teamwork while cultivating a broader awareness of the ethical, societal, historical, and environmental impacts of engineering work. Instructors have encountered many challenges in planning and implementing integrated courses, such as the difficulty of coordinating the teaching methods, content, and learning objectives of different academic disciplines in a finite and already overcrowded curriculum. This paper presents the goals, design approach, implementation, and selected outcomes of one integrated project-based course (using Paul Revere and other …
Creating A Project-Based Curriculum In Materials Engineering, Jonathan Stolk, Katherine Chen, Linda Vanasupa, Blair London, Trevor Harding, Richard Savage, William Hughes
Creating A Project-Based Curriculum In Materials Engineering, Jonathan Stolk, Katherine Chen, Linda Vanasupa, Blair London, Trevor Harding, Richard Savage, William Hughes
Jonathan Stolk
For the past two years, the Cal Poly Materials Engineering department has been on an endeavor to create a modern, innovative curriculum to train a more diverse set of materials engineers for the global and complex world of the 21st century. The traditional lecture and laboratory activities have evolved into more open-ended, project-based experiences that help students develop additional skills and contextualize the learning of theories. Different types of projects are embedded throughout the curriculum to achieve particular learning objectives while emphasizing different content. During class time, students are extremely active and the faculty act as coaches and mentors …
Engineering Students' Definitions Of And Responses To Self-Directed Learning, Jonathan Stolk, Rob Martello, Mark Somerville, John Geddes
Engineering Students' Definitions Of And Responses To Self-Directed Learning, Jonathan Stolk, Rob Martello, Mark Somerville, John Geddes
Jonathan Stolk
COLLEGE INSTRUCTORS have struggled with a lack of self-directed learning (SDL) development in their students for many decades. Self-direction is by no means a new topic in teaching and learning, but it is one of growing significance in engineering educational discourse. In 1969, Carl Rogers articulated the need for flexible, independent learners: Teaching and the imparting of knowledge make sense in an unchanging environment. This is why it has been an unquestioned function for centuries. But if there is one truth about modern man, it is that he lives in an environment which is continually changing . . .We are, …