Engineering Education Commons^™

Integrating Sociotechnical Issues In The Introduction To Circuits Course, Cynthia Finelli, Susan Lord

Practice Papers

Engineers frequently encounter sociotechnical issues in their work, so it is critical that they are prepared to address complex, real-world issues that require both technical and social expertise. Engineering accreditation criteria further underscore the importance of understanding sociotechnical issues by expecting engineering undergraduate programs to address ethical, global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic considerations in student outcomes. However, most engineering instructors were educated with a deep technical focus, have little experience outside of engineering, and feel ill-equipped to integrate non-technical topics. As a result, engineering is often taught in the undergraduate curricula from a purely technical perspective, with an emphasis …

Improving Communication Procedures By Means Of Videorecorded Proposals, Marta Aguilar, Jordi Olivella

Practice Papers

There is an agreement regarding the importance of communication in the promotion processes of all types of technical or entrepreneurial initiatives. Communication skills have to make it possible to obtain the maximum interaction with the agents involved and facilitate the commitment of these agents to a project. In this context, communicators’ erroneous perception of their own abilities and of how they are transmitting the information is a significant drawback that calls for improvement. Video-recording someone when speaking creates an impact on them given that the possibility of seeing themselves implies a significant change in the learning process. This technique has …

A Survey To Evaluate Laboratory Activities Across An Undergraduate Engineering Degree Programme: Data From Five Years Showing Repeatability And Sensitivity, Peter Johnson

Practice Papers

Laboratory activities are an essential part of an undergraduate engineering education. This paper focuses on evaluating the student experience of laboratory activities. We present a laboratory-specific survey used with large cohorts of students (200) about laboratory activities across an undergraduate Mechanical Engineering degree programme. The key question we try to answer is whether the results of the survey can be used to inform teaching decisions such as which activities need improvement; how to improve them; and to validate these interventions.

We present nine common questions that were used to evaluate activities across a programme. We present five years of data …

Learn And Work: A Hybrid Educational Model For Engineering Education, Katherine A. Looby, Catherine M. Deegan

Practice Papers

Traditional models of education are undergoing significant change in recent times due to evolving graduate attributes, shaped in no small part by the changing demands of modern industrial practices. Technology is one of the key elements of the factory of the future. Advances in manufacturing and digital technologies facilitate automation and offer significant benefits in a variety of areas. Academic programmes that feature industrial work placement have long been a feature of engineering education in TU Dublin. The BSc in Process Instrumentation and Automation is a three-year programme that goes further in that it evenly balances on-campus instruction with work …

Teaching Sustainable Logistics As A Project-Based Learning Course, Carsten Deckert, Ahmed Mohya

Practice Papers

Sustainable logistics combines the task of the 6R of logistics (right product, right place, right time, right condition, right cost) with social and environmental sustainability, especially low emissions and low resource consumption. This means that a problem that is already challenging, namely planning, executing, and controlling logistical processes, gets even more complex and requires aspects of systems thinking to incorporate environmental and social impacts. Classical approaches of teaching, e.g. lectures with presentations and short exercises on closed problems, do not do justice to the complexity and intricacies of the topic sustainability. In such a context, projectbased learning (PBL) where students …

Exploring The Impact Of Problem-Based Learning On Student Learning Outcomes: Findings From The Pbl South Asia Project, Andrius Jurelionis, Gintare Stankeviciute, Avinash Dhital, Ellen Van Andel, Julia Sundman, Laura Stasiuliene, Shakuntala Acharya, Riina Subra

Practice Papers

This paper presents the results of surveys conducted among students and teachers / mentors in Nepal, Bhutan, and India, regarding the impact of implementing Problembased learning (PBL) methodology in engineering and multidisciplinary projects. The surveys were carried out under the Erasmus+ funded project, "Strengthening Problembased learning in South Asian Universities" (PBL South Asia). The project aimed to address the issues of education quality, employability, and sustainable development in the region by enhancing students’ practical experience, communication skills, teamwork abilities, as well as academic knowledge through PBL-adapted courses. As a result, South Asian higher education institutions have implemented PBL courses in …

Discovering Sustainability Practices In Research And Innovation Sites, Robin Ann Downey

Practice Papers

This practice paper is a descriptive account of an experience with a sustainable development learning project for engineering students in a Science, Technology and Society (STS) course at Bilkent University. The students participated in the STS Sustainability Awards competition for two semesters in one academic year, an event that was inspired by Bilkent University’s 2021–2022 Sustainability Year. As part of the project, the students found a company or laboratory, consulted them on their innovation practices and asked questions that were grounded in Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) approaches. RRI can provide an opening for students to explore how various values, …

Supporting Women In Science, Engineering And Technology Programmes: A Tu Dublin Approach, Leslie Shoemaker, Sharon Feeney

Practice Papers

The under-representation of women studying engineering in higher education is gaining increasing attention in Universities throughout Europe and other jurisdictions. This has led to underrepresentation of women in many of the professions in the Science, Engineering and Technology fields also. Numerous initiatives and programmes are being developed in universities to gain more information about the embedded issues in these disciplines that inhibit female applicants or lead to unsuccessful outcomes in university programmes. One such initiative that has been developed and piloted in Technological University Dublin (Ireland) is a mentoring programme called ‘Equality in Science and Technology by Engaged Educational Mentoring …

Assessment Of Different Platforms For Online Virtual Lab Demonstrations, Owen M Clarkin, Anne Morrissey, Muhannad Ahmed Obeidi, Alma Ryan

Practice Papers

As we move to a more sustainable world, expansion of education is key to the eradication of poverty (SDG1) and societal inequalities (SDG10). Global expansion of tertiary education offers opportunities to deliver Sustainable Development Goals by providing wide access to education in flexible learning environments. However, the quality of education (SDG4) must be maintained and enhanced as it is key to a partnership for the goals (SDG17). While increased learning online can facilitate achievement of these SDGs, there is also a move, within the education sector, to a constructivist approach and a more active learning environment. Interactive virtual learning environments …

Using Padlet On Math Collaborative Learning In An Engineering Course, Cristina M. R.Caridade, Deolinda Maria L. Dias Rasteiro

Practice Papers

This paper describes a study, with the objective of evaluating the possibilities of knowledge construction through collaborative learning (CL) in the innovative Padlet environment. During the practical classes of a math curricular unit of an engineering course, activities and assessments were carried out using Padlet. Program themes are organized by columns as a wall. Each students group accesses a problem proposal using a QR-Code. In the first part of the class, the group must solve the problem correctly, using all the materials and technologies they deem necessary. In the second part, each group will correct another group’s problem. The teacher …

Infusing Research Know-How Into The Construction Sector: Pedagogies To Support Digital Construction In Ireland, Shannon Chance, Barry Mcauley

Conference Papers

Building Information Modelling (BIM) and BIM Management (BIMM) support digital construction and have the potential to revolutionize the construction industry. In countries where BIM has been most readily adopted, and national supports and mandates put into place, the use of these digital construction methodologies is yielding results. National governments work in various ways to encourage and support the use of BIM, and research is an important part of moving ahead the knowledge base, usability, and uptake of BIM. This paper focuses on the use of BIM in Ireland, the role of education in the shift toward digital construction, and the …

Enhancing Student Veterans' Self-Efficacy And Sense Of Belonging In A Targeted Learning Community: Four Years Of Qualitative Results, Anthony W. Dean, Cynthia Tomovic, Vukica Jovanovic, Kim E. Bullington

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

Eight semesters of qualitative data, collected over four academic years, are presented from a project that resulted in the development of a student professional learning community of high-achieving, low-income engineering and engineering technology student veterans. In the context of this project, student veterans received academic, professional, and financial support that helped them to be successful in school and to prepare them for a career in the STEM workforce. As adult learners, students in this learning community were a vital part of the curriculum development which resulted in increasing the students’ interest and buy-in. Typically, adult learners have lower levels of …

Informal Learning As Opportunity For Competency Development And Broadened Engagement In Engineering, Madeline Polmear, Shannon Chance, Roger Hadgraft, Corrinne Shaw

Books/Book chapters

Informal learning is increasingly being recognized as a way to complement the formal curriculum within engineering and provide additional opportunities for competency development while engaging diverse students. Learning about engineering occurs throughout life, via experiential and spontaneous opportunities that inform our understandings of the world. Learning is not confined to the engineering curriculum and class time but, rather, continues informally and implicitly throughout the daily lives and activities of university students. Often framed in contrast to formal learning, informal learning is more as it represents a significant portion of students’ time and effort and contributes to their persistence, competence development, …

Identifying Potential Consequences Of Use Of A Measure Through Stakeholder Interviews, Melissa G. Kuhn, Joanna K. Garner, Shanan L. Chappell, Linda Bol

STEMPS Faculty Publications

The advent of Messick’s Contemporary Validity Theory (1994) led researchers in survey and measure design to develop and standardize qualitative and quantitative methods of collecting evidence for the validity of psychological instruments. However, one aspect of this theory, consequential validity, has few agreed-upon evidence-gathering methods (Furr & Bachrach, 2014). This study added a blueprint-driven interview method of collecting forecasted consequences of use of an instrument into the overall process of developing a measure of outreach impact on undergraduate engineering students (Authors, in press). The method, which included a purposeful sampling of end-users, is illustrated with thematically presented results. Potential implications …

Growing In Stem: Hands-On Education Via Tower Gardening, Jeffrey A. Nowak, Shelby Johnston-Werling

Indiana STEM Education Conference

Sole use of a textbook as the primary source of learning in the middle school setting has been linked to potentially limit students’ conceptual understanding of complex content (Driscoll et al., 1994), while the positive impact of hands-on learning has been well documented (Ekwueme et al., 2015; Satterthwait, 2010). Ideally, when a textbook is used in conjunction with content applied in a hands-on manner, student engagement and understanding of standards-based content are increased. In a grant funded collaboration between the Northeast Indiana STEM Education Resource Center housed at Purdue University Fort Wayne and an East Allen Community Schools middle school …

Teachers' Instructional Strategies In Integrated Stem Education, Yousef Alrashdi, Paul A. Asunda

Indiana STEM Education Conference

Integrated Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (iSTEM) education has been regarded as a model that provides students with skills necessary for future careers and enhances the economy of nations. Although there is a considerable body of research on the effective educational approaches in iSTEM education including problem-based and project-based learning, the ways teachers implement these approaches remain ambiguous due to a paucity of consensus about how to effectively use iSTEM approaches in classrooms (Thibaut et al., 2018). Additionally, there is a need for further investigation to understand teachers’ instructional strategies and practices in iSTEM education (Bush, 2019). To fulfill this …

Integrated Stem: Impact Of Engineering Design And Computer Science In Stem Labs, Jason Morphew, Ruben Lopez, Amir Bralin, Ravishankar Chatta Subramaniam, Sanjay Rebello, Carina Rebello

Indiana STEM Education Conference

By integrating physics laboratories with engineering design and computer science, students apply physics principles to ill-structured and complex problems, engage in knowledge transfer, and gain interest in STEM. The introductory physics labs at Purdue have been updated to include engineering design and computer science principles that ground physics in authentic problems. Integrated labs have been evaluated using student perception post-surveys, student course performance, interviews, and case-study observations. Preliminary results indicate that integrated physics labs promote transfer, enhanced metacognitive skills, student interest, and motivation.

Engineering Technology Programs And Technical Standards: Investigating Library Access And Course Integration, Margaret Phillips, Paul B Mcpherson, Danielle Leclerc

Libraries Faculty and Staff Scholarship and Research

Due to ABET accreditation requirements and industry expectations, integrating technical standards into Engineering Technology (ET) curricula is crucial for student success. However, previous studies have shown that faculty report access and knowledge challenges in working to integrate standards into ET course content. Additionally, academic librarians have long acknowledged there are many issues with providing access to standards to campus users, such as high costs and extensive digital rights management (DRM) restrictions. The purpose of this study is to conduct an environmental scan of library websites at institutions with ET programs to investigate library-provided access to standards and to survey ET …

Data Quality Checking Guide, Wei Zakharov

Libraries Faculty and Staff Scholarship and Research

A data quality checking guide has been developed to facilitate undergraduates on the critical aspects of data quality assessment. The goal is to become competent data consumers and data generators as well. This checking guide encompasses six fundamental dimensions: Data Credibility, Timeliness, Information Completeness, Data Accuracy, Data Consistency, and Data Deduplication. These dimensions are frequently cited in scholarly references on data quality. Each dimension plays a crucial role in ensuring the reliability and usability of data. Scenarios of students' work are also discussed.

Innovation In Quantum Pedagogy, Application, And Its Relation To Culture (Iqparc), Zeynep Gonca Akdemir, Dongyang Li, Muhsin Menekse, Mahdi Hosseini, Erica W. Carlson, Nicholas Dang

Indiana STEM Education Conference

Innovation in Quantum Pedagogy, Application, and its Relation to Culture (IQ-PARC) is a team of Purdue faculty, graduate, and undergraduate students who collaborate and work for the National Defense Education Program (NDEP) for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education, outreach, and workforce initiative programs. We promote a STEM-literate workforce by providing learning opportunities for youth to understand basic principles and applications of quantum concepts through a variety of both face-to-face and online activities. This research brief describes accomplished tasks in the K-12 education space (e.g., quantum-infused middle school curriculum unit) and shares upcoming plans within the project timeline.