AJEE Online

ISSN 1324-5821

ABSTRACTS

Experiences from adopting a situational learning course structure

KEYWORDS: Situational learning; industry environment learning; structural systems; expedient methods of analysis; fit for purpose solutions; quality assurance aid to learning; interpersonal skills; teamwork; effective communication; supportive management; career success.

ABSTRACT: The School of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Adelaide aims to ensure that its students not only achieve technical competence but also develop the interpersonal skills sought by industry. Situational learning (Davenport & Baron, 2007) is a new approach where students are placed in a situation comparable to that expected in industry, but with the support to develop the skills intended of the course. This paper presents the experiences of moving the Structural Analysis and Design course from interactive learning (Bammann et al, 2005) to a full situational learning approach. Feedback from a student survey is presented together with an assessment by the authors, who are the course supervisors and the course lecturer. Implementing situational learning was found to have a mixed outcome; while retaining the benefits of interactive learning, a range of issues were found still needing to be addressed.

REFERENCE: Gamboa, E., Moreau, D., Kuik, S. S., Wang, X. & Doherty, L. 2009, “Experiences from adopting a situational learning course structure”, Australasian Journal of Engineering Education, Vol. 15, No. 3, pp. 105-116.

Enabling safer design via improved understandings of knowledge-related hazards: A role for cross-disciplinarity

KEYWORDS: Cross-disciplinary; design; engineering; hazard; knowledge; safe; sustainable; transdisciplinary.

ABSTRACT: Many accidents arise from knowledge-related hazards. These hazards can lead to catastrophic industrial disasters and “routine” harm. An example of a knowledge-related hazard is knowledge-loss due to employee turnover. It is proposed that safe design requires expertise relating to these and other hazards, even though such hazards are ordinarily associated with non-engineering disciplines. However, rather than trying to enable each designer to achieve expertise in all of the relevant disciplines, it is proposed that curricula might place greater emphasis on enabling the ability to work effectively in cross-disciplinary teams.

REFERENCE: Moulton, B. 2009, “Enabling safer design via improved understandings of knowledge-related hazards: A role for cross-disciplinarity”, Australasian Journal of Engineering Education, Vol. 15, No. 3, pp. 117-128.

Identifying and dealing with students at risk

KEYWORDS: Students at risk; engineering education; attendance; exam performance.

ABSTRACT: The engagement and retention of engineering students are issues that have been of concern for educators for at least 50 years, and with an increasing number of students engaged in work outside the university, the pressures are increasing. In the current study, the effectiveness of a program titled “Students @ Risk” has been assessed. The program revolves around a weekly summative quiz where performance and attendance are noted. In an attempt to prevent problems before they set in, students who have not attended at least half of the quizzes in the first four weeks of semester are contacted by the lecturer and urged to make the most of the opportunities that the quizzes afford. The numbers contacted normally account for up to 10% of the class, although it is often less than 5%. Experience has shown that the students who are contacted respond well to the approach. Approximately 40% respond to the email, and in most cases these students then make significant improvements in attendance with rates going from a low 35% to 45% for the rest of the semester. The students are also likely to go on to pass the course. The feedback from the whole class is very positive with regards to the quizzes, with 64% of respondents to one course evaluation listing the quiz as one of the best aspects of the course. There has also been encouraging feedback from individuals in the class who have been contacted as part of the program.

REFERENCE: Walker, D. 2009, “Identifying and dealing with students at risk”, Australasian Journal of Engineering Education, Vol. 15, No. 3, pp. 129-136.

A knowledge-information-data concept model for engineering education

KEYWORDS: Data; information; knowledge; concept model; engineering skills; knowledge management; graduate attributes.

ABSTRACT: Engineering is a knowledge-based industry. In order to produce job-ready engineering graduates, educators need to fully understand and differentiate fundamental terms of the information age such as “data”, “information” and “knowledge”. These are all familiar terms, but may have different meanings to different people. A simple model is provided in this paper as a common starting point to conceptualise, discuss and ultimately enhance the incorporation of knowledge-information-data (KID) within the engineering curricula. The application of the KID model in translating student feedback and to illustrate course content deficiencies is also described.

REFERENCE: Brodie, I. & Brodie, L. 2009, “A knowledge-information-data concept model for engineering education”, Australasian Journal of Engineering Education, Vol. 15, No. 3, pp. 137-144.

Do secondary school grades predict the performance of engineering students?

KEYWORDS: Grade point average; engineering; secondary school grade; students performance.

ABSTRACT: The current study examines the performance of students in the College of Engineering at UAE University and correlates it to their performance at high school. The performance of the students in the engineering program is evaluated based on the history of their grade point average (GPA) in the engineering program. Meanwhile, their secondary school final scores are used to evaluate their performance in high school. The results of engineering students are also classified according to the engineering discipline. Five different disciplines have been considered, namely architectural, civil, chemical and petroleum, electrical, and mechanical engineering. A prediction of the GPA in the College of Engineering is estimated based on the high school grades for 547 students. Results of students’ performance are also examined per their secondary school location within the country.

REFERENCE: Selim, M. Y. E. & Al-Zarooni, S. 2009, “Do secondary school grades predict the performance of engineering students?”, Australasian Journal of Engineering Education, Vol. 15, No. 3, pp. 145-154.

Developing electrical engineering education program assessment process at UAE University

KEYWORDS: Engineering accreditation; program assessment tools; program assessment process; developing engineering assessment process.

ABSTRACT: As the shape of industries within the United Arab Emirates (UAE) changes, it changes the job market and its expectations along the way. Electrical engineering education program assessment developed at the College of Engineering, at UAE University, is approaching its maturity level after a rigorous 10 years of efforts to develop an evolving program assessment process towards ABET accreditation in general, and industrial expectations in particular. This paper describes the program assessment process, along with its various component tools used to generate confidence in its effectiveness for continuous evolution of the program. It is shown how knowledge levels are measured, and skills and competencies of students are determined in order to improve the implementation of the program assessment. Finally, a software program application is developed to automate this cyclic process to reduce tiring paper work per outcome per term, and per program each year for periodic subjective assessment by program constituencies. This development has encouraged the faculty responsible for the program to focus on the program assessment process for its effective use in meeting expectations of UAE industry, in general.

REFERENCE: Memon, Q. A. & Harb, A. 2009, “Developing electrical engineering education program assessment process at UAE University”, Australasian Journal of Engineering Education, Vol. 15, No. 3, pp. 155-164.

Analysing preservice teachers’ potential for implementing engineering education in the middle school

KEYWORDS: Engineering education; middle school; science; mathematics.

ABSTRACT: Engineering is pivotal to any country’s development. Yet there are insufficient engineers to take up available positions in many countries, including Australia (Engineers Australia, 2008). Engineering education is limited in Australia at the primary, middle and high school levels. One of the starting points for addressing this shortfall lies in preservice teacher education. This study explores second-year preservice teachers’ potential to teach engineering in middle school, following their engagement with engineering concepts in their science curriculum unit and their teaching of engineering activities to Year 7 students. Using a literature-based pretest-posttest survey, items were categorised into four constructs (ie. personal professional attributes, student motivation, pedagogical knowledge and fused curricula). Results indicated that the preservice teachers’ responses had not changed for instilling positive attitudes (88%) and accepting advice from colleagues (94%). However, there was statistical significance with 9 of the 25 survey items (p < 0.05) after the preservice teachers’ involvement in engineering activities. Fusing engineering education with other subjects, such as mathematics and science, is an essential first step in promoting preservice teachers’ potential to implement engineering education in the middle school.

REFERENCE: Hudson, P., English, L. D. & Dawes, L. 2009, “Analysing preservice teachers' potential for implementing engineering education in middle school”, Australasian Journal of Engineering Education, Vol. 15, No. 3, pp. 165-174.