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The integration of the Internet of Things (IoT), big data, and machine learning (ML) has pioneered a transformation across several fields. Equipping electrical engineering students to remain abreast of the dynamic technological landscape is vital. This underscores the necessity for an educational tool that can be integrated into electrical engineering curricula to offer a practical way of learning the concepts and the integration of IoT, big data, and ML. Thus, this paper offers the IoT-Edu-ML-Stream open-source platform, a graphical user interface (GUI)-based emulation software tool to help electrical engineering students design and emulate IoT-based use cases with big data analytics. The tool supports the emulation or the actual connectivity of a large number of IoT devices. The emulated devices can generate realistic correlated IoT data and stream it via the message queuing telemetry transport (MQTT) protocol to a big data platform. The tool allows students to design ML models with different algorithms for their chosen use cases and train them for decision-making based on the streamed data. Moreover, the paper proposes learning outcomes to be targeted when integrating the tool into an electrical engineering curriculum. The tool is evaluated using a comprehensive survey. The survey results show that the students gained significant knowledge about IoT concepts after using the tool, even though many of them already had prior knowledge of IoT. The results also indicate that the tool noticeably improved the students' practical skills in designing real-world use cases and helped them understand fundamental machine learning analytics with an intuitive user interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we address the societally important issue of developing a more equitable approach to preK-12 engineering education. Our primary emphasis is on K-8 grades--a time when first impressions of engineering may be developed. Calls for increased participation by all students, including those who have been historically marginalized, motivate the need for theoretically grounded ways of developing and assessing educational programs. This paper draws from sociocultural learning theory and applies four theoretical and empirical analyses to derive design principles for equity that can inform curriculum, instruction, and assessment of preK-12 engineering education programs. We present a model for equity-oriented preK-12 engineering learning and delineate its dimensions and principles, which include socially engaged engineering, authentic engineering practices, asset-oriented pedagogies, and student engineering identity. We illustrate each with examples and discuss ways of implementing equity-oriented engineering curricula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe specific techniques of "inquiry-based learning" employed by three instructors in Engineering schools, one in Europe and two in the USA. Design/methodology/approach – Theorists such as Bransford et al. argue that twenty-first century educators need to teach students to do more than simply remember and repeat information. Engineering educators Prince and Felder critique traditional methods of teaching in which instructors focus on mathematics and theory, but fail to convey practical applications of that knowledge. They advocate moving students to a higher level of learning – past the stage of memorizing and reciting data – to more sophisticated methods of analysis, synthesis, and application of knowledge. To enact such transformations, Prince and Felder recommend "inductive teaching methods," including "inquiry-based learning," in which students learn through engaging with challenges and a series of questions. The paper provides examples of inquiry-based learning activities from each of the authors. The paper then discusses the cross-pollination of ideas and describes how the authors have shared inquiry-based teaching strategies and collaborated to develop new and relevant assignments and approaches to teaching. Findings – The willingness of learners to discuss a range of pedagogical topics, from specific practices to shared experiences and readings, led to an exchange of ideas, and also to deeper reflections on current practices. The cross-pollination of assignments and techniques resulted in well-structured, stimulating, and relevant research projects that engage engineering students from Texas to Portugal, and from communication to technical classes. Research limitations/implications – The use of inquiry-based learning activities and the sharing of resources across continents aimed at improving learning and teaching requires expanding upon and further development. Originality/value – The paper demonstrates the use of cross-pollination of ideas, development of assignments and improved approaches to teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability to apply mathematical concepts and procedures in relevant contexts in engineering subjects sets the fundamental basis for the mathematics competencies in engineering education. Among the plethora of digital techniques and tools arises a question: Do the students gain a deep and conceptual enough understanding of mathematics that they are able to apply mathematical concepts in engineering studies? This paper introduces the use of languaging exercises in the engineering mathematics course 'Differential Calculus' during the spring semester 2020, at Tampere University of Applied Sciences, TAMK. In this study, the students' conceptual understanding and learning of differential calculus is researched. In the learning process, the languaging method is used to deepen the conceptual understanding of the concepts of differential calculus. Pre-test/post-test setup was used to see the possible gain in conceptual understanding. During the course, students did online assignments, which included languaging exercises. Students described the concepts of differential calculus using natural language, pictures, or a combination of them. The students were also asked to fill in a self-evaluation form to collect their perception of their own knowledge of mathematical skills. Mid-term and final exams summarized the acquired knowledge. The study aimed to enhance the learning outcomes and to gain a deeper understanding of mathematical concepts by exploiting the languaging method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estimating from the steady declining rate of engineering students in Malaysia, the country is predicted to be short of 236,000 engineers and technical personnel to achieve its 2020 Mission. Hence, it has built the first technical MARA Junior Science College that introduced engineering to lower secondary students. However, there is yet a study on whether or not it helps the students to increase their interests in engineering. Therefore, in this paper, a survey has been conducted to first and foremost investigate the technical students' interests in engineering as well as finding out the reasoning from those who are not interested in engineering. After that, a half day engineering program is introduced with a measurement on the interest in engineering before and after the intervention is held. Finally, the survey studies which field of engineering the students are most interested in. The results show that, before the program is introduced, only 8.47% of the technical students have shown high interests in engineering field with only 7.5% female students are interested in engineering compared to 18.42% for male students. After the program is introduced, as high as 33.05% students rated their interest in engineering field as 'most interested', with 39.47% in male students and 30% in female students. It proves that an engineering event is crucial in increasing students' interests in engineering. It also concludes that Electrical Engineering is the most favourite field of engineering with percentage score of 38.98%, while Electrical Power being the least. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was designed to understand the everyday experiences influencing the self-efficacy of a group of engineering students preparing for the TECO Green Tech International Contest. It also aimed to understand whether participants' self-efficacy levels fluctuated under the influences of these experiences. The paper takes a qualitative approach using focus group discussion, journaling, and one-to-one interviews as data gathering tools. Our study confirms previous theoretical assumptions and empirical findings that four sources of self-efficacy information are related to self-efficacy beliefs. In addition, the study also supports the role of collective efficacy and context in influencing engineering students' self-efficacy. During the first two weeks of the contest preparation period, participating students experienced a low sense of self-efficacy under the influence of perceived lack of knowledge and skills, contest pressure, doubt of team ability, and negative feelings. A couple of weeks prior to the contest, as the students draw inspiration from a growth in knowledge and skills, verbal feedback, and positive feelings, their self-efficacy was enhanced. Comparison with team members and trust in the advisor's credibility also strengthened their sense of self-efficacy. This research has the potential to inform the development of engineering undergraduates' contest self-efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines how the structural features of engineering engagement programs (EEPs) are related to the nature of their service-learning partnerships. "Structure" refers to formal and informal models, processes, and operations adopted or used to describe engagement programs, while "nature" signifies the quality of interactions or interpersonal dynamics within partnerships. We developed the Transactional, Cooperative, and Communal (TCC) framework to code interviews (N=30) with community partners, administrators, faculty members, and students at three well-developed and geographically-diverse EEPs. A thematic analysis approach was then employed to relate the three TCC partnership natures to six emergent structural themes: (a) program purposes, (b) partnership structures, (c) modes of interactions, (d) organizational partners, (e) individual partners and advisors, and (f) projects. The paper concludes by discussing specific implications of the TCC framework for educators and program administrators, the importance of recognizing both individual and organizational influences on partnerships, and the salience of engineering education as a context for service-learning and community engagement (SLCE) programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) has adopted a revised set of criteria for accrediting engineering programs. Nevertheless, as in the past, civil engineering departments will be required to demonstrate proficiency in specific subject areas which are included in the ABET program criteria. This paper investigates, according to civil engineering students, the level at which their understanding of various subjects required by ABET and listed in the Program Criteria for Civil and Similarly Named Engineering Programs and the General Criteria (Professional Component) has been enhanced by being involved with projects associated with the steel bridge and concrete canoe competitions. The results are also compared with students who have practical civil engineering experience. In particular, the findings suggest that students who are directly involved with project work believe that four areas have been greatly enhanced. They include: structural engineering, project management/scheduling and estimating, constructability, and teamwork. Understanding of engineering codes and standards, health and safety issues, materials engineering, and ethical considerations are also perceived to be enhanced. Furthermore, the results complement documentation from the American Institute of Steel Construction including comments from students participating in the steel bridge competition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyzes how fourth graders collaborate when working on an engineering project. Specifically, what are habits that fourth graders exhibit when working together successfully? Acting as a participant-researcher, I compared the habits of eight fourth-grade students (two groups) in a rural classroom by video-recording the students collaborating on an engineering project. The results showed that the biggest indicator of success was using inclusive language such as 'we' and 'ours.' This article emphasizes the difference between groups' use of the word "I" and the word "we." I then replicated these findings with a subsequent fourth-grade class. I suggest that we, as educators, can explicitly teach our students to use more inclusive language when collaborating. The inclusive language may help students be more successful when working on all kinds of projects, including science and engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The need arises to equip engineering students with a wider horizon of concepts in terms of environmental, economic, and social attributes, for decision making of sensitive to sustainability issues. Pedagogic frameworks have to address a multidisciplinary analysis of sustainability. This paper addresses the rationale behind the recent integration of sustainability concepts into an undergraduate civil engineering curriculum in Hong Kong. Incentives and barriers for implementation of the curriculum are addressed. A team-based design project with a problem-based learning approach is highlighted. The initial results of stakeholder evaluations suggested that multidisciplinary skills developed during the learning process might contribute significantly to pertinent knowledge on sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the use of lecture capture in Engineering classes to provide students with the opportunity to enhance their understanding of the course content. Students were asked to provide feedback on what they perceive the benefits and the drawbacks of lecture capture to be. The results show that the students consider lecture capture an effective tool to help them succeed in the course. The videos are available to them 24 hours a day, seven days a week thus allowing students to bridge the gap between what they have understood in the formal class setting and what they are able to better understand after reviewing the videos in a more informal, relaxed environment. In addition, most of the students indicated that the availability of the videos did not encourage them to skip or miss any classes. The main drawback was associated with technical difficulties which resulted in some wasted time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2001, a survey found that 87% of engineering professors in the United States spend the entire class time lecturing to a passive group of students material that is copied down and never looked at again. This paper presents the results of scientific inquiry and keen observations all leading to the same conclusion: engineering education has to reform itself. Presently, almost all engineering students learn best doing lots of homework (∼50%) and theoretical study (25%) are accommodated by lectures, homework, and rote-problem tests. Regrettably, an overwhelming number of the creative students do not learn this way and fail. Learning as a process needs to be put at the heart of education moving us away from the traditional educational enterprise. The presented data benefits researchers and practitioners in that they highlight the urgency of the issue and show how the proposed paradigm shift is underpinned by our understanding of how people learn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building a technology-driven world appears to be the main motivational force behind students choosing to undertake engineering studies. The first year of engineering education plays a significant role in demonstrating sufficient mathematical and scientific rigor to satisfy these motivational factors. The common applied mechanics courses play a central role in achieving this. At the same time, a vast majority of students suffer from a lack of the necessary mathematical skills and analytical orientation for various reasons. Due to different educational philosophies and teaching pedagogies, a lack of proper integration between mathematics and applied mechanics is common. Several efforts were made to build better curriculum, teaching, and learning systems, resulting in widely varied solutions, but most of them require drastically different implementation approaches. With sufficient rigor in teaching and assessment, the first-year applied mechanics (common) courses designed for engineering students can solve students' mathematical and motivational lapses and help bridge the gaps between pre-university and university education endeavours. This paper presents evidence supporting this argument. In particular, datasets collected from the direct experiences delivering the first-year static and dynamics courses to many students over the past decade and a half are analysed to establish the proposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New paradigms such as the Industry 4.0, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), or industrial cyber-physical systems (ICPSs) have been impacting the manufacturing environment in recent years. Nevertheless, these challenging concepts are also being faced from the educational field: Engineering students must acquire knowledge and skills under the view of these frameworks. This paper describes the utilization of an Industry 4.0-oriented flexible manufacturing system (FMS) as an educational tool to develop final projects (FPs) of engineering degrees. A number of scopes are covered by an FMS, such as automation, supervision, instrumentation, communications, and robotics. The utilization of an FMS with educational purposes started in the academic year 2011–2012 and still remains active. Here, the most illustrative FPs are expounded, and successful academic outcomes are reported. In addition, a set of initial considerations based on the experience acquired by the FP tutors is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One-dimensional (1-D) demonstrations, e.g., the black-box systems, have become popular in teaching materials for engineering modules due to the high complexity of the system’s multidimensional (e.g., 2-D and 3-D) identities. The need for multidimensional explanations on how multiphysics equations and systems work is vital for engineering students, whose learning experience must gain a cognitive process understanding for utilizing such multiphysics-focused equations into a pragmatic dimension. The lack of knowledge and expertise in creating animations for visualizing sequent processes and operations in academia can result in an ineffective learning experience for engineering students. This study explores the benefits of animation, which can eventually improve the teaching and student learning experiences. In this article, the use of computer-aided animation tools is evaluated based on their capabilities. Based on their strengths and weaknesses, the study offered some insights for selecting the investigated tools. To verify the effectiveness of animations in teaching and learning, a survey was conducted for undergraduate and postgraduate cohorts and automotive engineering academics. Based on the survey’s data, some analytics and discussion have offered more quantitative results. The historic data (2012–2020) analysis has validated the animations efficacy as achievements of the study, where the average mark of both modules has significantly improved, with the reduced rate of failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Faculty of Engineering Technology of the Open University of Sri Lanka has been offering engineering programmes at a distance for the last two decades or so. However, completion rates in Faculty of Engineering Technology are lower compared to the other faculties of the University. This paper investigates the reasons for low completion rates in the faculty and suggests ways and means to overcome this problem. The study concludes that increasing student numbers will not necessarily increase percentage of students completing the programme though the number of students completing is increased. It is found that students offering courses for the first time in the system of distance education in their academic career perform poorer because they are not conversant with distance education techniques. It is recommended that the Faculty must offer an orientation programme on distance education to all the students enrolling for the first time, before they commence their regular programmes. Further, it has been found that considerable percentage of students who obtain eligibility to sit the final examination by completing the continuous assessments do not sit the final examination. This has been found to contribute towards non-completion of programmes as students sitting the final examination in the subsequent years perform poorly in their exams. To overcome this problem, it is recommended that current practise of allowing the student to carry forward their eligibility to unlimited period of time must be disbanded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Service-learning (SL) helps engineering students to be involved in community activities and to be motivated by their studies. Although several reviews and research studies have been published about SL, it is not widespread in sciences and engineering at the university level. The purpose of this research is to analyze the different community services or projects where SL is implemented by engineering students and faculty and to identify the procedures that were usually implemented to assess SL-based courses and activities. Assessment could be considered as the evaluation of a specific module and the engineering competencies, the evaluation of the effectiveness of the SL program, the assessment of the participation of the student in those programs, and the assessment of whether students have achieved certain outcomes or gained specific skills. We conducted a systematic review with a search in three scientific databases: Scopus, Science Direct, and ERIC educational database to analyze the assessment methods and what that assessment covers. From 14,107 publications related to SL, 120 documents were analyzed to inform the conclusions of this study. We found that SL is widely used in several universities as experiential education, and it is considered an academic activity. The most widely used assessment technique is a survey to evaluate the engagement and attitudes of students and, to a lesser extent, teamwork presentations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Communication is critical to engineering work, and despite its emphasis within engineering education, it is still noted as a gap in new engineers’ preparedness for work. Literature review: Prior research points to communication gaps among new engineers. Few studies have extensively examined transitions between academic and professional engineering contexts. Work remains for understanding how new engineers transfer communication skills. Research questions: 1. In what ways do new engineers transfer communication practices from school to work? 2. What challenges do new engineers experience in moving from communication as practiced at school to communication as practiced at work? Research methodology: This study presents a thematic analysis of data from weekly reflections and regular semistructured interviews conducted during new engineers’ first year of work. Results and conclusions: Despite relying heavily on academic experiences involving both documenting and presenting technical work, new engineers report experiencing communication-related challenges. While further attention to communication activities can be given within engineering curricula, the complexity and situated nature of communication in the workplace cannot be fully replicated in the classroom. As new engineers move between school and work, they experience challenges adapting to a new environment including communication activities embedded within unique sociocultural contexts. While the classroom cannot fully replicate these professional settings and all of their nuances, students can be made more fully aware of the embedded nature of communication activities. Moreover, engineering educators can simulate aspects of the workplace in capstone courses, and companies can provide guidance to help mentor new engineers through the inevitable context gaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Engineering schools are struggling to maintain or increase the number of engineering students. Most attempted solutions focus on better marketing and publicity of the engineering field to K-12 students. How- ever, a large population of K-12 home-schooled students remains relatively untapped. This paper provides background information about the home- school population and their academic performance. The methods that universities and engineering schools can use to recruit home-schooled students are provided in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a study was done to compare the preferences of UNITEN students in using augmented reality technology user interface applications to solve selected engineering problems. Cross sectional study design and a Wilcoxon-Signed Rank Test approach was adopted to analyze the difference in the rankings of the engineering applications. Within a controlled environment, this research further applies "Trials within the same session but with breaks between tasks" an affirmed reliable method in measuring learnability that has been rarely explored by any related works locally. The results were captured through descriptive statistical analysis. The findings provided reliable evidences that multiple function user interface (MFIT) is more effective than the tangible user interface (TUI) for engineering students. Simultaneously, this research also presents evidences that MFIT is better than TUI in the engineering problem solving statistically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High module failure rates can lead to poor student retention and a need exists for improved understanding of the determinants to academic performance. This research examines the influence of a number of factors on academic performance among Level 7 Engineering students in Dundalk Institute of Technology over a four year period. Using statistical regression techniques age-group, attendance, marks available for continuous assessment, class-size, semester of study and year of study were investigated. Statistical evaluations based on a sample set of 1263 identified that mature students, students with positive levels of attendance and modules with high levels of continuous assessment marks appear to result in better performance. It is envisaged that this work will contribute significant data to the limited knowledge base in this area especially in terms of engineering education. Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that continuous assessment activities, which take place during class time, be used to incentivise student attendance and engagement, which should lead to better academic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author considers the use of an operations research model for teaching humanities to engineers and scientists. He addresses the problems in teaching humanities to engineering students. He enumerates the rules for the success of operations research. He emphasizes the need to add culture in engineering courses. He believes engineering students either get more technical education in order to narrow their focus and be engineers or begin acquiring culture to widen their perspective and become qualified for management.

Some professors claim college students seek the easy way out and prefer classes that lack challenge. In a multidisciplinary and multi-institutional ethnographic research study of the attainment of gender parity in an engineering department, it emerged that student attitudes toward challenge did not support this perception. By far, the majority of participant responses on this topic fell into the category of hard classes that students liked. Student reasons for enjoying challenging classes include the desire to learn more and boredom in classes that lack challenge. Students dislike, however, a challenge that cannot be met. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we aim to establish the factors that explain the technology acceptance of augmented reality (AR) in students' engineering education. Technology acceptance of AR apps has been insufficiently investigated. We conceive a theoretical model to explain technology acceptance by relating behavioral intention to use with the variables subjective norm, technology optimism, technology innovativeness, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and attitude toward using. An interactive AR app on electrical circuits was designed to assist students to overcome their difficulties in understanding how electricity works. A theoretical model was hypothesized and tested using structural equation modeling. The study was conducted using a sample of 190 engineering students. The results demonstrate the positive effect of technology optimism and technology innovativeness on perceived usefulness and attitude toward using, respectively. Furthermore, they suggest that attitude toward using is influenced by perceived usefulness but not directly by perceived ease of use. This could mean that students would be willing to use this app if they find it useful and not just easy to use. Finally, the results illustrate that attitude toward using firmly explains behavioral intention to use, which is consistent with the findings in previous studies. These results could guide how academics and higher education centers should approach the incorporation of these technologies in classrooms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]