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Doctoral engineering students leave doctoral programs without their intended degrees at high rates, with students from minoritized groups leaving at higher rates. In the current study, we modeled the associations between academic relationships, professional identity, and degree completion intentions (DCI). Positive academic relationships with research advisors and peers within doctoral degree programs can bolster persistence and professional identity development. Professional identity is proposed as a mediator of academic relationships on DCI. Participants were 913 doctoral engineering students from 113 universities across the United States. Using structural equation modeling, we found support for the proposed direct and indirect effects. A multigroup model was tested with six groups: underrepresented minority (URM) women, Asian women, white women, URM men, Asian men, and white men. The model fit remained strong. The model provides insights into ways engineering education systems may engage advisors and peers to support students as an avenue to increasing persistence to a degree. The findings highlight the importance of equitable systems, structures, and relationships that serve underrepresented students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analyzing interactions between actors from a systems perspective yields valuable information about the overall system's form and function. When this is coupled with ecological modeling and analysis techniques, biological inspiration can also be applied to these systems. The diagnostic value of three metrics frequently used to study mutualistic biological ecosystems (nestedness, modularity, and connectance) is shown here using academic engineering makerspaces. Engineering students get hands‐on usage experience with tools for personal, class, and competition‐based projects in these spaces. COVID‐19 provides a unique study of university makerspaces, enabling the analysis of makerspace health through the known disturbance and resultant regulatory changes (implementation and return to normal operations). Nestedness, modularity, and connectance are shown to provide information on space functioning in a way that enables them to serve as heuristic diagnostics tools for system conditions. The makerspaces at two large R1 universities are analyzed across multiple semesters by modeling them as bipartite student‐tool interaction networks. The results visualize the predictive ability of these metrics, finding that the makerspaces tended to be structurally nested in any one semester, however when compared to a "normal" semester the restrictions are reflected via a higher modularity. The makerspace network case studies provide insight into the use and value of quantitative ecosystem structure and function indicators for monitoring similar human‐engineered interaction networks that are normally only tracked qualitatively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing number of suicide cases in India's top engineering institutions indicates a mental health emergency. Deteriorated mental health status of engineering students has been a major concern for social scientists, policymakers, educationists, and parents. Nevertheless, not much academic research has addressed this issue. The current study aims to explore the anteceding factors associated with mental health crises among engineering students. This study relies on a sequential exploratory mixed‐method design. In the first phase, 16 undergraduate students were interviewed to explore the anteceding factors that deteriorate their mental health status. Based on the qualitative findings, we developed a hypothesized model. In the second phase, this model is tested through a quantitative study (N = 395). Inductive thematic analysis of the qualitative interviews revealed that students' mental health status (stress and guilt‐related symptoms) was associated with (a) centrality of engineering identity, (b) parental pressure, (c) academic stress during the coaching period and college years, (d) upward social comparison, and (e) motivation‐related factors (intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, and academic amotivation). Based on this finding, a model is developed that connects academic amotivation, intrinsic/extrinsic motivation, academic stress, and the mental health status of the students. The quantitative study results indicated that academic amotivation significantly mediates the relationship between academic stress and mental health status. Moreover, male engineering students score significantly higher in mental health status and significantly lower in extrinsic motivation‐identified than female students. The study concludes that academic stress is a key issue in determining amotivation and deteriorated mental health status of engineering undergraduates. Practitioner Points: Engineering identity centrality, parental pressure, and academic stress deteriorate the mental health status of Indian engineering students.Academic amotivation significantly mediates the relationship between academic stress and the mental health status of Indian engineering students.Male engineering students tend to have a lower mental health status as compared to female engineering students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In design courses, reviewing how others have solved design problems or completed projects is common practice and often encouraged by educators. Using student work as examples can provide context for assessment criteria and help students approach new design problems. While studies have explored the use of exemplars in various disciplines, little research has focused on which exemplars to use (e.g., high-quality, low-quality) in design, technology, and engineering fields. To address this gap, researchers conducted a literature review of 33 articles on exemplar use in secondary and post-secondary education. The analysis revealed nine themes related to exemplar use and their impact on student learning, including (1) Clarity of instruction, (2) Learner focus, (3) Motivation for learning, (4) Student reflection on learning, (5) Building student self-efficacy, (6) Identifying instructional challenges, (7) Providing contrasting cases, (8) The relationship between exemplar quality and student work quality, and (9) Raising the bar for learning outcomes. Findings suggest that simply providing an exemplar is not enough and that the selection of an exemplar can have positive or negative impacts on student motivation, understanding, and application. Carefully selecting exemplars and engaging in dialogue with students can help them identify expectations, recognize quality work, and identify potential misconceptions. These findings have implications for those involved in design, technology, and engineering education. Educators can use these findings to guide their selection of exemplars and engage students in meaningful dialogue to aid their learning. Researchers can also use these findings to further investigate the use of exemplars in these fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

First-year engineering students are often introduced to the engineering design process through project-based learning situated in a concrete design context. Design contexts like mechanical engineering are commonly used, but students and teachers may need more options. In this article, we show how sustainable building design can serve as an alternative for students of diverse backgrounds and with various interests. The proposed Net Zero Energy Challenge is an engineering design project in which students practice the full engineering design cycle to create a virtual house that generates renewable energy on-site, with the goal to achieve net zero energy consumption. Such a design challenge is made possible by Aladdin, an integrated tool that supports building design, simulation, and analysis within a single package. A pilot study of the Net Zero Energy Challenge at a university in Mid-Atlantic United States suggests that around half of the students were able to achieve the design goal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Construction firms face challenges in sourcing qualified candidates for enhancing project outcomes through sensor data analytics. There are limited tools for teaching students from construction-related disciplines how to analyze sensor data. By harnessing the potential of block-based programming, this study designed a pedagogical tool, InerSens, to support construction engineering students with no prior programming experience to analyze sensor data and address real-world construction challenges, such as ergonomic risks. Altogether 20 students participated in an experiment comparing InerSens and a traditional platform, Microsoft Excel, for data analytics. Evaluations involved usability, perceived workload, visual attention, verbal feedback using the System Usability Scale, NASA TLX, eye-tracking metrics, and interviews. InerSens was rated as 8.89% more user-friendly than the traditional tool, with a significantly reduced perceived cognitive load by 46.11%, and a more balanced distribution of visual attention during data analytics tasks. Through the evaluation of cognitive and usability factors, this paper extends the applications of the Learning-for-Use and the Cognitive Load theories, emphasizing their applicability in instructional design, revealing learner needs, and the potential to advance the development of pedagogical tools for data analytics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In India, 80% of graduating engineers remain either underemployed or unemployed due to lack of specific professional and generic skills. This study focuses on understanding how engineering graduates can psychologically orient themselves concerning their career opportunities. Specifically, this study looks at the intersection between career planning attitudes, locus of control and employability perceptions of students. The study further investigates whether such career orientations can make graduate job-seekers more assertive and in control of their preparations for job interviews. A two-stage mixed-method design is applied to investigate this issue. In study 1, data is collected from 497 final year engineering students from several technical institutions from South India and subsequently analysed through hierarchical linear regression analysis. The findings reveal that locus of control orientation positively influences students' internal cognitive processes, affecting their overall belief about their employability potential. In study 2, in-depth interviews with eight corporate recruiters and six placement officers are conducted through an E-Delphi setting. The objective of study 2 is to understand whether generic employability aspects are considered important while deciding a candidate's suitability and how these cognitive career orientations can be inculcated appropriately among the students. The importance of developing a vocational mindset is stressed, and suggestions to foster the same have been explained at length. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study explored LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other non heterosexual/cisgender identities) engineering students' navigation of engineering educational contexts and reported the impacts of the engineering educational culture on LGBTQ + students' well-being. Drawing from a sample of ten LGBTQ + university students in the United States, we found that students described cultural norms sustained through minimal tolerance for and the avoidance of identity talk or expression. Systemic homogeneous cultural norms redefine safety expectations for LGBTQ + engineering students while normalizing expectations that LGBTQ + students be silent and tolerate mistreatment. Participants also described the consequences of invisibility and identity conflict that they face for being different within an inequitable field. These findings bring attention to a culture within engineering programs that silences LGBTQ + expression and leaves students feeling isolated. Further research is needed to explore the effect of affirming communities on LGBTQ + engineering students' well-being. We conclude with research and clinical implications for working with LGBTQ + engineering students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Creativity is a crucial skill for future engineers. Hence, it is becoming increasingly important for higher education (HE) engineering educators to foster and enhance engineering students' creative abilities. Simultaneously, online learning has found a place in engineering education. Nevertheless, we find that HE engineering educators in all domains continue to express a sense of inadequacy when it comes to fostering creativity in hybrid and online learning environments. This sentiment persists despite the existence of scholarly work that suggests strategies for addressing these challenges. In this paper, we assume that the rationale behind this is that the proposed pedagogical approaches are primarily established through conceptual reflections, whereas the perspective of the HE engineering educators on the perceived barriers has thus far been largely neglected. Therefore, we present a study that uses data from experience interviews and focus group techniques involving 71 HE engineering educators from Ireland, Germany, Denmark and Turkey to identify the common challenges that HE engineering educators perceive when facilitating creativity in online and hybrid classroom environments. These are used to extend theory by developing a four‐field conceptual model organizing the eight overarching challenges encountered. This model can be used as a basis for defining measures to support HE engineering educators in facilitating creativity online and serves as a guide for future research studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The architecture, engineering, construction, and operation (AECO) industry has brought transformations within the field. Despite the changes, traditional teaching methods such as analyzing two-dimensional plans and models are still being used in training processes, which do not effectively promote the development of spatial skills. In this context, augmented reality (AR) can be used as a tool to translate two-dimensional information into three-dimensional space. Thus, the present study explores the use of the VT-Platform AR tool to develop and reinforce spatial skills among undergraduate civil engineering students. The study follows a quantitative approach with a descriptive scope and an experimental design. Students in the sanitary engineering subject were divided into two groups: an experimental group and a control group. A short-term teaching-learning methodology was proposed for the experimental group using the VT-Platform AR tool. Both groups took the differential aptitude test (DAT) to measure their spatial skills. The experimental group showed a higher average score compared to the control group, with a difference of 29.8%. Furthermore, the use of the VT-Platform AR tool helped standardize the level of spatial skills within the experimental group. It was concluded that using the VT-Platform AR tool can effectively develop and reinforce spatial skills among students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Construction Hazard Prevention through Design (CHPtD) is widely recognized as a key approach for preventing injuries in construction workplaces. It prioritizes the safety of construction workers by explicitly tackling potential hazards during the design development phase. This involves proactively incorporating design features aimed at minimizing the risk of workplace injuries. Despite the theoretical promise of CHPtD, practical implementation has faced significant challenges. Notably, prior research has emphasized issues such as designers' unfamiliarity with construction means and methods, along with their inability to anticipate safety hazards that may arise in the field due to their design choices. In response, proponents of CHPtD have advocated for educational interventions aimed at equipping designers with the essential skills needed for effective implementation of CHPtD. This investigation assessed the effectiveness of YouTube as an educational resource for enhancing hazard recognition in simulated CHPtD review sessions among civil engineering students. YouTube was expected to aid hazard recognition due to its extensive collection of videos featuring various construction operations and related safety hazards. The study utilized a randomized controlled experiment to evaluate treatment effects. The results indicate that YouTube can serve as a valuable tool in supporting CHPtD efforts. Furthermore, the benefits derived from using YouTube were more pronounced when examining specific building elements (e.g. interior upper-level drywall) compared to other elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resilience is considered of significant importance for student attainment and work-readiness. This study investigated the impact of Grand Challenge (GC) – an industry-based learning assessment for 1st and 2nd year Engineering students – on student resilience. Resilience scores and psychological distress were measured before and after the GC through questionnaires presented to students. Focus groups were conducted to assess GC’s effect on student resilience qualitatively. Resilience scores in the questionnaires decreased slightly after GC, possibly due to less students completing the post-GC questionnaire. Interestingly, when discussing GC in the focus groups, students did feel GC helped them develop their resilience and understood the impact of resilience on their future career. Overall, the findings help establish GC as a challenge-based learning (CBL) intervention and the extent to which such CBL assessments may affect student resilience skills. The study provides the groundwork for future resilience training and assessment in higher engineering education through CBL events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Motivation is the inherent belief to guide students learning goals and behaviors to make continuous efforts and strengthen learning outcomes. Previous research reported the positive impacts of learning motivation on student success, but there have been limited efforts in systematically and structurally studying different types of motivations and their impacts on students' success in engineering education. The current study contributes to the literature by systematically examining two important types of motivations and their influences on undergraduate engineering students in a theoretically grounded manner while using an advanced analytical approach. Methods: The current study conducted a cross-sectional survey with undergraduate engineering students (n = 514) from 18 different schools across nine U.S. states. The survey assessed students' self-report scores on six types of motivations to study developed based on formative research and the current literature and then collected students' self-reported learning outcomes, current GPA, university satisfaction, engineering program satisfaction, and individual demographic factors. The data were then analyzed using structural equation modeling. Results: The results showed that motivations related to family, personality, and academic expectations were consistently positively associated with all measured students' success outcomes; motivations related to educators were associated with all four outcomes but student GPA; motivations related to course contents were associated with learning outcomes and student GPA; and motivations related to peers did not predict any of the four measured students' success outcomes. Discussion: We explain some of the unexpected results with further literature that examines engineering culture and ecology. We also make recommendations related to cognitive training, tailored engineering education, peer culture interventions, and family orientation programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Environmental education (EE) has been extensively studied and promoted in Latin America, particularly in Colombia, through educational policies and regulations at all educational stages. While EE is well-established, Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is gaining increasing global importance, especially with the advent of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Despite this, there remains a lack of knowledge, application, and research of ESD within engineering programs in higher education. This study aims to explore these gaps and assess the acceptance of ESD compared to EE among engineering students in Colombia. Methods: A survey was conducted among 406 engineering students from eight universities in Colombia that offer undergraduate engineering programs. The survey included both Likert scale questions and open-ended questions. The objective was to measure students' knowledge and perception of ESD, identify the roots of EE within engineering programs, and evaluate the progressive integration of ESD in these curricula. Results: The results revealed the deep-rooted presence of EE in Colombian engineering programs and a gradual incorporation of ESD into these curricula. However, significant gaps were identified. The majority of students demonstrated limited knowledge of ESD and Sustainable Development (SD). Furthermore, there was a noticeable lack of academic areas or subjects within the engineering curriculum that specifically promote the knowledge and application of ESD. Students' responses also highlighted the unusual convergence between EE, a traditionally conservationist field, and ESD, which is more developmentoriented. Discussion: This research identifies several critical challenges faced by engineering education in Colombia. The limited awareness of ESD among students suggests a need for enhanced integration of sustainable development concepts within engineering curricula. The lack of academic subjects dedicated to ESD further exacerbates this issue. Based on these findings, a transition strategy is proposed to bridge the gap between EE and ESD in Colombian higher education. This strategy aims to provide a smoother transition and better integration of sustainable development principles within engineering programs, ultimately supporting the development of engineers equipped to address contemporary global challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The significance of ethics in data science research has attracted considerable attention in recent years. While there is widespread agreement on the importance of teaching ethics within computing contexts, there is no clear method for its implementation and assessment. Studies focusing on methods for integrating ethics into data science courses reveal that students tend to neglect ethical concerns in their data analysis. Based on the data we collected from questionnaires distributed to undergraduate science and engineering students, this paper expands the discussion beyond human concerns and ethics in data science education. As we will show, students tend to neglect the context when attempting to solve data science questions. We argue that gaps in understanding the context relating to the data result in gaps in the analysis as well as in the interpretation of the data. Thus, we propose anthropological thinking as a pedagogy to overcome the context neglect. Placing the spotlight on the context promotes a holistic understanding of the phenomenon being analyzed, as it includes important considerations that do not necessarily fit the more commonly used term human concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Study with undergraduate engineering students was conducted in order to evaluate whether cognitive and comprehending ability can be improved by incorporating the tool based learning. The simulator tools and virtual labs were used to represent tool based learning. The study was conducted on three different years of students. In the first stage course content was delivered using the traditional mode that is chalk and board and later the same content was delivered using software tools having visualization effects. A total of 422 students participated in the study. Pre-tool and post-tool learning tests were conducted, a statistical analysis was done to understand the effects of tool-based learning on cognitive and comprehending ability of the students using the concept of minimization of the given boolean expression, which can be solved in two methods which depends on cognitive ability and Quine-McCluskey (QMC) method which depends on the comprehending ability of the student. A survey was conducted to gauge the learning experience of the students. In this experimental research process data is collected on pre and post tool learning along with analysis of students learning outcomes. The findings indicate a significant positive effect of software tool based learning approach on student's ability to minimize the Boolean expression. The research aims at filling the gap of understanding software tools role in teaching and learning process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building the future of education together means that, as educators, we need to promote innovation and educational strategies in our classroom to foster the development of skills such as critical thinking and argumentation. Moreover, we should encourage using technology as an efficient and effective tool to solve complex problems. Mathematics is a cornerstone in the education of engineering students. However, students' mathematic classroom experiences have only presented them with a rigid and pure side to the discipline. Active learning strategies foster the development of competencies such as critical thinking and argumentation while generating knowledge socialization and learning democratization. The active learning dynamics were conducted in first-year undergraduate calculus course for engineering and are based on collaborative learning, model-eliciting activities, and the use of technology. Students reported that being actively involved and interacting with classmates and tools made them enjoy the class, broaden their view of mathematics, and connect with contexts from other disciplines. Moreover, these dynamics favor different types of formative assessment for students, self- and peer-assessment, and for teachers about the students learning and the design of the activity. Based on educational research, the design of the dynamics is innovative in the combination of implementations used to potentiate the benefits of a studentcentered learning environment and the socialization of knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sensors have recently become valuable tools in engineering, providing real-time data for monitoring structures and the environment. They are also emerging as new tools in education and training, offering learners real-time information to reinforce their understanding of engineering concepts. However, sensing technology's complexity, costs, fabrication and implementation challenges often hinder engineers' exploration. Simplifying these aspects could make sensors more accessible to engineering students. In this study, the researcher developed, fabricated, and tested an efficient low-cost wireless intelligent sensor aimed at education and research, named LEWIS1. This paper describes the hardware and software architecture of the first prototype and their use, as well as the proposed new versions, LEWIS1-β and LEWIS1-γ, which simplify both hardware and software. The capabilities of the proposed sensor are compared with those of an accurate commercial PCB sensor. This paper also demonstrates examples of outreach efforts and suggests the adoption of the newer versions of LEWIS1 as tools for education and research. The authors also investigated the number of activities and sensor-building workshops that have been conducted since 2015 using the LEWIS sensor, showing an increasing trend in the excitement of people from various professions to participate and learn sensor fabrication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Purpose Methods Results Conclusions Latinos/as/xs continue to face many barriers as they pursue engineering degrees, including remedial placement, lack of access to well‐funded schools, and high poverty rates. We use the concept of arrebatos to describe the internal reckoning that Latino/a/x engineering students experience through their journeys, particularly focusing on the impact of socioeconomic inequalities.To bring counternarratives in engineering education research focusing on the experiences and lived realities of low‐income Latino/a/x engineering students. These counternarratives are an important step in interrogating systemic biases and exclusionary cultures, practices, and policies at HSIs and emerging HSIs and within engineering programs.Pláticas were conducted with 22 Latino/a/x engineering undergraduates from four different universities in the US Southwest. These pláticas were coded and analyzed drawing from Anzaldúa's theoretical concept of el arrebato. Special attention was given to participants' arrebatos triggered by their college experiences as low‐income individuals.Analysis indicates that Latino/a/x engineering students' arrebatos arise from events that shake up the foundation of their own identity, including an institutional lack of sociopolitical consciousness. This lack of consciousness becomes evident not only in individuals' attitudes toward these students but also in institutional policies that put them at a further disadvantage.Findings have implications for engineering programs, particularly at HSIs and emerging HSIs regarding the creation of policies and practices that aim to secure the retention of low‐income Latino/a/x engineering students and alleviate the systemic barrier they face by affirming the practice of servingness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe global pandemic has brought about significant changes in education, which have led to concerns regarding fairness and accessibility in a technology-driven learning environment. This article focuses on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education and examines the potential for bias in AI-powered tools. By using the example of a first-year engineering student from India, it demonstrates how standardized tests and limited resources can generate skewed data that AI algorithms with bias could perpetuate. Strategies such as using diverse datasets, implementing explainable AI models, and including human oversight mechanisms can help mitigate this bias. While acknowledging challenges such as cost and technical limitations, the article highlights the opportunities that AI presents for personalized learning that benefits all students. Lastly, the article stresses the importance of collaboration between educators, policymakers, and AI developers in order to create ethical and equitable AI tools. It concludes by advocating for a future in which AI empowers learners and fosters a fair and just learning environment, prompting readers to consider the potential and responsibility associated with AI in education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring the learning process during task solving through different channels will facilitate a better understanding of the learning process. This understanding, in turn, will provide teachers with information that will help them to offer individualised education. In the present study, monitoring was carried out during the execution of a task applied in a self-regulated virtual environment. The data were also analysed using data fusion techniques. The objectives were as follows: (1) to examine whether there were significant differences between students in cognitive load (biomarkers: fixations, saccades, pupil diameter, galvanic skin response—GSR), learning outcomes and perceived student satisfaction with respect to the type of degree (health sciences vs. engineering; and (2) to determine whether there were significant differences in cognitive load metrics, learning outcomes and perceived student satisfaction with respect to task presentation (visual and auditory vs. visual). We worked with a sample of 31 university students (21 health sciences and 10 biomedical engineering). No significant differences were found in the biomarkers (fixations, saccades, pupil diameter and GSR) or in the learning outcomes with respect to the type of degree. Differences were only detected in perceived anxiety regarding the use of virtual laboratories, being higher in biomedical engineering students. Significant differences were detected in the biomarkers of the duration of use of the virtual laboratory and in some learning outcomes related to the execution and presentation of projects with respect to the variable form of the visualisation of the laboratory (visual and auditory vs. visual). Also, in general, the use of tasks presented in self-regulated virtual spaces increased learning outcomes and perceived student satisfaction. Further studies will delve into the detection of different forms of information processing depending on the form of presentation of learning tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a comprehensive guide for the design and development of a power electronic converter, specifically focusing on the Buck converter. The guide aims to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application, providing engineering students with a hands-on experience in digital control using the STM32 microcontroller. The workshop experience described covers all necessary steps, from the initial design and simulation using tools like MATLAB-Simulink and Plecs to the final implementation and testing of the converter. The educational value of this approach is highlighted, emphasizing the importance of practical engagement in understanding complex concepts related to power electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the application of visual-spatial skills in academic disciplines, vocational fields and daily life is becoming more and more prominent, it is of great theoretical and practical significance how to make use of big data and artificial intelligence technology to conduct research on the relationship between visual-spatial skills and students' grades. This paper explores and analyses from the perspective of artificial intelligence, combining students' visual-spatial skills and students' specific attribute characteristics to construct an expert system, which defines the prediction of academic performance as a classification problem corresponding to the five categories of excellent, good, moderate, passing, and weak, respectively, and based on which a deep neural network-based classification prediction model for students' performance is designed. The experimental results show that visual-spatial skills plays an important role in the professional learning of science and engineering students, while the classification model designed in this paper has high accuracy in the grade prediction process. This paper not only helps to fill the gaps in the current research field, but is also expected to provide scientific basis for educational practice and promote the development of the education field in a more intelligent and personalized direction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Objectives Methods Results and Conclusions Both learning and problem solving are major goals of complex problem solving in engineering education. The order of knowledge construction and problem solving in learning through problem solving, however, has not been explained in current literature.To understand their relationships, this study compared the effects of different goal type orders on collaborative simulation‐based inquiry in engineering problem solving.In the study, 24 engineering undergraduate students worked in pairs to solve a wind tunnel problem using a computer simulation application. Process mining and epistemic network analysis were used to model the inquiry process and identify inquiry patterns based on the log data and discussion discourse.The results showed the goal type of first assigned subtask influenced the inquiry strategies of medium‐performance learners most. In addition, the goal type of first assigned subtask had influence on learners' inquiry process. The learners assigned with a problem‐solving goal subtask first (Problem solving goal‐Learning goal condition) had more simulation trials and centered their inquiry discourse around clarification while the learners assigned with a learning goal subtask first (Learning goal‐Problem solving goal condition) connected reflection with other inquiry phases more often. The findings of this study suggested assigning a learning goal subtask first in simulated‐based complex engineering problem solving could be used as an idea‐centered scaffolding, especially for medium‐performance learners. However, low‐performance learners would experience a “situate knowledge paradox” and needs extra guidance. It is important to monitor the knowledge construction process in complex problem solving, even when seeking a solution is the major task. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As professionals in the workplace, engineers often have high levels of power or social influence over other people or groups they work with, including in decision-making, project planning, and other professional activities. The concept of power has received considerable attention in the social sciences and humanities but has received less attention in engineering education. Despite this, power is a crucial topic for engineers to understand as they are constantly navigating power dynamics across many groups of stakeholders. In this space we introduce the concepts of power over and power with into a two-semester senior engineering design capstone course through a series of activities and project scaffolds. Briefly, power over involves an actor being able to constrain the actions of another whereas power with involves an actor being able to empower or enable another actor to take new actions. Students were taught a framework that combines the concepts of power over and power with to reconsider and transform their interactions with stakeholders. We employ a case study to show how these concepts were integrated into the class and use directed content analysis of students' final design reports to analyze the degree to which students were able to apply this framework. The results first highlight how activities over the semesters helped students learn the framework and later apply them. Next, the results of the content analysis indicate that students were able to share power with several stakeholders and recognize some instances or risks of power over, although some gaps remained with how power was reported or recognized. This work extends and adapts concepts of power from the social sciences and humanities to the field of engineering education, argues for the importance of covering both power over and power with in classes and provides some evidence of the productive beginnings of engineering students using these concepts. We close with implications for other engineering classes and future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the application of the epoxidation process of poly‐β‐myrcene, a constituent of the natural resin from Chios Mastic trees (Pistacia Lentiscus L.), as an educational instrument for teaching Green Chemistry and Engineering to students at various academic levels. The study provides a comprehensive presentation of foundational knowledge essential for interpreting the subsequent experimental data. Consequently, the production process that leads to the production of Mastic Epoxide (MASTEP) stands as an invaluable pedagogical resource, enabling educators to impart crucial principles of Green Chemistry and Engineering to both pre‐graduate and post‐graduate students. By employing MASTEP as a case study, this educational approach actively involves students in a dynamic learning environment. Through this methodology, learners develop a profound comprehension of sustainability, innovation, and good practices. The integration of the MASTEP concept into the curriculum would foster a deeper understanding of responsible methodologies among aspiring chemical engineers and scientists, equipping them to make substantial contributions towards a more sustainable global landscape. This educational model aims to contribute to preparing future generations for a pivotal role in fostering a sustainable world through their professional endeavors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explicates the codes that prescribe and shape the marine engineer student in times of massification and high attrition rates in Danish non-university higher education. In a case study of a Danish school of marine engineering, the Bernsteinian concept of knowledge structures and Legitimation Code Theory support analysing the official curriculum along with teacher and student interviews to determine what is considered knowledge and whose knowledge is deemed important. We find that teachers' pedagogical decisions are embedded in the epistemological and social conventions of their individual educational backgrounds. Their struggles on content and pedagogic approach make it difficult for students to understand what is legitimate knowledge and who can claim to be a legitimate knower. To offer more students epistemic access to non-university academic study and increase student success, the epistemic and evaluative logics of the pedagogic discourses to which students are exposed must be clarified and made explicit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to present our experience with transmedia storytelling in the design of materials selection, integrating two disciplines within an undergraduate mechanical engineering curriculum in Brazil. The students' project involved developing a narrative within the fictional universe of superheroes while exploring material properties using Ashby's methodology. The study aimed at answering two key questions: (1) Can transmedia storytelling contribute to student learning and skills development? and (2) What are the difficulties when using this methodology? Three evaluation approaches were used: test scores, students' perceptions, and our observations of students' skills development during this project. It was observed that participating students demonstrated significant test score improvements, indicating enhanced learning, with reported challenges in effort and skill development, particularly in story creation and teamwork. Ultimately, this project allowed students to achieve several cognitive learning objectives, fostering the development of crucial skills like communication and problem-solving. The use of transmedia storytelling in undergraduate engineering courses has the potential to facilitate the cultivation of essential competencies for future engineers across a varied range of cognitive levels, albeit requiring considerable time for planning strategies and creating content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To respond to construction industry-specific requirements for civil engineers, university teachers need to provide opportunities for students to develop their generic and professional skills. This article describes the use of a novel intervention of project-based learning – PjBL with the consultative approach – to teach Lean Construction and the influence of this method on the development of students' generic and professional skills. In this Lean course, teams of students carried out projects, in a consultative manner, to manage the real-life challenges that local companies were facing. Data on students' perceptions were collected through reflection documents written by students. Findings indicated that introducing students to an intervention of PjBL did expose students, especially, to learning to express themselves verbally and in writing, working as a team and focusing on the current problem. Particularly, project work, team work, meetings, and seminars were perceived as effective methods for advancing these skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effectively working in an engineering workplace requires strong teamwork skills, yet the existing literature within various disciplines reveals discrepancies in evaluating these skills. This complicates the design of a generic teamwork peer evaluation tool for engineering students. This study aims to address this gap by introducing the DRIVE teamwork rubric, a simple, valid, and reliable tool designed to assess fundamental teamwork skills in engineering students. Informed by a comprehensive literature review and experiential learning theory, the rubric incorporates five dimensions, encapsulating crucial attributes for successful teamwork. The integration of these dimensions into the rubric aims to streamline the peer evaluation process and improves student awareness about fundamental teamwork skills. Initial implementation data analysis, including exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, alongside McDonald's Omega, substantiate the rubric's reliability and validity. A comparison between Teaching Assistants' (TAs') and peer evaluations affirms students' ability to assess peers on par with TAs, underscoring the rubric's simplicity and effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Post-course instructor ratings are a common practice at universities in Europe, Australia, and North America. Rather than solely describing teaching practice, however, such ratings may be associated with a range of non-pedagogical factors. We explored engineering students' instructor ratings at a large United States institution, investigating relationships between overall instructor rating and some of those non-pedagogical factors, including subject area, class size, and students' course grades. Instructor ratings were more favourable in humanities courses than in science or math courses, and students gave higher ratings to instructors who taught smaller class sizes. The strongest relationship existed between overall rating and students' course grades: students who received A's rated instructors an average 0.84 points higher on a 6-point scale than students who received F's. Students who withdrew from a course provided the lowest instructor ratings. When instructor ratings are used as metrics of teaching ability in discussions related to promotion, tenure, or salary adjustments, there is an inherent inequity in the system that must be acknowledged beyond already well-documented biases, as non-pedagogical factors often outside of the instructor's control may be significantly associated with those ratings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community colleges provide broad access to a college degree due to their less expensive tuition, greater course time offerings, and more open admission policies compared to four-year universities as reported (Juszkiewicz, 2015). These institutions have great potential to diversify who chooses STEM, such as engineering. Such diverse representation is important, because students from different backgrounds can contribute new perspectives that foster creative and innovative approaches to solving problems. However, approximately 40% of the students who enter community college in the U.S. leave before graduation (Xu & Jaggars, 2011). Harnessing the power of social media to reduce attrition, we tested a pilot intervention in which community college students in engineering courses completed a reflection exercise after watching YouTube videos of former engineering students from similar backgrounds who successfully transferred to a four-year college. Quasi-experimental analyses (N = 537) show that students in the intervention received higher engineering course grades and had greater odds of enrolling in an engineering course in the subsequent term compared to those who were not in the intervention. Additionally, we find support for the hypothesis that the intervention has larger benefits for women. Results suggest that hearing from other students about their engineering experience can be a useful tool for improving community college students' choices and performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flutter has become popular for providing a uniform development environment for user interfaces (UIs) on smart phones, web browsers, and desktop applications. We have developed the Flutter programming learning assistant system (FPLAS) to assist its novice students' self-study. We implemented the Docker-based Flutter environment with Visual Studio Code and three introductory exercise projects. However, the correctness of students' answers is manually checked, although automatic checking is necessary to reduce teachers' workload and provide quick responses to students. This paper presents an image-based user interface (UI) testing method to automate UI testing by the answer code using the Flask framework. This method produces the UI image by running the answer code and compares it with the image made by the model code for the assignment using ORB and SIFT algorithms in the OpenCV library. One notable aspect is the necessity to capture multiple UI screenshots through page transitions by user input actions for the accurate detection of changes in UI elements. For evaluations, we assigned five Flutter exercise projects to fourth-year bachelor and first-year master engineering students at Okayama University, Japan, and applied the proposed method to their answers. The results confirm the effectiveness of the proposal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High dropout rates and a lack of academic resilience continue to plague South African higher education. Often, this is more prevalent in practical disciplines that have been subjected to curriculum changes in recent years, such as engineering. It is challenging to understand academic resilience in university settings due to insufficient research. Therefore, more information is needed on the role of personal characteristics and the socio-ecological university environment in enabling and constraining students' academic resilience. To assist higher education institutions in theorising academic resilience, this article presents a novel conceptual framework of Ungar's social-ecological theory, and Ebersöhn's Flocking theory. As part of this theorisation, this article also provides diverse perspectives on academic resilience from engineering students, lecturers, and support staff through semi-structured interviews. An analysis of this qualitative data was conducted using thematic analysis. A major finding of the study was that enabling factors were principally personal, whereas constraining factors were principally socio-ecological. Findings led to the development of an original framework for conceptualising the enablers and constraints of academic resilience in engineering students. This conceptual framework could guide towards the identification of areas of priority for academic resilience and in doing so contribute to interventions to reduce student dropout. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional engineering education (Eng. Ed) has received criticism for restricting student learning and experiences to practical skills development while ignoring the significance of fostering cognitive skills that encourage higher order thinking, criticality, and self-reflexivity. Imaginative education (IE) has emerged as a consideration for replacing such skills focused engineering curricula with interactive, engaging, and student-centered pedagogical approaches. However, existing literature on the topic as well as Egan's (1997) own explanation of the five stages of understanding (somatic, mythic, romantic, philosophic, and ironic) are mainly focused on K-12 contexts, leaving limited resources and insights for higher education contexts. This calls for theoretical and practical expansion of the topic where development and implementation of IE-informed Eng. Ed for adult engineering students remain the focus. To respond to this call, this conceptual paper focuses on two main points. First, it attempts to unpack the theoretical underpinnings of the five stages of IE to understand what each stage means for educators and learners in higher education engineering contexts. Second, after outlining the challenges that traditional Eng. Ed is facing in a globalized world today and the initiatives from the field to address them, it discusses the promises IE can bring to make Eng. Ed more effective, inclusive, and relevant. Overall, the intention in this paper is to turn to the theoretical tensions that may emerge when considering IE as an approach to re-imagine and expand Eng. Ed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]

The current article used real data to demonstrate the analysis and synthesis of Mixed Methods Research (MMR) data with generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI). I explore how reliable and valid Gen AI data outputs are and how to improve their use. The current content is geared towards enhancing methodological application regardless of field or discipline and includes access to a prompt library and examples of using outputs. The demonstration data used emanated from a study done in South Africa, with a quantitative sample size of 969 first-year engineering students and, for the qualitative part, 14 first-year students. In the current article, I compare my original analysis to ChatGPT results. Generative AI as a mind tool is best used with human insight, and I found this to be especially true when coding qualitative data. ChatGPT produced generic codes if asked to do inductive coding, and the results improved when training the Gen AI on human examples, which led to moderate and significant correlations between human and machine coding. The quantitative analysis was accurate for the descriptive statistics, but the researcher had to use best judgment to select the correct inferential analysis. Quantitative and qualitative analysis should be conducted separately in generative AI before asking the Chatbot for help with mixed methods results. In the current paper, I give guidelines and a tutorial on how to use chatbots in an ethically responsible and scientifically sound manner for research in social and human sciences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As artificial intelligence (AI) technology rapidly advances, it becomes imperative to equip students with tools to navigate through the many intricate ethical considerations surrounding its development and use. Despite growing recognition of this necessity, the integration of AI ethics into higher education curricula remains limited. This paucity highlights an urgent need for comprehensive ethics education initiatives in AI, particularly for science and engineering students who are at the forefront of these innovations. Hence, this research investigates the role of an online explicit-reflective learning module in fostering science and engineering graduate students' ethical knowledge, awareness, and problem-solving skills. The study's participants included 90 graduate students specializing in diverse science and engineering research tracks. Employing the embedded mixed-methods approach, data were collected from pre- and post-intervention questionnaires with closed-ended and open-ended questions. Results: The study's results indicate that the online explicit-reflective learning module significantly enhanced students' knowledge of AI ethics. Initially, students exhibited a medium–high level of perceived ethical awareness, which saw a modest but statistically significant enhancement following the participation. Notably, a more distinct increase was observed in students' actual awareness of ethical issues in AI, before and after the intervention. Content analysis of students' responses to the open-ended questions revealed an increase in their ability to identify and articulate concerns relating to privacy breaches, the utilization of flawed datasets, and issues of biased social representation. Moreover, while students initially displayed limited problem-solving abilities in AI ethics, a considerable enhancement in these competencies was evident post-intervention. Conclusions: The study results highlight the important role of explicit-reflective learning in preparing future professionals in science and engineering with the skills necessary for ethical decision-making. The study highlights the need for placing more emphasis not only on students' ability to identify AI-related ethical issues but also on their capacity to resolve and perhaps mitigate the impact of such ethical dilemmas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study investigates the role of the engineering education environment created by the implementation of the "Plan for Educating and Training Outstanding Engineers" (PETOE) on the professional capability development of engineering students from the perspective of students' experience. Design/Approach/Methods: This study uses data from the National Engineering Student Survey and multiple regression analysis to explore the role of institutional resources and support, teaching reforms, and interpersonal interaction on the professional development of engineering students. Findings: The opportunities for on-campus practical activities provided by the institution, content of the teachers' teaching, teaching methods, comprehensive coursework assessment, and interpersonal interactions contributed to the development of students' engineering competencies, with limited contributions from research-based teaching methods. Internship opportunities and international exchange environments were negatively associated with the development of engineering skills in an "unexpected" manner. Originality/Value: Focusing on students' experiences of engineering education reform, this study comprehensively evaluates the implementation of the reform measures adopted under PETOE. Furthermore, it assesses how corresponding changes in the general educational environment relate to students' professional capability development. Thus, this study addresses an important research gap in educational reform—the lack of domestic empirical studies in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While tackling sustainability challenges, engineering students confront various uncertainties, including the unpredictability of real-world scenarios, unfamiliar aspects of problems, and conflicting viewpoints among stakeholders. Despite previous research indicating the likelihood of encountering such uncertainties in sustainability projects, it is unclear if students are aware of uncertainty and what specific regulatory behaviors they develop to address them. This study seeks to deepen our understanding of the awareness and regulation of uncertainty by students while they work on real-life sustainability challenges. To achieve this, we observed nine MSc students enrolled in a transdisciplinary course on urban sustainability at a Dutch university of technology. Through interviews, we explored the uncertainties they faced and how they navigated them. Our analysis, conducted through open, consensus-based coding by two researchers, revealed that students primarily encountered the uncertainty of multiplicity, characterized by divergent stakeholder perspectives. Additionally, students increasingly recognized the inherent unpredictability of the challenges over the course. To address uncertainty, students developed three kinds of behaviors to deal with uncertainty: seeking social support from commissioners, coaches, and peers; employing small coping mechanisms to overcome obstacles; and developing attitudes such as empathy, flexibility, and relativism. This study offers detailed insights into how students navigate uncertainty. Moving forward, efforts in uncertainty education should prioritize how educators can positively influence the development of metacognition in uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve requirement specification skills, it is vital to detect ambiguous requirements in order to correct them later. Thus, to help software engineering students improve their capacity to identify ambiguous user requirements (requirements that do not use technical words) while providing them with a valuable and engaging educational experience, the current study proposes a serious game called DEAR. It consists of a didactic exercise in which participants must move different requirements left or right to indicate whether they are ambiguous or unambiguous. To assess the improvement in students' abilities in requirement specification and perceptions about the training class when using the DEAR game, we conducted an experiment with 62 participants, splitting them into two groups: one that used the DEAR game and the other that underwent a conventional training session. It was found that, during the training sessions, both groups became more adept at identifying unambiguous user requirements, but there was no discernible difference in performance between them. However, the game group expressed a stronger preference for the training session's engagement and quality, as well as a stronger sense of having learned how to clearly define user requirements. Overall, the experiment shows that the suggested serious game DEAR may be a helpful teaching tool that yields learning outcomes comparable to those of a chalkboard class while encouraging students to identify unambiguous user requirements in an interactive manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Future engineers are labelled entrepreneurial engineers, possessing business skills that enable them to perform effectively in various contexts. Entrepreneurship education is a key avenue for equipping engineering students with these skills, with a growing propagation in their curricula in recent years. Still, scholarly efforts are limited in this domain, particularly regarding the application of active and experiential learning methods, despite early studies highlighting their effectiveness in developing entrepreneurial competencies. This case study presents a course for engineering undergraduates based on active learning theories and methods. We offer a comprehensive view of their perceived usefulness, opportunities, and challenges from the perspectives of the students, educator, and entrepreneurship education experts. This study advances the discussion on the intricacies of active learning applications in entrepreneurship, contributes to the limited literature on engineering entrepreneurship education, and provide insights to educators and pedagogical designers to effectively incorporate active methods into their curricula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study aimed to develop, implement, and test a visuohaptic simulator designed to explore the buoyancy phenomenon for freshman engineering students enrolled in physics courses. The primary goal was to enhance students' understanding of physical concepts through an immersive learning tool. Methods: The visuo-haptic simulator was created using the VIS-HAPT methodology, which provides high-quality visualization and reduces development time. A total of 182 undergraduate students were randomly assigned to either an experimental group that used the simulator or a control group that received an equivalent learning experience in terms of duration and content. Data were collected through pre- and post-tests and an exit-perception questionnaire. Results: Data analysis revealed that the experimental group achieved higher learning gains than the control group (p = 0.079). Additionally, students in the experimental group expressed strong enthusiasm for the simulator, noting its positive impact on their understanding of physical concepts. The VIS-HAPT methodology also reduced the average development time compared to similar visuo-haptic simulators. Discussion: The results demonstrate the efficacy of the buoyancy visuo-haptic simulator in improving students' learning experiences and validate the utility of the VIS-HAPT method for creating immersive educational tools in physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Engineering education has evolved significantly in recent years, however, engineering graduates continue to encounter challenges during their transition to the workplace. There is a need to identify graduates’ needs and gather their input regarding engineering education programs to enhance the preparation of engineering students for the workplace. This study examined how early-career engineers perceive their undergraduate engineering programs in preparing them for the workplace. Additionally, it investigated what domains the engineers identify for improvement in engineering programs. In this multiple-case study, we interviewed 26 early-career engineers from seven organisations in the Aerospace and Defense industry across the U.S. We employed open coding to examine their responses and derive common themes. The findings showed that early-career engineers view technical knowledge and skills, persistence, and personal development instilled through their programs as valuable takeaways. However, they also highlighted the need for teaching professional skills, fostering collaboration between different engineering departments, promoting lifelong learning, and enhancing collaboration between academia and industry. The findings highlight areas in which engineering education and organisations can collaborate to better prepare students for the workplace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThis column revealed that Filipino undergraduate engineering students use ChatGPT primarily for writing assistance, academic support, learning enhancement, and overall productivity. Students reported increased efficiency in completing tasks, citing improved grammar, idea generation, and understanding of complex subjects. Despite these benefits, students expressed worries about becoming too dependent on ChatGPT, which could hinder the development of creativity and problem-solving skills. The column highlights the need for a balanced integration of ChatGPT in education, promoting its use as an additional help while ensuring students maintain critical engagement and independent thinking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]