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Traditionally, laboratory work has been a common approach to facilitate the acquisition of practical skills and familiarize the undergraduate students, particularly engineering students, with specialized tools and equipment. However, the conventional in-person labs often experience challenges such as limited resources and space, instructor availability, and inflexible schedules. The emergence of digital tools and the recent COVID-19 pandemic have prompted educators to reconsider their teaching methods. To this effect, this paper introduces an innovative approach and teaching methodology to address the challenges in traditional engineering education within the laboratory. It presents a methodology that combines cost-effective instructional videos and portable kits to promote autonomous development of practical skills in undergraduate engineering students. The proposed teaching methodology was grounded on the Descriptive Decision theory and Learning-Oriented Assessment (LOA), which are theoretical framework and type of students' learning outcome (SLO) model that studies the rationality behind the decisions that the users are disposed to make, as well as level of outcome of the students' learning process or performance. Motivation among the students was assessed using the Model of Academic Motivation Inventory (MUSIC Inventory) to evaluate the impact of the proposed teaching method and learning intervention on the interest of the students. The method was implemented in four independent courses at two different campuses of Tecnologico de Monterrey. The results show that the proposed learning approach was effective in helping students develop hard skills with reduced instructor intervention. Moreover, high levels of motivation was reported through the MUSIC methodology and test administered to the participating students at the end of the courses. The outcome of this study can be used to inform and support the curriculum design by the educators, promote effective policy and decision making by the university leaders, and encourage wide adoption of the digitalized-education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the implementation of learning outcomes-based education in mechanical engineering, focusing on students aspiring to pursue teaching careers. By using constructive alignment and reflective thinking methodologies, the study aims to enhance these students' competencies in line with professional teaching standards. The study targets a group of 23 mechanical engineering students. The researcher's established learning process forms the basis for the study methodology, incorporating learning objectives, active learning, and reflective thinking. The tools employed include a knowledge measurement test, activity evaluation through observation participation, follow-up on a permitted 5-level activity, reflection on learning experiences through writing, structuring learning activities in each subject, and assessment using qualitative content analysis. The results reveal significant variations in students' academic achievements before and after the study, indicating moderate learning progress. The assessments of management learning performance are comprehensive, with learners engaging at the highest average level. This study underscores the significance of reflective learning approaches in developing competencies that align with professional teaching standards, enhancing students' capacity to critically assess their thoughts, feelings, and attitudes, thereby influencing their actions and preparing them for real-world applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Involvement in professional disciplinary engineering student organizations (PDESOs) positively influences engineering students' college experience. While extensive research about engineering student societies and organizations has demonstrated various benefits for students, few studies explore professional disciplinary engineering student societies and organizations that provide unique opportunities tailored around specific engineering disciplines. To better understand how participation in PDESOs influences engineering undergraduates, we conducted an exploratory study, interviewing thirteen mechanical engineering undergraduates with six months to three years of experience with PDESOs. The overarching conceptual framework is derived from a combination of motivated identity construction theory and engineering identity, allowing us to see how participation in these organizations contributes to students' engineering identity and professional development. Participants indicated that involvement in PDESOs provided unique professional development opportunities that enhanced their self-esteem and efficacy and provided a welcoming environment where they experienced a sense of belonging. These results demonstrate that participation in PDESOs contributes to professional development, interpersonal skills, and community engagement, preparing them for the engineering workforce, which contributes to a strengthened engineering identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the integration of interactive 3D applications into the teaching process in mechanical engineering education. An innovative interactive 3D application has been developed as a teaching aid for engineering students. The main advantage is its easy availability through a web browser on mobile devices or desktop computers. It includes four explorable 3D gearbox models with assembly animations, linked technical information, and immersive virtual and augmented reality (AR) experiences. The benefits of using this application in the teaching process were monitored on a group of students at the end of the semester. Assessments conducted before and after the use of the interactive 3D application measured learning outcomes. Qualitative feedback from students was also collected. The results demonstrated significant improvements in engagement, spatial awareness, and understanding of gearbox principles compared to traditional methods. The versatility and accessibility of the application also facilitated self-directed learning, reducing the need for external resources. These findings indicate that interactive 3D tools have the potential to enhance student learning and engagement and to promote sustainable practices in engineering education. Future research could explore the scalability and applicability of these tools across different engineering disciplines and educational contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industry 4.0 is an industrial paradigm that is causing changes in form and substance in factories, companies and businesses around the world and is impacting work and education in general. In fact, the disruptive technologies that frame the Fourth Industrial Revolution have the potential to improve and optimize manufacturing processes and the entire value chain, which could lead to an exponential evolution in the production and distribution of goods and services. All these changes imply that the fields of engineering knowledge must be oriented towards the concept of Industry 4.0, for example, Mechanical Engineering. The development of various physical assets that are used by cyber-physical systems and digital twins is based on mechanics. However, the specialized literature on Industry 4.0 says little about the importance of mechanics in the new industrial era, and more importance is placed on the evolution of Information and Communication Technologies and artificial intelligence. This article presents a frame of reference for the importance of Mechanical Engineering in Industry 4.0 and proposes an extension to the concept of Mechanics 4.0, recently defined as the relationship between mechanics and artificial intelligence. To analyze Mechanical Engineering in Industry 4.0, the criteria of the four driving forces that defined mechanics in the Third Industrial Revolution were used. An analysis of Mechanical Engineering Education in Industry 4.0 is presented, and the concept of Mechanical Engineering 4.0 Education is improved. Finally, the importance of making changes to the educational models of engineering education is described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Higher Education & Science / Yüksekögretim ve Bilim Dergisi is the property of Zonguldak Bulent Ecevit Universitesi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Computing formulae and solving equations are essential elements of scientific analysis. While today digital tools are almost always applied, analog computing is a rich part of the larger history of science and technology. Graphical methods are an integral element of computing history and still find some use today. This paper presents the history of nomograms, a historically-relevant tool for solving mathematical problems in various branches of science and engineering; in particular, we consider their role in mechanical engineering, especially for education, and discuss their mathematical properties. Each nomogram is a graphical description of a specific mathematical equation, designed such that the solution can be found through a simple geometric construction that can be performed with a straightedge. By design, using nomograms requires little skills and can be done even in adverse environments; a solution of sufficient accuracy for most purposes can then be found in a very short time. Another important advantage of nomograms is that they offer clear insight on the relationships between the variables, an insight which can be lost by looking at a complex equation. First introduced in the late 19 th century, nomograms were used by engineers and scientists due to their speed with respect to manual calculations, before being superseded by computers. While now mostly obsolete in practice, nomograms can still prove useful in workshops and teaching classes: we thus also discuss their educational applications and present a few original examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The peculiarities of chemical education in training future specialists of the machine-building industry in the conditions of distance learning were considered. The need to update the content and quality of chemistry education based on a competency-based approach according to its structure was founded. A thorough review of the created distance course "1M Chemistry " and the algorithm for the formation of competencies in it according to Bloom's taxonomy, i.e. according to six main categories: knowledge, understanding, application, analysis, synthesis, evaluation were provided. The relevance of a purposeful, competent approach to the teaching of chemical material for the students of the Faculty of Mechanics and the importance of an emphasis in the distance chemistry course on the practical orientation of education, a combination of informational and problem-based methods of teaching the material were shown. Package of test tasks and calculation tasks of various levels of complexity were developed for the formation of the competence to analyze and evaluate. The role of independent work of students as a separate element of the distance course for the formation of higher-order cognitive skills that allow students to work at a creative level was proven. An analysis of students' as similation of theoretical material and the ability to apply theoretical knowledge to solve problems of different levels of complexity was carried out. A diagram of students' qualitative success according to different types of knowledge diagnosis was presented. The ability of students to establish the correspondence between theoretical knowledge and the ability to apply it practically was assessed. Organizational and pedagogical conditions that allow the effective formation of professional competences when teaching chemistry in a technical university of a non-chemical profile were determined. The possibility of improving chemical education of students due to the development of educational and methodological materials in the distance course, which create an opportunity not only to form a system of subject skills and abilities, but also to carry out a qualitative diagnosis of the acquired knowledge in the discipline, was shown. Provision of effective teaching of chemistry based on new information and educational technologies and a modern strategy for effective training of qualified personnel were implemented [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper examines the effect of perceived ease of use, user acceptance, and quality assurance practices on the acceptance of digital technology among mechanical engineering teachers in Technical Universities in Ghana. The paper adopts a quantitative research approach using a descriptive survey design. A sample of 167 mechanical engineering teachers was selected using stratified and simple random sampling techniques. Data was collected through a structured questionnaire that included demographic information and variables related to digital technology acceptance. The collected data were analyzed using structural equation modeling with the aid of SmartPLS 4 software. The study's findings reveal that perceived ease of use, user acceptance, and quality assurance practices significantly and positively influence mechanical engineering teachers' acceptance of digital technology. Specifically, the acceptance of quality assurance practices was found to have the strongest impact on technology acceptance among the three factors examined. The study focused on mechanical engineering teachers in Ghana's Technical universities, limiting the generalizability of the findings to other educational contexts. Future research should consider expanding the sample size and including participants from different educational institutions and other disciplines. This study contributes to the existing literature on digital technology acceptance by examining the specific context of mechanical engineering education in Ghana. The findings also contribute to the broader discourse on digital skills development and closing the digital divide in educational settings.

In this paper, the authors review extant natural language processing models in the context of undergraduate mechanical engineering education. These models have advanced to a stage where it has become increasingly more difficult to discern computer vs. human-produced material, and as a result, have understandably raised questions about their impact on academic integrity. As part of our review, we perform two sets of tests with OpenAI's natural language processing model (1) using GPT-3 to generate text for a mechanical engineering laboratory report and (2) using Codex to generate code for an automation and control systems laboratory. Our results show that natural language processing is a potentially powerful assistive technology for engineering students. However, it is a technology that must be used with care, given its potential to enable cheating and plagiarism behaviours given how the technology challenges traditional assessment practices and traditional notions of authorship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A culture of excellence and quality should always incorporate continuous improvement. Institutions of higher learning are the spearheads of creative minds and improve the capability and caliber of the professionals and leaders resulting from the confluence of academic and industrial relationships. A yardstick called board examination is administered to engineering graduates by the Professional Regulations Commission (PRC) to produce licensed engineers in the Philippines. Considering this, the research aims to investigate the determinants of board examination performance for Mechanical Engineering graduates of the Nueva Vizcaya State University, Bambang Campus. The data were gathered through surveys and interviews of mechanical engineering graduates and faculty members involved in board exam preparation programs. To analyze the performance details of the board examination in the Mechanical Engineering program of the Nueva Vizcaya State University, various quantitative methods such as t-test, correlation analysis, logistic linear regression, and path analysis are utilized to test the significance level between 2011 - 2015 and 2016 - 2020, who took the board examination; establish if there is any association between board examination and academic performance, and predict subject areas that affect most the performance in the board examination as well to create a mathematical prediction model in this aspect. The findings of this study would serve as a guide and an eye-opener for engineering learning institutions in determining effective strategies to improve the board exam performance of mechanical engineering graduates and as well enhance the quality of mechanical engineering education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to explore the relationship between students' learning behavior. perceptions of project-based learning (PjBL). and learning outcomes in the context of engineering education. The study presents a C:ise study of PjBL implementation at a private university in Taiwan, offering valuable insights from the instructor's perspective. A survey was conducted with 209 students in PjBL classes and 50 students in non-PjBL classes, focusing on six key learning indicators: learning attitude, participation attitude. academic integration. academic conscientiousness. application attitude, and satisfaction. The findings reveal that students' self-regulated learning attitude has a significant impact on their satisfaction and application attitude, mediated by their participation attitude, academic integration. and academic conscientiousness. The study provides empirical evidence supporting the effectiveness of PjBL in enhancing self-regulated learning, student engagement, and satisfaction levels. Moreover, it suggests that fostering a self-regulated learning attitude can motivate students to actively participate in the learning process, enhance their academic integration skills, and ultimately influence their satisfaction and application attitudes, This study underscores the potential of PjBL in improving students' employability and equipping them with the necessary skills to tackle challenges in the engineering profession. The insights gained from this research can inform educational practices and curriculum design to promote effective project-based learning experiences in engineering education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the importance of the peer review process in the Journal of Engineering Education. The authors emphasize that peer reviewers play a crucial role in vetting and improving ideas, research designs, and findings, as well as in enhancing communication within the community. They provide tips for reviewers, such as noting both the strengths and areas for improvement in a manuscript, offering feedback on the written paper rather than personal preferences, and providing higher-level, conceptually geared feedback. The authors also highlight the importance of being kind and respectful in providing feedback to authors. The article concludes by announcing new members of the JEE Editorial Board and promotions within the board. [Extracted from the article]

Students reflective essays in engineering education provide insight and context for instructional modification and assessment. However, the assessment of reflective essays numbering in thousands can be time-consuming This is notably important when trying to find specific changes in focus from one essay to another and measur ing how strong those changes are across multiple corpora of essays In this paper we describe and demonstrate an au tomated text analysis method for the at-scale, corpus normalized analysis of reflective essays. We apply it to quantitatively measure whether the modification of an undergraduate mechanical engineering course had the conjectured impact of a stronger emphasis on teamwork. Our analytical method is a "pipeline" composed of Text Mining (TM), Natural Language Processing (NLP), and Recurrence Quantification Analysis (ROA). We use this method to measure the presence of a specific thematic element in reflective essays to confirm the impact of the modification of a team-driven, model-based engineering design course. The original course and its modification were visualized using Sandovals conjecture mapping framework. The novel innovation of this approach is that the input (text from hundreds of reflective essays, sourced one at a time) when passed through this pipeline quickly produces a quantitative indication of the presence of thematic el ements and their recurence normalized across a corpus of hundreds of essays. A comparison of this quantitative indicator across separate corpora (each corpus of essays is for a different year) of reflective essays signaled a change in student focus toward the conjectured outcome We conclude that the TM-NLP-ROA pipeline can be applied for quick and at-scale extraction of the relative magnitude of thematic statements from reflective essays We observe that our conjectured redesign had the impact that we desired [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) offer a wide range of training opportunities for university students. However, to date, little research has been done to assess the level of awareness and knowledge about MOOCS among Spanish engineering lecturers generally or more specifically among those teaching electromechanical engineering. To address this gap in the literature, a quantitative exploratory survey was performed. A questionnaire was sent to electromechanical engineering lecturers working in Universities across Spain and a total of 102 of these were completed and returned. Results from our corpus suggest that, despite the increased prevalence of online teaching in recent times due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a striking lack of knowledge about MOOCs among lecturers: 61.78 % reported having very little or only moderate knowledge of MOOCs. We also observed a very clear generational gap among lecturers in their perceptions about MOOCs. In particular, the percentage of lecturers confessing to having no opinion about MOOCs was only 6.1% for the age group 31 to 40 years old, whereas it was as high as 37.5% for those over 60. For learning and reviewing purposes, MOOCs were perceived as more appropriate for lifelong learning than as a replacement for one-time training courses traditionally offered by universities (8.0% of participants). Our findings lead us to conclude there is a pressing need for action within Spanish universities to raise awareness about MOOCs and support lecturers in the wider use of this type of course. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aid of learning management systems, widely spread among educational institutions, can enhance Project-Based Learning (PjBL) methodologies. Learning platforms allow self-learning and interaction with contents and materials anytime and anywhere using laptops and even mobile devices. This work explains a PjBL focused on engineering subjects conducted on a learning platform. In the frame of a "Motor and Generating Machines" course, 14 students analyzed an actual power plant run by biomass, in particular by dry olive pomace waste. The activities of the methodology are scheduled, presented, collected, and evaluated thanks to the learning platform. Through these activities, students learn and practice: power input and output estimation, biomass consumption, thermal efficiency, and power plant components. The activity includes an online test for student self-learning. The results from applying the PjBL methodology supported by a learning platform show that students easily understand the components of an actual thermal power plant and obtain most of the necessary energy parameters needed to manage the plant. However, exergy calculations are difficult for students since most of them did not correctly solve the questions related to this concept. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technology teachers should be acquainted with various instructional models that enable skills transfer with ease. This is because Technology is a skills-based subject that requires specialized didactic models to teach learners mechanical, electrical, and structural skills. The purpose of this study was to examine how Technology teachers use the 9E-instructional model to teach Practical Assessment Tasks (PAT). As a result, this study used the 9E instructional model as its framework to assist in showcasing the phenomenon. A constructivist approach was also used to undergird the focus of this study. The study employed a qualitative research approach using an exploratory design to gather non-numerical data. A total of four Technology teachers who were teaching the Technology subject were purposively sampled and observed. The researcher used field notes to capture the activities that were unfolding in the classroom. Observation schedules were also developed to elicit important information. The findings of the study revealed that teachers were able to elicit learners' baseline knowledge, they could not elaborate on some mechanical concepts, make connections of content with real-life examples and exchange PAT ideas. Teachers were unable to facilitate the design, make and communication stages. It was then recommended that teachers use a 9E instructional stages to augment their practical teaching skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Educación en Ingeniería is the property of Asociacion Colombiana de Facultades de Ingenieria and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Team-based learning (TBL) has been increasingly applied in engineering and science education over the past decade. This study explores a particular TBL approach used in a mechanical engineering module for second-year undergraduates in Taiwan. The results of a survey on these students’ learner autonomy (LA), perceptions of TBL, engagement with TBL, self-reported contributions and concerns about TBL activities were analyzed along with their academic performance. The results suggested that LA played a crucial role in TBL, especially contribution to group work, and that classroom implementationsshould therefore make it a priority to boost LA. In addition, positive reciprocity was found to be operating during group work. Group differences were found in issues the students expressed concern about. Students who cared about fairness had higher LA and were more likely to contribute to team tasks whilst some students could have been less engaged in group activities due to poor Yu-Hsuan Lin Corresponding author. 43 Jibong-ro, Bucheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, (14662), Republic of Korea. yuhsuan.lin@catholic.ac.kr organizational structure. Several challenges were also observed in thisstudy. They included passive learners, classroom-management problems, free-riding, and limited resources. Based on our findings, we recommend that engineering instructors encourage student-teacher communication by using bonus-point incentives, student experts, peer evaluation and group competitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Employability Skills (ES) are a key component of prospective workers to be accepted to work in industry, especially manufacturing. However, the Employability Skills in Vocational Education Diploma (ES-VED) implementation has not been identified, and no standard pattern is in line with the manufacturing industry. The purpose of the study is to explore the perceptions of the lecturers of the student internship program coordinator at VED regarding the understanding, implementation, and strategies of employability skills. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with five VED lecturers: Yogyakarta State University, Surakarta State University, Industrial Mechanical Engineering Academy in Solo, Semarang Polytechnic, and Subang Polytechnic. Data analysis used qualitative thematic data. The study findings reveal that employability skills are identified as software, career skills, and added value. Furthermore, employability skills consist of six components, Including Teamwork Skills (TWS), Problem-Solving Skills (PSS), Planning and Organizing Skills (POS), Management Skills and Occupational Health and Safety (MS-OHS), Initiative Skills (IEs), and Communication Skills (CnS). A strong relationship based on the Pearson Correlation W 1 2 3 4 5 idarto Widarto *, Muhammad Nurtanto, Arif Bintoro Johan, Aci Primartadi, Fajar Danur Isnantyo 1Department of Mechanical Engineering Education, Faculty of Engineering, Yogyakarta State University, Yogyakarta 55281, Indonesia 2Department of Mechanical Engineering Vocational Education, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa University, Banten 42117, Indonesia 3Department of Mechanical Engineering Vocational Education, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Sarjanawiyata Tamansiswa University, Yogyakarta 55165, Indonesia 4Department of Automotive Engineering Education, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Muhammadiyah Purworejo University, Central Java 54111, Indonesia 5Department of Civil Engineering Education, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Sebelas Maret University, Central Java 57126, Indonesia *widarto@uny.ac.id Coefficient (PCC) is Planning and Organizing Skills to Management Skills and Occupational Health and Safety of 0.852. Strengthening employability skills to the challenges of industry 4.0 is carried out through equalizing industry-based curricula, digitizing technology, developing human resources, and digitizing learning management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Engineering education is very important to prepare quality graduates because technology is developing so rapidly that employers need a competent workforce. This study aims to explain the online learning integrated project and Kolb learning style in mechanical engineering courses to enhance students' academic achievement which is implemented through a hybrid and collaborative networks approach. The research method used is a quantitative approach with the posttest control group design method. We carry out learning activities using Project and Kolb Learning on higher education students from Mechanical Engineering Education who take part in learning this project. Students who participate are limited to small groups, which are divided according to their learning styles groups, and the implementation is carried out in a hybrid and collaborative through e-learning and face-to-face. Collecting data using Kolb Learning Styles Inventory, and achievement test. While the data analysis used descriptive analysis and one-way Anova with the help of SPSS software. The results of this study indicate that there is a difference in the average academic achievement of students based on the four learning style groups, and the thinker learning style group has the highest average academic achievement among the four. The selection of appropriate learning styles and learning models has an impact on optimal and effective academic achievement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Language use is central for accessing, learning, and communicating understanding of undergraduate engineering knowledge. There is a need to understand students' experiences, interpretations, and expectations of language use – conceptualised as related notions of language and disciplinary literacies – in their transition from school to and through first-year university. We use interviews with nine first-year mechanical engineering students to describe this transition as a to-and-fro process of navigating a continuum of complexity. All students experienced this as a process of uncritical socialisation into undergraduate engineering. Yet navigating this continuum was harder for some, a process that was inflected through their language repertoires and schooling experiences, but also agentive and personal. Students identified an absence of opportunities to bring their knowledges, languages and identities to this process. These findings and our conceptual tools have purchase in wider debates concerned with the transition into engineering programmes in which diversity is increasingly the norm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In engineering, kinematics is widely regarded as a fundamental topic with the literature agreeing that students possess a wide range in understanding of the topic. This study aims to take a second-order approach by understanding and exploring the qualitatively different ways in which students approach solving kinematics problems. Phenomenography was used to collect data through ten semi-structured interviews with early-stage mechanical engineering students. Following data analysis, four distinct categories of students' approaches were identified; unstructured, framing the problem, strategic, and conceptual. It was found that these categories could be arranged in a hierarchy and were also supported by secondary epistemic factors in determining why students employed a particular approach. The findings emphasise the need for approaching instruction from multiple perspectives and suggest a more comprehensive learning experience can be supported by linking practical laboratory observations with real-world concepts, use of visual aids, dry labs, active and peer-to-peer learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Student and teacher perceptions of course content are critical components of the teaching and learning process. Studies that have investigated such perceptions offer conflicting evidence of both convergence and divergence between the perceptions of students and teacher. These studies used data modalities such as interviews and surveys, which have different granularities of information in them. We analysed student and teacher perceptions of difficulty in a mechanical engineering lecture with multiple data modalities capable of capturing perceptions at different granularities. Our analysis revealed a multiscale nature of perceptions, wherein the students' and their teacher's perceptions can appear to both converge and diverge depending on the scale of interpretation, which is a function of the modality and granularity of data used in the study. At macroscale, the students and the teacher agreed about difficult sections of the lecture and the underlying reasons. However, their reasoning diverged when probed at finer scales. Furthermore, we note that convergence observed between the perceptions of the teacher and students at a coarse scale can sometimes hide differences in finer scale perceptions. We discuss the implications of these results for the interpretation of results from past studies and for practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Study and Research Path (SRP) methodology, emphasizing exploration of answers to open questions, has recently gained recognition as an effective active and inquiry-based learning approach, notably in the realm of Mechanical Engineering education. This study investigates the adaptation of SRPs to online and resource-constrained environments. We present and compare eight SRP-based Strength of Material courses conducted before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Our analysis focuses on the transformations observed in SRPs, encompassing shifts in course organization, question-answer maps, media-milieu dialectics, resource utilization, and inquiry procedures. Our findings demonstrate the successful adaptation of the SRP course to online teaching during the unprecedented remote conditions brought about by the pandemic. This adaptation resulted in a more guided Q-A map, innovative practical experiences with homemade setups, increased use of simulations, and parallelized inquiry by different groups. Importantly, materials and strategies developed during this transformation proved invaluable in subsequent post-pandemic courses, particularly in hybrid or constrained space and cohort settings. Our study highlights the adaptability and efficacy of SRPs in diverse teaching environments, providing valuable insights for educators seeking to implement SRPs and other active-learning, inquiry-based methodologies to challenging ecological conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extra-curricular activities like Junior Enterprises (JEs) offer unique opportunities for implementing innovative project management methodologies. This study delves into the experiences of undergraduate mechanical engineering students at a JE, focusing on their transition from traditional to agile project management practices to enhance project outcomes and decision-making processes. Employing a case-based approach, we scrutinize three projects undertaken before and three following the JE's organizational overhaul. This analysis highlights the evolved management framework's strengths and how students navigated challenges, devising solutions to enhance both their educational journey and project efficiency. Our findings underscore the dual benefits of agile management: enhanced customer engagement and increased management flexibility. However, challenges such as managing open-scope contracts and accounting for rework time in project planning emerged as critical areas for improvement. Addressing these issues was pivotal not only for the students’ academic and professional growth but also for fostering a more enriching learning environment for future participants. The study's insights contribute to the broader discourse on experiential learning within mechanical engineering education, emphasizing the tangible benefits and challenges of applying agile methodologies in a JE context. Through this exploration, we shed light on the significant managerial and social impacts of student-led project management initiatives, offering a roadmap for others in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]