Search Results for
"Engineering education"

This article examines the features of computer modeling of functional 3D objects using the SolidWorks software suite, which is an integral component in the training of future engineers and vocational education teachers. The SolidWorks software suite provides tools not only for creating three-dimensional models but also for analyzing the mechanical properties of parts and visualizing the technical condition of objects. This enables future engineers and vocational education teachers to better understand the principles of designing and analyzing complex part structures. A step-by-step algorithm for computer modeling has been developed, from creating a basic sketch to completing a three-dimensional model of a functional object. It has been established that the computer modeling process allows for the selection of appropriate tools and commands for creating geometric transformations of objects and setting parameters. This ensures high accuracy in constructing a computer model according to its geometric parameters. It has been established that the modern approach to computer modeling in the educational process demonstrates the implementation of innovative technological solutions to improve the quality of training in higher education institutions. It has been determined that the proposed approach will not only help future engineers and vocational education teachers develop practical skills but also contribute to a deeper understanding of engineering concepts. © 2024 by the authors; licensee Learning Gate.

This communication examines the adaptation of the CDIO framework for evening engineering courses at ESPRIT, tailored to senior technicians holding a Bachelor of engineering degree. These professionals enroll in the program to pursue the National Diploma in engineering over an extended four-year period, compared to the three-year day courses. The evening students bring substantial experience in the 'Implement' and 'Operate' components of CDIO but often need further development in 'Conceive' and 'Design - a point for improvement highlighted by several human resources managers in the engineering industry. Integrating 180 ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System) into this longer duration, the curriculum is customized to enhance these skills. The primary goal is to cultivate graduates who are technically knowledgeable and skilled in innovation, problem-solving, and the practical application of engineering principles. The evening courses aim to align with the same educational objectives and standards as the day courses, despite different student profiles and timelines. The paper outlines the strategic implementation of these courses, emphasizing how the tailored approach effectively bridges the gap in Conceive and Design skills, thereby equipping students with the comprehensive CDIO skill set expected of a graduate engineer. © 2024 CDIO. All Rights Reserved.

In K-12 STEM education, engineering design is emphasized, as demonstrated by the bridge-design project. Due to the iterative nature of engineering design, engineering practice is frequently complicated and requires pedagogical guidance. As an emerging pedagogy in STEM education, REP (Reverse engineering Pedagogy) is showing, but not enough, some benefits in several cases. This paper aims to explore the effects of REP in a bridge-design course. A comparison experiment, REP versus PBL (Project-Based Learning), was conducted by randomly forming two groups of fourth-grade students from a primary school in China. Results indicated that REP was more advantageous than PBL in terms of decreasing students' cognitive load, boosting their scientific knowledge level and engineering design skills. However, REP and PBL have the same effect on the students’ learning attitude and engagement. The key findings, possible reasons, and suggestions for practice are also discussed. © 2024 The Authors

In an environment of accelerating technological change and increasing digitalization, firms need to adopt new technologies faster than ever before to stay competitive. This paper examines whether updates of education curricula help to bring new technologies faster into firms’ workplaces. We study technology changes and curriculum updates from an early wave of digitalization (i.e., computer-numerically controlled machinery, computer-aided design, and desktop publishing software). We take a text-as-data approach and tap into two novel data sources to measure change in educational content and the use of technology at the workplace: first, vocational education curricula and, second, firms’ job advertisements. To examine the causal effects of adding new technology skills to curricula on the diffusion of these technologies in firms’ workplaces (measured by job advertisements), we use an event study design. Our results show that curriculum updates substantially shorten the time it takes for new technologies to arrive in firms’ workplaces, especially for mainstream firms. © The Author(s) 2022.

Purpose: The study compares how work-integrated learning (WIL) placement positioning, duration, assessment strategies and environment at three Southern African universities influence engineering students' academic and employability outcomes. Design/methodology/approach: The study used a qualitative case study approach that drew on the principles of collaborative autoethnography (CAE). The researchers reflected on WIL placement practices, structure, assessment, environment and outcomes at their universities and then analysed the reflections using comparative descriptive techniques. Findings: The study reports no uniformity among the universities in positioning WIL placement in the curriculum. It is done during end-of-year vacations, between the penultimate and final year or in the last year. The study found WIL placement positioning does not influence academic outcomes; however, the influence on employability outcomes needs further investigation. Components of WIL placement assessment are similar, presentations, logbooks and reports. However, there are differences in the weightings of the various assessment components and the contribution of the industry supervisor. There is a growing trend towards placing students within universities to mitigate the challenges of limited opportunities of placements available in the industry. The impact of this also needs to be further investigated. Lastly, there are policy-related challenges in placing international students. Work restrictions on student visas limit international students’ access to WIL placement. Southern African universities need to lobby the waivers to student visa restrictions that limit their participation in WIL programs if there are to succeed in their internationalisation efforts. Originality/value: The study highlights the gaps in understanding Southern African universities' WIL placement practices, particularly relating to the positioning of WIL placement in the curriculum, the assessment methods used and the theory to work integration and employability outcomes. © 2023, Tiyamike Ngonda, Richard Nkhoma and Thabo Falayi.

Contribution: This article proposes a task-driven ADDIE-Twist design model with a double-helix structure, which introduces intelligent teaching tools and lightweight collaboration platforms to design a knowledge-sharing and group collaboration model with two layers of teaching task driven and learning task driven, providing inspiration for the construction of new engineering courses and teaching reforms. Background: The ADDIE model is a classic instructional design model, but it still faces issues, such as a lack of flexibility, feedback mechanism, and emphasis on learners. The goal of new engineering education is to cultivate students' future-oriented professional literacy, knowledge structure, innovation, entrepreneurship capabilities, and teamwork spirit to meet the needs of society and industry development. In order to address these issues, this article proposes the ADDIE-Twist model. Research Questions: Can the use of the ADDIE-Twist model solve the problems of the traditional ADDIE model mentioned above? Can the use of the ADDIE-Twist model in engineering education improve the issues of lack of interaction and slow feedback between teachers and students? Methodology: Taking the experiment and implementation of the 'Programmable Logic Circuit Design' course at Jinan University as an example, this article presents a design scheme for engineering education courses based on the ADDIE-Twist model. The application effect of the model is analyzed through three aspects: 1) a questionnaire survey; 2) semi-structured interviews; and 3) student awards. Results: 1) The ADDIE-Twist model can effectively enhance the frequency of teacher-student interaction. 2) The teaching reform of the ADDIE-Twist model helps to improve students' learning motivation, participation, self-learning, and active exploration capabilities. © 1963-2012 IEEE.

Contribution: This study contributes to understand the current state of electronics education in Brazil, comparing it with market demand for professionals in the context of Industry 4.0 (I4.0). This study can be used to improve and update education programs and disciplines, as well as to assess whether the graduate's profile is aligned with the needs of Brazilian industries. Background: The effects of I4.0 have created an industrial environment that requires new professional skills and knowledge. Electronics was one of the most affected industries, mainly due to the rise of the Internet of Things (IoT). To prepare professionals to act in this new environment, technological education must be constantly updated. Research Questions: How are educational institutions preparing to teach electronics, particularly reconfigurable logic and microcontrollers, in the context of I4.0 and IoT? How does professional education in the field of electronics in Brazil align with market demands? Methodology: To collect and analyze data for this study, survey and multivariate analysis techniques (discriminant, exploratory factorial, and multidimensional scaling) were used. The sample included 89 Brazilian university professors who teach digital systems and have academic backgrounds in electrical, electronics, or related fields. Data from the survey and Brazilian industries were used in joint analyses. Findings: The lack of material in Portuguese for reconfigurable logic and laboratory preparation for IoT training are among the most critical factors in the Brazilian scenario. Despite the fact that professors consider logic is important for students' technical training, 34.8% reported that it is not taught in their institutions. The reality of educational institutions in terms of laboratories for the I4.0 was rated zero (worst level of evaluation on a scale from zero to ten) by 14.6% of respondents. © 1963-2012 IEEE.

In order to meet the growing demand for engineering professionals who can incorporate sustainable solutions into their work, sustainability courses have been launched in online problem-based learning (PBL) environments through various real-life projects. Nonetheless, the conventional one-off grading approach may fail to capture the intricate variations in students’ performance across different projects. To address this problem, a multi-project evaluation framework utilizing the probability exceedance method (PEM) is proposed, which can fuse linguistic evaluation data presented in probability distributions without the need to obtain weights of criteria. In the case study, a comprehensive evaluation of the performance of students majoring in engineering management is conducted within a study group over an online PBL course on sustainable decision analysis. The sensitivity analysis demonstrates that consistent scores can be achieved after assigning different values of fuzzy measures to each criterion. This study enables teachers to holistically evaluate students without being bound by rigid numerical standards or strict weighting schemes, thus allowing them to focus on other educational tasks while ensuring effective and reliable results. Moreover, it contributes to educational innovation by introducing a modern and comprehensive approach for engineering student assessment in online PBL, aligning with the evolving needs of educational sustainability in higher education. © 2024 by the authors.

In response to the problems in talent cultivation and curriculum teaching, this paper analyzes the pain points in the current situation of curriculum teaching - traditional 'teaching' and traditional 'learning' teaching, including textbook writing, teaching objectives, teaching organization, and teaching evaluation; An analysis was conducted on students' learning methods, motivation, and goals. We have proposed a breakthrough in traditional innovative concepts and ideas, as well as an implementation path - IOPM, which is guided by ideological education, output-based education, project-based learning, and a multi-dimensional evaluation index system. The application of the IOPM model in teaching practice has verified the feasibility and promotion value of this teaching innovation path. Reflected on the weak points in teaching innovation practice and proposed prospects for continuously promoting teaching innovation. © 2024 The Authors.

Creativity and problem-solving are 21st-century skills that students must have to respond to the complex world dominated by technology. Teaching activities integrating Design Thinking (DT) have the potential to cultivate individual skills. As future in-service teachers, pre-service teachers need to understand DT so as to be able to use it in their future classrooms. In line with this, the present study aimed to explore the effects of the Stanford DT model on pre-service teachers’ creativity self-efficacy, inventive problem-solving skills, and technology-related motivation. Quasi-experimental research with a pre- and post-test control group design was applied in the current study. A total of 70 pre-service teachers participated in this study, consisting of 36 experimental group (EG) students who learned with the DT model approach and 34 control group (CG) students who learned with a regular instructional approach. Design Thinking Activities were completed in 12 weeks, with three activities in the Modern Educational Technology (MET) course. The creativity self-efficacy, inventive problem-solving skills, and technology-related motivation scale were used to collect data before and after the experiment. An independent t test, Mann–Whitney U test, and Wilcoxon Test were used to analyze the data. The results indicated that there were significant differences in technology-related motivation, creative self-efficacy, and inventive problem-solving skills between the CG and EG students. The Stanford DT model integrated with the MET course was conducive to enhancing pre-service teachers’ creativity self-efficacy, inventive problem-solving skills, and technology-related motivation in the context of the technological literacy course. Implications for the findings of this study are discussed. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V. 2023.