Embracing ambiguity: Agile insights for sustainability in engineering in traditional higher education and in technical and vocational education and training
Interactive Technology and Smart Education
ISSN: 1741-5659
Article publication date: 21 March 2019
Issue publication date: 7 June 2019
Abstract
Purpose
Embracing reflective practice and retrospection, with a goal of identifying commonalities, this paper aims to examine delivery of engineering subjects in both traditional higher education (THE) and technical and vocational education and training (TVET).
Design/methodology/approach
Reflections on actions and autoethnography were used to examine the teaching and learning experiences of three educators across two higher education (HE) institutions (HEIs) in the greater Chinese context. Literature reviews and historical contexts are outlined to support the approaches and insights identified.
Findings
This paper presents a number of common characteristics and challenges identified across both THE and TVET. Drawing on the successful embrace of ambiguity and change in recent software engineering (SE) development paradigms, recommendations are made for how the agile SE themes can be applied in a larger sense to address the wider challenges facing both THE and TVET.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first time that engineering education has been examined and contrasted in the contexts of THE and TVET. The similarities and common challenges may represent a new focus for related work, and the presented insights, from agile methodologies in SE, represent a new perspective for viewing future HE and TVET sustainability.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Part of this paper was given as a keynote presentation at the Hong Kong Learning and Teaching Expo 2017, supported by the Vocational Training Council, Hong Kong. A preliminary version of this paper was also presented at the 2018 International Conference on Open and Innovative Education (ICOIE 2018) Towey et al. (2018). This research was supported by a UNNC FoSE Teaching and Learning Conference Grant.
Citation
Towey, D., Walker, J. and Ng, R. (2019), "Embracing ambiguity: Agile insights for sustainability in engineering in traditional higher education and in technical and vocational education and training", Interactive Technology and Smart Education, Vol. 16 No. 2, pp. 143-158. https://doi.org/10.1108/ITSE-10-2018-0088
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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