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Article
Publication date: 4 July 2016

Staffan Schedin and Osama A.B. Hassan

The purpose of this paper is to develop a practical model of work integrated learning for undergraduate engineering students in relation to…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a practical model of work integrated learning for undergraduate engineering students in relation to Conceiving-Designing-Implementing-Operating standards 7 (Integrated Learning Experiences) and 8 (Active Learning). Moreover, it is discussed the role of cultural-social perspective and peer learning in enhancing the developed learning model from a pedagogical point of view.

Design/methodology/approach

The model is based on an organized collaboration with the industrial partners in the surrounding geographic region. As a part of the collaboration, each participating student is guaranteed internships at a chosen company over the summer period. In the model, company-based projects are integrated with some of the study program courses. Moreover, the participating students are given a possibility to perform their final thesis at the chosen company.

Findings

A number of positive effects have been observed and documented as follows: first, the integrated learning improves the learning process for the students, where learning, knowledge and practice are integrated into the engineering curricula; second, the general quality of the study programs in the faculty has been developed and improved based on the professional skills as required by modern industrial companies; and third, the obtained advantage for the industrial partners has been to establish professional contacts with the students as well as the possibility to be acquainted with potential future employees.

Research limitations/implications

The feedback the authors received so far from the industrial partners has been positive. A detailed evaluation will be made at a later stage when more information is available.

Practical implications

The developed learning model supports the expected learning outcomes, especially with regard to interpersonal skills, teamwork and communication. As a part of the collaboration, each participating student is guaranteed internships at a chosen company over the summer periods. The authors consider this collaboration as a “win-win situation” for the three parties involved in the learning model: the students, the university/faculty and the industrial partners.

Originality/value

Case study based on observations and evaluation of a developed learning model.

Details

Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, vol. 8 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2050-7003

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 2 February 2023

Grecia Alarcon-Pereira, Izabela Simon Rampasso, Francisco J. Tapia-Ubeda, Karol Rojas-Aguilar and Carolina Rojas-Córdova

Considering the relevance of education for sustainable development (SD) to enhancing engineers’ abilities to contribute towards sustainability-related issues, this study aims to…

Abstract

Purpose

Considering the relevance of education for sustainable development (SD) to enhancing engineers’ abilities to contribute towards sustainability-related issues, this study aims to help understand the global context of the insertion of SD into engineering education and to provide guidelines to further evolve research and efforts towards implementing Engineering Education for Sustainable Development (EESD).

Design/methodology/approach

This study performed a longitudinal analysis using bibliometrics and a content analysis via Conceive–Design–Implement–Operate standards. SciMAT software was used to support the bibliometric analysis.

Findings

In addition to an increase in the practical aspects presented due to a change in the approaches taken to examine key topics, evidence on important concepts such as “life cycle assessment” and “digitalisation” increased in more recent years. However, it was possible to show that, despite the evolution observed throughout the years, several important opportunities exist for engineering programmes to improve and, for researchers, to fill the related gaps in the research.

Originality/value

This study can be used as a guide for future research and as a source of insights for EESD implementation and improvement.

Details

International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, vol. 24 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1467-6370

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 May 2020

Hans Liwång

This study has a scope limited to a specific course and changes integrated to the core of the KTH naval architecture master program. The students in the program have earlier…

Abstract

Purpose

This study has a scope limited to a specific course and changes integrated to the core of the KTH naval architecture master program. The students in the program have earlier experience from engineering applications in a general sustainability perspective and understand the basic concepts within sustainability. Therefore, to introduce further steps a new course module was introduced in 2018 focusing on safety management and social sustainability. The purpose of this study is to identify and document the pedagogic lessons for a course module where sustainable development (SD) is discipline-specific.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is a case study that qualitatively investigates the stainability effects of the implementation of the new course module. The course and program activities are compared to the results of a previous study in 2017 on the sustainable development learning elements (SDLEs) in the program and discussed in relation to more general SD initiatives.

Findings

From the analysis, it is identified that the perspectives presented were new to a substantial part of the students. This study also shows that the effects of the specific module here studied, with a focus on the skill of maritime social sustainability development, differ from more general sustainability literacy. The new perspective affected the thinking about the core of the students’ studies, ship design, in a way that general knowledge on sustainability has not. This was achieved with a combination of suitable tools and perspectives in combination with contextual knowledge and a frame of reference. The contextual knowledge and a frame of reference are here present in education as a result of relating the sustainability case to the core of the program.

Originality/value

The result relates the pedagogical change described to SDLEs and to the ambition of conceive, design, implement and operate approaches. This paper contributes to the literature by providing a discussion on how social sustainability can be implemented in engineering education and the role of integrated discipline-specific sustainability modules.

Details

International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, vol. 21 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1467-6370

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 July 2012

Magdalena Svanström, Ulrika Palme, Maria Knutson Wedel, Ola Carlson, Thomas Nyström and Michael Edén

The purpose of this paper is to report on methods developed, within a three‐year Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) project at Chalmers University of Technology in…

626

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to report on methods developed, within a three‐year Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) project at Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, Sweden, to achieve a higher degree of embedding of ESD in engineering programmes. The major emphasis is on methods used, results achieved and lessons learned from the work.

Design/methodology/approach

The basic idea that methods and activities were built on was that the only way to achieve long‐term changes is to increase the motivation and capacity of lecturers and program directors to perform the required changes.

Findings

Activities that were developed and tested focused on coaching discussions and on workshops for teachers, gathering teachers from one programme at a time. These activities aimed at starting learning processes in individuals. Special care was taken into keeping the feeling of responsibility and initiative in the faculty members within the programmes. A special “resource group” of experienced ESD teachers was available as support for programme directors and lecturers.

Originality/value

The methods reported on are further developments of a method that has been used in Delft University of Technology (the Individual Interaction Method) in the Netherlands. The experiences from Chalmers are discussed in such a way that they provide useful insights for others aiming at similar changes at university.

Book part
Publication date: 8 August 2022

Flor S. Gerardou, Royston Meriton, Anthony Brown, Blanca Viridiana Guizar Moran and Rajinder Bhandal

Challenge-based learning (CBL) has gained acceptance as a contemporary and progressive teaching pedagogy that provides a holistic and inclusive experience to learners in higher…

Abstract

Challenge-based learning (CBL) has gained acceptance as a contemporary and progressive teaching pedagogy that provides a holistic and inclusive experience to learners in higher education (HE) institutions. However, its lack of appeal to non-STEM subjects and the need for further development, particularly concerning improved approaches, have been recognized. It seems that CBL runs the risk of becoming a portmanteau pedagogy that blends aspects of problem-based learning, project-based learning, and situated learning, as opposed to its development as an effective pedagogy tool. This points to a lack of a formal implementation framework, code of practice, and standard procedures for its delivery. We argue that blending a design thinking (DT) pedagogy with CBL can potentially provide the stability that CBL currently lacks. At the same time, it also presents a more inclusive proposition to potential non-STEM audiences. Thus, in this chapter, we seek to interrogate the intersectionality between CBL and DT literature in the context of HE teaching and learning with a view of establishing CBL as a pedagogy in its own right. We attempt to achieve this by systematically analyzing the separate literature to reveal the synergies and common touchpoints.

Details

The Emerald Handbook of Challenge Based Learning
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80117-491-6

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 17 July 2023

Elaine Huber, Ngoc Chi Lê, Thi-Huyen Nguyen and Tony Wall

Digital technologies can enable engagement online as well as in physical infrastructures like large lecture theatres. Avoiding a tech-first approach to curriculum design, this…

Abstract

Purpose

Digital technologies can enable engagement online as well as in physical infrastructures like large lecture theatres. Avoiding a tech-first approach to curriculum design, this article reviews a key resource for the use of a pedagogy-first, co-design approach in a specific instance of developing curriculum for connected learning at scale.

Design/methodology/approach

This article summarises key guidance for applying a co-design approach to a large educational transformation project (connected learning at scale) and reflects on the application in the UK (a developed economy) and in Vietnam (one of the fastest growing economies).

Findings

The guidance is found to reflect similar co-development processes in the UK and Vietnam, but adds additional layers of infrastructure and support to enable rich co-design processes. These are seen as proportionate given the impact of large-scale curricula.

Originality/value

This is the first time a review has been conducted from the perspective of different countries.

Details

Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning, vol. 13 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2042-3896

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 June 2020

Ola Leifler and Jon-Erik Dahlin

This study aims to report on how programme directors address sustainability within engineering education at Swedish universities and engineering colleges.

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to report on how programme directors address sustainability within engineering education at Swedish universities and engineering colleges.

Design/methodology/approach

The study was performed as a survey with follow-up interviews around the following core questions: to what extent do programme directors possess a deep understanding of the subject of sustainable development? Which are the core competencies in sustainable development that programme directors identify as important for their engineering students to acquire during their basic training? To what extent are those competencies integrated into engineering education today and what kind of support do programme directors receive from their department to integrate these competencies into the curriculum?

Findings

Programme directors believe that learning for sustainable development is important mainly based on their personal convictions. However, out of 10 potential learning objectives extracted from the literature, only four-six are implemented in degree programmes. Learning objectives and activities are not always aligned, as students are required to learn about interdisciplinary collaboration without working with students from other faculties. The programme directors receive some support from the department, but they express a need for additional support. Examples of support that they suggest are faculty training, efficient teaching material and incorporation of sustainability in the quality assessment instruments for degree programmes.

Originality/value

This study is the first comprehensive, national survey of what programme directors think about sustainability in higher education. Their views are important in the attempt to accelerate the integration of sustainability in higher education curricula.

Details

International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, vol. 21 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1467-6370

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 8 August 2022

Alessandra Scroccaro and Alessandro Rossi

Challenge-based learning (CBL), the experiential learning and pedagogical approach through which learners (students, instructors, companies, stakeholders, communities) are…

Abstract

Challenge-based learning (CBL), the experiential learning and pedagogical approach through which learners (students, instructors, companies, stakeholders, communities) are actively involved in designing a sustainable solution for a real-world problem, is gaining momentum in various higher education institutions around the world. Despite this multiplication of learning initiatives, evaluation in CBL is still an overlooked topic both by scholars and practitioners. Moreover, assessment is closely linked to the teaching and learning process and can also influence the evolution of the challenge because it is directly involved in the feedback, teamwork, and relationship between students, instructors, challenge providers, and stakeholders. Explaining why assessment is so important in CBL is one of the objectives of this chapter. Therefore, in line with the spirit of the handbook, the aim of this chapter is also to inspire, and give suggestions and tools for novel ways of assessing the learning process in CBL.

Through a challenge launched by the University of Trento, involving a local nonprofit integrative health fund, we understood the importance to integrate the formative with the summative assessment, to evaluate not only the final results but also the learning process. We experienced the fundamentals and the difficulties of self-directed learning through which students are called to codesign their learning experience, monitor teamwork, and assess their progress. Support and guidance from instructors are required to be successful in this cultural shift through which teachers are no more traditional professors and students are finally the experts in the challenge.

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 11 December 2020

Mirka Kans

The purpose of this article is to promote an innovative approach to education development projects by the application of business modelling tools and methods.

1936

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to promote an innovative approach to education development projects by the application of business modelling tools and methods.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed method is based on tools and methods from the business modelling area, such as stakeholder mapping, SWOT analysis, business modelling canvas and scenario analysis. The applicability of the approach is illustrated by a case study conducted on an engineering programme, where qualitative and quantitative data were gathered through interviews, surveys and workshops.

Findings

Utilising business modelling tools for development projects in higher education gives several benefits: (1) knowledge-informed decision making; the methods require good understanding of the current situation as well as possible strategies to be applied, that is data gathering is necessary before decision making; (2) structured decision making by applying a step-by-step approach for the development project; (3) including different stakeholder's perspectives in order to gain a holistic understanding and avoid sub optimisation.

Originality/value

The approach promotes innovation and action driven development rather than a bureaucratic and metric based improvement process. Tools and models from the business area have previously been applied for educational development. However, a holistic business modelling approach for educational development has not yet been applied.

Article
Publication date: 1 January 2014

Lorenzo Trainelli, Alberto Rolando, Giovanni Bonaita and Paolo Chimetto

The paper aims to detail the educational flight testing activities performed at the Department of Aerospace Science and Technology at the Politecnico di Milano (DSTA-PoliMi)…

Abstract

Purpose

The paper aims to detail the educational flight testing activities performed at the Department of Aerospace Science and Technology at the Politecnico di Milano (DSTA-PoliMi), including the development of low-cost, reliable flight testing instrumentation (FTI) and the administration of the graduate course in flight testing.

Design/methodology/approach

The flight testing course program closely adheres to the typical content of an introductory course offered in a professional flight testing school. However, within academic courses, it has a unique feature: each student is required to plan, perform and report on a real flight test experience, acting as a flight test engineer. Educational activities in this framework have been successfully matched to applied research and technical support for private companies.

Findings

At the educational level, several elements arise that are rarely concentrated within a single course, such as multidisciplinary integration, individual conceive-design-implement-operate (CDIO) project, real-life experimental procedures and techniques, teamwork, communication and reporting, relation with non-academic partners.

Practical implications

Based on the development of a FTI system for light aviation and on the flight testing course, DSTA-PoliMi has built a solid capability in flight testing, introducing graduate students to this specific niche of expertise and empowering co-operation with companies in the light aviation environment, while offering capabilities and tools that are typically regarded as a prerogative of major aerospace companies.

Originality/value

The paper discusses an original approach to flight testing education in an academic setting that avoids the high costs and complexity connected to certified aircraft flight operations and instrumentation, nevertheless allowing the achievement of significant results, also in applied engineering research.

Details

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology: An International Journal, vol. 86 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0002-2667

Keywords

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