ERIC Number: EJ1487868
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025
Pages: 25
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0304-3797
EISSN: EISSN-1469-5898
Available Date: 0000-00-00
"Thriving through Trials and Tribulations": The Impact of the 'Grand Challenge' on Engineering Student Resilience Skills
Sundara Kashyap Vadapalli1; Frederique J. Vanheusden1; Ahmed Tamkin Butt1,2; Abdellatif Abdelgaied1; Neil J. Mansfield1; Katy E. Griggs1
European Journal of Engineering Education, v50 n2 p381-405 2025
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.
Descriptors: Resilience (Psychology), Higher Education, College Students, Engineering Education, Evaluation Methods, Intervention, Foreign Countries, Questionnaires, Focus Groups, Problem Based Learning
Taylor & Francis. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: United Kingdom (England)
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: 1Department of Engineering, School of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK; 2Department of Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering (M3), Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK

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