Research around problem solving in collaborative groups has made progress, but several conceptual and methodological issues remain. These issues include the appropriate choices of units of analysis; the ability of current theoretical sets of macrocognition codes to capture group dynamics; detection and identification of potentially emergent…

Problem-solving and critical thinking are considered important skills to be developed by students, and are supported by the development of Computational Thinking (CT) skills. This study investigated the collaborative development of CT skills in sixth grade students via a six week LEGO robotics program. This robotics program focused on the…

Connecting theory and practice in teaching is sometimes difficult, as it requires expensive or delicate equipment, thus limiting the teacher to giving demonstrations in which students are passive participants. Numerical mathematics, as an applied discipline, should be taught on real world examples. By using inexpensive Arduino hardware, we can…

Some evaluation has been carried out in Vocational High Schools (VHSs), but most of it focuses on the documents or passive data rather than the processes happening in VHSs. Thus, this research focuses on the evaluation of VHS performances where the process is initiated with identifying the constructs and developing the instruments of performance…

Background: Creativity is increasingly recognized as an important skill for success in the field of engineering, but most traditional, post-secondary engineering education programs do not reward creative efforts. Failing to recognize creativity or creative efforts can have particularly negative effects for those students with attention deficit…

In this paper, we focus on resolving three key challenges during COVID-19 distance learning: engagement, understanding, and assessment. In particular, as a case study for an undergraduate Engineering calculus course, we develop the Desmos activities and the Think Alouds to provide effective solutions for these challenges.

In this study, researchers examined the collaborative process that occurred when early childhood teacher candidates and engineering students partnered to design exhibits to be used in an informal learning setting for young children. The findings present data from 52 early childhood candidates who participated in the study over the course of two…

A "Study and Research Path" (SRP) is a model, based on the Anthropological Theory of the Didactic (ATD), which describes the inquiry processes that take place when a new, generating question (Q[subscript 0]) is considered. The investigation of the question through different study and inquiry approaches leads to a rooted tree sequence of…

In China, the employment problem of higher education, social governance, and economic development is important. Exploring the employment mechanism and distribution of general colleges and universities can provide empirical evidence to the employment generating ability of colleges and universities and also suggestions for the development of…

The automated water filtration design challenge integrates computer programming and basic electronics concepts through the SIMILAR systems engineering design process. The SIMILAR systems design process is to state the problem, investigate alternatives, model the system, integrate the system, launch the system, assess performance, and reevaluate…

The CDIO Standards are effective means for upgrading and improving the quality of basic engineering education. In 2013-2016, a group of 21 leading Russian universities became participants of '5-100 Russian academic excellence project' and focused on graduate and postgraduate engineering education. Evolution of the CDIO Standards for modernising…

This paper reports pedagogical experiences and educational techniques in the field of Mechanics of Structures (Mechanical Engineering degree), resorting to computational tools. Several aspects are addressed, covering CAD (Computer-Aided Design) modelling systems to CAE (Computer-Aided Engineering) solutions, in terms of analysis and validation of…

Mixed methods-grounded theory (MM-GT) has emerged as a promising methodology that intersects the value of mixed methods with rigorous qualitative design. However, recent reviews have found that MM-GT empirical studies tend to lack procedural details. The purpose of this article is to apply the "best practices" for conducting MM-GT in a…

STEM education is a pedagogical philosophy which aims to draw the interrelationship between science, technology, engineering and mathematics to solve complex problems in real life situations. In order to use STEM education to foster students' learning, the researchers designed STEM activities for middle school students related to the concept of…

Over the last several decades, graduate students from engineering courses have faced a challenge of regular rejections in the work market despite their outstanding academic qualifications. In response to this challenge, many universities across the globe have introduced in their curricula the English for Specific Purposes (ESP) courses tailored to…