Design problems are often ill-structured as the requirements are broadly defined and have multiple correct solutions. Experts solve such problems by applying various cognitive and metacognitive skills before the formal specifications and solution designs are documented. Novices often need help solving ill-structured design problems as they lack…

International teamwork skills are becoming more and more important for future engineers. Engineering projects with diverse students working towards solving an issue together could cultivate such skills. However, social exclusion may rise when faultlines emerge: dividing lines that split a group into relatively homogeneous subgroups. This study…

This study explores "story-driven learning," an educational approach that leverages personal narratives to enhance learning outcomes. Although prior work has provided evidence for the benefits of using personal narratives to drive learning, a repertoire of pedagogical practices used in story-driven learning has yet to be established.…

Engineering Graphics and Design is a South African school subject which is foundational to fields such as mechanical, electrical, and civil engineering. However, persistent shortcomings in this subject's instruction have been documented in the South African National Senior Certificate examiners' reports over the past decade. These issues stem…

Too frequently, representations of disciplinary writing foreground static notions of knowledge creation and literate practice in science and engineering. Rooted in discourse community theory, such representations present normative tropes of scientific practice that background notions of disciplinarity and obscure people's lived experience and…

COVID-19 has brought with it a tremendous sea-change in higher education globally. It has brought an opportunity to reconsider the way in which assessment is approached. The context for this paper is a chemical engineering department in a research-intensive university located in central London. Open book exams are used minimally in the degree…

Solid waste management is considered to be one of the fastest growing industries in the world because of the environmental and health considerations, limitations on mining operations, product costs, increasing demands on the new materials, products and supply chains. Also, entrepreneurship has emerged as a critical aspect of engineering education…

Two-stage exams, in which students first complete an exam individually and then again as a group, have been used successfully in many disciplines to promote collaboration, learning, and retention of learning. However, it is unknown what the impacts of two-stage exams would be with chemical engineering students. In this study, two-stage exams were…

Numerous engineering education programmes internationally actively incorporate principles of humanitarian action and development, particularly aligned to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. To assess these, a review of 67 engineering education programmes and initiatives linked by the common goal of preserving life and alleviating human suffering…

Background: Research in engineering education has pointed to the need for new engineers to develop a broader skill-set with an emphasis on "softer" social skills. However, there remains strong tensions in the identity work that engineers must engage in to balance the technical demands of the discipline with the new emphasis on…

Background:Concepts are defined generally as fundamental principles or global understandings specific to a field of expertise. Theories of situated cognition suggest that concepts may not have uniform meaning or representation in a particular social setting. Purpose/Hypothesis: The goal of this study was to investigate the process by which…

The transition of early career researchers into academic posts is understood to be a crucial career step and marks a point at which representation of women declines significantly. The research adopts a participatory qualitative research methodology through career narrative interviews and group discussions with women engineers recently appointed…

As a consequence of the global health emergency in early 2020, universities had to tackle a sudden shift in their teaching--learning strategies so that the preset competences could be fulfilled. This study presents the learning outcomes of the implemented tasks, student experiences, and feedback, as well as some reflections from the instructors…

Recruitment, retention, and preparation of students in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields are critical to meeting the global challenges of the 21st century. Gamification--game playing concepts used in another activity--has been postulated as an active teaching strategy that engages students, encourages a sense of community,…

NMITE's Master's in Integrated Engineering (MEng) was created with a unique philosophy of integrating not only traditionally separate strands of engineering, but also of integrating engineering with other disciplines such as arts, humanities, and business. This broad and deep integration is made possible by adopting the principles and practices of…