Applying sustainability into engineering curriculum under the background of “new engineering education” (NEE)

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 1169-1187 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zejing Qu ◽  
Wen Huang ◽  
Zhengjun Zhou
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Education ◽  
Curriculum Design ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Comprehensive Evaluation ◽  
Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation ◽  
Skills Training ◽  
Engineering Curriculum ◽  
Teaching Approaches ◽  
Content Type ◽  
New Curriculum

Purpose The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of applying sustainability to the engineering curriculum at a university in China. Design/methodology/approach A new curriculum, “ethics, involvement and sustainability,” was designed and presented to engineering students from an undergraduate major in quality management engineering. This curriculum incorporated knowledge acquisition and skills training into sustainability via various teaching approaches in a mandatory curriculum at Tongling University, China. Pre- and post-questionnaire surveys, as well as a fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model, were adopted to evaluate the changes in knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of respondents before and after curriculum implementation. Findings Significant changes in knowledge and attitudes were observed following the implementation of the curriculum. In terms of the development of new behaviors, the changes tended to be moderate. Generally, respondents were satisfied with the effectiveness of the new interdisciplinary curriculum post-implementation. Practical implications Positive results were observed for the pilot and practice of the new engineering education (NEE) strategy at the cooperating university in China. Specifically, the integration of sustainability into curriculum design, implementation and evaluation inspired greater social responsibility in engineering students’ decision-making processes. Additionally, it shed light on how to integrate the concept of sustainability into curricula. One limitation of this study was the absence of a comparison group that did not experience the new curriculum. Originality/value Scant attention has been paid to local universities in the context of the newly-launched NEE strategy. This study provides new insight regarding the implementation of sustainability into engineering curricula and practice via formal, but diversified, teaching approaches.

Enterprise 2.0 in Engineering Curriculum

2014 ◽  
pp. 599-617
Author(s):  
Andreas Ahrens ◽  
Olaf Bassus ◽  
Jeļena Zaščerinska
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Education ◽  
Curriculum Design ◽  
Summer School ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Engineering Curriculum ◽  
Enterprise 2.0 ◽  
Multicultural Environment ◽  
Key Concepts ◽  
Innovative Products ◽  
The Baltic

Engineering education is facing a challenge to bring e-business closer to student engineers. Enterprise 2.0 application in engineering education advances engineering students’ enterprise for the development of innovative products, processes, and services. The aim of the research is to analyze student engineers’ Enterprise 2.0 application underpinning elaboration of pedagogical guidelines on student engineers’ Enterprise 2.0 application in engineering curriculum. The meaning of key concepts of Enterprise 2.0 and engineering curriculum is studied. Moreover, the study indicates how the steps of the process are related following a logical chain: Enterprise 2.0 ? engineering curriculum design ? modelling Enterprise 2.0 application in engineering curriculum ? empirical study within a multicultural environment. The present empirical research was conducted during the Baltic Summer School “Technical Informatics and Information Technology” in 2009, 2010, and 2011. The findings of the research allow drawing the conclusions that student engineers’ Enterprise 2.0 application in engineering curriculum is efficient.

Enterprise 2.0 in Engineering Curriculum

2015 ◽  
pp. 467-486
Author(s):  
Andreas Ahrens ◽  
Olaf Bassus ◽  
Jeļena Zaščerinska
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Education ◽  
Curriculum Design ◽  
Summer School ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Engineering Curriculum ◽  
Enterprise 2.0 ◽  
Multicultural Environment ◽  
Key Concepts ◽  
Innovative Products ◽  
The Baltic

Engineering education is facing a challenge to bring e-business closer to student engineers. Enterprise 2.0 application in engineering education advances engineering students' enterprise for the development of innovative products, processes, and services. The aim of the research is to analyze student engineers' Enterprise 2.0 application underpinning elaboration of pedagogical guidelines on student engineers' Enterprise 2.0 application in engineering curriculum. The meaning of key concepts of Enterprise 2.0 and engineering curriculum is studied. Moreover, the study indicates how the steps of the process are related following a logical chain: Enterprise 2.0 ? engineering curriculum design ? modelling Enterprise 2.0 application in engineering curriculum ? empirical study within a multicultural environment. The present empirical research was conducted during the Baltic Summer School “Technical Informatics and Information Technology” in 2009, 2010, and 2011. The findings of the research allow drawing the conclusions that student engineers' Enterprise 2.0 application in engineering curriculum is efficient.

scholarly journals Modeling Humanizing Education Through Newly Reviewed Materials Engineering Curriculum

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 63-79
Author(s):  
Norshahida Sarifuddin ◽  
Zuraida Ahmad ◽  
Ahmad Zahirani Ahmad Azhar ◽  
Hafizah Hanim Mohd Zaki ◽  
Amelia Wong Azman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Education ◽  
Curriculum Design ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Engineering Programs ◽  
Academic Field ◽  
Materials Engineering ◽  
New Curriculum ◽  
Humanitarian Engineering ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
The University

In line with the current global focus on sustainability and the well-being of the planet, becoming a professional engineer nowadays requires more than simple mastery of technical skills. Considering that engineers are required to have a deep sense of responsibility not only for humankind but also for the environment, engineering education and practices must be reformed substantially to prepare engineers that will contribute to sustainable development. This necessitates updating conventional engineering programs (CEE) to incorporate Humanizing Engineering Education (HEE). Although HEE is an old practice of individual engineers and other organizations outside the academic field, it is relatively new in academic engineering. While the definition of what truly merits being considered HEE remains debatable, many engineers believe that their work involves a humanitarian aspect. To streamline the development of HEE, there is a need for developing guidelines and frameworks for a comprehensive model. Ideally, that framework should integrate humanizing pedagogy in the new curriculum design. The objective of the paper is to share the experience of the authors in designing a new curriculum for a Materials Engineering Programme (MEP) that is embedded with Humanitarian Engineering (HE), which is among the main elements of HEE. Data collection was through interviews, qualitative surveys, reports from the stakeholders, accreditation bodies and benchmarking with other Higher Learning Institutions (HLI). An extensive scholarly literature review was executed to identify shortcomings in CEE and how it could be reformed by integrating it with HEE. The Sejahtera Academic Framework (SAF); a strategic framework for academic programmes developed by the university, was used as a reference to customize MEP to better meet students’ needs. Since the proposed model applies a new emerging concept, it inevitably raises challenges related to different levels of understanding among course implementers and perceptions of external stakeholders. Moreover, the developers had to consider the limitations imposed by the university's policies and structures while acknowledging the availability of finite resources (i.e. time, money, equipment, and expertise).

Students’ attitude toward sustainability and humanitarian engineering education using project-based and international field learning pedagogies

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Truc Thanh Ngo ◽  
Bradley Chase
Keyword(s):  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Engineering Education ◽  
Curriculum Design ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Social Contexts ◽  
Development Education ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Perceptions And Attitudes ◽  
Humanitarian Engineering

Purpose Environmental sustainability and social contexts are becoming increasingly important concepts. The infusion of sustainability and humanitarian engineering (HE) into the academic core curriculum is often challenging. This study aims to provide an understanding of students’ perceptions and attitudes toward the incorporation of active learning of sustainability and humanitarian concepts into engineering education. Design/methodology/approach A project-based sustainability course was developed and offered to engineering undergraduates. A HE international field experience was also provided to students as an extracurricular activity. Pre- and post-surveys were conducted to assess students’ perceptions and attitudes toward sustainability and HE project learning experience. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to determine the statistical significance of the results and demographic influences on students’ experiences. Findings Both project-based and international field learning experiences positively influenced the students’ perceptions of sustainable practices, social change and appreciation of the engineering profession. Multidisciplinary learning also helped students become more motivated, engage in sustainability-promoted activities and community work and improve their social interactions. Students gained practical engineering skills that they did not typically receive in traditional classroom settings and recognized the global and social responsibilities that are core to sustainable development education. Originality/value The study demonstrates a mixed undergraduate educational model in which students acquired sustainability concepts through a project-based engineering course and practiced social responsibility through international HE projects. The findings help engineering educators understand students’ perceptions toward sustainability and HE, providing insight into effective curriculum design and strategic inclusion of social responsibility in traditional engineering education.

scholarly journals Educating Engineering Students in Egypt: A Stakeholders’ Perspective, Using Narrative Qualitative Approach

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. 14
Author(s):  
Ashraf Saeed Elsafty ◽  
Hanaa ElSayad ◽  
Ibrahim Shaaban
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Education ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Skills Training ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Narrative Approach ◽  
Administrative Staff ◽  
Industrial Training ◽  
Innovative Teaching ◽  
Software Applications ◽  
In Series

This is part of a series of three papers in a research project examining engineering education in Egypt. After concerns from several stakeholders about the graduates’ knowledge and skills, a fresh look at the phenomenon is attempted. In this manuscript the views of stakeholders, using narrative approach and analysis was carried out. The methodology followed a narrative approach, conducting stakeholder’s analysis with relevant and related people to engineering education (Coulter and Smith 2009; Sfard and Prusak, 2005). The sample included students & fresh graduates, engineers with several years of experience, others with long experiences, academics, parents and administrative staff, were elicited. The responses were collected by asking two questions via social media. The aim was to obtain a quick idea on how stakeholders perceive engineering education in Egypt, and the enhancements they would like to see. Importance of the study comes from both linking with three papers in series exploring engineering education in Egypt, and the in-depth narrative reflections and insights of stakeholders’ point of view. Four clear requests became evident from the stakeholders responses: the application of modern innovative teaching methods; soft skills training; modern software applications training; and practical technical or industrial training.

Research on decision making of energy utilization project in China based on benefit evaluation

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 183-195
Author(s):  
Dongxiao Niu ◽  
Weibo Zhao ◽  
Zongyun Song
Keyword(s):  
Power Generation ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Comprehensive Evaluation ◽  
Evaluation Model ◽  
Power Grid ◽  
Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation ◽  
Evaluation Index System ◽  
Energy Utilization ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Comprehensive Benefit

Purpose There are thousands of areas excluded from using electrical energy in China. It is mainly because that these places, which are away from towns, have the characteristics of scattered living and low-power consumption and are difficult to construct the power grid. The utilization of energy in remote areas could improve the level of education and quality of life for people living in there, which has great social significance. However, how to choose the optimal power generation model quantitatively according to local energy advantages is a difficult problem. Design/methodology/approach To carry out a better assessment of the energy benefits of Chinese rural areas to assist the decision-making of energy utilization project, this paper takes Sunan Yugu Autonomous County in Gansu Province as an example. Four feasible energy utilization scenarios are proposed by analyzing its geographical conditions and re-source advantage, respectively, are photovoltaic power generation, biomass power generation, wind power generation and power grid extension. Based on the above scenarios, the evaluation index system of comprehensive utilization of energy in remote areas is constructed, and the comprehensive benefit of each model is evaluated by adopting entropy-based fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model. Findings Evaluation results show that the comprehensive benefits of photovoltaic power generation is the best, followed by power grid extension. Thus, preference should be given to the two models in the energy utilization in Sunan County. This evaluation model can provide a scientific reference for the selection decision-making of energy utilization project, which is helpful to provide the feasibility and efficiency of the construction of energy utilization project. Originality/value The authors construct the comprehensive benefit evaluation index system and evaluate the comprehensive benefits of different scenarios are by using entropy - fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model. Then the qualitative problem can be analyzed quantitatively. The purpose of this study is to support the decision-making of energy investment. Simultaneously, the paper also has some practical significance in improving the credibility of the government and the quality of local people’s life.

scholarly journals Curriculum integration of sustainability in engineering education – a national study of programme director perspectives

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (5) ◽  
pp. 877-894
Author(s):  
Ola Leifler ◽  
Jon-Erik Dahlin
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Engineering Education ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Core Competencies ◽  
Deep Understanding ◽  
Learning Objectives ◽  
National Study ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sustainability In Higher Education

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.

Fuzzy Evaluation on College English Teachers' Comprehensive Quality

2013 ◽  
Vol 433-435 ◽  
pp. 2441-2444
Author(s):  
Li Rui
Keyword(s):  
Education Reform ◽  
Evaluation Method ◽  
Comprehensive Evaluation ◽  
Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation ◽  
Skills Training ◽  
English Teachers ◽  
Evaluation Index System ◽  
Fuzzy Evaluation ◽  
Highly Qualified ◽  
College English

Teachers’ quality is to support quality education in the most positive, the most active, the most decisive factor, both with professional skills training also has English communication skills of highly qualified personnel, require highly qualified English teachers. For college English teachers’ quality is difficult to evaluate the current situation, this paper, fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method is used. First, by combining research and comprehensive analysis of the results of previous studies, establish evaluation index system; Secondly, study the basis work before evaluated, including establishing factor set, weight set and evaluation set; Then, create mathematical model, including single-factor model evaluation and fuzzy comprehensive evaluation; Finally, a college English teacher for five quality comprehensive evaluation. Fuzzy comprehensive evaluation of this paper, designed to evaluate English teachers’ quality to provide a scientific approach is bound to raise the level of English teachers, deepen education reform has played a positive role in promoting.

Advancing Sustainable Engineering Practice Through Education and Undergraduate Research Projects

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Radian Belu ◽  
Richard Chiou ◽  
Tzu-Liang (Bill) Tseng ◽  
Lucian Cioca
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Education ◽  
Curriculum Design ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Sustainable Design ◽  
Water Environment ◽  
Practice Change ◽  
Green Design ◽  
Industrial Society ◽  
Engineering Practice ◽  
Design Strategies

Major challenges such as energy, food, water, environment, health and so many more have never been more prominent than they are today. Engineers and educators, as problem solvers should be addressing these issues and challenges in sustainable ways. They have an enormous opportunity to help create a more sustainable world. Technology problems interconnecting sustainability challenges such as climate change, loss of biodiversity, environmental pollution, economic and social instability are becoming increasingly major concerns for mankind. However, the engineers and scientists have failed on large extend to fully address the sustainability issues. It was also found that engineering graduates do not possess necessary skills to tackle sustainability related problems. Engineering practice and education are changing as social expectations and conditions for engineering practice change too. Students have the responsibility and opportunity to continue improving our life while reducing or even reversing the negative impacts that our industrial society is having on the environment. Current engineering curricula are not equipping them to properly deal with these challenges due to little integration of sustainable and green design strategies and practice. Transforming higher education curricula for sustainable development is a tough challenge, dealing with the complexness of sustainability concepts and integration into engineering education. Teaching students the sustainability principles and equipping them with necessary tools help them to make better choices on materials and energy use, or design. These concepts and methods are still relatively new to engineering curriculum and are not an established practice for most of such programs. Meanwhile, today’s students have a strong desire to improve the world through their work, and sustainability connects with these interest and motivations. However, students’ hunger for knowledge often outstrips what is available in their courses and the experiences of their professors. Furthermore, to make sustainable design compelling to a wider base of engineering students, we need to craft sustainable design in terms of mainstream design problems that are important, cutting-edge, and achievable. Then we need to help them how to effectively deal with environmental and societal needs and constraints as part of their core design process. The paper highlights the process required for embedding sustainability and green design into our programs, curriculum design, implementation and impediments to surmount for sustainability and green design in engineering education. This was done through a project-based approach, developing three new courses and appropriate changes in a number of existing courses. The skill requirements were studied and finally the list of subjects, topics, teaching and learning methods are identified and discussed in this paper.

Positioning health professional identity: on-campus training and work-based learning

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 275-289 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mette Krogh Christensen ◽  
Jette Henriksen ◽  
Kristian Raun Thomsen ◽  
Ole Lund ◽  
Anne Mette Mørcke
Keyword(s):  
Identity Development ◽  
Health Professional ◽  
Professional Identity ◽  
Curriculum Design ◽  
Skills Training ◽  
Positioning Theory ◽  
Professional Identity Development ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sports Science ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Drawing on positioning theory, the purpose of this paper is to characterize the activities and positions of students and supervisors at workplaces and on-campus skills training sites across the higher health professional educations of medicine, sports science, and nursing. Furthermore, the study explored the impact of work-based learning (WBL) and skills training on students’ personal professional identity development. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative case study was conducted across six workplace sites and three on-campus skills training sites with 20 days of observation and 21 in-depth interviews. The data were inductively analyzed resulting in the identification of 12 characteristic narratives. This was followed by abductive analysis using Harré’s concept of positioning as the theoretical framework. Findings Across the three higher health professional educations, work-based and on-campus skills training sites were characterized by two learning spaces with distinct positions, rights, and duties. The WBL sites gave the students rich opportunities to position themselves, act independently, and behave as professionals seriously striving for mastery. On the on-campus sites, the students behaved less seriously, and were conscious of their rights to try out things, get support, and have fun. Research limitations/implications The authors recommend that future studies explore aspects of professional identity formation due to its consequences for curriculum design, including the distribution of simulated spaces and professional spaces in students’ learning environments. Originality/value This study adds to the empirical evidence and conceptual frameworks of personal and shared professional identity development in the field of skills and WBL, and it underlines the ongoing value of Harré’s positioning theory in educational research.

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