scholarly journals Exclusion from constructive alignment unmasked by emergency teaching

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
MJ Booysen ◽  
Karin Wolff
Keyword(s):  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Constructive Alignment ◽  
Research Initiative ◽  
Or Methodology ◽  
Reflection In Action ◽  
Assessment Performance ◽  
Teaching Learning ◽  
Course Outcomes ◽  
Engineering Pedagogy

CONTEXT The research study was conducted at a contact-based, research-intensive university in South Africa, where the faculty of engineering has adopted a feedback-feedforward approach to improving engineering pedagogy through theoretically-supported, interdisciplinary and community-of-practice approaches. The outcomes-based curricula are designed to explicitly align teaching/learning activities, the intended learning outcomes and assessment tasks. The Covid-19 emergency remote teaching (ERT) phase has raised the question of the disjuncture between student perceptions and assessment performance during independent, remote learning.PURPOSE OR GOALA faculty-wide research initiative to determine how undergraduate engineering students were experiencing ERT revealed significant systemic challenges and heightened academic stress. Of particular concern in 2021 is the 2nd year cohort, whose entire 1st year was under ERT conditions. Poor first term assessment performance suggested the need to investigate not only how students were studying, but their perceptions of their practices and efforts in relation to their perceptions of course requirements, and consequently their performance.APPROACH OR METHODOLOGY/METHODS A mixed-method survey-based approach was used to assess second year students’ perceptions of a design-based module. The surveys were sent out when it became clear that performance was going to be substantially poorer than expected for their first in-person and closed-book assessment after ERT. The samples were taken after the assessment, after the model answers lecture, after the marks were published, and again after an intervention. The 2020 marks were compared with the last in-person assessments from 2019. Out of the 280 students, 142 responded to the survey.ACTUAL OR ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES Students overestimated their marks after writing, even after seeing the model answers. Two thirds reported the paper as difficult, which reduced to 58% after the model answers, and 74% after releasing the marks. Two thirds said online lectures prepared them sufficiently, but after the marks only 45% did. After a reflection-in-action intervention, 81% considered them sufficient and the error in estimated marks for the next assessment reduced by 41%. Despite 97% engagement with the lectures and 96% claiming to have done the tutorials and practicals on their own, only 38% used the Q&A forums, and not a single student made an appointment with the lecturer.CONCLUSIONS/RECOMMENDATIONS/SUMMARY While constructive alignment is a common pedagogical approach, it does not explicitly include alignment to student abilities or perceptions. In contact-based, socio-culturally mediated contexts, educators may tacitly be responsive to (mis)conceptions to enhance alignment between student abilities, expectations and intended course outcomes. We suggest, in this paper, that a constructive alignment model needs to include methods to overcome self-efficacy gaps, given that we need to produce critically-thinking, confident, and capable graduates.

A Preliminary Analysis of Lecturers’ Empathy in Mitigating Challenges of Developing English for Specific Academic Purposes (ESAP) Assessment Materials

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-30
Author(s):  
Norkhairi Ahmad ◽  
◽  
Ahmad Mazli Muhammad ◽  
Syafini Ismail ◽  
Harmi Izzuan Baharom ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Language Learner ◽  
Assessment Practices ◽  
Learning Context ◽  
Best Interest ◽  
Qualitative Approaches ◽  
Course Outcomes

Running English for Specific Academic Purposes (ESAP) courses at tertiary institutions is becoming more challenging due to a number of factors and it leaves impact on lecturers’ emotions. Emotional dimension is among the aspects that significantly influences the way lecturers view assessments and their choice of assessment practices. This paper specifically looks at empathy as one emotional aspects present within lecturers as they undertake tasks of developing assessment materials and mitigate the challenges that they encounter. Six senior ESAP lecturers teaching engineering students at two engineering related universities reflected on this scenario via interviews and self-reflections. Their empathy in planning and developing assessment materials were elicited and scrutinised via qualitative approaches. All the lecturers exuded empathy based on professional grounds and directed towards essential learner factors and the intended ESAP course outcomes attainment. Empathy was found to be consistently demonstrated towards language learner factors and their language learning context that comprise aspects like background of students, language proficiency level, familiarity with language materials, current knowledge and skills required for test-taking. Such empathy for the best interest of the learners have induced careful and selective practices among the lecturers when preparing assessment materials. The presence of empathy in assessment practices appeared to be second nature to the lecturers and it helps to complement assessment best practices and upholds quality delivery of the ESAP courses. Empathy at a positive level has enabled the lecturers to embrace the spirit of assessment for learning where more time and efforts were devoted towards planning suitable assessments that promote understanding and mastery of the language, before going for the assessment of learning or summative assessments.

scholarly journals VIS-HAPT: A Methodology Proposal to Develop Visuo-Haptic Environments in Education 4.0

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 255
Author(s):  
Julieta Noguez ◽  
Luis Neri ◽  
Víctor Robledo-Rella ◽  
Rosa María Guadalupe García-Castelán ◽  
Andres Gonzalez-Nucamendi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Student Performance ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Digital Literacy ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Meaningful Learning ◽  
Physics Concepts ◽  
Haptic Technology ◽  
Sense Of Touch ◽  
Haptic Environments

Education 4.0 demands a flexible combination of digital literacy, critical thinking, and problem-solving in educational settings linked to real-world scenarios. Haptic technology incorporates the sense of touch into a visual simulator to enrich the user’s sensory experience, thus supporting a meaningful learning process. After developing several visuo-haptic simulators, our team identified serious difficulties and important challenges to achieve successful learning environments within the framework of Education 4.0. This paper presents the VIS-HAPT methodology for developing realistic visuo-haptic scenarios to promote the learning of science and physics concepts for engineering students. This methodology consists of four stages that integrate different aspects and processes leading to meaningful learning experiences for students. The different processes that must be carried out through the different stages, the difficulties to overcome and recommendations on how to face them are all described herein. The results are encouraging since a significant decrease (of approximately 40%) in the development and implementation times was obtained as compared with previous efforts. The quality of the visuo-haptic environments was also enhanced. Student perceptions of the benefits of using visuo-haptic simulators to enhance their understanding of physics concepts also improved after using the proposed methodology. The incorporation of haptic technologies in higher education settings will certainly foster better student performance in subsequent real environments related to Industry 4.0

scholarly journals O Ensino de Álgebra Linear para Engenharias utilizando o Scilab: aspectos matemáticos e computacionais / Teaching of Linear Algebra to Engineering Students using Scilab: mathematical and computational aspects

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcos Rodrigues Pinto
Keyword(s):  
Equilibrium Point ◽  
Linear Algebra ◽  
Learning Process ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Algebraic Thinking ◽  
The Other ◽  
Personal Computers ◽  
Special Linear ◽  
Computational Aspects ◽  
Teaching Learning

ABSTRACTThe teaching of Algebra, in special Linear Algebra, to engineering students, come changing its focus since the popularization of personal computers. Various specialized softwares has been developed and has become feasible to pay more attention in the algebraic thinking to solve problems and minus attention in the calculus itself. But one needs to be careful to not go to the extreme of this teaching-learning process. The teaching of Algebra using computational software must not mean the teaching of a sequence of commands and its syntaxes. On the other hand, it must not mean to memorize a sequence of definitions and theorems. So we propose a equilibrium point based on our experience with students of engineering that attended in our lessons of Algebra with Scilab software.RESUMOO ensino de álgebra, especialmente álgebra linear (AL), para estudantes de engenharia, vem mudando seu foco desde a populariozação dos computadores pessoais. Diversos softwares especializados têm sido desenvolvidos e tornado possível prestar mais atenção ao pensamento algébrico para a solução de problemas do que ao cálculo em si. Mas é necessário ter-se cuidado para não ocupar os extremos nesse processo de ensino-aprendizagem. O ensino de álgebra usando softwares não deve significar ensinar uma sequência de comandos e suas sintaxes. Também não deve significar memorizar uma sequência de definições e teoremas. Assim, propõe-se um ponto de equilíbrio baseado na experiência com estudantes de engenharia que participaram das aulas de AL utilizando o Scilab.

Students' Perceptions Toward an International Telecollaboration Project Through an Engineering-Themed Online Simulation in a Language-Learning Setting

2020 ◽  
pp. 179-202
Author(s):  
Juan Francisco Coll-García
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
The United States ◽  
Online Simulation ◽  
Electronic Collaboration ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
Computer Based ◽  
Role Play Simulation

This chapter investigates student perceptions toward an international collaboration that involved an online role-play simulation, Engineers Without Borders (EWB). Forty-two undergraduate students enrolled in an engineering course at a university in the United States were paired with 56 engineering students based at a university in Spain. The simulation was designed and developed not only to foster problem-solving skills, but also to provide opportunities for participants to develop communication skills, teamwork, and professionalism. The simulation also provided opportunities for EFL students to communicate in English and develop their intercultural skills through the use of a variety of electronic collaboration tools. This chapter reports on participant feedback and highlights the benefits of the computer-based nature of the telecollaboration.

“Collective Undergraduate Research: A Teaching / Learning Tool For MSE Students”

2000 ◽  
Vol 632 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wafeek Samuel Wahby
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Subject Matter ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Technical Writing ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Oral Communication ◽  
Learning Tool ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Eastern Illinois University ◽  
Teaching Learning

ABSTRACTA new experiment to implement and collectively publish undergraduate students' research was started at the School of Technology, Eastern Illinois University in the Fall of 1998. A summary of the procedures followed in this experiment, its assessment and its progress are presented. Collective research publications, authored by undergraduate engineering students and edited by their faculty can be used as an effective teaching / learning tool that benefits students/authors, their peers, faculty/editors, local and other institutions, and industry at large, particularly when this research is interactively posted on the Internet. Through a research study format, undergraduates learn the subject matter much better, become familiar with research methods and techniques early in their careers, and polish their technical writing abilities. As the experiment also fosters teamwork and peer collaboration and evaluation, undergraduates sharpen their oral communication skills through group discussions and in-class presentations. The experiment provided an opportunity for students to independently select and research a particular topic and helped them discover the research resources and reference materials available on the subject matter. As one of the few creative opportunities offered in a class, this experiment presented a variety of learning environments to undergraduates and helped promote their creativity and self-directed learning. It was confirmed that most undergraduate students hold unlimited potential for success as researchers, and that enthusiasm, hard work, self-motivation, and dedication of students are likely to constitute better indicators of success than the conventional grades they earned in the past.

Technology in Engineering Pedagogy to Progress the Excellence of Teaching

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Durga Prasad Garapati ◽  
Padmaja S.M.
Keyword(s):  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Teaching Experience ◽  
Information Organization ◽  
Learning Approaches ◽  
Innovative Teaching ◽  
Teaching Learning ◽  
Student Grades ◽  
Traditional Pedagogy ◽  
Engineering Pedagogy

Quality evaluation is a basic part of education that enables teachers to help learning and to improve instructive programs. Engineering education has been confronting impressive difficulties concerning commendable educating, information organization, and knowledge deployment. Consequently, desires for new teaching methods and learning approaches should be created in the arena. The objective of this chapter is to incorporate various teaching learning methods, educational tools to improve the learning experience of students, and also to fulfil the teaching experience of faculty. The purpose of this research is also to explore the effects of innovative teaching learning strategies based on the performance of student grades. The experiment has been carried out on two courses of electrical and electronics engineering. There are no commendable measures to evaluate the learning outcomes of the student hourly basis in traditional pedagogy. Therefore, this chapter proposed various pedagogical approaches that help to achieve the desirable things.

scholarly journals The Effect of Real and Virtual Construction Field Trips on Students’ Perception and Career Aspiration

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 1200 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mostafa Seifan ◽  
Oluwaseun Deborah Dada ◽  
Aydin Berenjian
Keyword(s):  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Social Constructivism ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Field Trips ◽  
Real Field ◽  
Virtual Field ◽  
Teaching Learning ◽  
University Experience ◽  
Engineering Practices

To adequately prepare students for engineering practices, it is imperative that institutions adopt innovative methods of teaching, learning, and assessment. One such approach is the use of real field trips (RFT) to construction sites, which can enhance students’ perceptions of related careers. Although virtual field trips (VFTs) have emerged as a viable alternative—or supplement—to traditional field trips, little is known about their potential to provide the same or similar career exploration advantages. Using responses from a self-reported questionnaire administered to university students who participated in an RFT, this study sought to examine the usefulness of site visits in developing essential skills required for civil engineers. It also examines student perceptions on the use of VFTs as part of their university experience and the extent to which it could replace RFTs. The results indicate that students consider VFT as an enjoyable way to learn, given the possibilities facilitated by the new technology. However, notwithstanding its success, the students commonly opined that VFT was not a substitute for a RFT. From a holistic perspective, the issue is not whether VFTs can replace traditional field trips or not; it is rather the focus on identifying an integrated approach that combines lectures, and virtual and real field trips in a manner that supports a social constructivism mode of learning. Ultimately, this combination will enable students to effectively construct multiple links between lectures given in a hall and the real world outside.

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