Exploring the Prototypical Definitions of Intelligent Engineers Held by Irish and Swedish Higher Education Engineering Students

Males are generally overrepresented in higher education engineering. However, the magnitude of this variance differs between countries and engineering fields. Evidence associated with the field-specific ability beliefs hypothesis suggests that perceptions of intelligence held by actors within engineering affects the engagement of underrepresented groups. This study examined perceptions of an intelligent engineer held by undergraduate and postgraduate engineering students in Ireland and Sweden, countries selected based on their levels of female representation in engineering education. It was hypothesised that there would be a significant difference in perceptions between countries. A survey methodology was employed in which a random sample of Irish and Swedish university students completed two surveys. The first asked respondents to list characteristics of an intelligent engineer, and the second asked for ratings of importance for each unique characteristic. The results indicate that an intelligent engineer was perceived to be described by seven factors; practical problem solving, conscientiousness, drive, discipline knowledge, reasoning, negative attributes, and inquisitiveness when the data was analysed collectively, but only the five factors of practical problem solving, conscientiousness, drive, discipline knowledge and negative attributes were theoretically interpretable when the data from each country was analysed independently. A gender × country interaction effect was observed for each of these five factors. The results suggest that the factors which denote intelligence in engineering between Irish and Swedish males and females are similar, but differences exist in terms of how important these factors are in terms group level definitions. Future work should consider the self-concepts held by underrepresented groups with respect to engineering relative to the factors observed in this study.

Guest Editors’ Note: The Directions And Challenges Of Regional Islamic Higher Education Institutions Within The Modernization And Fourth Industrial Revolution

This special issue reveals pertinent academic discourses of 13 articles that had been presented in the 6th Regional Seminar on Higher Islamic Education (SeIPTI 2019), At Sultan Sharif Ali University, Brunei Darussalam. All articles connote within the themes of The Directions and Challenges of Regional Islamic Higher Education Institutions within the Modernization and Fourth Industrial Revolution. The articles presented and discussed in various angles of multi-discipline knowledge hence arrive at the same objectives to produce balance human being in accordance with Maqasid Syariah.

THE INFLUENCE OF TEACHER ATTITUDE, TEACHER KNOWLEDGE, AND TEACHER SOFT SKILLS WITH COMPETENCE OF DISCIPLINE MANAGEMENT AT PRIMARY SCHOOL IN SABAH

This study aimed to identify the influence of the attitude on discipline, knowledge, and skills of the discipline headteacher on discipline management competency in a national school in Sabah. A total of 320 disciplined headteachers as respondents were selected through a combination of graded random sampling techniques. The data were analyzed using IBM SPSS statistics and SEM-AMOS analysis. The findings show that attitudes on discipline are at an extremely high level, while knowledge, the skill of the discipline headteacher, and discipline management competency are at a high level. Pearson correlation analysis showed that there was a significant correlation between attitudes on discipline, knowledge, and skills of head discipline teachers with discipline management competence of national school. Data also showed regression analysis it was found that there was a significant influence on predictor factors (attitude on discipline, knowledge, and skills of head discipline teachers) on discipline management competency in primary national school. SEM analysis showed that there is a significant contribution model. The implications of this study suggest that national school discipline management competencies need to be constantly enhanced and improved over time to produce balanced academic, personal, co-curriculum, and spiritual human capital.

Interdisciplinary project-based learning as a means of developing employability skills in undergraduate science degree programs

Project-based learning units are often used for large scale work integrated learning (WIL) experiences in Liberal Studies Degrees as they offer scalability and sustainability of delivery to large cohorts. This systematic search and review evaluates the effectiveness of interdisciplinary project-based learning in Science Degree programs for developing discipline knowledge and employability skills. Education literature databases were searched for peer-reviewed journal articles that discussed undergraduate science-based degree programs with project-based learning units involving students from multiple disciplines. Data were analysed for evidence of a skill gain in 6 areas (Discipline knowledge, Communication, Teamwork, Interdisciplinary effectiveness, Critical thinking and problem solving, and Self-management). Projects were assigned to categories based on interdisciplinary breadth and depth. Data was analysed by cross-tabulations, Fisher’s Exact test and by calculating odds ratios (OR), which indicate the effect size. Perception of a skill gain was significantly more likely to be reported than an objectively measured skill gain (p<0.001). Real discipline skill gains were 6.6 times more likely in projects narrow in discipline mix (OR 6.6), however perceived discipline skill gains were high irrespective of project type. Projects with wide interdisciplinarity were significantly associated with perceived gains in interdisciplinary effectiveness (OR 32, p<0.05) and more likely to have perceived gains in communication (OR 2.5) and teamwork (OR 3.4) skills. When projects have greater interdisciplinary breadth or depth, perceived student employability skill gains increase, perceived discipline skill gains are unaffected, however actual discipline skill gains are less reported. Further research and evidence that project-based learning is meeting the desired WIL learning objectives of the curriculum is needed.

Exploring Doctorateness in Insider Action Research

While debates about the nature of ‘doctorateness’ are prevalent in higher education, what this might mean in the context of insider action research, where action research is undertaken by members of an organisation or community, has not received any attention. This article explores how an insider action research engagement in a thesis and core project generates a synergy between the actions, a deep discipline knowledge, competence in research through first, second and third person processes, and competence in presentation can serve as a foundation for doctorateness. The dissemination contributes to a community of practice and inquiry.