Roger Hadgraft

• Professor at University of Technology Sydney

As we discussed in part 1, humanity is facing many critical challenges, most of which are open-ended and complex systems, and they require broad input and experiences to address. We expect students and educators to be engaged in such societal issues and form multidisciplinary teams to address them. The increased complexity of technical methodologie...

In the previous chapters, we discussed critical components of effective learning curriculum. We pointed out that problem-solving skills are critical for engineers of this century. In particular, we pointed out the importance of systems thinking as the core of the learning, and the design process as the tool to achieve the goal of addressing large-s...

Design has traditionally been the process of moving from a problem statement, or need, to a solution.

We invite you to make changes in your engineering programs.

Aalborg University has grown out of a certain educational mindset based on reform pedagogy and German critical theory back in the 1970s. Aalborg University has developed problem and project based learning as the core principles for education at a systemic level. In this chapter, the history and contemporary principles and the educational practices...

There is not one type of curriculum that fits all institutions nor all students. The engineering programs are developed based on various learning principles and cultural conditions and represent different learning ecosystems. This chapter and chapter 7 address different learning principles which can be taken into considerations when developing a st...

We have learned that technologies are becoming more complex both in terms of technical combinations and in terms of the societal problems that must be solved. But what is often forgotten is that behind the technologies, there are humans. As technology becomes more complex, more humans will have to collaborate and there will be many more boundaries...

As identified earlier, engineering curricula must develop three categories of skills and knowledge—(i) design and problem solving in complex, sociotechnical situations, (ii) the technical knowledge to support the design process, and (iii) the interpersonal skills to support engineering team processes. Traditional curricula, based on teaching the te...

In Chap. 2, this chapter discusses the nuances of complex systems, accentuating that human communications and technology are integral parts of our social systems. Whenever humans are positioned at the centre of any system, complexity emerges. Interventions in complex systems are very difficult, due to feedback loops and their associated time delays...

The growing complexity of technological systems, which has been elaborated upon in previous chapters, has increased the focus on the sociotechnical dimension of engineering, which engineers must increasingly address.

What we have been addressing in the previous chapters is more fundamental change in engineering education from a disciplinary to an interdisciplinary learning discourse by applying more student centred learning methods which embrace generic competencies, interdisciplinary learning, and learning to work on boundaries in engineering education. But th...

This research investigates the use of the 'Sphero SPRK+' robot as a programming assistant to enhance conceptual understanding and engagement in programming education. The research addresses the challenges of teaching programming and underlines the significance of students understanding programming structures, semantics, syntax and planning. The Sph...

Keywords: Computer programming learning programming programming language programming student novice programmers A B S T R A C T Since computers have become widely used, programming has become a critical skill. Programming languages are built upon English language words and phrases. It is possible that this could make learning an English-based progr...

In this workshop run by the Engineering skills SIG, attendees were given the opportunity to learn about emerging professional competencies, and strategies to overcome teaching barriers.The workshop format was “world cafe” with several tables for small groups to informally discuss these strategies within a time limit. Each table focussed on an emerg...

Under Engineers Australia (EA) accreditation requirements for engineering education programs, graduate engineers must develop competencies within their chosen discipline at the point of entry to practice. Universities across Australia implement Work Integrated Learning (WIL) as a method to prepare students for the world of work and to give students...

The Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology at the University of Technology Sydney recruited and established a ‘Learning and Teaching Design’ team. One of the primary aims of this team was to change the mindset of engineering academics to deliver a curriculum that produced More Innovative Design-Abled Students and Staff (MIDAS). To model...

The Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology (FEIT) at the University of Technology Sydney is taking courageous and creative steps in its teaching and learning. FEIT is developing landmark innovations to transform the curriculum to better engage with students and respond to the demands of a rapidly changing future workforce. For example, d...

Three major challenges, sustainability, the fourth industrial revolution, and employability, will require new types of engineering programs, to help students develop skills in cross-disciplinarity, complexity, and contextual understanding. Future engineering students should be able to understand the needs for technological, sustainable solutions in...

Studio-based learning is not new to computing education, however as the ecosystem of available Open Educational Resources (OERs) expands, the capacity and desire for student self-directed learning is growing. However increasing student autonomy in how and when learning takes place creates challenges around assessment. This paper introduces the desi...

As Australian universities welcome significant numbers of inbound international students and increasingly encourage outbound domestic student mobility, the opportunities for global discipline connectedness, cross-cultural understandings, and fertile learning interactions abound. Yet these two “strands” of students rarely engage in deliberately orga...

This poster will highlight & focus on learning programming issues.

The knowledge of contextual factors that impact the engineering discipline is one of sixteen competencies that must be demonstrated by engineering graduates upon completion of an accredited engineering degree in Australia. This research critically analyses learning outcomes, learning activities and assessment tasks associated with the knowledge of...

The case studies in Part 2 of this book are intended to showcase different contexts and highlight the diversity of flipped classroom approaches in practice. They are included to provide you with ideas to develop your own flip classroom practice, serve as a source of encouragement, and foreground the challenges that you may face.

It is Monday morning, bright and early, as Laura rushes from the bus stop to the massive event centre, where her first-year engineering workshop is being held. It is the second week of the course and she knows that she is falling behind a bit because she did not watch the recommended pre-learning podcast for this workshop that, she seems to recall,...

Materials engineering applications are becoming more widespread, varied and sophisticated due to advances in science and increasing interdisciplinary cooperation. To be able to impart engineering graduates with the required technical background, educators need to update the course syllabus and the program curriculum continuously. Most importantly,...

In an increasingly complex world, engineering students need to learn innovation and complex problem-solving in socio-technical contexts, combining fundamental knowledge of many disciplines, not just mathematics and physics. Our job as educators is to create engaging learning experiences to take students on a learning journey from high school studen...

This poster focuses on difficulties that students face in learning computer programming in general.

This study investigates how academics' personal beliefs, perspectives on institutional forces, and perspectives on external influences relate to their teaching and learning decision-making. Using a national-level survey of Australian engineering academics (n = 591; 16% of Australia's engineering academics), analyses investigate (1) how influences e...

Student attrition in engineering is of concern. This study investigated motivational factors necessary to succeed in engineering. The Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) model was used to guide the suggested paths from learning strategy, interest, and intention to academic performance. Participants were 135 Malaysian and 132 Australian engineering unde...

E-portfolios are progressively becoming a key means for students to integrate their learning across the entire length of their program. However, the application of e-portfolios in engineering and ICT programs has been generally isolated to a few courses in each program, if at all. This paper summarises the use of e-portfolios to document student le...

CONTEXT Interest in research into student undergraduate project teams has been growing for some time, led by the growing use of project-based learning and more industry-integrated curriculum in engineering schools. For students to be able to learn from team-based work, the team experience, and the roles that students play within teams, must be a u...

CONTEXT The issue of plagiarism has been a growing concern within undergraduate programs. Most studies highlight why students cheat and the methods used to do so. Rather than concentrating on applying sanctions after the fact, a program of instruction was instigated at Federation University in an effort to be pro-active by teaching methods of plag...

If engineers are to provide sustainable innovations for future societies, engineers should be able to think and act beyond pure technical competence. This is stressed in political and accreditation frameworks all over the world, and universities are trying to respond to this demand. However, in many cases, sustainability practices seem fragmented a...

During the last 25 years, there have been many calls for new engineering competencies and a corresponding gradual change in both curriculum and pedagogy in engineering education. This has been a global trend, in the US, Europe, Australia and now emerging in the rest of the world. Basically, there have been two main types of societal challenges that...

'Automotive Materials' is a core course in the Master of Engineering (International Automotive Engineering) Program. The course content focuses on niche areas in component design including alternative materials. Each topic is presented in relation to a particular application. Formal lectures are combined with materials and manufacturing selection c...

Materials engineering applications are becoming more widespread, varied and sophisticated due to advances in science and increasing interdisciplinary cooperation. To be able to impart engineering graduates with the required technical background, educators need to update the course syllabus and the program curriculum continuously. Most importantly,...

CONTEXT Engineering education historically has been shaped by professional accreditation and internal university imperatives. The recent strengthening of the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) adds a new layer of thinking and has required many universities to re-examine how embedded honours degrees are awarded and the degree to which undergr...

A key challenge for higher education institutions around the world is to provide active and engaging learning encounters for a new generation of students to develop their skills for work in a rapidly changing environment. Typically, these students are accustomed to being digitally connected 24/7 and they have real-time access to truly global learni...

This paper analyses the outcome of an international study examining student perceptions of feedback. Our initial work built on research by Gibbs which identified linkages between current and subsequent course activities as a critical factor in whether students value the feedback they receive. Drawing on the work of Gibbs on feedback and Biggs on co...

Aerospace students have different reasons for choosing their university program. Knowing their perceptions of the aerospace industry and their expectations in their future career can assist in determining the best teaching styles and program structures. A survey was conducted among aerospace students at RMIT University involving all four year level...

Laboratory practice plays a crucial role in engineering and technology education. The advancement of computational and computer technologies have ushered in a new horizon in learning and teaching of laboratory practices worldwide. Apart from traditional hands-on laboratory practice, two other laboratories, namely the virtual/simulated laboratory an...

eLearning will revolutionise higher education in the next decade. Although this has likely been said regularly over the last 20 years, the widespread availability of mobile devices, ubiquitous wifi connections, and the globalisation of industry, driven by global networking infrastructure, will finally deliver the promises of learning anytime anywhe...

CONTEXT In most Australian engineering schools and faculties, engineering programs are not ordered and deliberately structured entities. The University of Tasmania offers undergraduate engineering in two locations, Hobart's School of Engineering offers eight specialisations and Launceston's National Centre for Maritime Engineering and Hydrodynamics...

Structured Abstract BACKGROUND As part of a restructure of the engineering programs offered by the University of Ballarat a need was identified to better develop the teamwork and communication skills of students. It is recognised in industry that new graduates, while strong in skills such as mechanics and design, are often weak in teamwork and com...

'Automotive Materials' is a core course in the Master of Engineering (International Automotive Engineering) Program. Developed in consultation with industry representatives, it aims to link material properties with automobile design and manufacturing requirements. The course content focuses on niche areas in component design including alternative m...

This paper reports outcomes from an international study examining student perceptions of feedback. Recent work by Grahame Gibbs identifies linkages between current and subsequent course activities as a critical factor in whether students value the feedback they receive. We have investigated the frequency and nature of feedback given to students in...

The authors present a position paper suggesting that while there is evidence for change within engineering curricula towards best practice, there are significant barriers primarily at the operational level, which bring into question the likelihood of more widespread adoption of hard won gains. It is argued that transformational change is required w...

While student attrition is of concern to engineering educators there is still a lack of understanding of factors that can contribute to students' success in engineering. The main purpose of this research has been to quantitatively examine the relationships between learning strategy, interest, intention and academic performance informed by the Theor...

Reshaping Environments: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Sustainability in a Complex World draws together a team of specialist authors from disciplines including urban planning, social sciences, engineering and environmental science to examine the diverse influences humans have upon the natural environment. This interdisciplinary approach presents...

Engineering Your Future: An Australasian Guide, 2nd Edition, is the ideal textbook for undergraduate students beginning their engineering studies. Building on the success of the popular 1st edition, this new edition continues the strong and practical emphasis on skills that are essential for engineering problem-solving and design. Numerous topical...

An interactive and immersive learning environment that will allow students to explore the design, construction, commissioning and operation stages of processing facilities is being developed. The learning environment makes use of a series spherical images captured across not only the facility site but also across the construction and operation peri...

Engineering as a professional practice frequently involves multifaceted, interdisciplinary teams addressing complex problems. Consequently there is increasing demand on engineering education, which is often constrained by strict discipline boundaries, to equip students with the necessary competencies to contribute effectively in multidisciplinary c...

This paper seeks to expand our focus to understand how communities can assemble and manage knowledge to support more rational decisions regarding government services and actions in the community environment. We focus on the knowledge transfer interface between communities and urban councils, with a view to extending theoretical understanding of suc...

In many countries around the world, there is considerable interest in the development of robust learning outcomes for engineering and other higher education programs. These outcomes underpin the accreditation systems operated by ABET, Engineers Australia, IPENZ, EUR-ACE and the Washington Accord members. In addition, many national governments are d...

In many learning institutions around the world, there is a trend towards larger classes, more flexible learning pathways and reduced teaching resources. Experiential learning is often used in the form of site visits or field trips for students studying engineering, natural resource management, geography and similar disciplines. Providing opportunit...

This paper seeks to expand our focus to understand how communities can assemble and manage knowledge to support more rational decisions regarding government services and actions in the community environment. We focus on the knowledge transfer interface between communities and urban councils, with a view to extending theoretical understanding of suc...

We present our work on introducing Adaptive Tutorials in first and second year mechanics courses in Engineering. Adaptive Tutorials are interactive online modules where an Intelligent Tutoring System adapts the instruction level to learners, based on their individual performance. Through an ALTC-funded project, we formed a community of practice of...

C ontributors Michael Alley, The Pennsylvania State University; Cindy Atman, University of Washington; David DiBiasio, Worcester Polytechnic Institute; Cindy Finelli, University of Michigan; Heidi Diefes‐Dux, Purdue University; Anette Kolmos, Aalborg University; Donna Riley, Smith College; Sheri Sheppard, Stanford University; Maryellen Weimer, The...

High attrition rates in engineering program are a concern worldwide. We are exploring the hypothesis that conation is an important factor for success in engineering study. This ongoing PhD research project is exploring cognitive, affective and conative elements using the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) model, which proposes a logical progression fr...

Four interactive and immerse virtual reality learning environments have been developed that allow students to move through processing facilities in their own time. While nothing replaces an actual site visit such a learning environment allows students to explore at their own pace many different aspects of the design and operation of such a plant. S...

While there have been improvements in Australian engineering education since the 1990s, there are still strong concerns that more progress needs to be made, particularly in the areas of developing graduate competencies and in outcomes-based curricula. This paper comments on the findings from a two-day Australian Learning and Teaching Council funded...

Many factors affect students’ progression through their engineering programs. Some of these factors can be personal, intellectual or attributed to the influence of the learning environment. To examine these influences closely, we conducted fieldwork at three universities in three States. The investigation considered factors such as understanding ho...

While there have been improvements in Australian engineering education since the 1990s, there are still strong concerns that more progress needs to be made, particularly in the areas of developing graduate competencies and in outcomes-based curricula. This paper reports on the findings from a two-day ALTC-funded forum that sought to establish a sha...

Final year projects are important in engineering programs because they provide students with an opportunity to show that their study developed in them professional capabilities expected of graduating engineers, in particular, a capacity to personally manage and conduct a complex, open-ended project. These projects also indicate of program standards...

While there have been improvements in Australian engineering education since the 1990s, there are still strong concerns that more progress needs to be made, particularly in the areas of developing graduate competencies and in outcomes-based curricula. This paper reports on the findings from a two-day ALTC-funded forum that sought to establish a sha...

Concerns about student retention, demotivation and lack of confidence in engineering courses has been discussed over the past 15 years. This study suggests the need of exploration study on conative domain to prepare students for future challenges in engineering study. One promising line of research is to promote a deeper understanding of the concep...

Understanding how we take in, process and present information as part of the learning process, provides clues on how specific teaching methods can be utilised to maximise learning. The literature suggests that a mismatch between learning styles or preferences and teaching styles and approaches may present a barrier to learning and contribute to att...

There are significant pressures on higher education in Australia: continually reducing funding per student in real terms, an exponential growth in the knowledge base and growth in complexity of the problems that engineers face. Students need more project work to allow them to develop real engineering expertise (as opposed to engineering knowledge a...

In 2004, the School of Civil & Chemical Engineering at RMIT introduced a new program in civil and infrastructure engineering (1,2). This renewed program moved away from a traditional view of civil engineering based around design of new structures towards a whole of life view of infrastructure and the concomitant design challenges. In this new progr...

In late 2001, RMIT Engineering embarked on a project to renew all undergraduate programs as capability driven curricula. The Bachelor of Chemical Engineering was renewed in 2004 and a new first year introduced in 2005. New project-based learning courses have been introduced, one per semester, to develop the capabilities in engineering design, team-...

An urban water demand model at a water supply distribution zone level is developed. The model is based on a previous proposition that water use is made up of base use determined from winter consumption and as a function of day of the week, rainfall and temperature and of seasonal use assumed to be composed of the potential use that is dependent on...

As educators, we dream of highly motivated students who devour our courses with relish, and who are then able to competently apply what they have learned. Similarly, employers wish for highly motivated employees who will give 100% effort to their work. These are very similar requirements. In Australia, the Federal Government has offered $80M for ea...

Following a significant course review in civil engineering at Monash University, a fourth-year computing elective was introduced in 1995. The author developed the subject as a project-based one, the aim being to allow students to pursue their own computing interests. This paper describes how the subject was run, and documented the student responses...