Factors Influencing Students’ Acceptability of Mechatronics Engineering Course: Evidence from Mbeya University of Science and Technology, Tanzania

This study examined factors Influencing Students’ acceptability of Mechatronics Engineering Course. The study utilized the descriptive survey research design and quantitative research approach to address the research problem. A random sample of 138 respondents was drawn from the population of 260 students taking mechatronic engineering at Mbeya University of Science and Technology. Data was collected through a structured questionnaire. The statistical treatment of data was done through descriptive statistics in terms of mean scores. The study established that acceptability is influenced by both learning factors and employability factors. Mechatronic engineering program promotes students learning motivation due to its collaborative and interactive nature. Students’ learning motivation was highly influenced by the way the course focused on hand on skills, thus stimulating the learning environment. Based on the conclusions, it is recommended that to increase acceptability of the course among students, the program should be designed in such a way that it sharpens practical skills among students. This can be achieved by establishing mechatronic workshops which should be furnished with necessary equipment and facilities to allow students to acquire practical skills for self-employment. Finally, technical training colleges and higher learning institutions which offer mechatronic engineering programs should invest in supportive learning and teaching facilities. Availability of facilities is also necessary to cultivate learning motivation among students

Volume 2013 - Issue 1 - Winter, 2013

https://scholar.rose-hulman.edu/rose_echoes/1085/thumbnail.jp

Learning Software Quality Assurance with Bricks

Software Quality Assurance (SQA) and Software Process Improvement (SPI) are topics of crucial importance for software engineers; however, teaching them in a lecture room comes with several limitations due to lack of practical experience. With that in mind, we created KUALI-Brick, a LEGO(R)-based activity that brings SQA and SPI concepts together applying them in order to successfully build a LEGO city. This hands-on activity has been carried out in a fourth-year Software Engineering course at the University of Canterbury, with current results showing high levels of fun, increased engagement and an improved learning experience. We present a step-by-step guide to replicate the activity as well as lessons learned after conducting the activity for three consecutive years.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures, ICSE-JSEET 202

Volume 2013 - Issue 3 - Summer, 2013

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Development and Implementation of a WPI RoboEthics Symposium

With the advent, growth and development of the robotics industry also comes a varietyof ethical issues. The modern engineer needs to be aware of these issues and to beable to act accordingly. The purpose of this project is to create a sustainable forum fordiscussion of ethical topics surrounding the use of robotics in our modern world. Thisconference brings together students, professionals, and members of academia and iscalled the WPI RoboEthics Symposium. The event consists of lectures from prominentindustry professionals as well as debate sessions among participants. Documentationon the planning process for the event has been created to aid future WPI students in theplanning of subsequent WPI RoboEthics Symposia

Volume 2013 - Issue 2 - Spring, 2013

https://scholar.rose-hulman.edu/rose_echoes/1083/thumbnail.jp

Making Makers: Tracing STEM Identity in Rural Communities

In this article, we describe efforts to reduce barriers of entry to pre-college engineering in a rural community by training local teens to become maker-mentors and staff a mobile makerspace in their community. We bring a communities of practice frame to our inquiry, focusing on inbound and peripheral learning and identity trajectories as a mechanism for representing the maker-mentor experience. Through a longitudinal case study, we traced the individual trajectories of five maker-mentors over two years. We found a collection of interrelated factors present in those students who maintained inbound trajectories and those who remained on the periphery. Our research suggests that the maker-mentors who facilitated events in the community, taught younger community members about making, and co-facilitated with other maker-mentors were more likely to have inbound trajectories. We offer lessons learned from including a mentorship component in a pre-college maker program, an unusual design feature that afforded more opportunities to create inbound trajectories. A key affordance of the maker-mentor program was that it allowed teens to explore areas of making that were in line with their interests while still being a part of a larger community of practice. Understanding learning and identity trajectories will allow us to continually improve pre-college engineering programming and education opportunities that build on students’ funds of knowledge