Modularisation in Engineering Education

The present study is concerned with the modularization of courses in engineering education, in particular mathematics modules in/for physic education, at a Dutch university of technology. One of the project objectives is to develop and validate a framework to support teachers with their modular course design; another to provide supporting tools for students to navigate through a modularized system. This paper draws attention to the first stage of the project, which focuses on a state-of-the-art literature review regarding modularization. After a thorough literature review conducted in a systematic manner, with specific keywords, all relevant research papers were categorized under the following three dimensions: instructional activities and learning materials for modular courses; assessment procedure; and supporting systems needed within modular systems. According to the results from selected countries (e.g. UK, Ireland, Australia, Netherlands, and Germany), we have chosen to highlight those where modular system experiences were shared from the point of new instructional methods and learning materials created. Another group of articles were concerned with feedback mechanisms and assessment tools used in the modular courses. The last group concentrates on the ways how both students and instructors are supported in a modular system. This study reports on an overview of articles in terms of the three key criteria required to develop and validate a framework to support teachers at TU/e with their modular course design.</p

Issues Influencing Assessment Practices of Inter-Program Challenge-Based Learning (CBL) in Engineering Education: The Case of ISBEP At TU/e innovation Space

This paper reports on 11 issues influencing the assessment practices of ISBEP, an inter-program Challenge-Based Learning (CBL) project facilitated by TU/e innovation Space. To this end, we first identified four characteristics of inter-program CBL guided by the existing literature. Building on an exploratory, qualitative research study conducted over a period of seven months with students and coaches of the TU/e innovation Space Bachelor End Project (ISBEP), we identified the issues arising from those characteristics that had an influence on assessment. Our results and discussion are framed around the theory of constructive alignment, and suggest the need for more time to navigate a challenge; clarity on roles and expectations across the multiple stakeholders involved in the learning process; agreement on learning goals that foster the development of disciplinary knowledge and broad skills; and design and evaluation of assessment practices that are uniform across departments in the institution

Towards mobile-centered authentic, personalized and collaborative assignments in engineering education

The last decade has seen a significant rise in the use of mobiles devices, such as smartphones, tablets, or laptops in all areas of society. Professionally, engineers collaborate with partners all over the world and this is made possible by mobile technology. In tertiary education, students learn in different settings, in and out of campus, in the train or at a café. Researchers have identified new possibilities for teaching and learning, afforded by the use of mobile technologies (and termed 'mobile learning'; ML). They claim that ML may (1) facilitate learning, formally or informally, in a place, at a time, and in a way preferred by students, (2) help students to become engaged in tasks that resemble authentic tasks in the workplace, and (3) facilitate student cooperation and collaboration. In this paper we present the first results of an ongoing project which aims to design and evaluate - for different engineering disciplines - prototypical ML assignments. We report on the results of a survey carried out at a Dutch University on the current use of and attitudes towards ML from both the instructors' and the students' perspectives. The results show that in various faculties at the university ML initiatives have been introduced in education and that there is a basis to create further opportunities for active student learning. We also present an outlook on the next stage of the project: the design of prototypical student activities from the respective engineering disciplines of the project partners: Mathematics, Physics and Built-Environment.</p