Professional Formation of Engineers: Enhancing the First Year Student Experience

This paper reports on a study investigating engineering students’ perceptions of engineering practice and whether engineering students’ cognitive engagement benefits from bridging the gap between the technical issues in their education and the practical realities of modern engineering practice

The Role of Mathematics in Engineering Practice and in the Formation of Engineers

This research investigated the role of mathematics in engineering practice and whether there is a relationship between students’ experiences with school mathematics and their choice of engineering as a career. The study was inspired by the observation that there is a lacuna in the scholarly literature concerning the nature of mathematics’ role, if any, as a significant cause of the declining number of students entering professional engineering courses. Additionally there is currently no broad picture of the mathematical expertise required or used by practising engineers. The population of interest in this study comprises professional engineers practising in Ireland. A sequential explanatory mixed methods design, where the subsequent collection and analysis of interview data builds on the survey findings, is employed. Engineers’ use of mathematics is considered in three parts: curriculum mathematics, mathematical thinking, and engaging with mathematics. Curriculum mathematics usage is measured by a derivation of de Lange’s mathematics assessment pyramid and with reference to three dimensions: mathematics domain, usage type, and academic level. Thinking usage relates to mathematical modes of thinking. Engaging usage is the motivation to take a mathematical approach. Engineers’ experiences of school mathematics, factors that contributed to their engagement with school mathematics and the impact of their feelings about mathematics on their choice of engineering careers are investigated. The findings show that (i) engineers’ feelings about mathematics are a major influence on their choice of engineering as a career; (ii) teachers, affective factors and sociocultural influences are the main contributors to engineers’ interest in and learning of mathematics; (iii) while almost two thirds of engineers use high level curriculum mathematics in engineering practice, mathematical thinking has a greater relevance to engineers’ work compared to curriculum mathematics; (iv) professional engineers’ curriculum mathematics usage is dependent on the interaction of engineering discipline and role and their mathematical thinking usage is independent of discipline and role; (v) engineers show high affective engagement with mathematics and their usage of mathematics in engineering practice is influenced by the value given to mathematics within their organisation; and (vi) the focus on “objective” solutions at the expense of tacit knowledge in mathematics education reduces the value of mathematics in engineering practice

Putting Mathematics “Into a Form That a Non-Engineer Will Understand

This paper discusses the finding that practicing engineers are challenged by putting mathematics “into a form that a non-engineer will understand”

Mathematical Self-Efficacy: Addressing the Declining Interest in Engineering Careers

This paper presents the findings of a study investigating whether there is a relationship between students’ experiences with school mathematics and their choice of engineering as a career. The study was inspired by the observation that there is a lacuna in the scholarly literature concerning the nature of mathematics’ role, if any, as a significant cause of the declining number of students entering professional engineering courses. The population of interest in this study comprises professional engineers practising in Ireland. Engineers’ experiences of school mathematics, factors that contributed to their engagement with school mathematics and the impact of their feelings about mathematics on their choice of engineering careers are investigate

Bridging the Gap Between Engineering Workforce Needs and Student Engagement

This paper is inspired by the development of the proposed new technological university in Dublin; TU4Dublin is to become “Dublin’s Globally Engaged University” and is to be located at the nexus between learning and engagement (TU4Dublin, 2015). This study investigates engineering education in the context of career focused education. The main objective of this study is to investigate whether engineering students’ cognitive engagement benefits from bridging the gap between technical issues and the practical realities of modern engineering practice. A portfolio of engineering practice illustrating the practical realities of modern engineering practice in the context of Engineers Ireland’s competencies is developed and presented to first year electronic engineering students at the Institute of Technology Tallaght Dublin (ITTD). A mixed methods approach is used to evaluate the impact of the portfolio usage on first year electronic engineering students’ learning engagement. The results show that heightened interest in professional practice increases students’ value of engineering education and consequently students demonstrate greater cognitive engagement. It is concluded that incorporating real life engineering experiences into the first year engineering education experience greatly enhances it

Mathematics: Creating Value for Engineering Students

While students’ attainment in mathematics and their attitudes about mathematics are strongly inter-related, value is an important concept in mathematics education. It is arguable that lecturers, especially in engineering faculties, know little about the relationships students form with mathematics; for example what value do engineering students place on mathematics learning? Mathematics is often perceived as a difficult subject and it is associated with certainty and with being able to get the right answer. However the narrowness of the assessment process overshadows predictors of achievement behaviour: expectancy (am I able to do the task?) and value (why should I do the task?). At the same time lecturers are tasked with mathematically preparing students for an increasingly technological world, however for many students, the nature of a career involving mathematics is not at all clear. A significant difference between engineering education and practice is the social aspect of work compared to education. In particular engineers’ difficulty communicating mathematics is a significant weakness of engineering education. While engineering mathematics curricula often prescribe a fixed body of mathematical knowledge, this study takes a different approach; second year engineering students are additionally required to investigate and document an aspect of mathematics used in engineering practice. A qualitative approach is used to evaluate the impact students’ investigations have on their mathematics learning and whether this approach creates greater value for students compared to curriculum mathematics learning. This paper contains an account of students’ engagement with and their emotional responses to their investigations of professional engineers’ mathematics usage

Investigating Engineering Practice is Valuable for Mathematics Learning

While engineering mathematics curricula often prescribe a fixed body of mathematical knowledge, this study takes a different approach; second-year engineering students are additionally required to investigate and document an aspect of mathematics used in engineering practice. A qualitative approach is used to evaluate the impact that students’ investigations have on their mathematics learning and whether this approach creates greater value for students compared to curriculum mathematics learning. This article contains an account of students’ engagement with and their emotional responses to their investigations of professional engineers’mathematics usage.The study illustrates the positive changes in students’ mathematics attitudes arising from their insights into engineering practice. Students have acquired a sense of wanting to learn mathematics: they now see themselves as learners preparing for their future careers. This study also introduces students to the concept of communicating mathematics

Enhancing Student Learning By Narrowing The Gap Between Feedback Giving And Feedback Receiving

Feedback is one of the most powerful influences on learning and achievement. However the mere provision of feedback to students does not necessarily lead to improved learning. Feedback is ineffective if it does not close the gap between learning goals and students’ performance. Often students do not have clear goals and they do not know what learning activities will improve their learning performance. Consequently the opportunity to learn from the feedback is lost. Learning is a social process and while young people have increasingly strong social needs they struggle with academic language. This study investigates the influence of lecturers’ feedback on students’ learning and whether first year electronic engineering students at the Institute of Technology Tallaght Dublin (ITTD) benefit from a peer evaluation environment where students are enabled to detect and communicate quality criteria for specific coursework. A qualitative approach is used to capture students’ views. The results show that the opportunity to learn from lecturer feedback is not fully utilised. Instead learning is best achieved interactively and in a non-threatening environment. Students willingly engage in both giving and receiving feedback and clarifying misunderstandings and they show improved motivation. Engagement in a guided peer feedback environment additionally improves self-regulation, critical thinking skills and communications

Engineering Students’ Perceptions of their Preparation for Engineering Practice

A common theme in the scholarly literature describing engineering is associated with the conception of the term global engineer where the role of the engineer has become quite broad. This study investigates engineering students’ perceptions of their future careers and their preparation for professional practice. This is important information for engineering educators as students with heightened interest in professional practice demonstrate more cognitive engagement. Additionally many graduate engineers are challenged by the transition into engineering practice. A mixed methods approach is employed. The degree competencies are required and learned by electronic engineering students, at the Institute of Technology Tallaght Dublin, is investigated statistically. Students’ perceptions of their future careers are explored qualitatively. The results show that students’ learning is based solely on the academic viewpoint. Gaps between competencies required for engineering practice and competencies learned are identified. It is concluded that there is a need to make professional engineering clearer

The Role of Mathematics In Engineering Practice and in the Formation of Engineers

I n Ireland, the number of school leavers pursuing professional engineering careers has been declining almost continuously over twenty years. Students wishing to pursue professional engineering degree courses are required to demonstrate proficiency in secondary school mathematics at the higher level. Yet, only a 16% minority of secondary school mathematics students in Ireland takes the Leaving Certificate mathematics exam at the higher level. It is widely thought that mathematics is the “key academic hurdle” in producing a supply of engineering graduates