Today's global challenges are characterised by rapid change. Adjusting to these changes, requires professionals to learn at pace, then rapidly adapt how they work. To support this need, professional development programmes have been designed as Massive Open Online Courses aimed at universal reach, large numbers, and knowledge transfer. However,…

Many authentic BME projects require system integration. This year, before the start of the open-ended Capstone projects, three connected modules were used as an initiative to practice systems integration and thus promote readiness. To this aim, a Do-It-Yourself spectrophotometer/colorimeter was used as the interconnecting theme. In the first two…

Microlearning, as an informal learning approach, has gained increasing popularity in both the training industry and professional studies disciplines over the last several years. However, despite the rising interest in microlearning, how to design microlearning activities and what microcontent is reasonable for microlearning activities have rarely…

Extreme-user experiences refer to experiences that simulate the extremes of user abilities like reduced or no visual attention or auditory attention. Inspired by the needs experienced by the users who experience physical or cognitive challenges, extreme-user perspectives can make designers understand their designs from an inclusive design…

Using data from a learning module embedded in all first-year seminars, researchers found evidence suggesting that librarians are uniquely qualified to deliver information literacy instruction compared to campus faculty. The study analyzes writing assignments from first-year modules taught by either librarians or campus faculty for two academic…

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) has been at the center of a national conversation around the necessity to strengthen the STEM workforce starting with STEM education in K-12 schools. "The Next Generation Science Standards" (NGSS Lead States 2013) incorporate a prominent engineering component in both disciplinary…

Engineering students need to spend time engaging in mathematical modeling tasks to reinforce their learning of mathematics through its application to authentic problems and real world design situations. Technological tools and resources can support this kind of learning engagement. We produced an online module that develops students' mathematical…

Design education is in need of a wider restructuring to accommodate new developments and paradigmatic shifts brought forth by the information age, all of which capitalise a move towards complexity theory, systems science and digital technologies. The intention of this article is to approach one particular aspect of this need: that is, how basic…

Project-based learning (PjBL) has been increasingly used to connect abstract knowledge and authentic tasks in educational practice, including computer programming education. Despite its promising effects on improving learning in multiple aspects, PjBL remains a struggle due to its complexity. Completing an authentic programming project involves a…

Considering the increasing demand for microlearning in informal learning spaces, the main purpose of this research is to examine the design of microlearning perceived by adult learners and experts in Korea. The research questions include: (1) what modality and content length do adult learners perceive to be relevant for microlearning? (2) what…

Locally or individually, STEM programs provide additional opportunities to engage K-12 students, including those from marginalized groups, with the support of STEM outreach organizations through the co-construction and implementation of STEM activities during school, out of school, at home, and in the community. Research suggests that…

To incorporate active and collaborative teaching methods early in our curriculum, we have developed a freshman design laboratory. The course introduces numerous core concepts and lab skills, by way of seven teaching modules, including spectrometer construction and a collaborative project with seniors. Survey data show students enjoyed and learned…

Using a students' workshop as a laboratory, this article summarises the observation of three years' implementation of a new study module for a Bachelor Program in Engineering Design (Interior and Furniture Design) at the University of Forestry, Sofia, Bulgaria. The article offers an analysis of group dynamics and the difficulties and issues…

Faculty at Rice University are creating instructional resources to support teaching first-year engineering design using a flipped classroom model. This implementation of flipped pedagogy is unusual because content-driven, lecture courses are usually targeted for flipping, not project-based design courses that already incorporate an abundance of…

This paper presents a series of course modules developed as a high-impact and cost-effective learning tool for modeling and simulating the microfabrication process and design of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices using three-dimensional (3-D) printing. Microfabrication technology is an established fabrication technique for small and…