Contribution: This article presents an engineering outreach activity that aims to teach K-12 students how to develop a tendon-based soft robotic finger. The primary objectives of this STEM activity are to introduce students to the fundamentals of soft robotics, its interdisciplinary nature, and to offer them a hands-on and engaging learning…

Purpose: The presented study was conducted to unpack high school students' motivational influences in engineering/computer science project-based learning (PjBL), using the attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction (ARCS) model of motivation as a conceptual framework. Methods: A qualitative research approach was used with student focus…

Contributions: This article provides valuable insights into the varying approaches of engineering students in their understanding and application of project-based learning (PBL) and its relationship with student success. The findings can be used to improve the design and implementation of effective learning environments, evaluate the effectiveness…

Contribution: This article contributes to the literature surrounding first-year engineering students' academic well-being by proposing a conceptual framework guiding an understanding of supportive sources that foster students' academic well-being. A survey was designed and tested accordingly, and four factors that contribute to students' academic…

Contribution: This article describes efforts to improve the teaching and learning process for the digital system design course using active learning (AL) approaches in the classroom and a parallel hands-on project designed based on constructive alignment (CA). Background: The digital systems design course is an important part of Undergraduate…

Contribution: The proposed operational model offers a detailed framework for understanding the complexities of design thinking. It helps instructors evaluate each stage, promoting the development of high-quality designs. This model emphasizes the link between the various stages and the final design quality, steering students toward achieving…

Contribution: The study characterizes aspects of cognitive and metacognitive dimensions of team cognition of software development teams in educational settings. Background: The software development industry requires software engineers and developers to work in teams; for this, there is substantial research on teamwork in the context of the…

Contribution: Impact assessment of the practice-oriented course for high school students on their later academic achievements, described in the context of long-term efforts to improve electronic engineering studies' quality. The article highlights the importance of outreach and extracurricular activities and cooperation with the IEEE in these…

Contribution: The experiences of three students in a co-curricular project-based design experience are explored. The objective is to characterize authentic and inauthentic (performative) forms of engagement and its potential impact on learning within an authentic experience. We consider these cases in supporting an argument for extensive…

Contribution: This study identifies the skills required by the faculty to mentor first-year interdisciplinary design projects. The findings are compiled as a set of themes that can act as a guide for engineering educators in mentoring interdisciplinary design projects. Background: The National Academy of Engineering's (NAE) Engineer of 2020 report…

Contribution: Project-based learning is a widely used learning approach that has proven itself effective in engineering education. This article describes a generalized model to teach undergraduate students the concepts of dc electric motors using project-based learning through a complete module that consists of modeling and simulation, and…

Contribution: This article shares the learning ecosystem of a project-based safety-critical systems (SCS) course, identifying course contents that support self-directed learning and how assignments develop students' knowledge and understanding toward meeting the demand of industries. Background: The syllabus for undergraduate and postgraduate…

Contribution: This paper qualitative research delineates the thinking and behavioral patterns that reflect students' advanced level of epistemological thinking in project-based learning (PBL) activities and the associated impact factors. Background: PBL has been widely adopted in engineering education for its effectiveness in improving students'…

Continuous developments in the electronics industry have led to constantly changing career roles and graduate skills requirements. Students in the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC) have complained that numerous courses in electronic engineering are heavily focused on theoretical knowledge that is disconnected from…

Contribution: Insights are provided into the intended role of integrative courses that aim to connect technical and professional capabilities and, particularly, the appropriate stage within a program for different levels of integrative capability. Background: The need for Engineering graduates who can balance technical competence with professional…