Engineering students often conduct information searches without sufficient consideration of the context of their research topic. This article discusses how development of a new information literacy (IL) mindset through instruction in integrated IL education affects students' understanding of research problems and formulation of information search…

Challenges for students who are "first-in-family" to attend university have been discussed within widening participation discourse. However, in the UK, "first-in-family" or first-generation students have frequently been conflated with those experiencing poverty or from lower socio-economic groups. This research integrated…

Young women do not choose to be engineers nearly as often as young men, and they tend to cluster in particular specialties when they do. We examine these patterns and the role of gender schemas as applied to perceptions of typical engineers in understanding the choices that women make in terms of engineering specialties. We use Part 1 of two waves…

Although lexical bundles (LBs) have attracted considerable attention in applied linguistics, their variation by discipline is an under-researched area, particularly with regard to Master's dissertations. This paper explores the frequency, structure, and function of four-word bundles used in Electrical and Electronic Engineering Master's…

This profile describes the AIChE Concept Warehouse (CW) website, a community developed, web-based tool to decrease instructional barriers and to help faculty implement concept-based active learning in class. The CW provides three distinct but complementary functions: (a) a content repository, (b) an audience response system and learning management…

Understanding problems or tasks is a critical step in any problem-solving activity and the heart of self-regulated learning. When encountering a problem, students draw upon information available in the environment, along with knowledge, concepts, and perceptions derived from prior learning experiences, to interpret the demands of the task.…

The aim of this paper is to analyze what generic competencies at the "Universitat Politécnica de Catalunya" (UPC BarcelonaTech) are most evaluated by the teaching staff belonging to the first curricular block of industrial engineering degree courses at the Barcelona "Escola Universitaria d'Enginyeria Técnica Industrial," and…

Adult learners have unique educational needs that require attention from Higher Education Institutions, facilitators and industry. While several theories and policies have been developed to address the bourgeoning educational challenges confronting adult learners in Higher Education Institutions, not much has been achieved in the wake of growing…

In 2010, the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS) founded the Sabah Al Ahmad Center for Giftedness and Creativity (SACGC). The Center supports Kuwait's Strategic Development Plan and the country's commitment to nurture gifted and talented youth. The Center also supports the work of talented adult inventors and entrepreneurs by…

Background: This article seeks to examine factors that shape Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) engineering students' understanding of their future career choices. Moreover, given the promising and ambitious vision for growth in both TVET and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), as envisaged by the policy framework, White Paper on…

Although solving an engineering design project problem with limited resources or structural capabilities of materials can be part of the challenge, students making their own parts can support creativity. The authors of this article found an exciting solution: 3D printers are not only one of several tools for making but also facilitate a creative…

This paper gives a focussed summary of good practice taken primarily from engineers who are responsible for teaching topics related to systems and control. This engineering specialisation allows the paper to give some degree of focus in the discussions around laboratories, software and assessment, although naturally many of the conclusions are…

The release of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) (NGSS Lead States, 2013a) raised concerns regarding elementary school science educators' preparation to adequately teach engineering practices using potentially hazardous engineering tools and materials (Love, 2014, 2015b; NSTA, 2016; Roy, 2012, 2013, 2014a, 2014b, 2015). This study…

Background: Increasing human resources in engineering is a key concern for the United States. While some research has considered pathways to doctoral study, there is no clear empirical evidence on the role of undergraduate experiences in motivating engineers to continue to graduate school, both in engineering programs and more broadly.…

Background: Numerous studies have identified a gap between the writing skills of engineering program graduates and the demands of writing in the workplace; however, few studies have analyzed the writing of practitioners and students to better understand that gap and inform teaching materials. Purpose: This study sought to compare word-level,…