In this paper we explore an alternative way of characterising the student learning experience, drawing on sociocultural perspectives on learning. Here, learning is not merely the application of an approach to a cognitive task, but a social process of identity formation. In particular, we draw on Gee's concept of Discourse models to identify the…

Several time-use studies in engineering education have shown that students use less time studying than has been allocated in the curricula. It is questionable whether a scarce use of time can lead to deeper understanding and the ability to apply knowledge in problem-solving. The alarming results from earlier time-use studies led to a search for…

This research examines the effects of the Horsham Greenpower Goblin Challenge (HGGC), a hands-on science, engineering and technology (SET) project, on the attitudes of Year 5, primary-school children towards SET. The data collection centred on pre- and post-HGGC questionnaires using Likert scales and picture/word images of scientists and…

Lifecycle assessment (LCA) is a valuable tool in teaching green engineering and has been used to assess biofuels, including ethanol. An undergraduate engineering course at Duke University has integrated LCA with other interactive teaching techniques to enhance awareness and to inform engineering decision making related to societal issues, such as…

Problem Based Learning (PBL) has proven to be a highly successful pedagogical model in many educational fields, although it is comparatively uncommon in technical education. It goes beyond the typical teaching methodology by promoting student interaction. This paper presents a PBL trial applied to an undergraduate Digital Electronics course in the…

House Democrats recently unveiled draft legislation for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Widely touted as an economic stimulus package, the $825 billion draft legislation included as much as $142 billion for education. This includes the creation of a $79 billion State Fiscal Stabilization Fund to assist state governments in…

The influx of international graduate students in science and engineering to the U.S. has changed since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The implementation of the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) and related F-1 visa policies have required a higher level of scrutiny of the student visa procedures, and introduced…

In recent years, an increasing number of university students in Canada speak a home language other than English, which can put added pressure on the kinds of linguistic, cultural, and academic support they may require in their tertiary education and in the workplace. Indeed, communication difficulties can surface in the workplace for students…

Based on the efforts to infuse engineering practices within the technology education curriculum it is appropriate to now investigate how technology education teachers are assessing engineering design activities within their classrooms. This descriptive study drew a full sample of high school technology teachers from the current International…

The National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) was commissioned by the Royal Society to complete a study exploring the potential of a Fellowship programme for early- to mid-career education researchers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). The study was set within the broader context of increasing capacity in STEM…

Understanding and promoting effective teaching are central concerns of the engineering education community. This paper reports on research to investigate the processes by which construction of teaching portfolios in a socially supportive context can promote the advancement of teaching knowledge and ability. By characterizing how a specific…

The United States, as well as the rest of the world, will face critical civil, environmental, energy, communication, manufacturing, and health-care challenges in the coming decades, and more scientists and engineers will be needed to address those problems. The number of jobs in the U.S. labor force requiring science and engineering skills, in…

This article describes a workshop, supported by the National Academy of Sciences and the National Institute of Health, that examines the current state of research about interventions that could significantly influence the participation of underrepresented minorities in pursuing research careers in the biomedical and behavioral sciences and other…

Teaching and research are actively linked together, one informing and energizing the other. This strong interaction between the two encourages faculty members to inspire, motivate, energize, stimulate, and promote their students towards the real goals of student education. Due to the need for education process improvements and budget constraints,…

As information professionals, engineering librarians have the primary responsibilities of providing access to engineering information resources and giving instruction in how to use these resources. In the case of undergraduate engineering students, this extends to building their information literacy skills, an important component in helping them…