9th Research in Engineering Education Symposium (REES 2021) and 32nd Australasian Association for Engineering Education Conference (REES AAEE 2021)
There is today a broad consensus that emotions influence all forms of teaching and learning, and ... more There is today a broad consensus that emotions influence all forms of teaching and learning, and scholarship on Emotions in Engineering Education (EEE) is an emerging and rapidly growing field. However, this nascent research is currently very dispersed and not well consolidated. There is also a lack of knowledge about the state of the art, strengths, and limitations of the existing literature in the field, gaps, and future avenues for research. PURPOSE We have conducted a scoping review of EEE research, aiming to provide a first overview of the EEE scholarship landscape. We report here on preliminary findings related to (1) the status of the field, (2) geographical representation of authors, and (3) emerging hot spots and blind spots in terms of research approaches, contexts, and topics. METHODS The scoping review is part of a larger, systematic review of the EEE literature. Using an inclusive search strategy, we retrieved 2,175 items mentioning emotions and engineering education, including common synonyms. Through abstract screening and full text sifting, we identified 184 items that significantly focus on engineering education and emotion. From these items, we extracted and synthesized basic quantitative and qualitative information on publication outlets, author origins, keywords, research approaches, and research contexts. PRELIMINARY RESULTS Surprised by the large number of EEE publications, we found that EEE is a rapidly expanding, but internationally dispersed field. Preliminary results also suggest a dominance of research on higher education, often exploring students' academic emotions or emotional competences. Research on emotional intelligence and anxiety is particularly common while studies focusing on cultural and sociological aspects of EEE are largely absent. CONCLUSIONS The EEE literature is expanding exponentially. However, the field is not well consolidated, and many blind spots remain to be explored in terms of research approaches, contexts, and foci. To accelerate the development of the field, we invite current and prospective EEE researchers to join our emerging, international community of EEE researchers.
We perform a systematic review of the literature on emotions in engineering education. The review... more We perform a systematic review of the literature on emotions in engineering education. The review is of the type meta-synthesis as described by Siddayway et al (2019) and aims to (1) provide an overview and critical appraisal of the existing literature on emotions in engineering education, and (2) outline directions for future research in this emerging field.
In: SEFI 47th Annual Conference: Varietas Delectat... Complexity is the New Normality, Proceedings. (pp. pp. 186-195). SEFI: Budapest, Hungary. (2019), 2019
International Journal of Gender, Science, and Technology, 2019
Engineering education is rapidly changing. The adoption of active learning in all its forms requi... more Engineering education is rapidly changing. The adoption of active learning in all its forms requires educators to keep abreast of the pedagogical changes whilst at the same time supporting staff and students in moving away from stereotypical behaviours and encouraging inclusive approaches to interactions in order to ensure an equitable education for all. As part of the design of a new integrated framework at UCL, the Integrated Engineering Programme (IEP), [i] the design team took steps to ensure that inclusion was considered at every stage, from the themes of group Challenges to consideration of design and professional skills. The intent was to help all students engage as widely as possible with the technical challenges and ensure that no group of students was adversely affected by any of the changes that would be introduced. The move to a more intensive team-based learning environment was considered a possible threat, in particular to women students. Specifically the design team d...
2018 3rd International Conference of the Portuguese Society for Engineering Education (CISPEE), 2018
Since the mid-1990s, master's level study has experienced massification in terms of participation... more Since the mid-1990s, master's level study has experienced massification in terms of participation in the UK. Although the Higher Education Academy undertakes valuable surveys examining the master's and research postgraduate student experience, they occur near the end of a student's study journey. Up until 2014, there had been limited research undertaken on the expectations of applicants and students entering this level of study. This led to independent bodies such as the Higher Education Commission commenting that "Postgraduate education is a forgotten part of the sector" [1]. The Postgraduate Experience Project funded by Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) for the first time explored the expectations of applicants and students in, through and out of study and those of employers recruiting master's graduates. This paper will report the key employability findings from this groundbreaking research of PGT applicants and students enrolled in engineering and engineering related disciplines, as well as employers. It will demonstrate how through understanding the perspectives of all stakeholders, employability expectations and future career prospects can be effectively managed and balanced.
Research looking at students’ perceptions of advantage and disadvantage in higher education (HE) ... more Research looking at students’ perceptions of advantage and disadvantage in higher education (HE) has focused on two main areas; student learning and perceptions of the academic environment and large scale statistics looking at participation, progression and attainment through the lens of certain demographic groups at undergraduate level. However, there is no research exploring whether the individual within a demographic group or those with a range of characteristics (e.g. socioeconomic, generational, disability) consciously or unconsciously perceive those characteristics as advantageous or disadvantageous. This paper reports the findings from a small-scale research project carried out at three UK universities in geographically different areas across STEM disciplines exploring this.
There has been a dramatic expansion in postgraduate taught study (PGT) in the UK in recent years,... more There has been a dramatic expansion in postgraduate taught study (PGT) in the UK in recent years, but this is now faltering, especially amongst UK domiciled students and those undertaking part-time study. As a result, sustaining the participation required to meet national skill needs as well as the PGT market in the UK has become a pressing challenge. Although there is a growing body of evidence looking at the postgraduate student experience, there is still a paucity of research exploring participation barriers, understanding students' and employers' expectations of PGT study, progression and retention, and post-study outcomes. With the recent changes in the UK higher education landscape, the aim of this multi-institutional and stakeholder project was to provide valuable contributions in understanding, shaping and helping to sustain the PGT sector, at both institutional and national level. This project has addressed many of the neglected research areas mentioned above. This ...
Gender issues in science education have been widely reported in the literature and linked to the ... more Gender issues in science education have been widely reported in the literature and linked to the underrepresentation of women in science careers, particularly in physics. Drawing on survey data from the European Commission funded project “MultiCO – Promoting youth scientific career awareness and its attractiveness through multi-stakeholder cooperation”, we analyse the English baseline findings of science interest, self-concept regarding science and career aspirations, prior to introducing scenario-based interventions aimed at raising interest in science and future science-related aspirations. The scenarios illustrate careers that use science skills. By examining the responses of 210 English students, it was found that girls are more interested in biology and less interested in physics than boys; and that their self-concept regarding science subjects is significantly lower. The findings also suggest that self-concept is an influencing factor for girls’ interest in science, but not fo...
Organizations that regulate civil engineering have been pressing for integration of 'global r... more Organizations that regulate civil engineering have been pressing for integration of 'global responsibility' into higher education curricula since around 2006, with a goal of achieving environmental sustainability and social justice. In an effort led by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE, 2007, 2009), a global vision for civil engineering was identified. Within the UK, the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) has been leading the way alongside non-governmental organizations (Bourn & Neal, 2008). Via the in-progress study reported here, a UK-based research team is now studying the effects of ACSE and ICE initiatives. The team seeks to benchmark how global responsibility is perceived and enacted in civil engineering in the UK today and how engineering graduates have learned about and experienced globally responsible decision-making. Findings will hold value for the global community, as achieving sustainability is crucial to humanity, and indeed all life on Earth.
The United Kingdom has a tradition of excellence in higher education and is recognised as an impo... more The United Kingdom has a tradition of excellence in higher education and is recognised as an important player in engineering education and research globally. With 20% of the engineering academic staff and 12% of the student body being European (based on official data related to 2017/2018), much has been anticipated about the likely consequences of Brexit, including the disruption of research collaborations and mobility of staff and students. Understanding the post-Brexit context is important for British higher education institutions, but Brexit also has implications for individuals' home countries, like Portugal, that have a history of sending graduates to the UK. The study reported here is part of a larger project funded by the Royal Academy of Engineering to explore, from the perspective of European students and academic staff, the impact of Brexit on the UK's engineering education sector. In this paper, we interrogate the perspectives of three Portuguese citizens engaged in engineering education in the UK-two women including one undergraduate student and one postgraduate student, and one man who serves as a lecturer. The transcripts of semi-structured Interviews were coded thematically to identify: (1) participants' motivations to come to study or work in engineering in the UK, (2) their experiences and future career plans, and (3) whether all of these were impacted by Brexit.The outcomes of the project will be relevant to predicting the future of engineering education, and estimating the impact Brexit wil have on mobility and research collaborations between the UK and European higher education institutions.
Contributions from Science Education Research, 2019
High achievers with low self-efficacy in science lack interest in choosing science studies and ca... more High achievers with low self-efficacy in science lack interest in choosing science studies and careers. Wide-ranging knowledge of specific working life skills in science-related careers can help students identify their own strengths in science. This improves their self-efficacy beliefs in science and further promotes interest in pursuing science studies and careers. The purpose of this paper is to examine lower secondary school students' knowledge of specific working life skills. The participants in this study were 215 British, 144 Finnish and 154 German students, aged 12-14 years. Using open-ended questions and content analysis, we examined students' perceptions of working life skills needed in science-related careers. The results reveal that the students have a great deal of knowledge about working life skills but it is often stereotypical. Students frequently mentioned sector-specific knowledge and personal attributes but skills related to career development, organisation, time and society skills were often omitted. Some variation exists between the countries. The British students linked careers in science with a great deal of thinking skills, whereas the Finnish students emphasised sector-specific knowledge. The German students described the careers more with personal attributes than in the other two countries. We conclude that the students need learning experiences including presentation of working life skills such as interacting with professionals and their real work life problems, open-ended inquiries, and balanced team working. These experiences increase students' awareness and perceived relevance of careers and working life skills, help identifying and promoting own strengths and selfefficacy, and encourage choosing science-related careers.
2021 4th International Conference of the Portuguese Society for Engineering Education (CISPEE), 2021
Over the last decade there has been a significant increase in doctoral students and researchers i... more Over the last decade there has been a significant increase in doctoral students and researchers in Engineering. Entry-level skills for these academic positions are often mostly technical and frequently associated with profiles that thrive in analytical and frequently solitary tasks in laboratorial environments. However, success in doctoral programs and research careers is highly dependent on competencies that are both intrapersonal (e.g. time management, self-regulation, emotional intelligence, resilience) and interpersonal (e.g. teamworking, communication, negotiation, etc). Since the recruitment of doctoral graduates has changed significantly due to the decrease in open positions in research and professorship at universities, the transition from academia to industry has been gaining more attention from the Engineering Education community. Despite this, many studies point out that the competencies developed in Portuguese doctoral programs do not motivate nor prepare PhD graduates for a career outside academia and also don't match industry requirements in terms of competencies needed to thrive in such environments. In response, assessment reports and policy papers have been highlighting the need to rethink doctoral programs curricula in order to prepare engineering graduates for their future careers both in academia and industry. The basis for this has been advocated in the development of a specific skill set of transversal competencies. With this study, we intended to identify the transversal skills clusters that result from engineering doctoral education literature, make engineering researchers and managers aware of the importance of transversal skills, identify potential gaps in the literature and avenues for future research. In order to have a broad overview of the transversal competencies of PhD candidates in engineering, a preliminary bibliometric analysis of 2756 papers published in the last two decades was conducted using VOSviewer. The results show evidence of literature clusters related to 1) necessary skills for successfully concluding the PhD program; 2) the shift from the academic world to the labor market; 3) interpersonal competencies. In the discussion of the results, the authors: 1) advocate the emergency for HEIs to develop institutional strategies that contemplate formal opportunities to develop transversal skills during the doctoral path and ensure employability prospects for PhD candidates; b) propose the use of a framework of competencies for PhD candidates in engineering that may orientate the implementation of such institutional strategies and also help candidates to transfer such skills to industry/business in the transition from academia to industry.
9th Research in Engineering Education Symposium (REES 2021) and 32nd Australasian Association for Engineering Education Conference (REES AAEE 2021)
There is today a broad consensus that emotions influence all forms of teaching and learning, and ... more There is today a broad consensus that emotions influence all forms of teaching and learning, and scholarship on Emotions in Engineering Education (EEE) is an emerging and rapidly growing field. However, this nascent research is currently very dispersed and not well consolidated. There is also a lack of knowledge about the state of the art, strengths, and limitations of the existing literature in the field, gaps, and future avenues for research. PURPOSE We have conducted a scoping review of EEE research, aiming to provide a first overview of the EEE scholarship landscape. We report here on preliminary findings related to (1) the status of the field, (2) geographical representation of authors, and (3) emerging hot spots and blind spots in terms of research approaches, contexts, and topics. METHODS The scoping review is part of a larger, systematic review of the EEE literature. Using an inclusive search strategy, we retrieved 2,175 items mentioning emotions and engineering education, including common synonyms. Through abstract screening and full text sifting, we identified 184 items that significantly focus on engineering education and emotion. From these items, we extracted and synthesized basic quantitative and qualitative information on publication outlets, author origins, keywords, research approaches, and research contexts. PRELIMINARY RESULTS Surprised by the large number of EEE publications, we found that EEE is a rapidly expanding, but internationally dispersed field. Preliminary results also suggest a dominance of research on higher education, often exploring students' academic emotions or emotional competences. Research on emotional intelligence and anxiety is particularly common while studies focusing on cultural and sociological aspects of EEE are largely absent. CONCLUSIONS The EEE literature is expanding exponentially. However, the field is not well consolidated, and many blind spots remain to be explored in terms of research approaches, contexts, and foci. To accelerate the development of the field, we invite current and prospective EEE researchers to join our emerging, international community of EEE researchers.
We perform a systematic review of the literature on emotions in engineering education. The review... more We perform a systematic review of the literature on emotions in engineering education. The review is of the type meta-synthesis as described by Siddayway et al (2019) and aims to (1) provide an overview and critical appraisal of the existing literature on emotions in engineering education, and (2) outline directions for future research in this emerging field.
In: SEFI 47th Annual Conference: Varietas Delectat... Complexity is the New Normality, Proceedings. (pp. pp. 186-195). SEFI: Budapest, Hungary. (2019), 2019
International Journal of Gender, Science, and Technology, 2019
Engineering education is rapidly changing. The adoption of active learning in all its forms requi... more Engineering education is rapidly changing. The adoption of active learning in all its forms requires educators to keep abreast of the pedagogical changes whilst at the same time supporting staff and students in moving away from stereotypical behaviours and encouraging inclusive approaches to interactions in order to ensure an equitable education for all. As part of the design of a new integrated framework at UCL, the Integrated Engineering Programme (IEP), [i] the design team took steps to ensure that inclusion was considered at every stage, from the themes of group Challenges to consideration of design and professional skills. The intent was to help all students engage as widely as possible with the technical challenges and ensure that no group of students was adversely affected by any of the changes that would be introduced. The move to a more intensive team-based learning environment was considered a possible threat, in particular to women students. Specifically the design team d...
2018 3rd International Conference of the Portuguese Society for Engineering Education (CISPEE), 2018
Since the mid-1990s, master's level study has experienced massification in terms of participation... more Since the mid-1990s, master's level study has experienced massification in terms of participation in the UK. Although the Higher Education Academy undertakes valuable surveys examining the master's and research postgraduate student experience, they occur near the end of a student's study journey. Up until 2014, there had been limited research undertaken on the expectations of applicants and students entering this level of study. This led to independent bodies such as the Higher Education Commission commenting that "Postgraduate education is a forgotten part of the sector" [1]. The Postgraduate Experience Project funded by Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) for the first time explored the expectations of applicants and students in, through and out of study and those of employers recruiting master's graduates. This paper will report the key employability findings from this groundbreaking research of PGT applicants and students enrolled in engineering and engineering related disciplines, as well as employers. It will demonstrate how through understanding the perspectives of all stakeholders, employability expectations and future career prospects can be effectively managed and balanced.
Research looking at students’ perceptions of advantage and disadvantage in higher education (HE) ... more Research looking at students’ perceptions of advantage and disadvantage in higher education (HE) has focused on two main areas; student learning and perceptions of the academic environment and large scale statistics looking at participation, progression and attainment through the lens of certain demographic groups at undergraduate level. However, there is no research exploring whether the individual within a demographic group or those with a range of characteristics (e.g. socioeconomic, generational, disability) consciously or unconsciously perceive those characteristics as advantageous or disadvantageous. This paper reports the findings from a small-scale research project carried out at three UK universities in geographically different areas across STEM disciplines exploring this.
There has been a dramatic expansion in postgraduate taught study (PGT) in the UK in recent years,... more There has been a dramatic expansion in postgraduate taught study (PGT) in the UK in recent years, but this is now faltering, especially amongst UK domiciled students and those undertaking part-time study. As a result, sustaining the participation required to meet national skill needs as well as the PGT market in the UK has become a pressing challenge. Although there is a growing body of evidence looking at the postgraduate student experience, there is still a paucity of research exploring participation barriers, understanding students' and employers' expectations of PGT study, progression and retention, and post-study outcomes. With the recent changes in the UK higher education landscape, the aim of this multi-institutional and stakeholder project was to provide valuable contributions in understanding, shaping and helping to sustain the PGT sector, at both institutional and national level. This project has addressed many of the neglected research areas mentioned above. This ...
Gender issues in science education have been widely reported in the literature and linked to the ... more Gender issues in science education have been widely reported in the literature and linked to the underrepresentation of women in science careers, particularly in physics. Drawing on survey data from the European Commission funded project “MultiCO – Promoting youth scientific career awareness and its attractiveness through multi-stakeholder cooperation”, we analyse the English baseline findings of science interest, self-concept regarding science and career aspirations, prior to introducing scenario-based interventions aimed at raising interest in science and future science-related aspirations. The scenarios illustrate careers that use science skills. By examining the responses of 210 English students, it was found that girls are more interested in biology and less interested in physics than boys; and that their self-concept regarding science subjects is significantly lower. The findings also suggest that self-concept is an influencing factor for girls’ interest in science, but not fo...
Organizations that regulate civil engineering have been pressing for integration of 'global r... more Organizations that regulate civil engineering have been pressing for integration of 'global responsibility' into higher education curricula since around 2006, with a goal of achieving environmental sustainability and social justice. In an effort led by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE, 2007, 2009), a global vision for civil engineering was identified. Within the UK, the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) has been leading the way alongside non-governmental organizations (Bourn & Neal, 2008). Via the in-progress study reported here, a UK-based research team is now studying the effects of ACSE and ICE initiatives. The team seeks to benchmark how global responsibility is perceived and enacted in civil engineering in the UK today and how engineering graduates have learned about and experienced globally responsible decision-making. Findings will hold value for the global community, as achieving sustainability is crucial to humanity, and indeed all life on Earth.
The United Kingdom has a tradition of excellence in higher education and is recognised as an impo... more The United Kingdom has a tradition of excellence in higher education and is recognised as an important player in engineering education and research globally. With 20% of the engineering academic staff and 12% of the student body being European (based on official data related to 2017/2018), much has been anticipated about the likely consequences of Brexit, including the disruption of research collaborations and mobility of staff and students. Understanding the post-Brexit context is important for British higher education institutions, but Brexit also has implications for individuals' home countries, like Portugal, that have a history of sending graduates to the UK. The study reported here is part of a larger project funded by the Royal Academy of Engineering to explore, from the perspective of European students and academic staff, the impact of Brexit on the UK's engineering education sector. In this paper, we interrogate the perspectives of three Portuguese citizens engaged in engineering education in the UK-two women including one undergraduate student and one postgraduate student, and one man who serves as a lecturer. The transcripts of semi-structured Interviews were coded thematically to identify: (1) participants' motivations to come to study or work in engineering in the UK, (2) their experiences and future career plans, and (3) whether all of these were impacted by Brexit.The outcomes of the project will be relevant to predicting the future of engineering education, and estimating the impact Brexit wil have on mobility and research collaborations between the UK and European higher education institutions.
Contributions from Science Education Research, 2019
High achievers with low self-efficacy in science lack interest in choosing science studies and ca... more High achievers with low self-efficacy in science lack interest in choosing science studies and careers. Wide-ranging knowledge of specific working life skills in science-related careers can help students identify their own strengths in science. This improves their self-efficacy beliefs in science and further promotes interest in pursuing science studies and careers. The purpose of this paper is to examine lower secondary school students' knowledge of specific working life skills. The participants in this study were 215 British, 144 Finnish and 154 German students, aged 12-14 years. Using open-ended questions and content analysis, we examined students' perceptions of working life skills needed in science-related careers. The results reveal that the students have a great deal of knowledge about working life skills but it is often stereotypical. Students frequently mentioned sector-specific knowledge and personal attributes but skills related to career development, organisation, time and society skills were often omitted. Some variation exists between the countries. The British students linked careers in science with a great deal of thinking skills, whereas the Finnish students emphasised sector-specific knowledge. The German students described the careers more with personal attributes than in the other two countries. We conclude that the students need learning experiences including presentation of working life skills such as interacting with professionals and their real work life problems, open-ended inquiries, and balanced team working. These experiences increase students' awareness and perceived relevance of careers and working life skills, help identifying and promoting own strengths and selfefficacy, and encourage choosing science-related careers.
2021 4th International Conference of the Portuguese Society for Engineering Education (CISPEE), 2021
Over the last decade there has been a significant increase in doctoral students and researchers i... more Over the last decade there has been a significant increase in doctoral students and researchers in Engineering. Entry-level skills for these academic positions are often mostly technical and frequently associated with profiles that thrive in analytical and frequently solitary tasks in laboratorial environments. However, success in doctoral programs and research careers is highly dependent on competencies that are both intrapersonal (e.g. time management, self-regulation, emotional intelligence, resilience) and interpersonal (e.g. teamworking, communication, negotiation, etc). Since the recruitment of doctoral graduates has changed significantly due to the decrease in open positions in research and professorship at universities, the transition from academia to industry has been gaining more attention from the Engineering Education community. Despite this, many studies point out that the competencies developed in Portuguese doctoral programs do not motivate nor prepare PhD graduates for a career outside academia and also don't match industry requirements in terms of competencies needed to thrive in such environments. In response, assessment reports and policy papers have been highlighting the need to rethink doctoral programs curricula in order to prepare engineering graduates for their future careers both in academia and industry. The basis for this has been advocated in the development of a specific skill set of transversal competencies. With this study, we intended to identify the transversal skills clusters that result from engineering doctoral education literature, make engineering researchers and managers aware of the importance of transversal skills, identify potential gaps in the literature and avenues for future research. In order to have a broad overview of the transversal competencies of PhD candidates in engineering, a preliminary bibliometric analysis of 2756 papers published in the last two decades was conducted using VOSviewer. The results show evidence of literature clusters related to 1) necessary skills for successfully concluding the PhD program; 2) the shift from the academic world to the labor market; 3) interpersonal competencies. In the discussion of the results, the authors: 1) advocate the emergency for HEIs to develop institutional strategies that contemplate formal opportunities to develop transversal skills during the doctoral path and ensure employability prospects for PhD candidates; b) propose the use of a framework of competencies for PhD candidates in engineering that may orientate the implementation of such institutional strategies and also help candidates to transfer such skills to industry/business in the transition from academia to industry.
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