Sustained improvements in teaching and learning in engineering education
Status
Completed: 17 February 2013
Project Details
An 18-month project to bring together engineering education leaders from New Zealand engineering degree-granting institutions to scope and develop a strategy to support sustained improvements in engineering teaching and learning. A collaboration of University of Waikato, University of Auckland, Manukau Institute of Technology and Otago Polytechnic.
Aims:
The project’s aims were to:
- draw on the collective knowledge of engineering education leaders to construct a strategy to support sustained improvements in engineering teaching and learning
- support the sharing of best practice in engineering education, including curriculum design, teaching delivery, student assessment, evaluation, quality control, and teaching resources
- access and disseminate findings from recent and current engineering education projects in the context of relevant global education developments
- develop projects to meet emerging needs in the New Zealand context by identifying potential areas of collaborative research and potential educational leaders and partners.
Methodology:
The principal activity of this project will be the establishment of a New Zealand Engineering Education Leaders forum, which will act as a medium for the dissemination of key findings and knowledge from engineering education projects and initiatives. A series of related activities will also take place, designed to scaffold and support the sharing of resources relating to good practice in engineering education in New Zealand.
Team
Professor Janis Swan
Project Leader
University of Waikato
Dr Elizabeth Godfrey
University of Waikato
Dr Rob Torrens
University of Waikato
Dr Gerard Rowe
The University of Auckland
Neel Pandey
Manukau Institute of Technology
John Findlay
Otago PolytechnicStatus
Funding
$27,500.00 (excl GST)
Key Findings
- The project identified that there was a community of practice of over 80 engineering academics. The project activities and resulting networking stimulated and contributed to a wide range of current investigations, innovative pedagogical interventions and opportunities for inter-institutional collaboration, which will undoubtedly optimise the quality of teaching and learning offered in our institutions.
- The development of a proactive support strategy and recommendations to sustain and optimise the quality of teaching and learning in engineering degree programmes in New Zealand. This strategy includes holding an annual forum of engineering education leaders and researchers, which would allow face-to-face sharing of experience and best practice, help establish personal connections, and maintain regular but not invasive (predominantly virtual) engagement with the community. These activities would enable dissemination of information, research, conference opportunities, and access to project funding.
Key Recommendations
The following recommendations are intended to support the sustainability of the community of practice for engineering education leaders:
Annual forum | Holding an annual forum, with a keynote speaker and New Zealand speakers, to provide updates on innovations, and best practice in curriculum design, delivery and assessment.
Funding AAEE Champion | Each Engineering Dean commits to funding the AAEE Champion or Associate Dean Teaching and Learning equivalent to attend the AAEE conference and associated ADTL meeting each year.
Attending AAEE conference | Each Engineering Dean commits to allocating funding to support the attendance at the AAEE annual conference each year of those staff member(s) who have had a peer-reviewed paper accepted into the conference.
Maintenance of project initiatives and resources | The New Zealand Council of Engineering Deans, in conjunction with AAEE, IPENZ and Ako Aotearoa, consider sponsorship and/or funding of a person (or persons) to maintain the initiatives and resources emanating from this project.
Dissemination of exemplars of innovation in curriculum delivery and design | Members of the engineering education community are encouraged to disseminate exemplars of innovation in curriculum delivery and design.
A research report prepared by Janis Swan and Elizabeth Godfrey.
- 17 February 2013