Student Attitudes to Engagement –

a case study of engineering programmes

Margaret Morgan and Pearse O’Gorman School of Engineering

Clean Technology

Biomedical Engineering

Electronic Engineering

Mechatronic Engineering

Engineering Management

Mechanical Engineering

Sports Technology

Technology with Design

Main programmes: MEng\BEng Hons

BSc Hons

• HESA: mechanical/production /manufacturing engineering

~ 33% of student numbers

834 FTEs

School of Engineering

Rationale

How we might engage our students more effectively?

Engagement

retention

NSS results

Approach

(1) Heller, R et al, Student and Faculty Perceptions of Engagement in Engineering, Journal of Engineering Education, 2010(2) Bjorkland, S.,and Fortenberry, N., Measuring Faculty and Student Engagement in Engineering Education, CASEE Report 5902001-20050705

Investigate what could be done improve ‘engagement’

Questionnaire – closed and free response

Heller1 and CASEE2

All years were surveyed – response rate 51%

Student Focus groups

First Second Final All years.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

Yes No

Students’ familiarity with the term ‘engagement’

Survey Results

Lecturer views on a fully engaged student

• attend all timetabled classes, prepared, on time and contribute enthusiastically in class discussion.

• occupy themselves with purposeful activities when they are not in class.

• devote at least 35 hrs per week to their studies inclusive of class contact time.

Students’ perception of their participation levels

85% considered that they participated fully in their studies

65% believed that attending alltimetabled classes is important

Typical class contact (hours): 18 – First Year

18 – Second Year

15 – Final Year

How many hours do students spend on their studies outside timetabled classes?

1.00 2.00 3.00 4.001.00

2.00

3.00

4.00

Benefit

En

joy

me

nt

Large lecture

Perceived benefit and enjoyment

Engineering AssignmentsSmall lecture

Oral Presentations

Tutorial

Laboratory/Workshop

Team projects

Management assignments

Enjoyable (fun) activities tend to improve participation

Easy to learn situations/activities

Free responses were categorised into five main areas:

• Relating theory to professional practice• Lecturer attributes• Programme organisation• Team working• e-Learning opportunities

Three things that SEng should do to enhance student participation?

Category Student suggestions Free response

%

Relating theory to professional practice

Real-life assignmentsPractical laboratory workIndustrial visits

56

Lecturer attributes Interested in studentsEnthusiasm for subjectClear communicatorApproachable

44

Programme organisation TimetablingBalanced assignment workloadFewer large lectures

38

Team-working Design-type assignmentsSmall-group tutorials

29

e-Learning opportunities Podcasts, BlackBoard, CAE, softwareLectures and assignments on-line

17

Focus Groups

• Two groups with 8 students per group – balanced representation across the two programmes and across all years

• Groups asked to address those main categories identified for improvement

• Validate free responses

• Explore what students believe would enhance their engagement

1. Real-life assignments, engineering activities

Material is more interesting when we see its relevance. Lecturers should relate lecture material using real-life examples/anecdotes.

Assignments and exercises should be

related to ‘real’ engineering.

Company visits - to see what engineering is about- what jobs engineers do.

Science and maths is easier to understand when we see where it is used in everyday situations.

2. Lecturer attributes

Like to feel that our lecturers care about us and make an effort to be helpful.

Good if he/she can relate classroom

material to real-life engineering problems.

Humorous

Classes are more interesting if the lecturer uses a variety of media, e.g. videos, software, demonstrations.

Approachable, available outside class and provides good feedback on our assignments.

We like a lecturer that encourages interaction and allows us to ask questions.

3. Programme Organisation

Our timetables sometimes don’t seem to take account of the expense of travelling to Uni or accommodating a part-time job.

10 am starts are better than 9 am as rush-

hour is avoided.

We would prefer 3 reasonably busy days per week.

Fewer large lectures.Not good for asking questions and whenever questions are asked they tend to break the flow.

Class duration: 2 hours max. Ideally an hour long and no more than an hour gap between classes.

Easier to learn where there is a clear link between the lecture and tutorial class.

4. Team-working

Enjoyable – provided we have clear outline of what’s expected.

Good if all team members contribute equally.

We see the benefit of ‘team-work’ for industry.

Put good students together in groups.

We don’t like group work in final year.

We like ‘shared experience’ of working together in small group tutorial. Makes you feel part of a team.

5. e-Learning

Notes available beforehand to ease notetaking.

Make notes available on a week-by week basis.

Specialist engineering software should be available somewhere we can socialise together informally.

Podcasts would let us access information and revise when it suits us.

Thank you