A model for transforming engineering education through group learning

DS 76: Proceedings of E&PDE 2013, the 15th International Conference on Engineering and Product Design Education, Dublin, Ireland, 05-06.09.2013

Year: 2013
Editor: John Lawlor, Ger Reilly, Robert Simpson, Michael Ring, Ahmed Kovacevic, Mark McGrath, William Ion, David Tormey, Erik Bohemia, Chris McMahon, Brian Parkinson
Author: Chance, Shannon Massie; Duffy, Gavin; Bowe, Brian; Murphy, Mike; Duggan, Tony
Series: E&PDE
Institution: 1. Hampton University, United States of America; Dublin Institute of Technology, Ireland; 3. Hauste Group
Section: Learning
Page(s): 740-745
ISBN: 978-1-904670-42-1

Abstract

Engineering educators at Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) have successfully implemented pedagogical change. They now use group-based, student-centred, inquiry-driven approaches in each year of their electrical engineering programmes. Their objective is to foster students’ professional and personal skills (e.g., teamwork, communication, creativity, critical thinking, ethics, self-directed learning). This paper explores how change was achieved. It provides graphic models that extend the authors’ prior research by incorporating the standard adoption of innovation curve. Results indicate that top-down capacity-building programmes and policies stimulated bottom-up change— transformative change initiated by a group of individuals working closely with a champion and a sage advisor. Leaders at DIT are beginning to promote wider and deeper transformation by introducing the change model into new contexts.

Keywords: Learning groups, organizational change, change theory, change models

Download