Teaching and Assessing Lifelong Learning in Laboratory Courses

Abstract

– Lifelong learning might be one of the most important attributes for students pursuing a professional degree, e.g. medicine, law or engineering. From teaching and assessment point of view, it may be one of the most challenging attributes. In engineering programs, it is one of the required graduate attributes identified by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB), the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) in the USA and other accreditation bodies around the world. In this article we present a laboratory procedure to teach and assess lifelong learning in an engineering program. The concept of lifelong learning as defined by different accreditation bodies is discussed first and corresponding learning outcomes are developed using the revised Bloom’s taxonomy. Student activities required to achieve the outcomes are then devised. The links between pre-, in- and post-lab activities and the learning outcomes are established and the approach to run a laboratory course is designed. Finally, the assessment is planned using the so-called VALUE rubric by mapping the learning outcomes on the six dimensions of the rubric. The procedure is being implemented phase by phase in the laboratory component of a senior level course on process dynamics and control in the process engineering program at Memorial University of Newfoundland.

Systems Theory Framework for Embedding Lifelong Learning Holistically in Undergraduate Engineering Education

“…Inventories that allow students to self-assess their learning development can support them in gaining a deeper understanding of their metacognitive processes [6]. Self-assessments in general are considered fundamental to the development of lifelong learning [28][29] since the ability to monitor and evaluate one's own learning is itself a crucial part of this aptitude. Finally, it is important to not only assess students' lifelong learning skills, but also their motivation towards self-directed learning [16].…”

“…The interconnectedness of engineering GAs has been examined previously. It is suggested that it is best to consider the attributes as a group rather than individual, isolated traits and skills [28] and that "[t]he amorphous nature of lifelong learning that makes it challenging to assess also means that it can be developed synchronously with the development of the other professional skills required by accreditation" [16, p.4]. Not only can lifelong learning be developed alongside other attributes, but it is fundamental to their development, both at university and after students graduate.…”

Approaches to Graduate Attributes and Continual Improvement Processes in Faculties of Engineering Across Canada: A Narrative Review of the Literature

“…Several other papers concentrated specifically on the Lifelong learning attribute. One described a laboratory experience with unstructured preand post-lab components than had students evaluating their own learning [44]. Another told of a third-year course in which students set goals for their learning in the upcoming week and reflected on their learning achievements over the previous week [45].…”

Learning process safety principles through practice

“…In the former case, students will not have to think as to how the experiment should be carried out as it is laid out in the procedure provided to them. However, in the latter case students will have to design or decide on the procedure themselves in consultation with their instructor [28][29][30][31]. The type of experiment and learning objective dictate the operating procedure of the experiments.…”

“…Prince pointed out that active and collaborative learning methods such as PBL methods are known to have positive effects for many learning outcomes including enhanced students' retention, ability to apply material, improved students' reasoning and problem‐solving skills, and increased higher order thinking. The characteristics of PBL models have been discussed in the literature .…”