Using cooperative learning to enhance critical reflection

Abstract

Abstract-Over the past two decades, one of the key changes in Engineering curricula has been in the emphasis placed on the development of personal transferable skills. Employers also profess to seek these competencies when making recruiting decisions. Such skills include the ability to learn through collaboration and through meaningful critical reflection on one's own performance, both as an individual and in a group setting. However, there is still much debate on the most effective mechanisms for acquiring such skills.Engineering students can be extremely resistant to the notion of individual or collective reflection and often find it difficult to function successfully in a group setting. This paper reports on how co-operative learning has been integrated into a largescale, practical freshman Engineering laboratory module, and explores the student experiences of being encouraged to engage in meaningful reflection. In particular, it details the presentation modalities and phenomena that influence the engineering students attitudes toward cooperative learning and reflection.

Droning On

“…The technologies, task and professional skills development elements of such design modules are explicitly chosen to be of direct benefit to all students, regardless of their specialism. For example computer engineering design courses may also incorporate elements of mechanical and electrical engineering [14].…”

“…to sumo wrestle with each other [18] [24], or to emulate an urban light rail system [14]. The autonomous vehicles are often equipped with a variety of sensors that enable them to safely navigate their way through their surroundings.…”

“…The goals, content and means of delivery of many electronic and computer engineering design modules has evolved radically over the past decade due to the rise in the availability of affordable, open-source programmable, microcontrollers and accessible wireless communication devices [28] [15] [26] [14].…”

Experiences of Integrating UAVs into the Curriculum through Multidisciplinary Engineering Projects

“…The technologies, task and professional skills development elements of such design modules are explicitly chosen to be of direct benefit to all students, regardless of their specialism. For example, computer engineering design courses may also incorporate elements of mechanical and electrical engineering 21 . Pedagogically, these modules are viewed as contributing significantly to a range of professional accreditation goals, both nationally and in line with Washington Accord 22 outcomes.…”

“…to sumo wrestle or maze solve 23 24 or to emulate real world infrastructures e.g. an urban light rail system 21 . By contrast, others have focused on simulation e.g.…”