ENGINEERING THINKING: AN ANALYSIS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS WITHIN FOUNDATION YEAR Sevendy Patchamuthu Foundation Year Network 10 th Annual Conference 2016
Overview: Research Questions Background of the Study Research Setting & Participants Preliminary Findings Potential Contributions References 2
Research Questions: Aims: To investigate the awareness and understanding of criticality issues among 1. students joining the EFY, taking account of their previous L1, cultural backgrounds and previous learning experiences. To investigate the relationship between the theory, practice and the 2. development of critical thinking skills within engineering foundation year programme Key Questions: What are students’ perceptions and understanding of Critical Thinking skills? 1. What are faculty’s perceptions of students’ Critical Thinking skills? 2. Is there a relationship between students’ English Language proficiency and their 3. ability to use Critical Thinking skills? 3
Background of the study: significant change in the growing role of content/factual knowledge – curriculum reform content/factual knowledge is not forgotten - tendency to become dated in many discipline, i.e. engineering therefore, the learning process now needs to focus more on transferable and enduring academic skills… critical thinking skills sustainable learning global citizen (global market) Image: Google image 4 (Huntzinger, et al, 2007; Wals, 2002; Salmi,2001;Terenzini,1993)
Research Setting & Participants: Setting : 2 UK universities University X, south coast England, county: Hampshire (i) University Y, north east England, county: Sunderland (ii) provides a good representative case study - cultural diversity - highest number of being UK, European and Asian students; China, Taiwan, Japan and Middle-East Participants : EFY students and Module Instructors a sample from the population of both UK and overseas students in the EFY (2014-15) students took part in the research for the duration of a year - beginning of Semester 2 until the end of EFY progressing to Semester 2 of 1st year UG programme to capture a cross-sectional picture of the development of criticality among the three major groups of students; European, International and UK/USA. 5
Preliminary Findings: 4 types of data were collected: (i) On-line survey (EFY students) – 3 stages (ii) Semi-structured interviews – EFY students (3 stages); module instructors (once) (iii) Zappers (iv) Documents (programme profiles) 6
Findings: end of EFY 2014-15 (zappers data) - University X 58% European student A. International student B. UK C. 28% 14% K t t n U n e e d d u u t t s s n l a a n e o p i o t a r u n E r e t n I
How important are critical skills for EFY? 39% Very important A. Important B. Not important C. 22% 22% Not very important D. Not sure E. 10% 6% t e t t t n n n n r a a u a a t t s t t r r r r o o t o o o p p p p N m m m m I i i i y t y r o r e N e V v t o N
Do you agree you have enough in-class practise in the critical thinking skills in the EFY? 78% Strongly Agree A. Agree B. Disagree C. Strongly Disagree D. 10% It doesn’t matter to me, I just 6% E. 4% 2% want to pass my exam! e e e e e e . e e . r r . r r g I g g g A , a A a e s s m i y D i D l o g y n t l o g r e r n t t o S t a r t m S t ’ n s e o d t I
Which semester in EFY provided more opportunity to practise your critical skills? Semester 1, because we had A. 48% more time to explore and learn new skills 33% Semester 2, because we had B. more knowledge on content to challenge our thinking skills 14% 5% Both Semester 1 & 2 C. Neither Semester 1 nor D. Semester 2 2 . . . & . . h e . . 1 . w e r w r o e e n s e t s u s 1 e a u m c r a e e c e t b e S s b e , h 1 m , t 2 r o e e r B S t e s r e t s e m e h m t e i e S e N S
Which course in the EFY provided the most opportunity to practise your critical skills? 70% A. Computer Applications Electricity and B. Electronics Engineering Principles C. 22% D. Mathematics 4% 4% Mechanical Science E. 0% 0% Routes to Success s s F. s s e s c s n e c c i e i t n o l n p a c i e c o m t i c i a u c r n c e S t S c i i h l r o e l p P t a l t a p E c g M i s A n d n e a t r n i r u e h a e o t c e u y e R n p t M i i m c g i n r o t E C c e l E
Which teaching and learning sessions should provide more practise on critical skills ? 35% 32% Coursework A. Lab work B. Lectures C. Support class D. 12% Workshops E. 7% All above F. 5% 5% 5% None above G. k k s s e s e e r r s p v v o o r a o o o w u w l h b c b t s e c a t a b k e s r l r a o r e L l o A u L n p W o o p C N u S
How do think some courses in the EFY could provide more opportunity for in-class practise on critical skills? Very interactive between A. 48% tutor and students Sufficient time is allocated B. for Q & A sessions 24% Immediate feedback is C. given to raised questions 12% 10% 7% All above D. Not sure E. e e . v r . . . . u . o . . n e . b s i t e g a t a e o c s l w o i l N A k l t l c e a a b s b e i d e v e m i e t c f i a t e r t t e n a t e i n i d c i e i y f m r f u e m S V I
Do you agree you must have good command of English to learn critical skills? 31% Strongly Agree A. 27% Agree B. 23% Disagree C. Strongly Disagree D. 10% Not sure 8% E. e e e e e e e r e e r u r r r g g g s g A a A a t s s o i y D i N D l g y n l o g r n t o S r t S
Do you think culture plays an important role in critical thinking skills? 37% Yes A. 33% No 30% B. I’m not sure C. s o e e N r Y u s t o n m ’ I
How confident are you now with Critical Thinking skills? 77% Very confident A. Confident B. Not confident C. Not very confident D. 11% 13% I’m not sure what critical E. thinking skills are! 0% 0% t t t t n n n n . e . e e . e d d l d d a i i f i i c f f f n n n i n t o o i o o r C c c c c y t y t r o a r e N h e V v w t e o r N u s t o n m ’ I
Preliminary findings cont … (interview data – Stage 1) - EFY student experience I enjoy it very much, definitely. It offers me many things, I benefitted in many ways, I think I benefitted very much in whole of foundation year, everything. Although I’m not sure I’m going to pass it or how I’m going to do, but, I’m sure I’m in a much better level than I first started, I mean when I first began in many ways. Not only in the field of knowledge, like Physics and Maths I know, of course I know Physics and Maths much more better than I knew, but also the way I think, the way I manage my life, and I thoroughly happy of how I’m progressing. I am happy with the way FY is organised too, although I believe, there’re many complains from others. There must be some truth in them, but, I also compare the FY here with the type of education back in Greece, that’s why I cannot complain, compared to what I had, and now how well things are organised (from Greece, male, 21 yrs old)) 17
Preliminary findings cont … (interview data – Stage 1) - EFY student experience Well, at this moment foundation year, I think sometimes it’s easy, sometimes it’s difficult, because of my hearing difficulties and some issues. So, I can find myself alone in the education…because everyone, everyone learn everything in the classroom. I don’t have such a opportunity because I can’t hear in the classroom, you feel alone…every, every, most people came here, and they can understand the subjects at the lectures that moment…I have to struggle much more than them. I have to study at home at my own phase…like I told you, I can’t understand the subjects in the classroom at the time, so, or sometimes problem will build up. So, I couldn’t, I can’t even sleep for many days, so that make me tired, distracted, so, the next day I can’t focus on study…so, it make me withdraw from study…I see myself as a perfect formula for failure…I wish the university have a video […] lecture video…it would be really enjoying. I can see my teacher trying to teach everyone something very funny, I couldn’t understand. I feel myself unefficient […] if I have the video I may feel I was in the class like other people… (from Cyprus, male, 27 yrs old with hearing disabilities) 18
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