1. Enhancing Autonomy & Employability Amongst Engineering Students by the Use of Embedded ‘learning-by-doing’ Teaching Practices
Dr Hafid Belaidi & Dr Robert Jenner
Department of Engineering Science
University of Greenwich

2. Outline Problems with engineering subjects in HE
Modern trends in the teaching of engineering subjects
‘ learning-by-doing ‘ approach through class demonstrations and its effects on employability attributes
Embedding employability into course or programme level design

3. The problem
Some subjects have strong mathematical base and perceived by students to be challenging and difficult
Traditionally delivered through formal lectures, tutorials & 2 to 3 lab exercises
Large class sizes of several cohorts with wide ranging abilities
Difficult to keep students focused throughout a full lecture session

4. Trend in HE
Common problems throughout the engineering education sector
Several pedagogies been tried (Elgezawy (2008)) and others introduced virtual labs – big capital investment needed

5. The strategy
Introduce simple in-class demonstrations at regular intervals to break up monotony and re-enforce concepts
This has generates dialogue with students challenging their peers to the understanding of concepts
Helps bring students back into the lecture to understand the theory behind what they have physically witness in class

6. The strategy
Students can verify concepts away from the classroom using cheap & easy to setup experiments ,log their observation and engage with their peer through the portal
Students get familiar with and understand the behaviour of physical quantities and materials
The methods has yielded results by showing improvement in success rates

7. Embedding Employability at a Module/programme Level
Flipped environment: how can we bring the workplace into the classroom?
Rather than just flipping roles…we flip environments…try to mimic workplace
Project-based-learning used to mirror industrial roles
Work flow and working practices mimic industry
60 credit course used to provide a ‘day at work’

8. A typical project team!

9. Specification & planning
A Typical Engineering Project Workflow
Teamwork & Professionalism
Analytical Skills
Market trends
Current legislation
Primary need
Data gathering
Data handling
Current technology
Project planning
Schedule of works
Action plans
Set objectives
Creativity
Lateral thinking
Precision & accuracy
Reflection
Synetics
Practical skill
Strategy
Verification
Data generation
Report writing
Recording
Oral presentation
Definition
of Problem
Research
Specification & planning
Embodiment of schemes
Manufacture & test
Final reporting
Conceptual design

10. How do we Implement the Workplace Model?

11. Workplace Model Management Structure
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12. Any Questions?