G.N. Saunders
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52 records found
1
Vocational education and training in aircraft maintenance face new challenges. Currently, European regulations for aircraft maintenance training are time- and theory-based, as prescribed by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). However, with the introduction of Competency-Based Training and Assessment (CBTA) as a potential pathway to licensing, a paradigm shift in aircraft maintenance education and training is emerging. The new CBTA pathway extends beyond technical knowledge and skills and includes non-technical, transversal competencies (TVCs).
This qualitative study examines what effective CBTA implementation entails and how TVCs can be trained within the context of aircraft maintenance education. Using focus groups, we developed an educational approach that stakeholders judged to be reliable, valid, and feasible. Results indicate that holistic, scenario-based instruction in progressively complex simulated environments supports effective transversal competency development. Instructors require training in performance observation, feedback delivery, maintaining objectivity, and adopting a growth mindset.
Although aviation stakeholders view the implementation of CBTA with the inclusion of TVCs as essential for enhancing aviation safety, they anticipate resistance from regulatory bodies and educational organisations. These findings provide practical guidance for embedding TVCs within CBTA for aircraft maintenance engineers across industry, education, and regulatory bodies.
...
This qualitative study examines what effective CBTA implementation entails and how TVCs can be trained within the context of aircraft maintenance education. Using focus groups, we developed an educational approach that stakeholders judged to be reliable, valid, and feasible. Results indicate that holistic, scenario-based instruction in progressively complex simulated environments supports effective transversal competency development. Instructors require training in performance observation, feedback delivery, maintaining objectivity, and adopting a growth mindset.
Although aviation stakeholders view the implementation of CBTA with the inclusion of TVCs as essential for enhancing aviation safety, they anticipate resistance from regulatory bodies and educational organisations. These findings provide practical guidance for embedding TVCs within CBTA for aircraft maintenance engineers across industry, education, and regulatory bodies.
...
Vocational education and training in aircraft maintenance face new challenges. Currently, European regulations for aircraft maintenance training are time- and theory-based, as prescribed by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). However, with the introduction of Competency-Based Training and Assessment (CBTA) as a potential pathway to licensing, a paradigm shift in aircraft maintenance education and training is emerging. The new CBTA pathway extends beyond technical knowledge and skills and includes non-technical, transversal competencies (TVCs).
This qualitative study examines what effective CBTA implementation entails and how TVCs can be trained within the context of aircraft maintenance education. Using focus groups, we developed an educational approach that stakeholders judged to be reliable, valid, and feasible. Results indicate that holistic, scenario-based instruction in progressively complex simulated environments supports effective transversal competency development. Instructors require training in performance observation, feedback delivery, maintaining objectivity, and adopting a growth mindset.
Although aviation stakeholders view the implementation of CBTA with the inclusion of TVCs as essential for enhancing aviation safety, they anticipate resistance from regulatory bodies and educational organisations. These findings provide practical guidance for embedding TVCs within CBTA for aircraft maintenance engineers across industry, education, and regulatory bodies.
This qualitative study examines what effective CBTA implementation entails and how TVCs can be trained within the context of aircraft maintenance education. Using focus groups, we developed an educational approach that stakeholders judged to be reliable, valid, and feasible. Results indicate that holistic, scenario-based instruction in progressively complex simulated environments supports effective transversal competency development. Instructors require training in performance observation, feedback delivery, maintaining objectivity, and adopting a growth mindset.
Although aviation stakeholders view the implementation of CBTA with the inclusion of TVCs as essential for enhancing aviation safety, they anticipate resistance from regulatory bodies and educational organisations. These findings provide practical guidance for embedding TVCs within CBTA for aircraft maintenance engineers across industry, education, and regulatory bodies.
Towards new educational standards for aircraft maintenance
Analysing transversal competencies on industry safety priorities and assessment challenges
The aviation industry is one of the most regulated industries in the world; safety is its overriding objective. In Europe, aviation maintenance training regulations rely on time-based technical experience and theoretical multiple-choice exams for a basic aircraft maintenance licence. The aviation industry and authorities are exploring the incorporation of competency-based training and assessment to keep pace with the rapidly evolving aviation industry. However, the shift from traditional time-based to competency-based education presents challenges for vocational education and training in aircraft maintenance, particularly as the assessment of transversal competencies is a newly introduced element. This study centres on transversal competencies in aircraft maintenance, aiming to uncover priorities and obstacles for training and assessing these competencies in aircraft maintenance education. Survey results from 141 aviation experts revealed that transversal competencies involving communication, teamwork, and work management are viewed as the most important transversal competencies, with communication rated highest χ
2 (2) = 16.2, p <.001. In addition, four observable behaviours from these competencies were identified as most important, yet most challenging to assess during education. These findings highlight crucial areas and thus bring focus to developing new, competency-based, educational programmes for aviation maintenance.
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The aviation industry is one of the most regulated industries in the world; safety is its overriding objective. In Europe, aviation maintenance training regulations rely on time-based technical experience and theoretical multiple-choice exams for a basic aircraft maintenance licence. The aviation industry and authorities are exploring the incorporation of competency-based training and assessment to keep pace with the rapidly evolving aviation industry. However, the shift from traditional time-based to competency-based education presents challenges for vocational education and training in aircraft maintenance, particularly as the assessment of transversal competencies is a newly introduced element. This study centres on transversal competencies in aircraft maintenance, aiming to uncover priorities and obstacles for training and assessing these competencies in aircraft maintenance education. Survey results from 141 aviation experts revealed that transversal competencies involving communication, teamwork, and work management are viewed as the most important transversal competencies, with communication rated highest χ 2 (2) = 16.2, p <.001. In addition, four observable behaviours from these competencies were identified as most important, yet most challenging to assess during education. These findings highlight crucial areas and thus bring focus to developing new, competency-based, educational programmes for aviation maintenance.
Aircraft maintenance training is shifting from time-based and theory-based toward Competency-Based Training and Assessment (CBTA), as promoted by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). This transition highlights the importance of non-technical, transversal competencies (TVCs), yet their assessments remain challenging. This study explores how TVCs can be assessed effectively in the context of aircraft maintenance by establishing the design requirements and methods using focus groups. Results indicate that programmatic approaches were preferred over traditional methods, particularly the use of personal competency portfolios integrating self, peer, and instructor assessments. Qualitative rubrics defining performance standards were identified as critical to ensure objectivity, supported by instructor training in evaluation and calibration. These findings provide practical guidance for embedding TVCs within aircraft maintenance training and assessment.
...
Aircraft maintenance training is shifting from time-based and theory-based toward Competency-Based Training and Assessment (CBTA), as promoted by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). This transition highlights the importance of non-technical, transversal competencies (TVCs), yet their assessments remain challenging. This study explores how TVCs can be assessed effectively in the context of aircraft maintenance by establishing the design requirements and methods using focus groups. Results indicate that programmatic approaches were preferred over traditional methods, particularly the use of personal competency portfolios integrating self, peer, and instructor assessments. Qualitative rubrics defining performance standards were identified as critical to ensure objectivity, supported by instructor training in evaluation and calibration. These findings provide practical guidance for embedding TVCs within aircraft maintenance training and assessment.
With the advances in robotics applications in society, it has become imperative to equip engineering students with practical robotics skills relevant to their field. However, incorporating robots into higher education poses challenges, particularly regarding cost, obsolescence, and maintenance. This workshop introduces engineering educators to the MIRTE Pioneer, an affordable, open-science, modular, mobile educational robot designed for use in upper secondary and university education settings. The Pioneer is part of a family of MIRTE educational robots for use in primary school to university developed at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. By being a truly multi-purpose, open science robot, with all its material available as open source, open hardware and open educational resources, MIRTE is a community where educators are not tied down to a specific goal or purpose and can endlessly adapt and expand MIRTE for their own needs and share their resources. This allows educators to provide students with hands-on experience in designing, programming, and electronics as they see fit.
The workshop aims to introduce participants to MIRTE and explore its use in their own education and, by doing so, contribute to an international community for open robotics education. It consists of a combination of hands-on experimentation with the
MIRTE robot and the participant’s own laptop, combined with group discussions, in which participants will explore the potential of integrating the MIRTE Pioneer into their educational environments. ...
The workshop aims to introduce participants to MIRTE and explore its use in their own education and, by doing so, contribute to an international community for open robotics education. It consists of a combination of hands-on experimentation with the
MIRTE robot and the participant’s own laptop, combined with group discussions, in which participants will explore the potential of integrating the MIRTE Pioneer into their educational environments. ...
With the advances in robotics applications in society, it has become imperative to equip engineering students with practical robotics skills relevant to their field. However, incorporating robots into higher education poses challenges, particularly regarding cost, obsolescence, and maintenance. This workshop introduces engineering educators to the MIRTE Pioneer, an affordable, open-science, modular, mobile educational robot designed for use in upper secondary and university education settings. The Pioneer is part of a family of MIRTE educational robots for use in primary school to university developed at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. By being a truly multi-purpose, open science robot, with all its material available as open source, open hardware and open educational resources, MIRTE is a community where educators are not tied down to a specific goal or purpose and can endlessly adapt and expand MIRTE for their own needs and share their resources. This allows educators to provide students with hands-on experience in designing, programming, and electronics as they see fit.
The workshop aims to introduce participants to MIRTE and explore its use in their own education and, by doing so, contribute to an international community for open robotics education. It consists of a combination of hands-on experimentation with the
MIRTE robot and the participant’s own laptop, combined with group discussions, in which participants will explore the potential of integrating the MIRTE Pioneer into their educational environments.
The workshop aims to introduce participants to MIRTE and explore its use in their own education and, by doing so, contribute to an international community for open robotics education. It consists of a combination of hands-on experimentation with the
MIRTE robot and the participant’s own laptop, combined with group discussions, in which participants will explore the potential of integrating the MIRTE Pioneer into their educational environments.
Conference paper
(2025)
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Lynn van den Broeck, Neil Cooke, Gillian Saunders-Smits, Matteo Di Benedetti, Thies Johannsen, Emanuela Tilly, Jennifer Griffiths, Ann Kristin Winkens, Helena Kovacs, Rafaella Manzini, Roger Hadgraft
This workshop, inspired by the SEFI SIG Engineering Skills' Position Paper on Skills (SEFI, 2025), focusesd on defining skills in curricula to meet the challenge of a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) world. The position paper advocates for a comprehensive framework that equips future engineers with cognitive, social, and ethical competencies, alongside technical skills. Workshop participants, including engineering educators, policymakers, and industry professionals, engaged in reflection and peer-to-peer dialogue to map current skills and identify areas for improvement. The workshop facilitated the co-design of strategies to integrate technical, transferable, and transdisciplinary skills ("3T skills") - into practice, fostering engineers capable of addressing global and societal challenges with creativity, collaboration, and social responsibility. The workshop began with an overview of the key concepts from the position paper, followed by a self-reflective mapping activity. Small-group discussions allowed participants to compare experiences and identify gaps in skills development. The collaborative phase focused on practical strategies for embedding these skills, informed by the position paper's recommendations. The workshop concluded with a plenary discussion, where participants shared insights
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This workshop, inspired by the SEFI SIG Engineering Skills' Position Paper on Skills (SEFI, 2025), focusesd on defining skills in curricula to meet the challenge of a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) world. The position paper advocates for a comprehensive framework that equips future engineers with cognitive, social, and ethical competencies, alongside technical skills. Workshop participants, including engineering educators, policymakers, and industry professionals, engaged in reflection and peer-to-peer dialogue to map current skills and identify areas for improvement. The workshop facilitated the co-design of strategies to integrate technical, transferable, and transdisciplinary skills ("3T skills") - into practice, fostering engineers capable of addressing global and societal challenges with creativity, collaboration, and social responsibility. The workshop began with an overview of the key concepts from the position paper, followed by a self-reflective mapping activity. Small-group discussions allowed participants to compare experiences and identify gaps in skills development. The collaborative phase focused on practical strategies for embedding these skills, informed by the position paper's recommendations. The workshop concluded with a plenary discussion, where participants shared insights
Conference paper
(2025)
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Thomas Howard, Matteo Di Benedetti, Gillian Saunders-Smits, Andrew Garrard
There are considerable benefits to both Higher Education Institutions and the community in making education more openly accessible. As such, the awareness and appreciation of Open Educational Resources (OER) has grown considerably over recent years. In parallel, a noticeable shift is taking place in Engineering Education towards project-, problem- and challenge-based learning formats, which further aim to embed the attainment of transferable skills. OER has the potential to support the development of such new learning formats in a way that allows educators to leverage best practice without having to reinvent the wheel, yet it has yet to make an impact in this area. This workshop will guide participants in understanding, creating, and sharing OER to promote their more widespread use. We will begin by exploring what qualifies as an OER and recognising that we all interact with OER in various ways. From there, we will focus on how educators can create and share their own OER, identifying key challenges and practical solutions. Finally, we will explore how collaboration and community can support OER adoption, empowering participants to take their first steps toward developing and using OER in engineering education. The session will provide a structured yet interactive environment, ensuring participants leave with concrete takeaways and a stronger understanding of how to engage with OER in a meaningful way.
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There are considerable benefits to both Higher Education Institutions and the community in making education more openly accessible. As such, the awareness and appreciation of Open Educational Resources (OER) has grown considerably over recent years. In parallel, a noticeable shift is taking place in Engineering Education towards project-, problem- and challenge-based learning formats, which further aim to embed the attainment of transferable skills. OER has the potential to support the development of such new learning formats in a way that allows educators to leverage best practice without having to reinvent the wheel, yet it has yet to make an impact in this area. This workshop will guide participants in understanding, creating, and sharing OER to promote their more widespread use. We will begin by exploring what qualifies as an OER and recognising that we all interact with OER in various ways. From there, we will focus on how educators can create and share their own OER, identifying key challenges and practical solutions. Finally, we will explore how collaboration and community can support OER adoption, empowering participants to take their first steps toward developing and using OER in engineering education. The session will provide a structured yet interactive environment, ensuring participants leave with concrete takeaways and a stronger understanding of how to engage with OER in a meaningful way.
FIETS
A tool for assessing the embedding of theory in engineering education intervention research
Journal article
(2025)
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Gitte van Helden, Vivian van der Werf, Johannes Schleiss, Gillian Saunders-Smits
Engineering Education Research (EER) is characterised as having low consensus due to its diversity of perspectives and approaches. Educational theories are important for establishing consensus as they can ground the design and analysis of educational interventions in scientific discourse. Hence, to aid EER researchers in evaluating theory use while conducting (systematic) literature reviews on educational interventions, our paper introduces a quality assessment tool: the Framework for Identifying the Embedding of TheorieS (FIETS). FIETS systematises and informs the analysis of 1) which educational theories are reported in a body of literature, and 2) to what extent these theories are embedded in the design and analysis of an educational intervention. We detail the development of FIETS over multiple iterations, explain its use, and showcase its application using a case study from an existing systematic literature review. We demonstrate the insights that can be generated and how researchers can benefit from this tool.
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Engineering Education Research (EER) is characterised as having low consensus due to its diversity of perspectives and approaches. Educational theories are important for establishing consensus as they can ground the design and analysis of educational interventions in scientific discourse. Hence, to aid EER researchers in evaluating theory use while conducting (systematic) literature reviews on educational interventions, our paper introduces a quality assessment tool: the Framework for Identifying the Embedding of TheorieS (FIETS). FIETS systematises and informs the analysis of 1) which educational theories are reported in a body of literature, and 2) to what extent these theories are embedded in the design and analysis of an educational intervention. We detail the development of FIETS over multiple iterations, explain its use, and showcase its application using a case study from an existing systematic literature review. We demonstrate the insights that can be generated and how researchers can benefit from this tool.
MIRTE
An affordable, open, mobile robot education platform
With robots becoming an increasingly constant feature in daily life, we must prepare and educate current and future generations. Although robotics outreach and robotics education are not new in engineering education, many educators and outreach providers face the same hurdles when using educational robots: Educational robots are expensive to buy, can become obsolete quickly and are time-consuming to maintain. In addition, many people feel unequipped to select the right robot for their purpose. This paper describes the development and implementation of a family of modular, affordable, open educational resource, mobile robots called MIRTE, that can be implemented across the entire educational spectrum and how continuity of the robots is ensured by following the principles of Open Education and Open Science. In the paper, current educational implementations are highlighted and plans for future developments and future research are discussed.
...
With robots becoming an increasingly constant feature in daily life, we must prepare and educate current and future generations. Although robotics outreach and robotics education are not new in engineering education, many educators and outreach providers face the same hurdles when using educational robots: Educational robots are expensive to buy, can become obsolete quickly and are time-consuming to maintain. In addition, many people feel unequipped to select the right robot for their purpose. This paper describes the development and implementation of a family of modular, affordable, open educational resource, mobile robots called MIRTE, that can be implemented across the entire educational spectrum and how continuity of the robots is ensured by following the principles of Open Education and Open Science. In the paper, current educational implementations are highlighted and plans for future developments and future research are discussed.
Developing a Typology within the Internship Landscape in Engineering Education
An initial comparative study
Work to evaluate work-integrated learning experiences (2020), and the EJEE special issue on bridging the gap between engineering education and the world of practice by guest editors Buckley, Trevelyan, and Winberg (2021).
What these publications show, among other things, is the wide variety of work-integrated experiences that universities offer. However, to properly study the contribution of internships to student learning and learning outcomes, it is important to understand the different types of internships that are offered. Internships vary greatly in length and can be a mandatory or elective part of the curriculum but also voluntary, either expected or not expected. Some have very clear learning objectives and deliverables whereas others only require the completion of the actual work experience. Shawcross et al. (2014)’s work is based on two-week-long team-based experiences, while at TU Delft internships only occur in the MSc programmes and are usually formally 3 months in length, but in practice, students prefer to extend to 5 to 6 months. Some may even continue within their place of internship to do their master’s thesis work (Kamp & Verdegaal, 2015), and in the USA many students do a summer internship often named coop (different from coop degree courses) as a summer activity.
Hence the authors are creating an overview of the work-integrated learning landscape by developing a typology of internship variations by studying the internship possibilities at several engineering programmes in Belgium, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States. This paper will present the first version of the typology developed.
References
Saunders-Smits, G. N. 2008. Study of Delft aerospace alumni, Delft University of Technology. Thesis (Ph.D.).
Buckley, J., Trevelyan, J., & Winberg, C. (2021). Perspectives on engineering education from the world of practice. European Journal of Engineering Education, 47(1), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1080/03043797.2021.2000694
Dornan, T., Boshuizen, H., King, N., & Scherpbier, A. (2007, Jan). Experience-based learning: a model linking the processes and outcomes of medical students' workplace learning. Med Educ, 41(1), 84-91. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2929.2006.02652.x
Kamp, A. & Verdegaal, F., (2015). How to make an industrial internship an integrated learning experience with rich learning outcomes and spin-offs. 11th International CDIO Conference, Chengdu University of IT, China, http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:75af0464-8429-405b-92ad-6df2f61317d2
Luk, L. Y. Y., & Chan, C. K. Y. (2020). Adaptation and validation of the Work Experience Questionnaire for investigating engineering students' internship experience. Journal of Engineering Education, 109(4), 801-820. https://doi.org/10.1002/jee.20351
Schut, S., Maggio, L. A., Heeneman, S., van Tartwijk, J., van der Vleuten, C., & Driessen, E. (2021, Jan). Where the rubber meets the road - An integrative review of programmatic assessment in health care professions education. Perspect Med Educ, 10(1), 6-13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40037-020-00625-w
Shawcross, J. K., Ruth Brooks, D., Kay, J., & Ridgman, T. W. (2014). Short industrial placements – developing an activity framework to support teaching and learning. Higher Education, Skills and Work-based Learning, 4(3), 256-270. https://doi.org/10.1108/heswbl-06-2014-0019
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Work to evaluate work-integrated learning experiences (2020), and the EJEE special issue on bridging the gap between engineering education and the world of practice by guest editors Buckley, Trevelyan, and Winberg (2021).
What these publications show, among other things, is the wide variety of work-integrated experiences that universities offer. However, to properly study the contribution of internships to student learning and learning outcomes, it is important to understand the different types of internships that are offered. Internships vary greatly in length and can be a mandatory or elective part of the curriculum but also voluntary, either expected or not expected. Some have very clear learning objectives and deliverables whereas others only require the completion of the actual work experience. Shawcross et al. (2014)’s work is based on two-week-long team-based experiences, while at TU Delft internships only occur in the MSc programmes and are usually formally 3 months in length, but in practice, students prefer to extend to 5 to 6 months. Some may even continue within their place of internship to do their master’s thesis work (Kamp & Verdegaal, 2015), and in the USA many students do a summer internship often named coop (different from coop degree courses) as a summer activity.
Hence the authors are creating an overview of the work-integrated learning landscape by developing a typology of internship variations by studying the internship possibilities at several engineering programmes in Belgium, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States. This paper will present the first version of the typology developed.
References
Saunders-Smits, G. N. 2008. Study of Delft aerospace alumni, Delft University of Technology. Thesis (Ph.D.).
Buckley, J., Trevelyan, J., & Winberg, C. (2021). Perspectives on engineering education from the world of practice. European Journal of Engineering Education, 47(1), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1080/03043797.2021.2000694
Dornan, T., Boshuizen, H., King, N., & Scherpbier, A. (2007, Jan). Experience-based learning: a model linking the processes and outcomes of medical students' workplace learning. Med Educ, 41(1), 84-91. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2929.2006.02652.x
Kamp, A. & Verdegaal, F., (2015). How to make an industrial internship an integrated learning experience with rich learning outcomes and spin-offs. 11th International CDIO Conference, Chengdu University of IT, China, http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:75af0464-8429-405b-92ad-6df2f61317d2
Luk, L. Y. Y., & Chan, C. K. Y. (2020). Adaptation and validation of the Work Experience Questionnaire for investigating engineering students' internship experience. Journal of Engineering Education, 109(4), 801-820. https://doi.org/10.1002/jee.20351
Schut, S., Maggio, L. A., Heeneman, S., van Tartwijk, J., van der Vleuten, C., & Driessen, E. (2021, Jan). Where the rubber meets the road - An integrative review of programmatic assessment in health care professions education. Perspect Med Educ, 10(1), 6-13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40037-020-00625-w
Shawcross, J. K., Ruth Brooks, D., Kay, J., & Ridgman, T. W. (2014). Short industrial placements – developing an activity framework to support teaching and learning. Higher Education, Skills and Work-based Learning, 4(3), 256-270. https://doi.org/10.1108/heswbl-06-2014-0019
The increasing global demand for robotics expertise led the Delft University of Technology to launch a two-year Master of Science programme in Robotics in 2020. The programme was designed to educate versatile robotics engineers capable of overseeing the entire process from conception of robotics systems to implementation. The curriculum integrates disciplines such as machine perception, artificial intelligence, robot planning and control, human-robot interaction, and ethics, and emphasises personal development through a course called Portfolio, which was later rebranded as Vision and Reflection. The effectiveness of the programme was evaluated by conducting a survey among the first cohort of students. The online survey, completed by 21 alumni, assessed the programme’s alignment with graduates’ career paths and their perceptions of the programme. Most respondents (81%) secured employment, with 69% in robotics, and all others had consciously chosen different fields. On average, graduates found jobs in under a month. Common job titles were Robotics Engineer and Software Engineer. However, graduates least appreciated the original Robot & Society and Portfolio courses. The recently rebranded Vision and Reflection course is expected to improve student engagement by focusing on meaningful reflection rather than documentation. Overall, the programme received positive feedback, with 88% of respondents saying it provided a comprehensive robotics education, and 94% stating they would choose it again. However, the evaluation was limited to the more successful half of the cohort, indicating the need to assess the experiences of the remaining graduates, who took over 2.5 years to complete their degrees.
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The increasing global demand for robotics expertise led the Delft University of Technology to launch a two-year Master of Science programme in Robotics in 2020. The programme was designed to educate versatile robotics engineers capable of overseeing the entire process from conception of robotics systems to implementation. The curriculum integrates disciplines such as machine perception, artificial intelligence, robot planning and control, human-robot interaction, and ethics, and emphasises personal development through a course called Portfolio, which was later rebranded as Vision and Reflection. The effectiveness of the programme was evaluated by conducting a survey among the first cohort of students. The online survey, completed by 21 alumni, assessed the programme’s alignment with graduates’ career paths and their perceptions of the programme. Most respondents (81%) secured employment, with 69% in robotics, and all others had consciously chosen different fields. On average, graduates found jobs in under a month. Common job titles were Robotics Engineer and Software Engineer. However, graduates least appreciated the original Robot & Society and Portfolio courses. The recently rebranded Vision and Reflection course is expected to improve student engagement by focusing on meaningful reflection rather than documentation. Overall, the programme received positive feedback, with 88% of respondents saying it provided a comprehensive robotics education, and 94% stating they would choose it again. However, the evaluation was limited to the more successful half of the cohort, indicating the need to assess the experiences of the remaining graduates, who took over 2.5 years to complete their degrees.
In 2020, a new two-year MSc programme in robotics was launched. Unlike most existing robotics programmes, which approach robotics from a specific discipline, this programme aims to train multi-deployable robot generalists using a cognitive approach (no hardware creation). The field of robotics is multidisciplinary by nature and educating students on how to approach projects with a multidisciplinary mindset is at the forefront of the programme. Hence, at the end of the first year, students are thrust into experiencing the true multi-disciplinarity of the robotics field in a synthesizing, multidisciplinary project-based course. In this 5 EC course, students work together in groups of 5 on an industry-based assignment making a translation of societal issues from different perspectives (human, sustainability, safety, ethics, economic, etc.) into intelligent robot solutions. Each team develops and tests a complete, integrated software package for a complex robot system in a simulated environment and implements it in a real robot at the end of the course. Various robots are used, each related to a different case study which is taken on by multiple teams. Students are supported in their project with workshops and minilectures on transferable skills, systems engineering and the Robot Operating System (ROS). This paper describes the development, implementation, and results of the course over its first three years of running. It will present lessons learned from the perspectives of all parties involved: lecturers, technical staff, industry, and students as well as future plans and recommendations for others looking at creating similar courses.
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In 2020, a new two-year MSc programme in robotics was launched. Unlike most existing robotics programmes, which approach robotics from a specific discipline, this programme aims to train multi-deployable robot generalists using a cognitive approach (no hardware creation). The field of robotics is multidisciplinary by nature and educating students on how to approach projects with a multidisciplinary mindset is at the forefront of the programme. Hence, at the end of the first year, students are thrust into experiencing the true multi-disciplinarity of the robotics field in a synthesizing, multidisciplinary project-based course. In this 5 EC course, students work together in groups of 5 on an industry-based assignment making a translation of societal issues from different perspectives (human, sustainability, safety, ethics, economic, etc.) into intelligent robot solutions. Each team develops and tests a complete, integrated software package for a complex robot system in a simulated environment and implements it in a real robot at the end of the course. Various robots are used, each related to a different case study which is taken on by multiple teams. Students are supported in their project with workshops and minilectures on transferable skills, systems engineering and the Robot Operating System (ROS). This paper describes the development, implementation, and results of the course over its first three years of running. It will present lessons learned from the perspectives of all parties involved: lecturers, technical staff, industry, and students as well as future plans and recommendations for others looking at creating similar courses.
Grounding the design of educational interventions and their analysis in theory allows us to understand and interpret results of interventions and advance educational theories. Moreover, building an understanding of which educational theories are used and how they are used can build a consensus among researchers and mature the research in a field. In this paper, we investigate the extent to which educational theories are used to ground the design, analysis, and evaluation of learning activities in engineering education. For this purpose, we developed a coding instrument to determine: (1) which educational theories are expressed in studies investigating learning activities and interventions, and (2) the extent to which these theories inform (a) the design of an intervention and (b) the analysis of that intervention. The instrument was applied to a sample of 12 studies from an existing literature review on collaborative engineering design activities to demonstrate the relevance of the developed framework. Results reveal that most studies refer to educational theory, primarily pedagogical approaches such as project-based learning. Furthermore, half of the time, the design of learning interventions is grounded in theory, however, the evaluation of those interventions is often not connected to educational theories.
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Grounding the design of educational interventions and their analysis in theory allows us to understand and interpret results of interventions and advance educational theories. Moreover, building an understanding of which educational theories are used and how they are used can build a consensus among researchers and mature the research in a field. In this paper, we investigate the extent to which educational theories are used to ground the design, analysis, and evaluation of learning activities in engineering education. For this purpose, we developed a coding instrument to determine: (1) which educational theories are expressed in studies investigating learning activities and interventions, and (2) the extent to which these theories inform (a) the design of an intervention and (b) the analysis of that intervention. The instrument was applied to a sample of 12 studies from an existing literature review on collaborative engineering design activities to demonstrate the relevance of the developed framework. Results reveal that most studies refer to educational theory, primarily pedagogical approaches such as project-based learning. Furthermore, half of the time, the design of learning interventions is grounded in theory, however, the evaluation of those interventions is often not connected to educational theories.
The Use of Digital Peer Assessment in Higher Education
An Umbrella Review of Literature
Increasing student numbers in higher education, particularly in engineering and computer science, make it difficult for motivated lecturers to continue engaging in active teaching methods such as Flipped Classrooms and Work-Based Learning. In these settings, digital Peer Assessment can be one approach to provide effective and scalable feedback. In Peer Assessment, students assess each other’s performance whilst gaining useful reflection and judgment skills at the same time. This umbrella review of 14 review papers on the use of (digital) Peer Assessment in education provides a comprehensive overview of design choices and their consequences open to educational practitioners wishing to implement digital Peer Assessment in their courses, the type of tooling available and the possible effects of these choices on the learning outcomes as well as potential pitfalls and challenges when implementing Peer Assessment. The paper will inform and assist educators in finding or developing a tool that fits their needs.
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Increasing student numbers in higher education, particularly in engineering and computer science, make it difficult for motivated lecturers to continue engaging in active teaching methods such as Flipped Classrooms and Work-Based Learning. In these settings, digital Peer Assessment can be one approach to provide effective and scalable feedback. In Peer Assessment, students assess each other’s performance whilst gaining useful reflection and judgment skills at the same time. This umbrella review of 14 review papers on the use of (digital) Peer Assessment in education provides a comprehensive overview of design choices and their consequences open to educational practitioners wishing to implement digital Peer Assessment in their courses, the type of tooling available and the possible effects of these choices on the learning outcomes as well as potential pitfalls and challenges when implementing Peer Assessment. The paper will inform and assist educators in finding or developing a tool that fits their needs.
Journal article
(2023)
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Bart Rienties, Blazenka Divjak, Michael Eichhorn, Francisco Iniesto, Gillian Saunders-Smits, Barbi Svetec, Alexander Tillmann, Mirza Zizak
Professional development (PD) is a key element for enhancing the quality of academic teaching. An increasing number of PD activities have moved to blended and online formats, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the desire, potential, and need for collaboration among educators to learn from innovative and best practices, several institutions have started to pool their resources and expertise together and have started to implement cross-institutional and cross-national online professional development (OPD). The questions of what type of a (cross-)institutional OPD educators might prefer, and whether educators learn effectively from (and with) peers in such cross-cultural context have not been adequately explored empirically. In this case-study across three European countries, we explored the lived experiences of 86 educators as a result of a cross-institutional OPD. Using a mixed methods design approach our pre-post findings indicated that, on average, participants made substantial gains in knowledge. In addition, several cultural differences were evident in the expectations and lived experiences in ODP, as well as the intention to transfer what had been learned into one's own practice of action. This study indicates that while substantial economic and pedagogical affordances are provided with cross-institutional OPD, cultural differences in context might impact the extent to which educators implement lessons learned from OPD.
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Professional development (PD) is a key element for enhancing the quality of academic teaching. An increasing number of PD activities have moved to blended and online formats, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the desire, potential, and need for collaboration among educators to learn from innovative and best practices, several institutions have started to pool their resources and expertise together and have started to implement cross-institutional and cross-national online professional development (OPD). The questions of what type of a (cross-)institutional OPD educators might prefer, and whether educators learn effectively from (and with) peers in such cross-cultural context have not been adequately explored empirically. In this case-study across three European countries, we explored the lived experiences of 86 educators as a result of a cross-institutional OPD. Using a mixed methods design approach our pre-post findings indicated that, on average, participants made substantial gains in knowledge. In addition, several cultural differences were evident in the expectations and lived experiences in ODP, as well as the intention to transfer what had been learned into one's own practice of action. This study indicates that while substantial economic and pedagogical affordances are provided with cross-institutional OPD, cultural differences in context might impact the extent to which educators implement lessons learned from OPD.
The amount of literature that focuses on diversity and inclusion within engineering education continues to grow. However, research traditionally focuses on gender, and despite the United Nations Convention for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) being passed in 2016, there is still a lack of work which describes the experience of students with disabilities....
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The amount of literature that focuses on diversity and inclusion within engineering education continues to grow. However, research traditionally focuses on gender, and despite the United Nations Convention for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) being passed in 2016, there is still a lack of work which describes the experience of students with disabilities....
This workshop is part of the ERASMUS+ project: RAPIDE: on Relevant Assessment and pedagogies for Inclusive Digital Education (https://rapide-project.eu) and is open to anyone who is interested in implementing or improving peer assessment in their courses. At the end of the workshop, participants will be able to make an informed decision on a suitable form of Peer Assessment for their courses. Over the past few years, many of us have faced operating in a frequently changing teaching environment which has made evaluating and assessing students’ learning outcomes and more importantly giving students feedback on their learning much more complicated. One pedagogical tool that has been increasingly used is that of peer assessments where students give each other feedback and assess each other’s work. In this workshop, participants will be introduced to many different types of peer assessment that can be used in engineering education, such as peer reviewing (each other’s work), peer grading(continuous feedback on mastery), and peer evaluation (group work) whether face-to-face, hybrid or in a fully online environment and how to do so in an inclusive way thus maintaining the important safe place that education should be. Participants will then in small groups discuss what types of peer evaluations they use or want to use in their courses and brainstorm on ideas for implementation in their own specific case or for one of the general cases that the facilitators will have available. At the end of the workshop participants will present their main findings back to the whole group so that they may also learn from each other. We aim for participants to leave feeling inspired at the end of the workshop to implement or improve peer assessment in their own courses. The aggregated main findings and ideas contrived in the workshop on how to implement peer assessment will also be shared with a wider audience through the conference proceedings and the RAPIDE project website.
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This workshop is part of the ERASMUS+ project: RAPIDE: on Relevant Assessment and pedagogies for Inclusive Digital Education (https://rapide-project.eu) and is open to anyone who is interested in implementing or improving peer assessment in their courses. At the end of the workshop, participants will be able to make an informed decision on a suitable form of Peer Assessment for their courses. Over the past few years, many of us have faced operating in a frequently changing teaching environment which has made evaluating and assessing students’ learning outcomes and more importantly giving students feedback on their learning much more complicated. One pedagogical tool that has been increasingly used is that of peer assessments where students give each other feedback and assess each other’s work. In this workshop, participants will be introduced to many different types of peer assessment that can be used in engineering education, such as peer reviewing (each other’s work), peer grading(continuous feedback on mastery), and peer evaluation (group work) whether face-to-face, hybrid or in a fully online environment and how to do so in an inclusive way thus maintaining the important safe place that education should be. Participants will then in small groups discuss what types of peer evaluations they use or want to use in their courses and brainstorm on ideas for implementation in their own specific case or for one of the general cases that the facilitators will have available. At the end of the workshop participants will present their main findings back to the whole group so that they may also learn from each other. We aim for participants to leave feeling inspired at the end of the workshop to implement or improve peer assessment in their own courses. The aggregated main findings and ideas contrived in the workshop on how to implement peer assessment will also be shared with a wider audience through the conference proceedings and the RAPIDE project website.
To assist in resolving the perceived lack of transversal competencies (TCs) of engineering graduates by industry, this study investigates the characteristics of transforming an existing industry TC instrument for use in engineering education. The instrument consists of 36 nuanced sub-competencies with the corresponding definitions and descriptive mastery levels. This instrument was first used to determine required TCs mastery levels for BSc and MSc graduates by European industry and subsequently, using two representative curricula as case studies to map TCs course outcomes and lecturer perceptions of TCs course outcomes, using interviews for further exploration. The main findings are that the TC instrument is suitable to determine desired industry mastery levels as well as to map TCs course outcomes both in formal documentation and by lecturers. Also, a gap between the formal and perceived curriculum was found i.e. discrepancies in reported TC learning outcomes between formal documentation and lecturer-reported TCs in courses.
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To assist in resolving the perceived lack of transversal competencies (TCs) of engineering graduates by industry, this study investigates the characteristics of transforming an existing industry TC instrument for use in engineering education. The instrument consists of 36 nuanced sub-competencies with the corresponding definitions and descriptive mastery levels. This instrument was first used to determine required TCs mastery levels for BSc and MSc graduates by European industry and subsequently, using two representative curricula as case studies to map TCs course outcomes and lecturer perceptions of TCs course outcomes, using interviews for further exploration. The main findings are that the TC instrument is suitable to determine desired industry mastery levels as well as to map TCs course outcomes both in formal documentation and by lecturers. Also, a gap between the formal and perceived curriculum was found i.e. discrepancies in reported TC learning outcomes between formal documentation and lecturer-reported TCs in courses.
The Future of Women Aerospace Engineers in Academia
A numbers game
The gender divide for women in the engineering domain in academia is still very large today, even though most institutions are committed to changing this. Although there are slow improvements in the number of women working in academic positions in Engineering, the Netherlands, in particular, is still lagging badly behind the rest of Europe with women making up only 17.6% of all full professors in the engineering domain and for 25.7% in the entire academic domain. This is despite many efforts across the board to improve this situation. The situation is even worse in the field of Aerospace Engineering and within this field, the lack of progress is not unique to the Netherlands with similar issues being reported in the United States of America and wider afield. This paper reports on research on the capacity building among women required within the aerospace engineering domain to reach the commonly defined critical mass percentage of 30% of women full professors using metrics on career progress and on as well as labour market data on the career development of Aerospace graduates to show where potential new interventions can be made.
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The gender divide for women in the engineering domain in academia is still very large today, even though most institutions are committed to changing this. Although there are slow improvements in the number of women working in academic positions in Engineering, the Netherlands, in particular, is still lagging badly behind the rest of Europe with women making up only 17.6% of all full professors in the engineering domain and for 25.7% in the entire academic domain. This is despite many efforts across the board to improve this situation. The situation is even worse in the field of Aerospace Engineering and within this field, the lack of progress is not unique to the Netherlands with similar issues being reported in the United States of America and wider afield. This paper reports on research on the capacity building among women required within the aerospace engineering domain to reach the commonly defined critical mass percentage of 30% of women full professors using metrics on career progress and on as well as labour market data on the career development of Aerospace graduates to show where potential new interventions can be made.
De eerste vrouw die afstudeerde aan onze faculteit – die destijds ‘Vliegtuigbouwkunde’ heette – was Koo Siu Ling. Ze was een buitenlandse student uit Indonesië van Chinese afkomst. Toen ze zich aanmeldde voor de opleiding vliegtuigbouwkunde haalde dat zowel in Nederland als in Indonesië de krant. Ze begon met haar studie in 1956, toen ze 16 jaar was.
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De eerste vrouw die afstudeerde aan onze faculteit – die destijds ‘Vliegtuigbouwkunde’ heette – was Koo Siu Ling. Ze was een buitenlandse student uit Indonesië van Chinese afkomst. Toen ze zich aanmeldde voor de opleiding vliegtuigbouwkunde haalde dat zowel in Nederland als in Indonesië de krant. Ze begon met haar studie in 1956, toen ze 16 jaar was.
Recent research by KU Leuven showed that 33% of the engineering graduates in Flanders changed jobs in the first year, with 60% of those citing job content as a reason. Also, industry often reports that recent graduate hires lack the right skills for the job. It appears that students seem to enter the labour market less prepared both in perception and skill level. This study investigates the perceptions of first-year students on their future role and the competencies they need by developing an engineering role model on the business model of Tracey and Wiersema. The premise of the PREFER-model is that most vacancies for junior engineers fall into one of three roles: Product Leadership (i.e., focus on radical innovation), Operational Excellence (i.e., focus on process optimization), and Customer Intimacy (i.e., focus on client-tailored solutions). A survey was administered to first-year students from the three largest engineering degrees in Belgium, Ireland, and the Netherlands. A total of 197 students in Belgium (KU Leuven – Engineering Technology), 89 students in Ireland (TU Dublin – Engineering), and 372 students in the Netherlands (TU Delft – Aerospace Engineering) participated. In this survey, students were also asked to express their preference for three fictional job vacancies reflecting the three different roles. The results showed that first-year students do not have a clear view of the future and have an idealized perception of the engineering profession centred around the Product Leadership role. Students were also found to overestimate their level of preparedness when it comes to their mastery of competencies. It is suggested that having a discerning professional roles model as well as instruments that allow students to assess their role alignment and associated role competencies will help mitigate these issues.
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Recent research by KU Leuven showed that 33% of the engineering graduates in Flanders changed jobs in the first year, with 60% of those citing job content as a reason. Also, industry often reports that recent graduate hires lack the right skills for the job. It appears that students seem to enter the labour market less prepared both in perception and skill level. This study investigates the perceptions of first-year students on their future role and the competencies they need by developing an engineering role model on the business model of Tracey and Wiersema. The premise of the PREFER-model is that most vacancies for junior engineers fall into one of three roles: Product Leadership (i.e., focus on radical innovation), Operational Excellence (i.e., focus on process optimization), and Customer Intimacy (i.e., focus on client-tailored solutions). A survey was administered to first-year students from the three largest engineering degrees in Belgium, Ireland, and the Netherlands. A total of 197 students in Belgium (KU Leuven – Engineering Technology), 89 students in Ireland (TU Dublin – Engineering), and 372 students in the Netherlands (TU Delft – Aerospace Engineering) participated. In this survey, students were also asked to express their preference for three fictional job vacancies reflecting the three different roles. The results showed that first-year students do not have a clear view of the future and have an idealized perception of the engineering profession centred around the Product Leadership role. Students were also found to overestimate their level of preparedness when it comes to their mastery of competencies. It is suggested that having a discerning professional roles model as well as instruments that allow students to assess their role alignment and associated role competencies will help mitigate these issues.