Essay competitions valuable feedback from engineering students

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Essay competitions valuable feedback from
engineering students

• John Davies and Carol Arlett

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Engineering Subject Centre

• 2003/04
• What makes a good engineering lecturer?
• 2004/05
• What makes the best learning experience for an
  engineering student?
• 2005/06
• How does your experience of your course compare
  with any expectations you may have had?

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Other examples

• HE Academy, Health Sciences and Practice
• University of St Andrews
• Other subject centres in 2004/05 and 2005/06
• (Learning logs )

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Organisation

• Advertising
• Judging
• Shortlist, website
• Winner
• Winner from all subjects

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Approach to analysis

• Concentrate on actual content
• Grounded theory approach
• Identify consensus in shortlisted essays
• Composite definition of attributes
• Quote from all essays
• Celebrate what is written

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What makes a good engineering lecturer?

• A good engineering lecturer
• (strong consensus among shortlisted essays)
• is enthusiastic
• gives clear well-structured presentations
• uses real-world engineering examples backed up by
  industrial experience

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• A good engineering lecturer
• (good consensus among shortlisted essays)
• has a genuine interest in students as individuals
  and as members of an audience (is friendly,
  approachable and patient is audience-aware and
  responds to feedback)
• encourages learning

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• A good engineering lecturer
• (good consensus among shortlisted essays)
• has depth of knowledge and command of the
  material
• uses visual material and demonstrations
  effectively
• gives good handouts
• makes classes enjoyable

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• A good engineering lecturer
• (some consensus among shortlisted essays)
• is good at simplifying difficult concepts
• is well organised and reliable

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is enthusiastic

• Enthusiasm is the single most important trait
  that a lecturer can have (It) will make the
  students listen, and it will make them want to
  learn.
• John OBrien (winner), Engineering, Cambridge

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gives clear well-structured presentations

• lecturers should remember that they are an
  example to students who will, later in their
  careers, have to give presentations as well
• Pip Swindall, Engineering Science, Oxford

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uses real world examples backed up by industrial
experience

• it is all too easy to spot a lecturer who has
  spent his whole life in education and merely
  conveys the bones of the subject matter without
  the flesh that real life would provide
• Andrew Von Hirschberg, Engineering, Cambridge
• ICE concerns about appointing lecturers on
  research only

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audience awareness

• an excellent knack for example and analogy, a
  feel for how the concept looks to a student who
  does not yet understand it and an instinct for
  how well the audience understood the last
  sentence said A method of explanation that was
  instantly successful last year may only confuse
  this years batch. A concept that required half
  an hour of careful explanation last time might
  only take five minutes with a new audience.
• John OBrien, Engineering, Cambridge

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encourages learning

• good lecturers might be described as mapmakers
  they provide their students with large-scale maps
  of the terrain they are studying A lecturers
  main aim after all is to send students off in the
  right direction suitably equipped to explore the
  subject themselves
• Adam Carins, Civil Engineering, Coventry

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encourages learning

• provide their students with the knowledge and
  skills that will be the base of their careers,
  but the good ones can also develop their
  students natural sense of wonder at the way
  things work and their ambition to make them work
  in new and better ways.
• John OBrien

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encourages learning

• a good lecturer to be one whose lectures I am
  able to recall in years to come, not only when it
  comes to exams
• Catriona Ambrose, Civil Engineering, Bristol
• deep learning

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uses demonstrations effectively

• The effect was dramatic. The ability to
  transform stale, black and white formulae into
  moving, real-life animations added significant
  interest to the lecture. More importantly,
  however, it gave me a real handle on the subject
  matter. Do I remember the exact formulae? No, my
  minds eye sees the animation and my
  understanding starts from there.
• Andrew Von Hirschberg

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Comments

• lecturer as presenter of lectures
• alternative approaches?
• very little about
• research
• assessment
• learning outcomes

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What makes the best learning experience for an
engineering student?

• 2004/05
• More entries
• Main differences

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• all engineering students need to be taught the
  theory behind whatever discipline they are
  studying. However, in order that students can
  learn, as well as being taught, opportunities
  should be made available both within university
  and, where possible, in industry, for students to
  experience engineering at first hand. It is these
  experiences that have proved to be the best
  learning experiences for this civil engineering
  student.
• Martin Stanley (winner), Civil Engineering,
  Imperial College

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• Overall winner (from 200 entries in total)
• Although quality ingredients are fundamental to
  a good learning experience, much more is needed
  to make a fantastic one extra touches of spice
  and individuality that can personalise studies
  a Biology degree needs to constantly evolve and
  adapt to meet the needs of its students for a
  memorable learning experience, and ultimately, a
  rewarding career.
• Jessica Haglington, Biological Sciences, Exeter

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Conclusions

• Worthwhile exercise
• Valuable resource
• What makes a good engineering lecturer?
• enthusiasm
• clear presentation
• practical examples industry experience