Loading...
Correlation between engineering students’ perceptions of sustainability and their understanding of the threshold concepts in their disciplines
Abstract
CONTEXT
Sustainability is an important concept in engineering education. Although it is not a new idea in engineering education, its implementation presents a number of obstacles. To support curriculum development, we looked into the fundamental and transformative learning in sustainability, known as 'threshold concepts’. A series of concepts that has the ability to transform the way students perceive sustainability in their disciplines. In this study, we attempt to answer the question, how do engineering students perceive and understand sustainability within the context of their discipline's core concepts?
PURPOSE OR GOAL
Using threshold concept theory, we investigated how students in various engineering disciplines perceive sustainability and identified what they thought to be the crucial sustainability principle in their disciplines. We hoped to improve sustainability engineering education initiatives and promote the incorporation of sustainability concepts into various engineering disciplines' curricula by changing students' and educators' perceptions of sustainability.
APPROACH OR METHODOLOGY/METHODS
The study used a mixed-methods approach, which included both quantitative and qualitative data collection techniques. A structured survey was distributed to students from a variety of disciplines, including civil, software, electronics, mechanical, chemical, and material processing engineering. In addition to the survey, qualitative data were gathered through interviews with a subset of these students, allowing for a more in-depth exploration of individual perspectives. The analysis also included a review of first-year engineering students' reflective essays and reports, which provided additional qualitative insights into their perspectives on sustainability.
OUTCOMES
Our research found that the content of sustainability courses significantly shapes students' overall understanding of sustainability and its relevance to their specific discipline. A key hurdle in integrating sustainability into engineering education is its perceived irrelevance. Students favoured content that's tailored to their discipline, aligning with their existing discipline specific threshold concepts. For instance, software engineering students felt that general sustainability courses didn't apply to them, preferring courses that incorporate sustainability in a way that's directly relevant to them. They aimed to gain knowledge that would complement and expand upon their prior studies.
CONCLUSIONS/RECOMMENDATIONS/SUMMARY
Our study revealed that sustainability-related threshold concepts are distinct for each discipline, highlighting the need for customised approaches to foster engagement and understanding. These insights can help educators craft teaching strategies that enhance students' grasp of these concepts and promote the application of sustainable practices within their disciplines. A major difficulty in integrating sustainability into engineering education was the lack of discipline-specific content, leading many students to overlook sustainability concepts that didn't directly relate to their studies.
Type
Conference Contribution
Type of thesis
Series
Citation
Enteshari, S., Fox-Turnbull, W., Jonathan, S., & Male, S. (2024, December 8-11). Correlation between engineering students’ perceptions of sustainability and their understanding of the threshold concepts in their disciplines [Conference item]. 35th Australasian Association for Engineering Education Annual Conference (AAEE2024), Christchurch.
Date
2024
Publisher
Australasian Association Engineering Education (AAEE)
Degree
Supervisors
Rights
© 2024 Enteshari, Fox, Scott, Male: Use this document for personal use and in courses of instruction. Any other usage is prohibited without the express permission of the authors.