Enabling Visible and Effective Learning in Engineering

A.Prof Tom Baldock, Dr David Knight, Dr David Callaghan,A/Prof. Mehmet Kizil, Dr Liza O’Moore, Prof. Erik Meyer

Acknowledgements:EAIT Faculty Teaching and Learning Grant, 2011-2013

Focus on Metalearning◦Goal: Make learning behaviours visible for students so they can

take more ownership of their own learning success

CAPABILITY

Threshold Concepts◦Goal: Identify the concepts within courses that students must

first understand so they can apply that knowledge to address more advanced, end-goal concepts of the course

Project Elements

Threshold Concepts◦ More than key concepts – TRANSFORMATIVE◦ Lead to new ways of thinking ◦ Step on the road to increased capability

Threshold Concepts Element

What are they and how can they be used ?o Need to isolate themo Show where to invest time to maximum benefito Triangulation approach

Threshold Concept Approach

Academics

StudentsAssessment

Analysis of

Concepts in a

Course

Activity: Engage multiple

sources of information.

Analysis of previous assessments

Threshold Concept Approach

Exam Total

Threshold concepts

Critical Flow

Rapidly varied flow

Hydraulic jump

We don’t know why students get stuck at TCo lack of face to face time?o can’t see the wood for the trees?o not enough time on task?

Threshold Concepts to Capability

We don’t really know how to help them at discipline level

o but some activities can help

Metalearning Activity – address structural learning problems

Activity: Students work in groups

to produce a C map.

Solo Exercise (Structure of the Observed Learning Outcome)

Activity: Have students mark

different possible answers to a

question related to the threshold

concept and then have them explain

their marking scheme.

Metacognition activities

Activity:Provide a framework for

working problems.

Instructor works problems using the framework (actually

answers each question).

Students work through problems in groups by

addressing each question in the

framework.

Threshold Concepts to Capability Course level

Threshold Concept

Threshold Capabilities

Content and thinking capability

Discipline level

Characteristic capability

Threshold Capabilities

Critical flowAnalyse compound flow profiles

Principle of hydraulic control

e.g.

Threshold Concepts to Engineering Capability

Baillie, Bowden and Meyer, 2012

Characteristic capability for Engineers

What is it?

Engineering capability

Why is it missing?

Time on task has declined very significantly

No struggle to solve problems

Constant engagement with content is missing

Engineering capability

What is it?

Your view