Thinking Like an Engineer: Using Engineering Habits of Mind and signature pedagogies to redesign Engineering Education

摘要

In order to attract more young people into engineering\udand ensure that they are well equipped to meet\udfuture professional challenges we need to know how successful\udengineers think and act when faced with challenging\udproblems. Using a mixed methods approach this study investigated\udthe habits of mind that engineers use most frequently\udwhen engaged in the core activity of “making”\udthings or “making things work better”. We identified the six\udmost distinctive learning dispositions, or engineering “habits\udof mind” [EHoM] that engineers frequently deploy. Our\udresearch then explored ways in which the teaching of engineering\udmight be re-designed to cultivate EHoM using “signature\udpedagogies” and through this, generate deeper understanding\udof what is involved in becoming and being an\udengineer. This paper reports on the research undertaken\udwith engineers to define the EHoM and identifies some of\udthe distinctive features of signature pedagogies as they\udmight be applied to engineering education. It concludes by\udoutlining future research to further validate and define\udhabits of mind and signature pedagogies for engineering.