Authentic assessments are integral in mechanical engineering education to develop students’ knowledge, skills and attitudes (KSAs). However, there is often a mismatch in expectations between engineering education and industrial work competencies once students begin to apply what was learnt from school in the workplace. The practice of Transfer of Learning (ToL)- transferring KSAs between different contexts and topics with the same underlying engineering principles- will enable students to connect competencies learned from authentic assessments to their careers.

This study monitors a cohort of 2024 undergraduate first-year students undertaking a Mechanical Simulation module with an authentic assessment project component. Reflecting on an evaluation in 2023, an enhanced four-component intervention was conceived to increase the awareness and practice of inter-module ToL. Survey data was collected before and after the intervention via a Transfer of Learning Questionnaire which measured attitudes to transfer, obstacles/barriers to transfer, and learning retention. An open-ended section was also designed to further extract general perceptions and experiences of ToL.

Our results suggest the intervention improved attitudes towards ToL. Students were more aware of the module’s significance and were able to relate it to other modules within the degree programme, finding greater ease employing inter-module ToL.

The findings support employing a scaffolded, structured approach to ToL and authentic assessments that sets concrete practical expectations, which would be better received by foundational-year students. This research contributes towards understanding engineering students’ learning transfer needs and expectations, alongside proposing a framework to develop and design engineering education for the future.

Authors:
Eugene Tan Egk Chwen, Singapore Institute of Technology, Singapore
Alfred C. H. Tan, Singapore Institute of Technology, Singapore
Christian Della, University of Glasgow, Singapore
Jamil Jasin, Singapore Institute of Technology, Singapore
Elisa Ang Yun Mei, Singapore Institute of Technology, Singapore
Idris Lim Li Hong, National University of Singapore, Singapore
Victor Wang, Singapore Institute of Technology, Singapore
Ong Chee Ming, Singapore Institute of Technology, Singapore
Arturo Molina-Cristobal, University of Glasgow, Singapore

About the Presenter(s)
Eugene Tan Egk Chwen is currently a Research Engineer at the Singapore Institute of Technology with research interests in pedagogy and transfer of learning. He is currently working on the MOE Tertiary Research Fund.

Connect on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/eugene-tan-12729a228/

See this presentation on the full schedule – Thursday Schedule

Bookmark