scholarly journals DEVELOPING A SELF-PACED COURSE MODULE IN INFORMATION-FINDING AND LITERACY SKILLS FOR COURSEBASED MASTERS' STUDENTS

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evan Sterling ◽  
Jolene Hurtubise
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Students ◽  
Technical Information ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Academic Librarians ◽  
Graduate Studies ◽  
Technical Report ◽  
Information Research ◽  
Free Search ◽  
Information Finding ◽  
Masters Students

Academic librarians in Canada often teach information research skills and information literacy tostudents, including engineering students, via class presentations. These skills include knowledge of the diverse technical information sources available, the use of specialised databases and free search tools, and assessing and properly citing information; they are important in graduate studies and in engineering practise. Course-based masters’ students are a growing demographic in engineering, however their particular needs have not as often been targeted by librarians. In this project, we developed a graded asynchronous course module in these skills, for a new course in professional skills for M.Eng. students. It uses text, images, videos, short assignments and quizzes to follow thegeneral research and writing process for a technical report, marking a significant increase in the contact time for these skills. To date the unit has been taught twice, to over 200 students, with overall feedback being positive. We plan to continue its development and make it openlyavailable.

Learning by Doing on Computational Fluid Dynamics

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teresa Parra-Santos ◽  
José M. Molina Jordá ◽  
Gabriel Luna-Sandoval ◽  
Mariano Cacho-Perez ◽  
J. Rubén Pérez
Keyword(s):  
Fluid Dynamics ◽  
Computational Fluid Dynamics ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Learning By Doing ◽  
Critical Thought ◽  
Multimedia Material ◽  
Technical Report ◽  
Scale Down ◽  
The University

This work involves the methodology used in the University of Valladolid for Mechanical Engineering students to learn Computational Fluid Dynamics playing an active role. Students pretend to be engineers in a consulting or design office carrying out a fluid mechanics scale down projects. Later they act as reviewers evaluating a project from a colleague. There is a deeper understanding of the topic when they need to discuss the strategies to accomplish the project, to write a technical report and finally to justify the evaluation of other works. Furthermore, they develop their critical thought, writing skills and synthesis capacity. Multimedia material from other institutions that review the concepts learned in the course can be a suitable way to improve the understanding of concepts.

scholarly journals Embedded Peer Inquiry Specialists: A Gateway to Information Literacy

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Danielle Salomon ◽  
Julia Glassman ◽  
Simon Lee ◽  
Alicia Reiley
Keyword(s):  
General Education ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
First Generation ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Course Evaluations ◽  
Academic Librarians ◽  
Combined Model ◽  
Writing Assignments ◽  
Information Literacy Skills ◽  
Academic Year

Peer-assisted learning has been embraced by higher education as a way to boost student success. At the same time, academic librarians have found embedded librarianship to be an effective way to develop students' information literacy skills. The embedded librarianship model, however, is difficult to scale. The UCLA Library is testing a program that combines embedded librarianship with peer learning to solve some of the challenges associated with those models.The program works by embedding a student who has completed a General Education (GE) lecture course back into the current year's course to help students with research and writing assignments. The embedded student, called an "Inquiry Specialist,” is nominated by that course's faculty. The program launched in 2015 in five courses that serve a total of 830 students. Assessment is ongoing and includes: 1. IRB-approved study that will compare data (grades, retention, first-generation status, etc.) from students who connected with an Inquiry Specialist with those who did not; 2. Information literacy pre- and post-assessments; 3. Analysis of course evaluations; 4. Student survey.Results indicate that the combined model is an effective and scalable gateway to information literacy. During the first six weeks of Fall, 830 students (15% of the freshman class) attended a 40-minute library orientation. Approximately 20% of the 830 students subsequently sought additional help from the Inquiry Specialists. An analysis of course evaluations demonstrated that students in courses with an Inquiry Specialist rated their improvement in library and research skills 25% and 19% higher, respectfully, than students in courses without an Inquiry Specialist. Student scores on the information literacy quiz increased by an average of 9%. When surveyed, 68% of students said the Inquiry Specialists were “Very Helpful” (36%) or “Helpful” (34%). Plans are underway to double the size of the program in the 2016-17 academic year.

Hypermedia Programs for Mechanical Engineering

1994 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy K. Hight ◽  
Lee E. Hornberger ◽  
Elizabeth Lawrence ◽  
Matthew W. Gawlowski
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Students ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Technical Information ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Machine Design ◽  
Standard Type ◽  
Stage Of Development ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Information Transmittal ◽  
Accessible Form

Abstract Engineers need to absorb and learn large amounts of new technical information. Effective methods of receiving this information are needed. Hypermedia stacks are one emerging avenue for information transmittal. This paper discusses two programs that have been created to address two distinct requirements for information transmittal — description of new technology in an easily accessible form, and guiding novices in developing skills and gaining insights in solving a particular type of problem. The first program was developed using a HyperCard stack and a Macintosh computer and describes current techniques available for rapid prototyping. Professional engineers and engineering students are largely unaware of these technologies because information on the subject is new. The second program is being developed using ToolBook under Windows and deals with the problem of sizing an idler shaft under given loads and operating conditions. This is a standard type of problem that might be given in a junior level machine design course. It draws on knowledge from statics and strength of materials and so acts as a review of fundamentals as well as a test of deeper understanding. This second program is at an earlier stage of development.

Evaluating the Quality of an Online Course in Information Literacy Applied to Engineering Students

2021 ◽  
pp. 79-117
Author(s):  
Teresa Oliveira Ramos ◽  
Carla Morais ◽  
Cristina Ribeiro
Keyword(s):  
Information Literacy ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Independent Learning ◽  
Online Course ◽  
Information Literacy Skills ◽  
Online Assignments

An academic library created an online course in information literacy skills in 2007 for engineering students. This chapter reports the evaluation of the course's effectiveness in developing those skills. In the academic year 2015/2016, a case study with a mixed-methods approach was applied to 5th-year students (N=91) enrolled in a course unit for Master Dissertation's preparation in the informatics and computing engineering programme. Students showed high confidence in their information literacy skills. Online assignments' performance was good, but activities revealed quality issues. Performance in the course unit's assignments reveals a poor application of acquired skills. But satisfaction is high: students value independent learning and online access to resources and content. Despite evidence of some positive impact, the course lacks effectiveness due to issues in the course unit's assignments. Needed improvements include a better realignment with students' needs and a redesign with an instructional model to assure the promotion of students' success.

Rhetoric and the Engineering Approach: Three Axioms

1972 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 119-127
Author(s):  
J. C. Mathes
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Students ◽  
English Teacher ◽  
Technical Knowledge ◽  
Science And Engineering ◽  
Engineering Approach ◽  
Technical Report ◽  
Verbal Model

His knowledge of rhetorical principles enables the English teacher to criticize the content as well as the form of a technical report because the report is a verbal model of an object, process, or product. This relationship between content and rhetoric means that the English teacher can base his evaluation of the written work of science and engineering students on these three axioms: Axiom I. Poor rhetoric signals poor technical knowledge. Axiom II. Poor rhetoric manifests unscientific thinking. Axiom III. Poor rhetoric demonstrates a lack of concern for engineering values.

scholarly journals Everyone Likes a Challenge: Getting Students' Attention with Interactive Games and Authentic Assignments

2013 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 149-161
Author(s):  
Theresa McDevitt
Keyword(s):  
Information Literacy ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Academic Librarians ◽  
University Of Pennsylvania ◽  
Indiana University ◽  
Mental Processes ◽  
Interactive Games ◽  
Information Literacy Skills ◽  
Google Search ◽  
Indiana University Of Pennsylvania

Most college students today have little trouble finding information through Google, Facebook, Twitter, and Wikipedia. They find it more challenging when asked to locate, evaluate, and ethically use the highest quality and most appropriate resources, which might require them to look beyond the first few hits in a Google search. Academic librarians are spending more time designing and delivering instruction to help students develop these important information literacy skills. How can librarians design their classes to promote the learning of these higher-order mental processes? How can they capture the attention of their students and engage them in the learning process? Adding games, activities, and authentic or problem based assignments to existing instruction sessions may be the answer. This article will discuss how librarians at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) Libraries have made instruction more engaging and effective by adding action to orientations and authenticity to assignments.

scholarly journals First-Year and Junior Engineering Students’ Self-Assessment of Information Literacy Skills

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kerrie Douglas ◽  
Ruth Wertz ◽  
Michael Fosmire ◽  
Senay Purzer ◽  
Amy Van Epps
Keyword(s):  
Information Literacy ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
First Year ◽  
Self Assessment ◽  
Information Literacy Skills
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