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