Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Publications
Campus Units
Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Center for Biorenewable Chemicals
Document Type
Article
Publication Version
Published Version
Publication Date
2016
Journal or Book Title
International Journal of Engineering Education
Volume
32
Issue
5 (A)
First Page
2134
Last Page
2150
Abstract
In our review we examined the primary and secondary influences of mechatronic experiences on student engagement in fundamental engineering courses. Using a systematic review methodology, we collected 402 articles with publication dates ranging from 1990–2014. Screening on title and abstract information reduced our included sources to 137, from which we mapped six parent and 22 child codes. Appraising 17 of these articles we identified eight high quality studies as the focus of our synthesis, which identified five primary influences (Student Motivation, Self-Efficacy, Course Rigor, Learning Retention, and Gender) and two secondary influences (Accreditation and Ease-of-Implementation). In these influences we found evidence that mechatronic experiences can increase student motivation, self-efficacy, and course rigor. Also, positive effects on learning retention, gender diversity, accreditation efforts, and ease of course content implementation were identified. Future research is needed to clarify: (1) if mechatronic experiences truly increase student motivation and self-efficacy more than lecture-based strategies, (2) how the positive short-term impacts of these experiences translate to subjective academic success (i.e., future course and career goals), (3) how implementation logistics are influenced by experience type (i.e., open-ended projects verse contests), class size, institution and industry support, etc., and (4) to what degree the factors of gender, underrepresented student groups, course curricular placement, and activity type influence student engagement.
Copyright Owner
TEMPUS Publications
Copyright Date
2016
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Recommended Citation
Haughery, John R. and Raman, D. Raj, "Influences of Mechatronics on Student Engagement in Fundamental Engineering Courses: A Systematic Review" (2016). Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Publications. 1010.
https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/abe_eng_pubs/1010
Comments
This article is published as Haughery, John R., and D. Raj Raman. "Influences of Mechatronics on Student Engagement in Fundamental Engineering Courses: A Systematic Review." International Journal of Engineering Education 32, no 5(A): 2134-2150. Posted with permission.