Competencies in interdisciplinary engineering education: Constructing perspectives on interdisciplinarity in a Q-sort study

Xin Ming*, Jan van der Veen, Miles A.J. MacLeod

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

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    Abstract

    Interdisciplinary engineering education (IEE) is gaining traction as engineering practices increasingly acknowledge the need to transcend traditional boundaries given the complexities of globalised systems. IEE, however, faces challenges that underscore uncertainties and different perceptions about what interdisciplinarity means for engineering education, what it requires, and how current educational practices should change accordingly. This study addresses these concerns by taking competencies as indicators. Analysing new angles interdisciplinary approaches bring to traditional engineering competencies, we first propose six IEE-related competency categories. We then use the Q-sort methodology to investigate how interdisciplinarity is envisioned within overall engineering educational goals. Findings highlight three distinct perspectives, seeing IEE respectively as social-holistic, technical problem-solving, and reflective pragmatic. Each perspective embodies specific values and conceptions about the role and implications of interdisciplinarity for engineering education. The multifaceted understandings of and approaches to realise IEE suggest the need for nuanced strategies and continuous dialogues in education.
    Original languageEnglish
    Number of pages22
    JournalEuropean journal of engineering education
    Early online date2 Sept 2024
    DOIs
    Publication statusE-pub ahead of print/First online - 2 Sept 2024

    Keywords

    • UT-Hybrid-D

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