Frontier: Discipline-Based Education Research to Advance Authentic Learning in Agricultural and Biological Engineering

Abstract

HighlightsDiscipline-based education research can provide unique insights for agricultural and biological engineering.Authentic learning has the potential to transform teaching practices and student learning.Work in the five areas of engineering education research provides a foundation for discipline-specific inquiry.An agricultural and biological engineering education research agenda is advised. Keywords: Authentic learning, Discipline-based education research.

Review: biological engineering for nature-based climate solutions

“…Engaging students with classroom learning strategies that mimic real-world problem-solving is one recommendation from a recent review of biological engineering education [ 97 ]. With this need in mind, I am working to develop a cross-campus undergraduate honors course whose central project would be an outline for Nature-based Climate Solutions strategy for my state, Arkansas, assessing scientific potential and political-economic opportunities.…”

A survey of biological and agricultural engineering students and faculty learning preferences

“…The strong score of Biological Engineering students on the sensitive dimension aligns well with the practical and hands-on aspect that characterizes the discipline [28]. A similar table was created for the comparison of faculty learning preferences (Table 3).…”

Students’ Metacognitive Strategies Revealed Through Reflections on Their Learning of Process Engineering Concepts and Skills

“…The design of this course incorporated some elements of practice-based education [21] or cognitive-apprenticeship (e.g., [22]) with the aim of immersing agricultural and biological engineering students in workplace-like activity within the bounds of classroom-based instruction [23]. The elements included authentic tasks, learning driven by tasks, teamwork, and reflection.…”