Using practice architectures to investigate the invisibility of writing practices in the engineering curriculum

Goldsmith, Rosalie; Willey, Keith

doi:10.1109/fie.2017.8190450

Cited by 1 publication

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“…Nonetheless, engineering curricula do not often specifically target these skills (Pinelli et al, 1996). While several studies have been dedicated to understanding how technical written communication skills of engineering students may be improved, especially through lab reports (Hilgers et al, 1999;Goldsmith et al, 2019;Goldsmith, 2018;Wallwey et al, 2021), a cursory review of the available literature reveals a limited number of studies that focus on alternatives to lab reports and their effectiveness. The objectives of this article are to provide a brief survey of these studies, and to serve as a quick reference for those lab instructors who wish to diversify the form of lab assignments in their courses.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Survey of Alternative Modes of Technical Communication in Engineering Laboratory Courses

Mirabolghasemi

2023 ASEE Annual Conference &Amp; Exposition Proceedings

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Today's engineers need diverse technical communication skills that are not limited to preparing detailed and long reports. However, classic engineering curricula lack courses that focus on these skills. Engineering laboratory courses offer a unique opportunity to fill this gap. In this paper, we review cases reported in science and engineering education literature that cover laboratory assignments other than traditional lab reports. We discuss the use of modified reports, oral presentation, poster presentations, and video reports as alternatives to conventional lab reports.Results from multiple studies indicate that, in addition to gaining technical communication skills, preparing alternative forms of lab assignments helps students to improve their teamworking skills. Students may also benefit from immediate feedback from the instructor and their peers in case of oral and poster presentations. Other advantages include a lower grading workload for lab instructors, natural evolution of class discussions, and the potential for students to interact with diverse external audiences.To ensure a successful learning experience, engineering educators recommend the early incorporation of alternative modes of technical communication into engineering curricula. Additionally, research shows that evaluation rubrics must be carefully designed and provided to the students fairly in advance.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Survey of Alternative Modes of Technical Communication in Engineering Laboratory Courses

Mirabolghasemi

2023 ASEE Annual Conference &Amp; Exposition Proceedings

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Using practice architectures to investigate the invisibility of writing practices in the engineering curriculum

Cited by 1 publication

References 21 publications

A Survey of Alternative Modes of Technical Communication in Engineering Laboratory Courses

A Survey of Alternative Modes of Technical Communication in Engineering Laboratory Courses

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