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The Characteristics of Engineering Learning in Communities of Practice: An Exploratory Multi-case Study

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Conference

2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Location

Minneapolis, MN

Publication Date

August 23, 2022

Start Date

June 26, 2022

End Date

June 29, 2022

Conference Session

Educational Research and Methods (ERM) Division Poster Session

Page Count

21

DOI

10.18260/1-2--41028

Permanent URL

https://peer.asee.org/41028

Download Count

295

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Paper Authors

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Liang Wang

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Liang Wang, PhD candidate in School of Public Affairs, Zhejiang University.Research Interests: Engineering education.

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Wei Zhang Zhejiang University

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binbin shao Zhejiang University

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Binbin Shao
2020-Present Zhejiang University, Ph.D candidate in Institute of China’s Science Technology and Education Policy in Zhejiang University.
2010-Present Lecturer, School of Public Administration, Zhejiang Gongshang University
Research Interests: Entrepreneurship education in engineering.

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Abstract

Abstract: The Emerging Engineering Education (3E) transformation has been implemented in China to meet the society’s needs of high-quality talents in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. The transformation has stimulated some new forms of engineering learning which were organized in communities of practice such as engineering studio, engineering laboratory in some universities. However, little is known about the characteristics of engineering learning in communities of practice. In the paper, we would like to bridge this gap and make some deep explorations about these new forms of engineering learning under the guideline of the situated engineering learning framework. Following the principles of the purposeful and theoretical sampling method, We selected four different types of engineering communities of practice at Zhejiang University. We made some iterative semi-structured interviews with students in these communities and used an inductive as well as constant comparative approach to analyze the qualitative materials we gathered from interviews. At last, we identified four salient themes about the characteristics of engineering learning in communities of practice from our analysis: (a) authentic-task driven, (b) collaborative inquiry, (c) reflective-design process, (d) engineering identity. Future we will build on this study and develop some valid instruments to measure these characteristics in order to clarify the relationship between community of practice and engineering students’ learning effect. Keywords: community of practice; engineering learning; authentic-task driven; collaborative inquiry; reflective-design process; engineering identity

Wang, L., & Zhang, W., & shao, B. (2022, August), The Characteristics of Engineering Learning in Communities of Practice: An Exploratory Multi-case Study Paper presented at 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Minneapolis, MN. 10.18260/1-2--41028

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