Engineering Education

Pedagogy and Practice within Newfoundland and Labrador’s Post-Secondary Engineering Curricula

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to understand the classroom pedagogical practices of post-secondary engineering educators in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. In particular, engineering educators and students representing a range of disciplines from a degree-granting institution and from a diploma-granting institution were asked to reflect on their experiences and perspectives regarding teaching methods. There exists a body of research advocating for active learning over passive approaches with scholars calling for greater implementation in engineering education, where passive learning is viewed as being prevalent. This study captured the extent to which this calling has manifested in engineering education within the locale while simultaneously explicating educator and student perspectives on engineering education pedagogy. The research was situated within an interpretivist framework and adopted a qualitative intrinsic single-case design with embedded units. Data were gathered through an online questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis of the resulting data highlighted recurring patterns associated with instructional practices, instructional preferences, and challenges that helped answer the main research question: What are the classroom pedagogical practices of post-secondary engineering educators across the province of Newfoundland and Labrador? The findings revealed a complex and evolving pedagogical landscape in engineering education within the province. While traditional, lecture-based methods remain prevalent, there is growing momentum toward integrating more active, student-centred approaches. Educators recognize the value of balancing passive and active learning strategies to accommodate diverse student needs, backgrounds, and learning preferences.