Introducing Engineering Judgment through Active Learning
Publication: Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education and Practice
Volume 144, Issue 4
Abstract
The development and implementation of an active learning assignment to develop students’ engineering judgment or their ability to apply common sense and proportion to slope stability is outlined. The assignment was developed because students often struggle to ascertain whether a calculated factor of safety is realistic. After completing the various training sets forming the assignment, students were able to judge the stability of slopes to a similar degree of proficiency as practicing engineers. A key aspect of the training sets was presenting problem sets in an increasingly random order. Formal lecturing, on the other hand, had no influence on students’ engineering judgment abilities. As expected, overconfidence was shown by students who performed poorly.
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Acknowledgments
The author is grateful to both Jani MacRobert and Professor Chris James (University of the Witwatersrand) for their valuable comments on the manuscript.
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©2018 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Received: Nov 8, 2017
Accepted: Mar 1, 2018
Published online: Jun 9, 2018
Published in print: Oct 1, 2018
Discussion open until: Nov 9, 2018
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