Pedagogies of Engagement: Classroom-Based Practices

Abstract

Educators, researchers, and policy makers have advocated studentinvolvement for some time as an essential aspect of meaningfullearning. In the past twenty years engineering educators haveimplemented several means of better engaging their undergraduatestudents, including active and cooperative learning, learningcommunities, service learning, cooperative education, inquiry andproblem-based learning, and team projects. This paper focuses onclassroom-based pedagogies of engagement, particularlycooperative and problem-based learning. It includes a briefhistory, theoretical roots, research support, summary of practices,and suggestions for redesigning engineering classes and programsto include more student engagement. The paper also lays out theresearch ahead for advancing pedagogies aimed at more fullyenhancing students' involvement in their learning.