1. 17 October 2012
Learning and Teaching models
for Engineering and Trades:
WelTec Stories
James Mackay

2. • Making Steam Cars – James Mackay
• Making a Multi-medium Content Delivery
System – Shane Taplin
• Research and Project-based Learning in
Automotive – Phill Mudgway and Grant
Davies
• Design of an Achievement Strategy to
Improve Completion – Barbara Kelly and
Colleen Hurley

3. 17 October 2012
Making Steam Cars: Project-based
Learning in the Foundation
Engineering Programme at WelTec
James Mackay

4. The Context
 Engineering Foundation course (Four week 20 credit; level 4)
 23 students: Includes school leavers, mature students, non-English
speakers, variety of cultures
 Pre-diploma and pre-degree students together
 Practical oriented; project based learning
 Integrates literacy and numeracy development into coursework

5. Project Based Learning
Physics and
Teaching and Learning Mathematics
Content
Philosophy Development
 Constructivist approach to
learning
Science & The Steam Car
 Project Based Collaborative Engineering
Inducting
Process Skills Project students into
learning model Development
the engineering
community
 Embedded literacy and
numeracy
 Developing self-efficacy Engineering
Literacy
Development

6. • Making the cars
• Testing the cars and calculating
the efficiency
• Designing a modification to
improve efficiency
• Testing the modification
• Writing a report
• Converting the car into a steam
The Steam Car generator
Project

7. Making and Testing the Cars
In this video
clip, students
are using a
strobe to
measure the
rate of rotation
of the turbine.

8. Designing and testing modifications to improve
efficiency

9. Convert the car to a generator

10. Scaffolding Learning

11. Skills Development
(Psychomotor and Cognitive Domains)
Psychomotor Domain
Making, using tools, using scientific equipment
Cognitive Domain
Planning work, designing modifications, carrying out
instructions, planning and designing experiments

12. Content Development
(Cognitive Domain)
Mathematical Knowledge
Using ratio and proportion, simple scaling, areas,
volumes, basic manipulation of formulae, graphing
Physics Knowledge
Basic mechanics, force and motion, thermal physics

13. Inducting Students into Engineering
(Affective Domain)
Development of Self-efficacy
Developed through a process of mastery of tasks
(Bandura, 1994)
Development of the use of Engineering Language
Inducted into the language of Engineering (Learn to
read, talk and write engineering language: read
instructions, discuss engineering problems, write
reports)

14. Reading Task Informal Discussion
Students required to read (talking engineering)
and interpret engineering
dense language of the kit Discussion throughout the process of
instructions making and testing the car developed
students use of engineering language

15. Writing Tasks
The Design Report The Experimental Report
1.Identifying the problem/product 1. The question
innovation 2. The Hypothesis
2.Gather the information 3. The design
3.Brainstorm the solutions and then investigation/experiment to test the
choose the best one theory
4.Make the prototype 4. The method
5.Evaluate the prototype 5. Collection of data
6.Results 6. Discussion/analysis
7.Conclusion 7. Reject or accept the hypothesis
(Beer, D. & McMurray, D. 2005. A (Rosenberg, B.J. 2005. Technical
guide to writing as an Engineer) Writing for Engineers and Scientists)

16. Findings
 Students loved doing the project, even though they found it
difficult
 Students felt like engineers
 Students acquired important engineering and scientific
process skills
 Basic numeracy was developed
 Physics knowledge was learned “by the way”
 Students were able in the end to use engineering and
scientific language to write their reports

17. 17 October 2012
Developing a Multi-medium
Content Delivery System in
Electrotechnology at WelTec
Shane Taplin

18. Why the Need for Change?
• Poor course completion
• Students struggling with the content
• Tutors believed students liked and wanted
chalk and talk from tutors
• Disadvantages – conversation all one way, no
reflection from both and no feedback from
students

19. What is the Intervention?
To take the theory and apply this in a practical
context in the same space
• Confirm theory:
– using practical tasks
– using practical experiments
– by recording practical experiments
– analysing recorded data

20. Concept Room Layout
Benches for
groups of
four

21. How do we propose to do this?
To utilise engaging learning tools
• Traditional chalk and talk
• Smartboard
• Netbooks
• iPads
• Visualizer
• Smart Pens (Live Scribe Echo)

22. Issues to date
• Tutors
– Mindset
– Room layout
– Inability to use technology
• IT Services
• Facilities
• Students
• Still teaching to Unit Standards and content

23. Summary
• Issues still to overcome
– up skilling tutors
• Started this process two years ago

24. 17 October 2012
Research and Project-based
Learning in Automotive at WelTec
Phill Mudgway and Grant Davies

25. Diesel
Mudgy

27. We want to be right,
and we want to look good

29. New Words and Acronyms
ABL EL
Activity-based Learning
Experiential Learning
RBL Research-based Learning
PBL Project-based Learning
MTMS My Teaching Method Sucks
GYAHOT Get Your Ass Here On Time

30. 2 Year Full Time
16 Courses
Theory and
Practical
4 weeks
97 Unit Standards, City and Guilds,
per course??? Integrated Learning with Projects

34. Yogi Berra
“In theory, there is no difference
between theory and practice.
In practice, there is.”
The Yogi Book 1999

36. • Combined to increase student buy in
• PBL , EL, GYAHOT
• Achieve unit standards and beyond

37. • AT3208 Engine Rebuild
• AT3209 Engine Performance
• Traditionally taught separately

39. Chev Ute

40. Log Splitter/Hydraulics Rig

42. PROVE IT
OR
CHANGE IT
?

43. 17 October 2012
The Design of an Achievement
Strategy to Improve Completion
Rates in the Trades at WelTec
Barbara Kelly and Colleen Hurley

44. Context
• Working in Trades Academy
• 16-17 year olds
• Trades Options with a core day
• Delivery by individual tutors on individual
standards over all groups
• End of Trimester One – no units completed
Change needed

45. Change
• Team teaching unit standards in one area
• Achievement focus on completion of outstanding
units
• Visual monitoring of completion both for tutors
and students
• Positive re-enforcement
• Discussion of NCEA Level 2 pathway
• Individual tracking and engagement with student

46. Change of Expectations
• Student achievement
• Completion of Semester One units
• Incentives:
– Release of student for afternoon once
completed
– Individual award for first to complete all
units

47. Moving Forward
• Tutors - Team Teaching
• Go-round strategy
• Output goals set for each session
• Achievement monitoring
– Programme spreadsheet
– Individual student spreadsheet

48. Educational Context
Bandura’s* Theory
“If standards of performance are too high, they
can be a source of personal distress. Goals that
are too distant or too difficult can be
disappointing. Sub goals of moderate difficulty
are therefore likely to be the most motivating
and satisfying.”
Bandura, Albert, Chapter 13, An Introduction to Theories of Learning, Mathew H Olson and B R Hergenhahn 8th ed., Pearson Hall
2009

49. Educational Context
Perceived Self Efficacy plays a major role in self-
regulated behaviour
Perceived Self Efficacy refers to one’s beliefs
concerning what one is capable of doing and it
arises from a variety of sources including
• Personal accomplishments and failures
• Seeing others who are seen as similar to oneself
succeed or fail at various tasks
• Verbal persuasion

50. Achievement Strategy Concepts
• Assessment requirements clear
• Achievement milestones
• Go round strategy
• Achievement Approach
– Language
– Support
– Visibility

51. Summary
• Project Based Learning in Engineering Foundation
offers a way to engage learners in the challenging
content, and address numeracy and literacy
• Changing the learning environment in
Electrotechnology may be the way to engage
young male students
• While working on their own projects, students
take charge of their learning in an Automotive
Engineering Environment
• Student focus on achievement helps them engage
in learning and better success