Science and Engineering Education

The Science and Engineering Education (SEE) research group aims at creating a pool of academics, who are involved in the education process, from different departments in the faculty of science and engineering, to come together to identify, study, and research a broad range of questions related to teaching, learning, and assessment. The group is recognized among other research groups within the faculty research group structure. The group also promotes a wide range of research that addresses the demands on the teaching and learning process and contributes to the solutions of significant challenges the faculty/university is facing.

Upcoming event

The 2nd Symposium on Science and Engineering 

Date: 17 June Friday
Venue: UNNC International Comference Centre

Please register through the link here.

 

It is more challenging than ever to help our science and engineering students develop skills to face the global challenge in an ever-changing, increasingly complex world. To help our students make sense of information and learn how to gather and evaluate evidence for making decisions, our responsibility as educators and researchers is to constantly develop innovative teaching and learning methods and use the technologies to cope with the constant change.

The Science and Engineering Education (SEE) research group was recently founded in 2021. It aims at promoting a wide range of interdisciplinary research that addresses the demands on the teaching and learning process in higher education and contributes to the solutions to significant STEM education challenges… SEE is currently home to academic members interested in interdisciplinary research on Teaching and Learning. Our group members have conducted theoretical and empirical Teaching and Learning research studies published in prestigious international journals and conferences. Since June 2021, the group is hosting an annual symposium on Science and Engineering Education.

I invite everyone to join us in our efforts to strengthen Science and Engineering Education at UNNC, in Zhejiang, and across the country. Attend or present a speech at our annual symposium in June, or come talk with us about your ideas and how we can collaborate. We hope to meet you and hear your ideas for improving Science and Engineering Education! 


Dr Sherif Welsen, Head of Research Group

 

 

Group aim and objectives

Potential research areas include but are not limited to the following:

  • Digital transformation in higher education
  • Online and blended learning
  • Future of the engineering education
  • Scholarship of teaching and learning
  • Development of engineering educators
  • Engaging undergraduate students in research
  • Student-centered learning environments
  • Data-driven engineering education
  • Lifelong learning in a changing world
  • Game-based learning and gamification for engineering education
  • Lab concepts (traditional, online, remote, pocket) in engineering education
  • University and industry/institutions and connections

The group will hold an annual symposium on science and engineering education as one of its major activities. The first annual symposium was successfully launched in June 2021.

The membership is open to all academics who have teaching responsibilities. Group member can choose between being core members, or associate members of the group if they wish. The group also welcome colleagues from outside the faculty/campus. For further information, please contact the group head sherif.welsen@nottingham.edu.cn

 

Group members

 

 

Projects

  • PI, Impact of e-reading on engineering students’ comprehension and reading behavior, Sep 2020 – Aug 2021.
  • Co PI, Increasing student engagement in the classroom, Sept 2020 – Aug 2021.
  • RKE Short-Term Project 2022 – AR for Design for Manufacture, (128,5K). (Internal Funding)
  • CCI Prototyping Project 2021 – Educational app design, 2021, PI (5K). (Internal Funding)
  • Small Teaching and Learning Grant – Greenicity game design, 2020, Co-I (30K). (Internal Funding)
  • Commercial project with Yolanda Personal Care Appearance and Structure Design, 2020, PI (70K). (External Funding)
  • Commercial project with Founter Machinery Technology Co. Ltd, 2019, PI (30K). (External Funding)
  • Commercial project with Cool Wang Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd, 2019, Co-PI (50K). (External Funding)
  • Innovation Grant in collaboration with Allocacoc in Netherlands, 2018, Co-PI (100K). (Internal Funding)
  • Transform STEM Teaching and Learning through Project-Based Activities, University of Nottingham Ningbo China - Change Initiative Project, 2021-2022 (PI).
  • Transforming STEM Teaching through Interdisciplinary Project-Based Learning, Zhejiang’s Provincial Teaching Transforming Project, 2019-2020 (PI).
  • Comprehended Project-Based Blended Learning Activity using a Combined Physical Vehicle System Prototype and Online Vehicle Ride Simulator for Science and Engineering Cohorts, University of Nottingham Ningbo China - Small Teaching & Learning Development Grant, 2020-2021 (PI).
  • Enhancing Student Learning Experience through a Combined Interdisciplinary STEM Project based L earning and Technology Integration: Formula Electric Race Car Project, University of Nottingham Ningbo China - Small Teaching & Learning Development Grant, 2019-2020 (PI). 
  • Formula Student for Problem Based Learning in Higher Education
  • Challenges of VR in Higher Education and Training
  • Higher Education Academics Staff Development 

 

Publications

  • C Francois, F Gilardi, D Halim, T Hirzel, KC Tan (2016) “Engaging and Empowering Student Representatives as Agents of Change at the University of Nottingham Ningbo China” Compass: Journal of Learning and Teaching, 9 (13).
  • L.Y. Yee, D.B. Daud, N.Y.G. Lai, J. Lu, A Comparative Analysis of Information Provided in the Universities' Website for International Students: Malaysian Public and Private Universities, Proceedings of the 2019 3rd International Conference on Education and Multimedia Technology, 2019, ACM, pp 291-296
  • Welsen, S., Pike, M. and Walker, J., 2020, November. Engineering student attitudes to e-reading in remote teaching environments. In 2020IFEES World Engineering Education Forum-Global Engineering Deans Council (WEEF-GEDC) (pp. 1-6). IEEE.
  • Welsen, S., Morgan, P. and Walker, J., 2020, November. Flexible learning during educational disruption: a case study of teaching integrated circuits design. In 2020 IFEES World Engineering Education Forum-Global Engineering Deans Council (WEEF-GEDC) (pp. 1-5). IEEE.
  • N. Y. G. Lai, K. H. Wong, L. J. Yu, and H. S. Kang, "Virtual Reality (VR) in Engineering Education and Training: A Bibliometric Analysis," in Proceedings of the 2020 The 2nd World Symposium on Software Engineering, 2020, pp. 161-165.
  • N. Y. G. Lai, K. H. Wong, F. Zhu, T. Sun, R. Rivero, Z. Li and L. J. Yu, " Awareness and perception of the environmental sustainability of beverage packaging materials," in Recent Trends in Manufacturing and Materials Towards Industry 4.0:
  • L. J. Yu, N. Y. G. Lai, C. P. Liew, J. Tan, and S. Y. A. E. Noum, "Using Web-based Visual Aids and Assignment in Enhancing Student's Learning in Materials Engineering Course," in 2020 IEEE International Conference on Teaching, Assessment, and Learning for Engineering (TALE), 2020: IEEE, pp. 606-609.
  • Gill, A., Irwin, D., Towey, D., Walker, J., & Zhang, Y., (2020). Reacting to the coronavirus: A case study of science and engineering education switching to online learning in a Sino-foreign higher education institution. In 2020 International Conference on Open and Innovative Education (ICOIE 2020) (pp. 385-404).
  • Gill, A. S., Irwin, D. S., Ng, R. Y.-K., Towey, D., Wang, T., & Zhang, Y. (2020). The future of teaching post-COVID-19: Microlearning in product design education. In H. Mitsuhara, et al. (eds.), Proceedings of 2020 IEEE International Conference on Teaching, Assessment, and Learning for Engineering (TALE) (pp. 780-785). Piscataway, NJ: IEEE.
  • Welsen, S., 2021, November. Impact of Blended Learning on Engineering Student Attendance Post COVID-19. In 2021 World Engineering Education Forum/Global Engineering Deans Council (WEEF/GEDC) (pp. 88-94). IEEE.
  • Wu, K., Smyth, N. and Welsen, S., 2021, December. Engineering Student Attitudes to Digital Reading Teaching Technology in the post-coronavirus era. In 2021 IEEE International Conference on Engineering, Technology & Education (TALE) (pp. 71-78). IEEE.
  • N. Y. G. Lai, S. Wei, D. Halim, K. L. Fow, H.S. Kang, and Y.J. Yu, "Why Not More Virtual Reality in Higher Ed Teaching and Learning?," in 2021 IEEE International Conference on Teaching, Assessment, and Learning for Engineering (TALE), 2021: pp. 248-254.
  • N. Y. G. Lai, K. H. Wong, D. Halim, S. Mareta, L. Ran, and H. Cheung, "Learning through Formula Student Electric: Students and Staff Perspectives," in 2021 IEEE International Conference on Teaching, Assessment, and Learning for Engineering (TALE), 2021: pp. 1-7.
  • Amarpreet Gill, Derek Irwin, Ricky Yuk-kwan Ng, Dave Towey, Tianchong Wang, Robert Wells, and Yanhui Zhang (2021), “Breaking Boundaries: Students’ motivation toward interdisciplinary learning in higher education”, in Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Teaching, Assessment, and Learning for Engineering (TALE 2021), pp. 268-275. https://doi.org/10.1109/TALE52509.2021.9678744.
  • Chengke Tang, Amarpreet Gill, Matthew Pike and Dave Towey (2021), "Creating a Virtual Reality OER Application to Teach Web Accessibility", in Proceedings of the IEEE 45th Annual Computers, Software, and Applications Conference, COMPSAC 2021, pp. 1137-1142.
  • Dave Towey, Joseph Manuel Thenara, Gabrielle Saputra Hadian, Aurelie U-King Im, Patricia Wong, Kevin Ferdinand, Ivan Christian Halim and Li-Kai Wu (2021), "Remote Software Development: A Student-staff Collaboration to Build a Showcase Platform for Non-traditional Digital Artefacts", in Proceedings of the IEEE 45th Annual Computers, Software, and Applications Conference, COMPSAC 2021, pp. 1125-1130.
  • Tianchong Wang, Dave Towey, Ricky Yuk-kwan Ng, and Amarpreet Gill (2021), "Towards Post-Pandemic Transformative Teaching and Learning: Case Studies of Microlearning Implementations in Two Post-Secondary Educational Institutions", SN Computer Science (Innovation and Technology in Education section), vol. 2, no. 4, Article-271. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42979-021-00663-z
  • Dave Towey, Matthew Pike, and Zhiye Chen (2021), "Student Mentorship Programmes: Students as the Real Teachers?", in Proceedings of the International Conference on Open and Innovative Education (ICOIE 2021), pp. 114-122.
  • Yifan Zhang, Matthew Pike, and Dave Towey (2021), "No Pain, No Gain: The Necessary Initial Struggles to Enable Doctoral Research Work", in Proceedings of the International Conference on Open and Innovative Education (ICOIE 2021), pp. 437-450.
  • Derek Irwin, Amarpreet Gill, Lauren Knowles, David Krygier, Chiew-Foong Kwong, Matthew Pike, Dave Towey and James Walker, (2021), "Evaluating Expectations and Engagement with Emergency Remote Teaching: A Cross-faculty Case Study of a Sino-British University" in Proceedings of the International Conference on Open and Innovative Education (ICOIE 2021), pp. 101-113.
  • Dave Towey (2021), "Calm amidst the Storm: Reflections and Predictions for Higher Education", in Proceedings of the International Conference on Open and Innovative Education (ICOIE 2021), pp. 168-176.
  • Sannia Mareta, Xin Mou, Amarpreet Gill, Gabrielle Hadian, Yilin Li, and Dave Towey (2021), "A Pilot Study Investigating Students’ Perception of a Virtual Classroom Environment in Higher Education", in Proceedings of the International Conference on Open and Innovative Education (ICOIE 2021), pp. 294-312.
  • Zhihao Ying, Dave Towey, Anthony Bellotti, Zhi Quan Zhou, and Tsong Yueh Chen (2021), "Preparing SQA Professionals: Metamorphic Relation Patterns, Exploration, and Testing for Big Data", in Proceedings of the International Conference on Open and Innovative Education (ICOIE 2021), pp. 22-30.
  • Matthew Pike, Boon Giin Lee, and Dave Towey, (N.D). "The Robots will Rule: Improving Coursework Marking and Feedback through an Automated System", in Proceedings of the International Conference on Open and Innovative Education (ICOIE 2021), pp. 268-277.
  • Dave Towey and Matthew Pike (2021), "Not a Silver Bullet, but a Silver Lining: Metamorphic Marking Administration", in Proceedings of EDUCON2021 - IEEE Global Engineering Education Conference, pp. 933-940.
  • Wang, T., Towey, D., Ng, R. Y. K., & Gill, A. S. (2021). Towards Post-Pandemic Transformative Teaching and Learning: Case Studies of Microlearning Implementations in two Post-Secondary Educational Institutions. SN Computer Science, 2(4), 1-7.
  • David Krieger, Lauren Knowles, Amarpreet Gill, Chiew-Foong Kwong, Derek Irwin, Dave Towey, & Matthew Pike (In Press). Evaluating Microlearning; a cross-faculty case study of a Sino-Foreign university. In M. G. Jamil & D.A. Morley, Agile learning environments amid disruption: Evaluating academic innovations in higher education during COVID-19. Palgrave Macmillan.Breaking Boundaries: Students’ Motivation Toward Interdisciplinary Learning in Higher Education. In proceedings of 2021 IEEE International Conference on Teaching, Assessment, and Learning for Engineering (TALE). 2021, pp. 478-485.
  • C. Tang, A. Gill, M. Pike and D. Towey, "Creating a Virtual Reality OER Application to Teach Web Accessibility," 2021 IEEE 45th Annual Computers, Software, and Applications Conference (COMPSAC), 2021, pp. 1137-1142. DOI: 10.1109/COMPSAC51774.2021.00156.
  • Yifan Zhang, Matthew Pike, Dave Towey, Jia Cheng Han, and Zhi Quan Zhou (N.D.), "Preparing Future SQA Professionals: An Experience Report of Metamorphic Exploration of an Autonomous Driving System", in Proceedings of EDUCON2022 - IEEE Global Engineering Education Conference. [To Appear]
  • Matthew Pike, Boon Giin Lee, and Dave Towey, (N.D). "TAFFIES: Tailored Automated Feedback Framework for Developing Integrated and Extensible Feedback Systems", SN Computer Science, Vol 3. no. 159. DOI: 10.1007/s42979-022-01034-y  [To Appear]
  • Amarpreet Gill, Derek Irwin, Dave Towey, James Walker, and Yanhui Zhang (N.D.), “Reflections Post-Lockdown: Science and Engineering Education Switching to Online Learning”, International Journal of Mobile Learning and Organisation. [To Appear]

 

News

The Second Annual Symposium on Science and Engineering Education

Venue: International Conference Center, The University of Nottingham Ningbo China

Date: 17 June, 2022

Registration: through the link here