Understanding the cumulative effects of learning on the quality of engineering programs. Issue 2 (April 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Pedroso, Carlos Marcelo
• Is Part Of: International journal of electrical engineering education. Volume 52:Issue 2(2015)
• Page Start: 99
• Page End: 110
• Publication Date: 2015-04
• Subjects: Engineering education -- quality assurance -- self assessment; Electrical engineering -- Study and teaching (Higher) -- Periodicals; Electrical engineering -- Periodicals; 621.30711
• DOI: 10.1177/0020720915570539
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0020-7209

Abstract

The quality of engineers is an important issue in industrialised countries. This quality is commonly assured by the accreditation of engineering programs and the certification, licensure, and registration of graduates. A high-quality engineering program should be concerned with the quality of education of its graduates. This paper presents an analytical method for understanding the cumulative effects of competence acquisition in courses on the quality of engineering programs, thus allowing quality enhancement from a global perspective of the program. The proposed method was developed from a model established through the theory of Markov chains, considering the cumulative effects of acquisition of competencies over the semesters on the quality of engineering graduates. In the proposed model, the quality of engineering graduates is represented by discrete levels, numbered from 1 to 5, representing the worst to the best quality, respectively. This paper does not answer the question of how to achieve the desired quality or what learning methods could be used; however, the method can predict the quality of engineering education in a program and provide information to allow the faculty an opportunity to adjust their teaching during the program. The model explains how the heterogeneity of learning affects the average quality of engineering graduates. Understanding this process is critical to proactive quality management in engineering undergraduate programs.