Emphasis on the Cognitive Framework in Teaching - Learning Process in Engineering Education: An Empirical Overview

Abstract

This paper proposes a cognitive framework based on the proposed teaching and learning in engineering education that integrates the affective aspects of learning. Since the last half of the 20^th century, the World has been experiencing rapid transformation in the field of Engineering Education, led by the changing Knowledge society. In the present context learning sciences focuses on learning and learners in addition to teaching and teachers. The goal is "to understand the cognitive and social processes in a better way that results in the most effective learning, and to use this knowledge to redesign classrooms and other learning environments so that people learn more deeply and more effectively". This paper explores the literature on direct teaching behaviors and cognitive development that may help foster student learning. A number of teaching attributes such as organization, expressiveness, enthusiasm and rapport/interaction have been found to have a positive relationship with indicators of student-learning and student persistence. Designing challenging teaching units that encourage skills such as independent thinking, experimentation and communication is the objective of an engineering education. Finally we discuss the experiments being made in our institution to make engineering education effective through experiential learning.