ABSTRACT

Examining how learners ascribe meaning to different aspects of their university life is a necessary undertaking in higher education. This article aims to investigate university students’ conceptions of engineering and explore how these conceptions relate to the context of their experience. Our data collection method and data analysis are informed by the techniques of the phenomenographic approach and the Implied Identity Framework. Fifteen engineering students in a course about sustainability participated in the study. Results revealed eight categories of participants’ conceptions: (1) engineering as a practice for designing solutions; (2) engineering as a pragmatic practice for the welfare of people; (3) engineering as a knowledge-based practice; (4) engineering as a communicative practice; (5) engineering as a technology-mediated practice; (6) engineering as thinking; (7) engineering as an independent practice; and (8) engineering as learning. These conceptions had cognitive, technological, or social orientations and were related to three aspects of engineering: outcome-focused; process-focused; and person-focused. Also, findings demonstrated that different contexts of the university, workplace, and society prompt different ways of thinking about engineering. The findings place a greater emphasis on personal agency and the development of student identities as lifelong learners.

摘要

检查学习者如何将意义赋予大学生活的不同方面是高等教育的一项必要工作。本文旨在调查大学生的工程概念，并探讨这些概念如何与他们的经历背景相关联。我们的数据收集方法和数据分析以现象学方法和隐含身份框架的技术为基础。15 名修读可持续发展课程的工科学生参与了这项研究。结果揭示了八类参与者的概念：（1）工程作为设计解决方案的实践；(2) 工程作为一种为人民谋福利的务实实践；(3) 工程作为一种以知识为基础的实践；(4) 工程作为一种交流实践；(5) 工程作为以技术为中介的实践；(6) 工程即思维；(7) 工程作为独立的实践；(8) 工程即学习。这些概念具有认知、技术或社会导向，并与工程的三个方面相关：以结果为中心；以过程为中心；并以人为本。此外，研究结果表明，大学、工作场所和社会的不同背景促使人们对工程学产生不同的思考方式。研究结果更加强调个人能动性和学生作为终身学习者身份的发展。研究结果表明，大学、工作场所和社会的不同背景促使人们对工程学产生不同的思考方式。研究结果更加强调个人能动性和学生作为终身学习者身份的发展。研究结果表明，大学、工作场所和社会的不同背景促使人们对工程学产生不同的思考方式。研究结果更加强调个人能动性和学生作为终身学习者身份的发展。