Hants Kipper

Teaching strategies for direct and indirect instruction in teaching engineering

It is important to select the proper instructional strategy for a specific learning outcome in teaching engineering. There are two broad types of learning outcomes: facts, rules and action sequences (on lower levels of complexity in the cognitive, affective and psychomotor domains), and concepts, patterns and abstractions (on higher level of complexity in the above named domains). Facts, rules and action sequences are taught using instructional strategies of direct instruction. Concepts, patterns and abstractions are taught using strategies of indirect instruction. Strategies of both types of learning may be combined, providing a menu of teaching strategies that help students solve problems, think critically and work cooperatively. This article presents teaching strategies suitable for direct and indirect instruction used in teaching engineering.

Analysis of the program for continuing education of technical teachers on the basis of graduates' feedback results

The article presents the results of the analysis of the designed learner-centered program for continuing education of technical teachers, including initial teacher training, on the basis of the feedback of the first graduates of the program. The aim of the qualitative research was to evaluate the quality of the curriculum and the quality of teaching in order to improve and enhance the curriculum for continuing education of technical teachers.

Klagenfurt school of engineering pedagogy by Adolf Melezinek as the basis of teaching engineering at Tallinn University of Technology

Engineering Pedagogy is an interdisciplinary scientific subject and an essential element of the system of engineering education. The article is dedicated to the work of Adolf Melezinek, the founder of Engineering Pedagogy and the main principles of Kalgenfurt School of Engineering Pedagogy. Curriculum design and technical teacher education in Estonia is based on Melezineks work. A decision-making model by Urve Läänemets, closely connected to Melezineks work and the Model of Flexible Technical Teacher Education and contemporary methodology are introduced.

The design and implementation of learner-centered guided in-service programme for technical teacher education

The design of learner-centered guided in-service program for technical teacher education has been launched at Estonian Centre for Engineering Pedagogy at Tallinn University of Technology. The aim of the designed program has been facilitating the initial in-service teaching experience, involving mentoring, peer support and cognitive apprenticeship. The emphasis has been on teaching for knowledge application, including the choice of content and processes, motivation, reflection and problem-solving, choice of educational technology, effective teaching methods, teaching models and strategies - concepts, tools and procedures of the field of engineering, organized in ways enabling teachers to formulate real world problems and solve them. The designed program has been completed in 2012 in the amount of 31 ECTS credits. The modular program consists of compulsory subjects (25 ECTS) and elective subjects (6 ECTS). The program has been implemented since 2012 and covers IGIP curriculum requirements.

Teaching for understanding in engineering education

The article introduces effective teaching strategies and models suitable for teaching engineering, implemented at Estonian Centre for Engineering Pedagogy. Introduced models are designed to capitalize deep understanding and critical thinking in teaching engineering. Accordingly students will be able to explain, find evidence and examples, generalise, apply, analogise and represent a topic in a new way. At least four different kinds of knowledge are essential for expert teaching: knowledge of content; pedagogical content knowledge; general pedagogical knowledge; and knowledge of learners and learning. The goal of the article is to help engineering teachers acquire knowledge in each of these areas.

Rethinking effective teaching and learning for the design of efficient curriculum for technical teachers

Technical teachers need to possess skills in at least two distinct areas: engineering discipline and the art of teaching, balancing these two areas, knowing in-action how to do it in reallife situations and for real professional purposes. Understanding student individualities and their different learning styles is one of the midpoints of teacher training. The newly designed curriculum for technical teachers makes scientifically-founded and practice-oriented teacher training possible. The aim of the study programme described is to abolish mismatches between common learning styles and traditional teaching styles. The implementation of the designed curriculum concentrates on interactive lectures and inductive teaching model. Contemporary teaching models and strategies motivate students to learn more effectively, providing future technical teachers with teaching techniques which address all learning styles.