Practitioner Reflections on Engineering Students’ Engagement with e-Learning

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Terk

This paper investigates student engagement with e-learning using practitioner reflection as a guiding lens. Five e-learning practitioners provide case studies focused on their teaching and reflective accounts. Across varied work contexts, the reflections reveal emergent similarities in how e-learning is used to support different forms of engineering student engagement. In several cases, students’ engagement developed beyond what practitioners intended or anticipated, with both intended outcomes achieved and additional unplanned changes reported.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages31

Reading Time1 h 18 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

E-learning and engineering education context

Understanding engagement and learning outcomes

Pedagogies of engagement and related principles

| | Ad | vances in Engineering Edu | cation | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | WINTER 2011 Practitioner Reflections on Engineering Students’Engagement with e-Learning ROSEMARY L. CHANG Swinburne Professional Learning Swinburne University of Technology Melbourne, Australia JENNIFER C. RICHARDSON Learning Design and Technology Purdue University West Lafayette, IN GEORGE P. BANKY Faculty of Engineering and Industrial Sciences Swinburne University of Technology Melbourne, Australia BRIANNO D. COLLER Department of Mechanical Engineering Northern Illinois University DeKalb, IL MARK B. JAKSA School of Civil, Environmental and Mining Engineering University of Adelaide Adelaide, Australia EUAN D. LINDSAY School of Civil and Mechanical Engineering Curtin University Perth, Australia HOLGER R. MAIER School of Civil, Environmental and Mining Engineering University of Adelaide Adelaide, Australia ABSTRACT This paper reports on an investigation of student engagement with e-learning, using practitioner reflection as a lens. Five e-learning practitioners each provided a case study from their teaching, which was the focus of practitioners’ reflective accounts. Each of the practitioners had usede-learning as a way of promoting both learning and engagement in their classrooms, and while the ADVANCES IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION Practitioner Reflections on Engineering Students’ Engagement with e-Learning contexts in which they worked were varied, there were some emergent similarities in their experiences. The practitioners’ reflections show that e-learning is used as a tool to promote various types of engagement from engineering students; indeed, students’ engagement in some cases evolved beyond that which the practitioners had intended or anticipated. While the intended outcomes were certainly achieved, other emergent changes in student engagement were reported by the practitioners. Keywords: e-learning, student engagement, reflective practice INTRODUCTION E-learning has been defined as “a collection of learning methods using digital technologies, which enable, distribute and enhance learning”[1] . A recent analysis by Beddoes, Borrego & Jesiek [2] found that research on e-learning in engineering education has tended to emphasize specific interventions, coupled with assessment as necessary. At a time when information technologies are not only becoming ubiquitous in learning and teaching practices, but also tend to lead our pedagogical conversations and scholarship, it is important to revisit the reasons for integrating them into learning environments. In this paper, we are doing so through the lens of practitioners’ reflectionson student engagement. Some questions that were examined include: What are the benefits of implementing an e-learning tool? What does student engagement look like when e-learning tools are implemented? What are observed unintended or negative outcomes? Does e-learning engagement look like old-school engagement, or is it a new and different animal? In terms of engagement, research on college student development “shows that the time and energy students devote to educationally purposeful activities is the single best predictor of their learning and personal development” [3] . Student engagement differs from mere involvement; while students can be involved without being engaged, engagement speaks to the accrual of heightened outcomes [4] . Given this knowledge, learning experiences should be developed in accordance with practices that encourage students to put forth more effort (which includes asking questions, working with other students on projects inside or outside of class, discussing ideas from class, reading outside of class, and using information technology appropriately) . These student efforts, in turn, will result in greater gains in such areas as critical thinking, problem solving, effective communication, and res

FAQs

How does the paper study student engagement with e-learning?

It uses practitioner reflection as a lens and collects case studies from five e-learning practitioners describing their teaching experiences.

What outcomes related to student engagement are reported?

Practitioners report that e-learning supports multiple types of engineering student engagement, and that engagement sometimes evolves beyond what they had intended or expected.

What questions does the introduction say the paper examines?

It considers benefits of implementing e-learning tools, what engagement looks like when such tools are used, observed unintended/negative outcomes, and whether engagement is similar to or different from earlier forms.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Terk