Recontextualising the teaching learning cycle within engineering education to improve the development of written communication skills

ABSTRACT

An ongoing challenge for curriculum development in engineering programmes is ensuring that students graduate with appropriate writing skills. There is a need for effective and efficient integration of writing instruction within the engineering curriculum. Applied linguistics research provides valuable descriptions and understandings of the nature of writing for engineering purposes. This knowledge can be used to develop students’ ability to adapt their own writing style to meet the expectations of the context for which they are writing. As such, this paper proposes embedding the Teaching Learning Cycle, a pedagogic model of literacy development, within relevant curriculum approaches already in use in engineering education, with a focus on those that prioritise authentic learning environments. Suggestions for activities to develop writing ability are given in relation to the stages of the cycle.

KEYWORDS:

• Writing skills
• engineering curriculum
• applied linguistics
• teaching learning cycle

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. A passive voice formulates the subject as receiving the action of the verb, as opposed to the active voice in which the subject enacts the verb. For example, ‘the investigation was performed’ vs ‘she performed the investigation’.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the the University of South Australia.

Notes on contributors

Claire Simpson-Smith

Claire Simpson-Smith was a lecturer within the Centre for STEM Education and Innovation at The University of Adelaide. She holds a Ph.D. in Education from The University of South Australia.