BackgroundSystematic review or systematic literature review (SLR) methodologies are a powerful tool for evidence-based decision making. The method originated in the medical sciences but has since been adopted by other disciplines, including engineering education (EE). PurposeWe aimed to answer two research questions: (i) To what extent is the SLR research method being applied in EE? (ii) How closely are SLRs published in EE following established reporting guidelines for the methodology? Scope/MethodWe searched Inspec, Compendex, and ERIC for engineering-related SLRs and meta-analyses (MAs). We included English language papers that contained an explicit SLR search, or where it appeared the methodology was intended by the author(s). We completed a data extraction process for 21 descriptive and quality-related items, including engineering discipline, which allowed us to identify the EE studies analyzed in this article. ResultsThis sub-analysis presents the results of 276 EE-related reviews. We found the use of SLR/MA methods is growing in EE, with 93% of papers published during 2015-2022. However, we found that authors are not generally following established guidelines for reporting their methods and findings. ConclusionsNot following the best practices for conducting and reporting SLRs can result in the presentation of incorrect summaries and analyses due to missed evidence. Including search experts (e.g., librarians) trained in conducting SLRs can improve review quality. There is also an opportunity for EE-related publishers to recruit experts trained in conducting SLRs as peer reviewers to participate in evaluating submitted reviews.

A systematic review is a specialized type of literature review used to collect and synthesize all the available evidence related to a research question. The methods for systematic reviews should be transparent and reproducible so that other researchers can use, replicate, and build upon the findings. Systematic reviews have been published for decades in medical literature where it is necessary to bring together all the studies related to a particular disease or condition for healthcare professionals to make evidence-based recommendations. Conducting systematic reviews has expanded to other disciplines, including education, business, and engineering. The authors of this study conducted a scoping review to investigate how prevalent systematic reviews are in engineering and to what extent engineering authors are following published reporting guidelines. To conduct this study, the authors searched the databases Compendex, Inspec, and ERIC and retrieved 11,588 records. After removing duplicates and applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 3,066 articles remained in the final data set. The authors then used a checklist of bibliographic and quality-related items to extract data from each of these studies. The findings show that systematic reviews are a popular and rapidly growing methodology in engineering, internationally, but the quality of the studies, in terms of how authors construct and report their methods, is often low, resulting in many studies that are irreproducible and may fall short of the goal of gathering all the available evidence on a topic. The authors include recommendations for engineering authors, higher education administrators, and publishers.

Background Engineering and technology students need to acquire, evaluate, apply, and document information to solve complex ill-defined problems. However, there are few assessment tools to evaluate how these students approach information. Purpose The authors integrated information literacy standards with self-directed learning theory to create the self-directed information literacy (SIL) scale as an assessment of students' self-directedness using high-quality information skills in engineering projects. The purpose of this research is to examine the measurement properties of SIL to inform the use and interpretation of SIL's scores among diverse learners. Method The authors administered SIL to first-year engineering and technology students (n= 1,603). To test three hypotheses about SIL scores related to validity, reliability, and fairness, we conducted a series of psychometric analyses, including confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and measurement invariance between groups. Results The results of the CFA were acceptable for the proposed higher-order factor structure of SIL and a separateBeginner Behaviorfactor. Measurement models for male and female scores were found invariant; however, there were measurement differences between groups of students based on their experience with instruction in the English language. Conclusions SIL can be scored to assess engineering and technology students' specific SIL subfactors (Recognize,Seek,Evaluate,Apply,Document, andReflect) or scored as an overall broader measure of self-directedness with information. A separate factor,Beginner Behavior, can be used to moderate ceiling effects. SIL scores can be used for gender comparisons but should be carefully evaluated when the sample includes students who are new to curriculum and instruction in the English language.

Trends in broadening participation of African Americans in engineering and computer science have not significantly improved despite significant investments and efforts of educators, practitioners, researchers, and policymakers. Given the lack of progress, it is imperative for the field of engineering education to synthesize and use insights from existing literature to readjust its strategy for addressing this persistent problem. Unfortunately, the work that has been done in this area is fragmented in disparate bodies of literature. The purpose of this study is to describe the landscape of existing scholarship germane to broadening participation in engineering and computer science, particularly as it relates to African Americans. The guiding research question is: What are the salient characteristics of literature on broadening the participation of African Americans in engineering and computer science? Using a systematic mapping methodology, we identified and screened 1180 scholarship records. We categorized and tabulated the 470 that met our eligibility criteria after extracting data on publication year, publication type, population race, population gender, segment, study type, and methods. Our results revealed numerous trends in this scholarship, dealing with both the focus of the scholarship as well as the manner in which it has been produced. As stakeholders continue working towards broadening participation of African Americans, we hope that this mapping review not only raises awareness of the current state of efforts dedicated to each segment of the K-12-to-workforce pathway, but also illuminates gaps in the literature yet to be filled.

This research work-in-progress paper is a scoping review of published systematic literature reviews (SLRs) in engineering. SLRs are considered one of the highest levels of proof for evidence based decision making, but they are only as good as the methods used, starting with the search strategy. With studies described as "systematic literature reviews" proliferating through engineering disciplines, including engineering education, it is necessary to examine how well these studies reflect a methodologically sound understanding of established SLR processes. The initial search returned 4,992 results, after removing duplicates. After completing the abstract review, we included 2,674 results for full text review. A preliminary analysis of the citations included for full text shows that SLRs have increased dramatically over the past decade in engineering education and approximately 14.1% of included results for full text analysis contain an education related term in the title, abstract, or publication title. This trend implies that more education on the SLR research method may be needed in engineering education graduate programs and through professional development opportunities.

Information literacy and lifelong learning are essential for engineers as they constantly renew and expand their knowledge and skills to keep abreast with the development of new technologies. However, the lack of validated information literacy assessments relevant for engineering students makes it difficult to determine how well those students are acquiring needed information literacy skills. We describe validity evidence for the Critical-Thinking Engineering Information Literacy Test (CELT), an instrument designed to assess students' information literacy associated with critical thinking in an engineering context. By examining psychometric properties of CELT through Rasch modeling applications, we present evidence of appropriate and fair use of CELT among first-year engineering student populations. From our analysis, we find that CELT is appropriate for use in the classroom to assess information skills associated with critical thinking among first-year engineering students, when students' experience with English language is part of their score interpretation. We discuss specific recommendations for use with students who have little experience learning in an English language environment.

Librarians are regularly working to understand how students make decisions around information use to inform the development of more relevant learning activities. The more relevant the activities when students are learning any new skill, the more likely they are to understand the task and incorporate the learning into future design decisions and writing. The need to build connections and understanding is critical in adoption of information literacy. In this study, the researcher analyzed the transcript from an end of semester focus group with students in a design class about their information use during the semester project. The transcript was analyzed using deductive thematic analysis while simultaneously staying open to emergent codes.

The objective of this study was to investigate effective methods of teaching information literacy to engineering undergraduate students. The authors searched several databases (e.g., Compendex, Scopus, ERIC) for English language studies published between January 2000 and January 2016 that contained both an information literacy intervention for engineering undergraduate students and an assessment method for evaluating the intervention's effectiveness. Thirteen studies were included in the final data set, of which eleven studies reported effective results based largely upon descriptive statistical analysis. The strongest indicator of effectiveness that emerged in the data was collaboration with disciplinary faculty. With few articles in the final results set containing inferential statistics, the authors were only able to draw limited conclusions regarding effectiveness. The low use of such statistical methods highlights a need for librarian researchers to develop skills with research design and statistical analysis. This study is one of few systematic reviews on the topic of information literacy and the first systematic review on engineering information literacy effectiveness. It intends to serve as a baseline for future work.

An educational incubator in Purdue University's Polytechnic Institute has been experimenting with highly integrated methods to facilitate, assess, and evaluate student learning. Comprised of transdisciplinary faculty and students, one of the basic covenants is to intentionally and repeatedly balance Humanities and STEM concepts by way of open-ended problems affecting humanity and the planet. The learning experience environment tries to integrate faculty and students from widely different disciplines in scenarios where cognitive and metacognitive development is encouraged and explored. This special session will engage attendees in examples of activities that can help students become self-aware of the power of music on their physiology and imagination while also integrating problem-solving and other STEM related concepts. Participants will take away ideas and techniques that they can add to their own palette for fostering integrated learning and metacognitive development. This session aligns with FIE's focus on innovations in classroom techniques.

The rigorous, structured, and transparent review of literature on a particular topic can lead to promising insights about research directions, practical solutions, and potential policies. While the Systematic Literature Review (SLR) is a well-established methodology, it is rarely used in the field of engineering education. Though the use of the term "systematic" suggests a clear-cut process and there are resources available to describe the major steps of the method, the initial steps of a SLR are inherently messy-i.e., they heavily rely on the researcher's judgement and decision-making. Unfortunately, the messiness embedded in these steps is rarely discussed or described in existing resources. In this study, we reflect on the "messiness" of initiating a SLR on broadening participation in engineering and computer science. Informed by two existing approaches to reflection, we used the STAARA (Situation-Task-Affect-Action-Result- Aftermath) framework to reflect on the ways in which we resolved important decisions associated with one overarching situation and several corresponding tasks, affects, actions; the aftermath is also discussed. This paper includes insights from our experience that can help other researchers navigate the initial steps of a SLR.

In Fall 2014, a large Midwestern land-grant research university piloted a competency-based model as the foundation for an undergraduate transdisciplinary program focusing on connecting engineering and technology with humanities and social sciences. Students enrolled in this program progress through a set of competencies that require them to master cross-disciplinary and cross-functional skills needed to be successful in a 21st century workplace. Now in its second year, the competency-based program has undergone significant changes that include a more substantial definition of competencies at each of the three levels of competence (developing, emerging, and proficient), scaffolding needed to support students on their path towards gaining competencies, and significant mentoring by faculty, TAs, and professional advisers to support competency attainment. In this paper, we will share challenges and discoveries made by the faculty throughout the first two years of the novel Competency-Based Education (CBE) experience, including a reflection on how such experiences impacted modifications of the CBE model from Year 1 to Year 2, the ways in which the program supported individual attainment and management of competencies by students, and the value of the mentorship program in supporting student-driven learning paths. We will also share insights into students’ perceptions of the benefits, challenges, and frustrations of being part of this pilot program based on interview and survey data provided by the 33 members of the initial cohort. This overview of the ways this program supported students in attaining competencies through coursework, individual mentoring, and scaffolding may be instructive as institutions seek to bring CBE to scale and increase holistic student learning for the 21st century.

Information literacy, the ability and processes of information gathering and application, is of paramount importance to engineers, engineering design, and engineering decision-making. Building on prior qualitative research, this paper presents the development and initial validation study of a self-directed information literacy assessment for engineering and technology students (n = 366). Internal consistency was found to be high, (α = 0.895). Exploratory factor analysis results provide evidence of structural aspects of validity and support for scoring structure. In addition, areas were identified for future development of the items and instrument.

Abstract Objective – The purpose of this research was to examine how beginning and advanced level engineering students report use of information when completing an engineering design process. This information is important for librarians seeking to develop information literacy curricula in the context of engineering design. Methods – Researchers conducted semi-structured interviews about information strategies used in engineering design with 21 engineering students (10 first and second year; 11 senior and graduate). Researchers transcribed interviews and developed an inductive coding scheme. Then, from the coding scheme, researchers extracted broader themes. Results – Beginning level engineering students interviewed: (a) relied primarily on the parameters explicitly given in the problem statement; (b) primarily used general search strategies; (c) were documentation oriented; and (d) relied on external feedback to determine when they had found enough information. Advanced level engineering students interviewed: (a) relied on both their own knowledge and the information provided in the problem statement; (b) utilized both general and specific search strategies; (c) were application oriented; and (d) relied on self-reflection and problem requirements to determine when they had found enough information. Conclusion – Beginning level students describe information gathering as externally motivated tasks to complete, rather than activities that are important to inform their design. Advanced level students describe more personal investment in their use of information through consideration of information based on their prior knowledge and questioning information. Future research should consider how to best support beginning level engineering students’ personal engagement with information.

Students frequently spend too little time understanding the problem in their design projects and jump to solutions without considering alternatives. This leads to inefficient use of time and suboptimal results in the final design. Instead of re-inventing the wheel, students need to explore and understand the work of others applied to similar situations, using strong information gathering, application, and evaluation skills. Ultimately, these reinforce core skills needed for students to be lifelong learners, i.e., determining where they have gaps in knowledge and determining how to fill those gaps efficiently and effectively. This workshop will provide a conceptual model and examples of activities that will help instructors keep students problem-focused, allowing them to generate and weigh alternatives, and ultimately settle on a solution that is most promising to meet their stakeholders' needs. Participants will take away techniques they can apply to their own engineering design courses. This workshop aligns with FIE's focus on turning Research into Practice.

The U.S. Department of Education (DoE) asserts that one way to improve student achievement is to consider competency-based learning. The DoE describes competency-based learning as "a structure that creates flexibility, allows students to progress as they demonstrate mastery of academic content, regardless of time, place, or pace of learning." Competency-based learning focuses on outcomes and skill-sets. Students are encouraged to learn in a way that allows them to employ reproducible skills sets to generate tangible outcomes.Our group is early in an initiative to provide alternative learning environments in STEM higher education. The group consists of faculty from several academic units including liberal arts, libraries, and technology. One of the learning experiences currently being tested involves the tight coupling of all forms of communication and information literacy with technological skills and concepts. We develop an integrated learning experience that cultivates learner's capacities of interpersonal communication and social and cultural awareness in a seminar environment.We will describe our process of generating competencies from AAC&U inspired rubrics and how these were mapped to learning outcomes and learning activities in the seminar environment. The institutional (and in some cases legal) constraints associated with the spirit of competency-based learning will be discussed.

EDITOR'S SUMMARY The rise of 3D printers derives from the need to create physical prototypes for engineering and manufacturing rapidly and inexpensively, but the technology has been widely adopted for innumerable applications. A library can provide a central point of access and support for 3D printing for students and faculty across disciplines and programs beyond engineering and technology. Nontraditional uses include teaching persuasive communications through visual rhetoric in an English class, creating objects that can diffuse stereotypes and attitudes and enhancing understanding of physical anatomy. Numerous 3D model datasets and software are available for printing projects. 3D printing not only promotes learning but inspires creativity and fun.

In this study we explored engineering students' ability to recognize the need for lifelong learning through self-assessment of their information literacy skills. We also conducted psychometric analysis of the instrument. Self-assessments are frequently used to understand students' perceptions of information literacy. One critique of this approach is that student perceptions of skills can be different than their actual abilities. Previous research has shown that advanced students and experts in engineering are more likely to gather information than first year engineering students. To determine whether students perceive this behavioral difference, first year (n=158) and junior (n=154) engineering students were given the Self-Assessment of Problem Solving Strategies (SAPSS). This instrument was designed to measure students' reported behaviors in gathering, locating, reflecting on, and using information. The factor structure of SAPPS was examined with exploratory factor analysis, which supported that students have distinct areas of information literacy. First year and junior engineering student scores were compared through an independent t-test. The results indicate that there is no significant difference between average scores of first year and junior year engineering students. In addition, students in both groups reported relatively high levels of information literacy skill. Considering that previous research has found differences between first year and more advanced engineering students, the findings from the current study point out challenges to the measurement of information literacy. In particular, developing measures that are capable of detecting differences between students' of varying abilities are particularly challenging, considering students tend to report they already possess these skills.