Alienation and engagement: exploring students’ experiences of studying engineering

Abstract

This article reports on an investigation of students’ experiences of learning, using a framework that focuses on the concepts of alienation and engagement. Thirty-six third year chemical engineering students were interviewed about their learning experiences. Alienation is defined here as the absence of a relationship that students might desire or expect to experience. Using this focus, six possible ‘relationships’ were identified: to one's studies; to the broader university life; to home; to the career; to one's classmates; and to the lecturer. In each category a range of both alienated and engaged experiences were identified. With regard to the latter two categories, important de-alienating strategies were noted, and in particular the role that lecturers can play in facilitating these strategies.

I am grateful to Nazeema Ahmed for the excellent set of interviews that she conducted in this project. Important critical input towards the development of this paper has been received from my colleagues in the Centre for Research in Engineering Education (CREE). I would also like to acknowledge the financial support from the National Research Foundation of South Africa.