Effectiveness of technology-integrated project-based approach for self-regulated learning of engineering students

ABSTRACT

The goal of this study is to explore the impact of a technology-integrated project-based learning intervention (ReaLabs) on students’ learning attitudes, behaviours and self-regulated learning (SRL). A group of 49 mechanical engineering students was taught using this intervention and a group of 50 students in the same specialty was taught using the traditional method (Google docs). The findings revealed that students in the intervention group reported higher scores in learning attitudes and behaviours. They also reported higher levels of goal setting, task strategies, time management, help-seeking, and self-evaluation skills as compared to students in the control group. In addition, the usefulness of ReaLabs, the use of online tool was better perceived in the intervention group than that of Google docs in the control group. These findings indicate that a smart pedagogy model built on a technology-integrated learner-centered teaching approach may support outcomes related to SRL for engineering education students.

KEYWORDS:

• Self-regulated learning
• project-based learning
• smart pedagogies
• technology-integrated project-based learning intervention
• engineering education

Disclosure statement

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

Notes

1 https://data.unicef.org/resources/rapid-situation-tracking-covid-19-socioeconomic-impacts-data-viz/.

Additional information

Funding

This research was funded by the Ministry of Education and Training in Viet Nam [grant number CT2020.02.BKA.07].

Notes on contributors

T. T. Hang Bui

T. T. Hang Bui is an asssociate professor of educational psychology at the School of Engineering Pedagogy, Hanoi University of Science and Technology- Vietnam. She teaches undergraduate students in Technical Education and supervise Master Thesis and Doctoral Dissertation in Engineering Education. She is also involved in teaching and supervising graduate students for the Master's Program in Higher Education Pedagogical Advising at University of Poitiers - French. Her main fields of research concern teachers' teaching styles, students' study motivation and learning styles, engineering education, smart pedagogy and smart university.

Amrita Kaur

Amrita Kaur is Assistant Professor of Psychology at College of Liberal Arts, Wenzhou-Kean University, China. She teaches both undergraduate and graduate courses in psychology. Her primary area of research concerns teaching, learning, and assessment in higher education, students as partners, learning motivation and engagement, and cross-cultural studies for learning. In her 22-year teaching career, she has taught in India, Thailand, Malaysia, and China. She was also the recipient of the ISSOTL 2020 fellowship. She serves as the editorial member for Scopus indexed journal - Malaysian Journal of Learning and Instruction and International Journal of Students as Partners.

Minh Trang Vu

Dr. Vu Minh Trang, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of pedagogy, University of Education, Vietnam National University - Hanoi. Her major is Teacher Education in Natural Sciences. She has been participating in many scientific research projects as well as publishing abundant works in both domestic and international scientific journals. She also has been invited as presenter or keynote speaker in many national and international conferences in the field of Education Sciences (Theory and method of teaching Chemistry), and Organic Biochemistry.