Butchers, A M (2004) Learning off the job: engineers and professional education. PhD thesis, University of Sheffield, UK.
Abstract
This thesis identifies a framework of critical occasions documented by engineering students taking residential modules during the taught element of an MSc. It develops a categorisation of critical events on which future research could be built and will be of interest to practitioners, learners and academics. Building on this nomenclature the effect of important episodes on respondents' cognition and professional development is examined by applying fuzzy logic. Using a reflective interview based case study students were questioned about their background, attitudes and landmark events to investigate the classification. A focus group provided another perspective and validated early findings. The choice of a case study and use of interviews are discussed within the methodology. Previous literature on critical incidents, professional development and cognition was considered to illuminate the framework. The resulting data was analysed and patterns identified in the fieldwork chapters to catalogue the critical happenings. The developing professional identity of respondents is another area examined providing an insight into how and why such professional development occurs. Findings include: that milestones volunteered were representative of critical episodes found in previous writing and that attitudinal changes revealed within the subsets of Apprentices and Graduates appeared to converge as the course progressed. Practitioners may facilitate critical incidents and so enhance their own professional development. Learners will be interested to know that discussions with respondents highlighted occasions that resulted in increased cognition, improved confidence and presented opportunities for networking leading to professional formation. For academics the research presents ways in which students learn using critical thinking, highlighting a continuum of critical happenings on which future research could be encouraged. While offering no strong claim to generalisability the taxonomy identifies areas for further examination, which could lead to generalisability in the future.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | residential; graduate; higher education; learning; professional; taxonomy; case study; focus group; interview; fuzzy logic |
| Index terms: | critical thinking, taxonomy, module, identity, higher education, engineer, fuzzy logic, case study, professional development, practitioner, cognition, methodology, networking, focus group, interview |
| Subjects: | cognitive psychology, sociology, educational institutions, architectural elements, research methods, professional development, communication, data science, data analysis and analytics, data collection methods, profession, specialized education, practitioner |
| Topics: | Design Practice, Digital Applications, Roles and Professions, Research Practice, Information Management, Education |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here