Reshaping teaching and learning engineering through next-gen learning technologies

Abstract

Technology is the backbone of all the various activities that any organization does. The education industry is no different. The education sector is replacing archaic and obsolete teaching methods with more interactive and collaborative teaching methods that provide a more engaging and collaborative learning experience. By enabling students to work in groups to solve real-world problems, they are helping to enhance soft skills like leadership, communication, and teamwork, which are critical to success in school, college, and the workforce. Next-generation technologies and instructional design have significant implications for learning augmentation and engineering in the distance and online education and blended learning. Learning engineering can help students understand information and analyze data, such as by showing a schematic of a mechanical system moving or a visual timeline of historical events. It can also be used to help students build information, such as by showing a 3-D model that can be rotated and viewed from different angles. Some learning augmentation systems use the metaphor of building a 3-D model of a car, where various parts have to be correctly assembled. The use of artificial intelligence for course design and recommendation of learning paths and content can also be seen as a form of learning to engineer. This article discusses how the next-generation technologies using machine learning, user modeling, and genetic algorithms are being developed to support personalized learning as one the key technologies for learning engineering. Adaptive hypermedia, human–machine interaction, augmented reality,  and computer-assisted instruction enhance instructional delivery or instructor performance.