title: Learning linkages between projects and work placements in engineering education

authors: Joseph Thomas, Siju

subjects: Work-integrated learning

abstract: This research study investigated the combined learning linkages of engineering projects (Problem-Based Learning [PBL]) and work placements (Work-Integrated Learning [WIL]) in engineering education in New Zealand. The learning process of both approaches was analysed based on the development of engineering knowledge, technical, and non-technical skills (collectively employability skills) in students. This research is aligned with theories of constructionism and sociocultural theory to understand learners’ engagement in WIL and PBL as building knowledge through social interactions in classroom and work settings. Constructionism is a learning theory that puts importance on active knowledge construction by learners engaged in hands-on experiential learning activities. In this study, WIL and PBL are the hands-on experiential learning activities that aid in construction of engineering knowledge and skills of students through hands-on engineering practice. Sociocultural learning theory informs this study, as WIL and PBL can be considered approaches where learning happens as a social process, within a community of practise, where people are engaged in an activity, in a socially and culturally structured work environment.
In this thesis, the PBL was engineering applied projects and WIL was work placements. Data collection occurred from five cohorts across different stages of their study by conducting online surveys, individual interview transcripts, document analysis, and direct observations. Investigation into classroom learning also provided students insight into fundamental engineering concepts/theories via lectures and tutorials.

The engineering projects assisted students’ ability to relate theory with practise and the ability to relate and understand previously developed engineering knowledge embedded in the project’s problem statement. Additionally, engineering projects were primarily interdisciplinary across engineering, which aided in developing additional engineering knowledge. Students also acquired technical skills such as problem- solving, critical thinking, design and manufacturing abilities, 3D drawing skills, 3D software skills, tools/machinery experiences, and non-technical skills like teamwork, communication, and interpersonal skills. The learning from engineering projects was then applied to students’ classroom learning and work placements. Learning from the classroom became the knowledge background for students, who then applied it to their future engineering projects.
In work placements, students worked in an authentic work environment, allowing them to engage with authentic practise and develop professional skills. Students drew on their previous learnings from classroom and engineering projects through engineering practise. As work placements were interdisciplinary, they aided in developing additional engineering knowledge. In addition, work experience via industrial projects helped students gain and develop other non-technical skills such as time management, planning, and organising skills, project management, engineering work culture, work experience, work ethics, and professionalism. These findings suggested underlying learning linkages between engineering projects and work placements.

Additionally, in this study, professional skills are used in place of employability skills. In general, all technical and non-technical skills may be commonly considered as employability skills, which are essential skills that make graduates employable. Employability skills is the common term used in WIL literature (Batholmeus & Pop, 2017; Jackson, 2013; Kilpatrick et al., 2021). Whereas, professional skills can be considered as specific profession related technical and non-technical skills, which may be different depending upon different type of workplace, while employability skills are a broad term, which may include professional skills in it. As students do different mechanical engineering work placements, so they develop different professional skills which may be different depending upon type of work placement.

This study concludes that there are aspects of sequencing of scaffolding and complementary learning support between engineering projects and work placements. Engineering projects are placed before work placements to enable sequence of scaffolding of engineering knowledge and skills (technical and non-technical). Additionally, engineering projects provide new knowledge outside classroom learning, thereby, complementing classroom learning. Work placements builds on classroom and engineering projects learning as well as workplace acumen. Work placements are designed to complement projects and, through opportunities to practise in authentic work environments, may also develop employability skills. Therefore, the research findings present recommendations for engineering lecturers and WIL educators to emphasise individual learning outcomes and learning linkages between engineering projects and work placements, which may help enhance students’ understanding of engineering knowledge and engineering practise.

text: Learning linkages between projects and work placements in engineering education This research study investigated the combined learning linkages of engineering projects (Problem-Based Learning [PBL]) and work placements (Work-Integrated Learning [WIL]) in engineering education in New Zealand. The learning process of both approaches was analysed based on the development of engineering knowledge, technical, and non-technical skills (collectively employability skills) in students. This research is aligned with theories of constructionism and sociocultural theory to understand learners’ engagement in WIL and PBL as building knowledge through social interactions in classroom and work settings. Constructionism is a learning theory that puts importance on active knowledge construction by learners engaged in hands-on experiential learning activities. In this study, WIL and PBL are the hands-on experiential learning activities that aid in construction of engineering knowledge and skills of students through hands-on engineering practice. Sociocultural learning theory informs this study, as WIL and PBL can be considered approaches where learning happens as a social process, within a community of practise, where people are engaged in an activity, in a socially and culturally structured work environment.
In this thesis, the PBL was engineering applied projects and WIL was work placements. Data collection occurred from five cohorts across different stages of their study by conducting online surveys, individual interview transcripts, document analysis, and direct observations. Investigation into classroom learning also provided students insight into fundamental engineering concepts/theories via lectures and tutorials.

The engineering projects assisted students’ ability to relate theory with practise and the ability to relate and understand previously developed engineering knowledge embedded in the project’s problem statement. Additionally, engineering projects were primarily interdisciplinary across engineering, which aided in developing additional engineering knowledge. Students also acquired technical skills such as problem- solving, critical thinking, design and manufacturing abilities, 3D drawing skills, 3D software skills, tools/machinery experiences, and non-technical skills like teamwork, communication, and interpersonal skills. The learning from engineering projects was then applied to students’ classroom learning and work placements. Learning from the classroom became the knowledge background for students, who then applied it to their future engineering projects.
In work placements, students worked in an authentic work environment, allowing them to engage with authentic practise and develop professional skills. Students drew on their previous learnings from classroom and engineering projects through engineering practise. As work placements were interdisciplinary, they aided in developing additional engineering knowledge. In addition, work experience via industrial projects helped students gain and develop other non-technical skills such as time management, planning, and organising skills, project management, engineering work culture, work experience, work ethics, and professionalism. These findings suggested underlying learning linkages between engineering projects and work placements.

Additionally, in this study, professional skills are used in place of employability skills. In general, all technical and non-technical skills may be commonly considered as employability skills, which are essential skills that make graduates employable. Employability skills is the common term used in WIL literature (Batholmeus & Pop, 2017; Jackson, 2013; Kilpatrick et al., 2021). Whereas, professional skills can be considered as specific profession related technical and non-technical skills, which may be different depending upon different type of workplace, while employability skills are a broad term, which may include professional skills in it. As students do different mechanical engineering work placements, so they develop different professional skills which may be different depending upon type of work placement.

This study concludes that there are aspects of sequencing of scaffolding and complementary learning support between engineering projects and work placements. Engineering projects are placed before work placements to enable sequence of scaffolding of engineering knowledge and skills (technical and non-technical). Additionally, engineering projects provide new knowledge outside classroom learning, thereby, complementing classroom learning. Work placements builds on classroom and engineering projects learning as well as workplace acumen. Work placements are designed to complement projects and, through opportunities to practise in authentic work environments, may also develop employability skills. Therefore, the research findings present recommendations for engineering lecturers and WIL educators to emphasise individual learning outcomes and learning linkages between engineering projects and work placements, which may help enhance students’ understanding of engineering knowledge and engineering practise.

year: 2023

title: Products and Processes of Cone-Building Eruptions at North Crater, Tongariro

authors: Griffin, Anna Marie

subjects: Tongariro Volcano

abstract: North Crater occupies the north-western quadrant of the Tongariro Volcanic Centre
and represents one of at least eleven vents which have been active on Tongariro since
the last glacial maximum. The most recent cone-forming activity at North Crater is
thought to have occurred between 14-12 ka ago to produce the distinct, wide, flattopped
andesite cone. This project focused mainly on the cone-building eruptions at
North Crater, including stratigraphic correlations with distal tephra, interpreting
eruptive processes, and establishing the sequence of events during cone construction.
Detailed field work identified key stratigraphic sections and facies in the proximal,
medial and distal environments. These sections allowed stratigraphic correlations to
be made between proximal cone-building facies and distal sheet-forming facies at
North Crater, and established a complete North Crater eruption stratigraphy. In the
proximal environment, welded and non to poorly welded facies formed from fallout
of a lava-fountain, pyroclastic flow or as fallout from a convecting plume. In the
medial and distal environment, the lithofacies consist of fallout from a convecting
plume and minor pyroclastic flow. Convective fall and non to poorly welded
pyroclastic flow deposits dominate the lower eruption stratigraphy suggesting
explosive eruptions involving a gas-rich magma. A change to welded deposits
produced from lava-fountaining occurs later in the cone-building sequence and
suggest a change to lower explosively and eruption of gas-poor magma.
Grain size, componentry data, density, petrography and SEM analysis were carried
out on representative samples to characterise the different facies, and reveal
information about eruption processes. The non to poorly welded deposits are typically
made up of vesicular pumice, scoria and mingled clasts of sub-rounded bombs and
lapilli. The welded facies are relatively dense and clast outlines are often difficult to
distinguish. The eruptives are porphyritic with abundant plagioclase gt clinopyroxene gt
orthopyroxene gt opaques. Quartzofeldspathic crustal xenoliths are common and
indicate crustal assimilation. Mingled clasts of light and dark glass were found to
have microlites present in the dark glass, but were absent in the light glass. Electron
microprobe analyses found that the dark and light glass components in a single clast
had similar compositions, showing that the contrasting physical appearance of the
glass is not due to a different chemical composition.
Forty three whole rock XRF analyses showed that the magmas ranged from basaltic
andesite to andesite, and Harker variation plots display linear trends typical of magma
mixing. Magma mixing as the most important magmatic process is supported by
disequilibrium of phenocryst compositions and phenocryst textures. Magma
viscosity, bulk density and temperature was determined using MAGMA (Kware), and
indicate that they fall into the range of typical andesites.
Eruptive activity involved vigorous lava-fountaining, minor convecting eruption
plumes and dominant collapsing eruption plumes. This activity has produced welded
and non-welded pyroclastic flow and fall deposits to form the large cone seen today.
There are significant volcanic hazards associated with this style of activity at North
Crater, characterised by lava-fountaining, eruption plume fallout, and widespread
pyroclastic flows and lahars extending beyond the ring plain. These could all be
potentially devastating to the central North Island of New Zealand.

text: Products and Processes of Cone-Building Eruptions at North Crater, Tongariro North Crater occupies the north-western quadrant of the Tongariro Volcanic Centre
and represents one of at least eleven vents which have been active on Tongariro since
the last glacial maximum. The most recent cone-forming activity at North Crater is
thought to have occurred between 14-12 ka ago to produce the distinct, wide, flattopped
andesite cone. This project focused mainly on the cone-building eruptions at
North Crater, including stratigraphic correlations with distal tephra, interpreting
eruptive processes, and establishing the sequence of events during cone construction.
Detailed field work identified key stratigraphic sections and facies in the proximal,
medial and distal environments. These sections allowed stratigraphic correlations to
be made between proximal cone-building facies and distal sheet-forming facies at
North Crater, and established a complete North Crater eruption stratigraphy. In the
proximal environment, welded and non to poorly welded facies formed from fallout
of a lava-fountain, pyroclastic flow or as fallout from a convecting plume. In the
medial and distal environment, the lithofacies consist of fallout from a convecting
plume and minor pyroclastic flow. Convective fall and non to poorly welded
pyroclastic flow deposits dominate the lower eruption stratigraphy suggesting
explosive eruptions involving a gas-rich magma. A change to welded deposits
produced from lava-fountaining occurs later in the cone-building sequence and
suggest a change to lower explosively and eruption of gas-poor magma.
Grain size, componentry data, density, petrography and SEM analysis were carried
out on representative samples to characterise the different facies, and reveal
information about eruption processes. The non to poorly welded deposits are typically
made up of vesicular pumice, scoria and mingled clasts of sub-rounded bombs and
lapilli. The welded facies are relatively dense and clast outlines are often difficult to
distinguish. The eruptives are porphyritic with abundant plagioclase gt clinopyroxene gt
orthopyroxene gt opaques. Quartzofeldspathic crustal xenoliths are common and
indicate crustal assimilation. Mingled clasts of light and dark glass were found to
have microlites present in the dark glass, but were absent in the light glass. Electron
microprobe analyses found that the dark and light glass components in a single clast
had similar compositions, showing that the contrasting physical appearance of the
glass is not due to a different chemical composition.
Forty three whole rock XRF analyses showed that the magmas ranged from basaltic
andesite to andesite, and Harker variation plots display linear trends typical of magma
mixing. Magma mixing as the most important magmatic process is supported by
disequilibrium of phenocryst compositions and phenocryst textures. Magma
viscosity, bulk density and temperature was determined using MAGMA (Kware), and
indicate that they fall into the range of typical andesites.
Eruptive activity involved vigorous lava-fountaining, minor convecting eruption
plumes and dominant collapsing eruption plumes. This activity has produced welded
and non-welded pyroclastic flow and fall deposits to form the large cone seen today.
There are significant volcanic hazards associated with this style of activity at North
Crater, characterised by lava-fountaining, eruption plume fallout, and widespread
pyroclastic flows and lahars extending beyond the ring plain. These could all be
potentially devastating to the central North Island of New Zealand.

year: 2007

title: A community psychology-based evaluation of the you good? You Good! program delivered by Jade speaks up educational trust in Aotearoa. Empowering tamariki emotional literacy, supporting mental health and encouraging well-being.

authors: Webbon, Abigail

abstract: This evaluation was completed for Jade Speaks Up (JSU) Educational Trust to provide feedback from school teachers and whānau who were involved in the You Good? You Good! (YG?YG!) program, delivered by JSU Educational Trust to schools across Aotearoa. The evaluation goal was to collate the narratives of participating school staff, whānau, and JSU Educational Trust trainers, contrasting experiences and perspectives to determine program effectiveness.
This program is for schools, management, and teachers who work with tamariki, to help teachers and students understand anxiety and develop skills and strategies to have self-agency. JSU Educational Trust developed YG?YG! in 2021, and in 2022 the YG?YG! pilot program was implemented.
This evaluation had three research objectives: 1) Identify and collate the experiences of school staff and other key stakeholders when implementing the YG?YG!, 2) Identify the strengths and barriers to inclusion for tamariki in schools where the program was delivered, and 3) Draw on the stakeholder narratives to assess the program's ability to achieve its goal: enable tamariki to be more agentic in responding to early signs of anxiety in themselves and others.
Information for this evaluation was collected from four sources: 1) Focus groups with JSU trainers, 2) Interviews with school staff, 3) Online surveys with school staff, 4) Archival supervision, and 5) Literature review. Data collected was interpreted through the use of thematic analysis, informed by Community Psychology principles, and the “Six C” framework, guided by He Awa Whiria.
Thematic analysis was completed by coding themes and categories from data sources. The findings from this empirical research engagement informed the analysis and discussion on program effectiveness. 
The findings and analysis found that forming a program design and approach informed with respect for the community’s needs and world-views can enable recognition, awareness and inclusion. A way for the program to begin to do so is to collaborate with communities.
Including researchers from a local community can enable empowerment, build social power, and create responses that promote the needs of the involved communities. The program can champion the field and those they work with by being accountable and enabling transparency.
The program can take an inclusive approach to sustaining its relationships, content relevance, and development for tamariki emotional well-being. The program can work on cultivating and empowering participants to be active partners, enabling the program to be shaped with equity in mind.
Key to program efficacy is acknowledging change and encompassing adaptation. The way to do this is to consider local health issues driven by who experience them, elevating the voice of the community.
Change and need cannot be determined without considering the voice of involved communities. By taking participants feedback, the program can create change for tamariki mental health, whilst acknowledging system and structural barriers, striving for community competence.
Importance lies within the work the program does to enable and support those affected by external factors. The program can acknowledge these challenges, and provide hope that community competence can be achieved.
To conclude, recommendations are presented for JSU Educational Trust to consider.

text: A community psychology-based evaluation of the you good? You Good! program delivered by Jade speaks up educational trust in Aotearoa. Empowering tamariki emotional literacy, supporting mental health and encouraging well-being. This evaluation was completed for Jade Speaks Up (JSU) Educational Trust to provide feedback from school teachers and whānau who were involved in the You Good? You Good! (YG?YG!) program, delivered by JSU Educational Trust to schools across Aotearoa. The evaluation goal was to collate the narratives of participating school staff, whānau, and JSU Educational Trust trainers, contrasting experiences and perspectives to determine program effectiveness.
This program is for schools, management, and teachers who work with tamariki, to help teachers and students understand anxiety and develop skills and strategies to have self-agency. JSU Educational Trust developed YG?YG! in 2021, and in 2022 the YG?YG! pilot program was implemented.
This evaluation had three research objectives: 1) Identify and collate the experiences of school staff and other key stakeholders when implementing the YG?YG!, 2) Identify the strengths and barriers to inclusion for tamariki in schools where the program was delivered, and 3) Draw on the stakeholder narratives to assess the program's ability to achieve its goal: enable tamariki to be more agentic in responding to early signs of anxiety in themselves and others.
Information for this evaluation was collected from four sources: 1) Focus groups with JSU trainers, 2) Interviews with school staff, 3) Online surveys with school staff, 4) Archival supervision, and 5) Literature review. Data collected was interpreted through the use of thematic analysis, informed by Community Psychology principles, and the “Six C” framework, guided by He Awa Whiria.
Thematic analysis was completed by coding themes and categories from data sources. The findings from this empirical research engagement informed the analysis and discussion on program effectiveness. 
The findings and analysis found that forming a program design and approach informed with respect for the community’s needs and world-views can enable recognition, awareness and inclusion. A way for the program to begin to do so is to collaborate with communities.
Including researchers from a local community can enable empowerment, build social power, and create responses that promote the needs of the involved communities. The program can champion the field and those they work with by being accountable and enabling transparency.
The program can take an inclusive approach to sustaining its relationships, content relevance, and development for tamariki emotional well-being. The program can work on cultivating and empowering participants to be active partners, enabling the program to be shaped with equity in mind.
Key to program efficacy is acknowledging change and encompassing adaptation. The way to do this is to consider local health issues driven by who experience them, elevating the voice of the community.
Change and need cannot be determined without considering the voice of involved communities. By taking participants feedback, the program can create change for tamariki mental health, whilst acknowledging system and structural barriers, striving for community competence.
Importance lies within the work the program does to enable and support those affected by external factors. The program can acknowledge these challenges, and provide hope that community competence can be achieved.
To conclude, recommendations are presented for JSU Educational Trust to consider.

year: 2024-11-14