NORTHANTS ENGINEERING TRAINING PARTNERSHIP (NETP), A MODEL FOR SUSTAINABLE, INDUSTRY – UNIVERSITY ENGAGEMENT

Recent paper published by Dan Bailey and Dr Jonathan Adams at The International Conference on Engineering Education 2012 Turku Finland July 30 – August 3, 2012

Proceedings can be found at: julkaisut.turkuamk.fi/isbn9789522162946.pdf

Daniel C. M. Bailey, daniel.bailey@northampton.ac.uk
Jonathan P. Adams, jonathan.adams@northampton.ac.uk
Twenty-three years ago the University of Northampton along with a number or local engineering companies including British Timkin, Cosworth, Cummins, Express Lifts and KAB Seating formed a partnership to provide industry experience for undergraduate students. The founding aim of the NETP was: “to create a pool of ‘industry ready’ Engineers to support the Northamptonshire area”.
The NETP set up a paid placement scheme where students would spend a year split between three companies, attending University one day per week to continue with their academic studies. It is estimated that the NETP has offered over 500 placement opportunities since its inception.
In recent years the NETP has developed to meet the changing needs of both industry and Higher Education (HE). Changes have included the expansion in the level and range of methods of engagement with the University and other stakeholders, including; schools, colleges, local government and support organisations. To reflect this wider remit new mission and vision statements were recently formulated.
Mission: To create a pool of industry ready engineers of the highest calibre and position the NETP as a unique example of good practice and collaboration between Academia and Industry adding value to all stakeholders.
Vision: Aspire to increase membership and diversity by providing a platform for full student placements, formal and informal networking, sharing of good practice and inspiring students and Partners alike.
This paper will evaluate why the NETP has been sustainable and how it has developed to meet the changing needs of educators, employers and students. Particular areas of focus will be; how the NETP has input into skills and knowledge and course / curriculum development; how it has supported graduate recruitment, enterprise and professional skills development; and how the NETP has supported research and local economic development. 

Science and Technology Research in Pedagogy (STRiPe)

• The University of Northampton's STRiPe group brings together academic members of staff who are interested research on various aspects of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) learning and teaching.

  Academic staff involved currently in this research group are:

  • Dr Jonathan Adams
  • Gary Hill
  • Professor Phil Picton
  • Dr Scott Turner
  • Dr Mark Johnson
  • Rashmi Dravid
  • John Sinclair

  For more information or interested in being involved please contact Dr Scott Turner. 

  Example Publications:

• Turner S and Hill G (2010) "Innovative use of Robots and Graphical Programming in Software Education" 6th China Europe International Symposium on Software Industry Oriented Education (CEISIE2010) Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an
• Duncan A and Dravid R (2010) "Soft skills for scientists; not a soft option" Learning Dialogues: Learning and Teaching Conference, University of Northampton 13th May 2010
• Turner S(2009) " PowerPoint, but what else?"10th Higher Education Academy-ICS Conference, University of Kent, 24-27th August 2009, pp 151 ISBN 978-0-9559676-6-5
• Turner S (2009)"Initial experience of using audio feedback for general assignment feedback" A Word In Your Ear 2009 Sheffield Hallam University, 18 December 2009 pg 12
• Johnson M and Davis R(2009) " An Examination of the Causality of Transition and Retention Failure with Computer Science Based Courses"10th Higher Education Academy-ICS Conference, University of Kent, 24-27th August 2009, pp 148 ISBN 978-0-9559676-6-5
• Dravid R (2009) "Context-based teaching - A key to graduate employability for computer network courses10th Higher Education Academy-ICS Conference, University of Kent, 24-27th August 2009, pp 159 ISBN 978-0-9559676-6-5
• Turner S, Hill G, Adams J (2009) "Robots in problem solving in programming" 9th 1-day Teaching of Programming Workshop, University of Bath, 6th April 2009.
• Turner S (2009) "Tiddlywikis for student developed resources" Transitions: Teaching and Learning Conference 13th May 2009 University of Northampton.
• Dravid R (2009) "Context-based teaching - A key to graduate employability for computer network courses" Transitions: Teaching and Learning Conference 13th May 2009 University of Northampton
• Johnson M (2008) "The Dyslexic User's Interface Support Tool (DUIST)" PhD Thesis University of Northampton.
• Turner S and Hill G(2008) "Robots within the Teaching of Problem-Solving" ITALICS vol. 7 No. 1 June 2008 pp 108-119 ISSN 1473-7507
• Turner S (2008) "TiddlyWikis for Student Developed Resources" 9th Higher Education Academy-ICS Annual Conference, Liverpool Hope University, 26th August - 28th August 2008. pp. 192 ISBN 978-0-9559676-0-3.
• Turner S and Adams J (2008) "Robots and Problem Solving" 9th Higher Education Academy-ICS Annual Conference, Liverpool Hope University, 26th August - 28th August 2008. pp. 14 ISBN 978-0-9559676-0-3.
• Minai, A, Turner S, and Hill. G (2008) "Motivational Differences in Learning Internet Programming Between Arts and Computing Students" 9th Higher Education Academy-ICS Annual Conference, Liverpool Hope University, 26th August - 28th August 2008. pp. 197 ISBN 978-0-9559676-0-3.
• Adams, J. and Turner, S., (2008) Problem Solving and Creativity for Undergraduate Computing and Engineering students: the use of robots as a development tool Creating Contemporary Student Learning Environments 2008, Northampton, UK.
• Adams, J. and Turner, S., (2008) Problem Solving and Creativity for Undergraduate Engineers: process or product? International Conference on Innovation, Good Practice and Research in Engineering Education 2008, Loughborough, UK.
• Adams, J., Turner, S., Kaczmarczyk, S., Picton, P. and Demian, P.,(2008). Problem Solving and Creativity for Undergraduate Engineers: findings of an action research project involving robots International Conference on Engineering Education ICEE 2008, Budapest, Hungary.

Problem solving and creativity in Engineering

Jonathan Adams, Phil Picton and Stefan Kaczmarczyk from the School of Science and Technology, University of Northampton in collaboration with Peter Demian from Loughborough University have recently published a paper in the Journal  Enhancing the Learner Experience in Higher Education entitled "Problem solving and creativity in Engineering: turning novices into professionals".

Abstract:

Recent UK and European benchmarks for both undergraduate and professional engineers highlight the importance of problem solving skills. They additionally identify creativity as an important capacity alongside problem solving for both novices and professionals. But, how can we develop and encourage these important skills in undergraduate engineers?

For many years researchers have explored how the differences between novices and experts might show educators techniques for improving the problem solving abilities of their students. Whilst it is often appreciated that knowledge and experience have a large influence on problem solving ability, it is not feasible to develop these fully in a three or four year degree course. There are, however, a number of other capacities relating to problem solving process skills that can be usefully developed, such as strategy, attitude and motivation.

A number of semi-structured interviews have been undertaken with engineering undergraduates at The University of Northampton, Loughborough University and Birmingham University in order to explore these issues. Analysis has been in the form of a phenomenographic study. The interviews extend their questioning and comparison beyond problem solving skills into creative thinking. This paper provides a brief summary of previous published research alongside interesting findings from the interviews. Early findings have been used to inform an action research project to develop a problem-based learning (PBL) module to improve creative problem solving skills in undergraduate engineers. Emerging themes that have been identified include: identification of problem solving processes in the case of professionals as opposed to simply identifying skills required in the case of students, confusion with the concept of ‘creativity’ in the context of engineering; issues with motivation and ownership with regard to academic problems and significance being placed on real life activities involving groupwork as an effective way of teaching and learning creative problem solving.


The full paper can be found at: http://journals.northampton.ac.uk/index.php/elehe/article/viewFile/6/6

Reference

Adams J, Picton P, Kaczmarczyk S, Demian P (2009) "Problem solving and creativity in Engineering: turning novices into professionals" Enhancing the Learner Experience in Higher Education pp. 4-8 Volume 1, Number 1,  ISSN 1234-1234