Luân án xây dựng chuẩn đầu ra nhằm nâng cao chất lượng chương trình đào tạo kỹ thuật cơ khí tại đại học thái nguyên

ENHANCING THE MECHANICAL ENGINEERING PROGRAM OF THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY THROUGH REDESIGNED LEARNING OUTCOMES A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School Southern Luzon

ENHANCING THE MECHANICAL ENGINEERING PROGRAM OF THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY THROUGH REDESIGNED LEARNING OUTCOMES

A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School Southern Luzon State University, Lucban, Quezon, Philippines

in Collaboration with Thai Nguyen University, Socialist Republic of Vietnam

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Management

Pham Van Hung- (Hero)

July, 2013

APPROVAL SHEET

This dissertation entitled “Enhancing the Mechanical Engineering program

of Thai Nguyen University through redesigned learning outcomes” submitted by PHAM VAN HUNG, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education Management been examined and is recommended for acceptance and approval

MELCHOR MELO O.PLACINO, Ph.D Adviser

Approved by the Oral Examination Committee, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education Management by Southern Luzon State University, Republic of the Philippines in collaboration with Thai Nguyen University, Socialist Republic of Vietnam

member

Critic Reader

Chairman: CECILIA N GASCON, Ed.D

Accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education Management by Southern Luzon State University, Republic

of the Philippines in collaboration with Thai Nguyen University, Socialist Republic of Vietnam

APOLONIA ESPINOSA, Ed D

Dean, Graduate School

Date _

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The author would like to express her gratitude to the following persons who had great contribution to the preparation and accomplishment of this research

Sincerest and profound gratitude and appreciation are extended to all the persons who in their own special ways have made this thesis a reality The author

is most grateful to:

Hon Dr Cecilia N Gascon, President of Southern Luzon State

University, Republic of the Philippines, for her invaluable contribution in establishment of the Master of Arts in Educational Management program in Thai Nguyen University;

Prof Dr Dang Kim Vui, President of Thai Nguyen University, the

Socialist Republic of Vietnam for his incomparable contribution and support to the Doctor of philosophy in Educational Management program under the auspices

of the Southern Luzon State University, Republic of the Philippines;

Dr Walberto A.Macaraan, Vice-President for Extension and Research,

for his support to the tie-up program between SLSU and TNU;

The Panel of Examiners, for their invaluable comments, suggestions and recommendations to enhance the thesis manuscript of the author of this study;

Prof Dr Melchor Melo O.Placino, his adviser, for his dedication,

enduring patience and concern, guidance, sincere hopes and encouragement for

the researcher to finish the manuscript;

Prof Dr Apolonia Espinosia, professor of advanced statistics for her

patience and support;

To the Learning Resource Center of Thai Nguyen University, for the valuable sources of books and references;

To the authors and researchers of books and unpublished graduate theses that served as reliable source of data and information presented in the study;

Special thanks to:

Prof Phan Quang The, Rector of Thai Nguyen University of Technology for the approval of the researcher’s request to conduct the study;

The respondents of the study, for their active involvement, without their cooperation the result of this dissertation may not be possible;

His loving classmates and colleagues, for endless support and friendship which inspires the researcher to put in her best in finishing the study;

His wife – Dinh Thi Kim Phuong, the only person with a special space in

his heart for being his inspiration;

His parents and siblings, for their encouragement, financial, moral and spiritual supports and for continuously believing that he can finish the task to the best of his abilities

PVH

DEDICATION

With pride and honor, This piece of work is lovingly dedicated

to his beloved parents, wife and children

for their endless support And for being his constant source of inspiration

Pham Van Hung (Hero)

TABLE OF CONTENT

Title page ……… i

Approval sheet ……… ii

Acknowledgement ……… iii

Dedication ……… v

Table of content ……… vi

List of table ………

List of figure………

List of appendices ………

ix xi xii Abstract ……… xiii

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Background of the Study ……… 2

Objective of the study ……… 6

Significance of the Study ……… 6

Scope and Limitation ……… 7

Definition of Terms ……… 7

II REVIEW OF LITERATURE AND STUDIES Learning outcomes ……… 10

Type of learning outcomes ……… 12

Learning outcomes and outcomes-based approaches ……… 18

The role of learning outcomes in program design and improvement … 19 Learning outcomes and learning objectives ……… 22

How to write Learning outcomes ……… 22

Quality and Quality in Education ……… 23

Engineer standards and criteria ……… 24

CDIO initiative ……… 27

The formulation of learning outcomes ……… 29

Research Diagram ……… 31

III METHODOLOGY

Locale of the Study ……… 33

Research Design ……… 33

Population and Sampling ……… 33

Research Instrumentation ……… 34

Data Gathering Procedure ……… 36

Statistical Treatment of Data ……… 36

IV RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 4.1 The importance of each learning outcome topic under the view of the four main stakeholders of the MEP 40 4.1.1 The importance of each learning outcome topic under the view of the students 40 4.1.2 The importance of each learning outcome topic under the view of the alumni 45 4.1.3 The importance of each learning outcome topic under the view of the teachers 47 4.1.4 The importance of each learning outcome topic under the view of the employers 50 4.2 Evaluate the current status of learning outcomes and the expected LOs of MEP 55 4.2.1 Graduating students 55 4.2.2 Faculty 58 4.2.3 Alumni 66 4.2.4 Employers 74 4.3 The correlation among the important level of learning outcomes, current proficient level of the students, the expected proficient level that the students should achieve 80 4.4 The Process for formulating the redesigned learning outcomes for the MEP 81 V SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS Summary and findings ……… 84

Conclusion ……… 87

Recommendations ……… 88

REFERENCE A Books ……… 90

B Internet sources ……… 90

APPENDICES

LIST OF TABLES

TABLE

1 Number of respondents of the pilot survey… ………

2 Number of qualified questionnaires ………

3 The importance of the Disciplinary knowledge and reasoning topics under

the view of the students………… ………

4 The importance of the Personal and Professional Skills and Attributes

topics under the view of the students………

5 The importance of the interpersonal skills: Teamwork and communication

topics under the view of the students………

6 The importance of conceiving context topics under the view of the

students………

7 The importance of conceiving enterprise context and designing topics

under the view of the students………

8 The importance of implementing and operating the system topics under the view of the students………

9 The importance of the Disciplinary knowledge and reasoning topics under

the view of the alumni………

10 The importance of the Personal and Professional Skills and Attributes

topics under the view of the alumni………

11 The importance of the interpersonal skills: Teamwork and communication

topics under the view of the alumni………

12 The importance of the Disciplinary knowledge and reasoning topics under

the view of the teachers………

13 The importance of the interpersonal skills: Teamwork and communication

topics under the view of the teachers………

14 The importance of implementing and operating the system topics under the view of the teachers………

15 The importance of the Disciplinary knowledge and reasoning topics under

the view of the employers………

16 The importance of the Personal and Professional Skills and Attributes topics under the view of the employers………

17 The importance of the interpersonal skills: Teamwork and communication topics under the view of the employers………

18 The importance of the Applying skills under the view of the employers 19 The Current and Expected proficient level of Designing under view of students………

20 The Current and Expected proficient level of Operating under view of students………

21 Results of survey on Knowledge of underlying mathematics and sciences ………

22 Results on analytical reasoning and problem solving………

23 Results on experimentation, investigation and knowledge discovery… 24 Results on system thinking……….…

25 Results on attitudes, thoughts and learning………

26 Results on ethics, equity and other responsibilities………

27 Results on external, societal and environmental context………

28 Results on conceiving, systems engineering and management ………

29 Results on operating………

30 Results of survey on Knowledge of underlying mathematics and sciences

31 Results on analytical reasoning and problem solving………

32 Results on attitudes, thoughts and learning………

33 Results on interpersonal skills: teamwork and communication………

34 Results on external, societal and environmental context………

35 Results on enterprise and business context………

36 Results on conceiving, systems engineering and management…………

37 Results on implementing………

38 Correspondence between the Bloom’s taxonomy and proficiency scale … 51 52 52 53 56 56 58

60

61

61

61

62

63

64

65

66

68

69

70

71

71

72

73

81

LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE

1 The relationship between occupational standards and training

standards ……… ………

2 Learning outcomes in the development of program…………

3 Framework for understanding educational quality …………

4 Building blocks of knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary

to Conceive, Design, Implement, and Operate Systems in

the Enterprise and Societal Context (CDIO) ….… ………

5 The schematic presentation of the study to develop the

learning outcomes which meet the requirements of the

society and international integration………

LIST OF APPENDICES

Appendix

A Questionnaires ……… ……… 92

B Statistical Computations ……… … 100

ABSTRACT

TITLE OF RESEARCH: Enhancing the Mechanical Engineering program of Thai

Nguyen University through redesigned learning outcomes

RESEARCHER: Pham Van Hung

DEGREE CONFERRED: Doctor of philosophy in Educational Management

INSTITUTION: Southern Luzon State University – TNU

_

Formulation of the learning outcomes which meet the requirements of the society plays an important role in order to improve the quality of the program This study aims at redesigning the learning outcomes of the Mechanical Engineering Program at Thai Nguyen University of Engineering using the survey results from the main stakeholders (employer, alumni, teacher and student) of the program Questionnaires were distributed to target

respondents The data was processed using SPSS Results were subjected to t-test The

results were discussed by educational experts, institutional managers and teaching staff The results of the study showed that all the draft learning outcome topics were important for the engineer, however, the current learning outcomes and competences of the students did not meet the requirements of the employers, alumni, teaching staff and students with regard to the knowledge and skills the graduate and student of the program possess The learning outcomes of the Mechanical Engineering Program were rewritten with reference

to the comments and contribution of its main stakeholders On the basis of the new learning outcomes, the program should be adjusted to provide its students with proper

knowledge and skills based on the redesigned learning outcomes

Chapter I INTRODUCTION

In recent years, the scale of development of training has increased significantly in Vietnam By the end of the first semester of school year (2010-2011), there were 149 higher education institutions (HEIs) with 1,358,861 college students and 45,961 teachers Providing accountability data and consumer information on the quality of teaching and learning has been increasing pressures on the HEIs

The Vietnamese Government and the Ministry of Education and Training have stated the concern about the learning outcomes of HEIs to ensure the quality of training

and accountability towards the Government and the society In 2008, at a national

conference on the quality of higher education which was held in Ho Chi Minh City on January, 8th 2008, the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Thien Nhan appealed to the universities & colleges to improve the quality of instruction: that by December, 2008 all universities, colleges must develop their training standards, conduct training to achieve the learning outcomes (LOs) set, students should be properly informed about their level of competence, how to achieve the learning outcomes, and what skills they will have after completing the courses, etc.”

Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan confirmed that the transition from training based on HEIs’ availability to training which met the requirements of the society was the most important, fundamental and urgent change in current period The Minister gave 09 criteria

to ensure quality standards in training to meet social needs, including: (1) Skills, competences of graduates; (2) The input; (3) Training programs (4) Faculty, staff management; (5) Teaching and assessing learning outcomes of students; (6) Condition of facilities, technique (7) Finance; (8) Decentralized management mechanism; and (9) Accreditation, training quality evaluation

Article 9, Vietnamese Education Law, 2005 on Education development states that

“Education development is a first national priority with a view to improving people’s knowledge, training manpower, and fostering talents Education development must be linked to the requirements of socio-economic development, to the scientific-technological advances, and to the consolidation of national defense and security; must implement standardization, modernization, and socialization; must ensure the balance in terms of

qualifications, professional and regional structure; must expand scale on the basis of quality and efficiency assurance; and must link education with employment…”

Criteria 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 4.7 of the Vietnamese set of accreditation standards for higher education institutions (issued together with Decision No 65/2007/QD-BGDDT November

1, 2007) also explicitly highlight the educational program must be developed and adjusted based on the consultancy of the employers , alumni and other stakeholders of the program and "the universities are to have plans to evaluate the quality of training after graduation and plans to adjust training to meet the requirements of society"

The Vietnam Government also issued official document on the “Reform of education management period 2010 – 2012” which highlighted that training to meet social needs is an important task and we must foster training quality to meet the requirements of the society at national level as well as at local level and at each training institution

Thai Nguyen University has been full of awareness of the importance of training to meet social needs and international integration Since 2008, the University has directed its members in making plans to provide quality training The University has organized 02 training courses on formulating learning outcomes for more than 200 leaders of its member colleges and units However, in the implementation process, the consultation of the employers and alumni as well as other stakeholders has not been focused and the learning outcomes of some programs were at the following two types (1) too high to achieve and (2) too low that does not meet with the requirements of the present socio-economic development and some are too general which do not provide basis for the development of the program It is the reason why this study is very imperative in Thai Nguyen University

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Faculty of Mechanical Engineering

The Faculty of Mechanical Engineering (TFME) is one of the largest and oldest departments of the Thai Nguyen University of Technology It is responsible for the training

of highly qualified technicians to meet the needs of industrialization and modernization of the country and the need to integrate with the world In addition, the faculty organizes and implements scientific research, applying the results in production for engineering as well

as other fields

The faculty is divided into five departments, including Departments of Manufacturing Plant, the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Materials Technology department, the departments of Mechatronics and Automotive Technology Each department of the Faculty is responsible for a specialized field of training

TFME has an enthusiastic teaching team Currently, the department has nearly 100 staff and teachers involved in teaching and working Over 60% members of the faculty have Masters and Doctorate degree, in which 30% are core teachers and 40% are Associate Professor and Ph.D holders

TMFE is currently teaching 86 classes with over 5700 full-time and part-time students Among these, there are more than 4400 full-time students with 54 classes

Over 38 years of construction and development, the Faculty has trained more than 15,000 masters, engineers, college degree, and hundreds of technicians In terms of jobs and work places, from North to South, from the main cities to the mountainous areas, remote islands, from lecture halls of universities to companies, state enterprises or private, TMFE former students can be found

Not only the quantity but the quality of the Faculty’s training was approved and highly appreciated Moreover, these technical staffs are trained to maximize the knowledge learned in order to contribute effectively to national construction and defense Many alumni of the faculty have now become the leaders and held important positions in society

Mechanical Engineering Program (MEP)

The MEP was designed and formulated based on regulation of the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training The contents of the program were originally designed

by the experienced senior lecturers of the University The contents of the program have been adjusted recently due to the Vietnamese policy to import the programs of developed countries and the MEP has imported some of the content of the Mechanical engineering program of University of Buffalo, USA It is the reason why the program has many updated knowledge of engineering with a view to provide the students with the wide and fundamental engineering knowledge, the updated knowledge of design including methods, design procedure and design tools

However, after 2 completed 5-year-course training, the program has shown some problems that need fixing

First, many graduates have to attend further training of 4-6 months before finding a job according to the results of the survey by the university The graduates are said to lack the necessary skills such as team work and communication, besides they lack the proper practices in order to work in a new environment, it takes a lot of time for them to be familiar with the new conditions

Second, with regard to the content of the program, the logistic among subjects is not proper, some can be cut down or cut off without affecting other subjects while these subjects do not directly provide expected outcomes knowledge and skills

Third, timing and program specifications of some modules are not suitable; especially those require the students’ skills

These problems could be defined as the wrong way of forming a program for the MEP, that they based on the experience of a group of people and they chose what to teach based on their emotions The learning outcomes of the MEP were the same as that of the Mechanical Material and other program which stated as follows:

The MEP would provide the students with:

1 Qualities

a Political qualities: Understanding and responsibilities: observance of policy

guidelines, policies and laws of the Party, State and in implementing rights and obligations

of citizens and workers

b Humanistic qualities: Honest, energetic, confident, responsible and conscious

community service, harmony and market demand; Dare to think, dare to confront new and known risks

2 Knowledge

- Provide with strong suitable foundation of basic sciences like mathematics, chemistry, physics, philosophy, etc.; core knowledge base of mechanical engineering and other related fields

- Provide students with specialized knowledge in the design, fabrication machine; presented and applied to solve engineering problems creatively through the use of methods and techniques: synthesis, distribution analysis, calculation, design and manufacture

- Provide students with knowledge and understanding of contemporary issues

3 Skills

a Study skills, self-study

b Skills to use information technology: Proficient in using computational software,

design, simulation and programming capabilities production control system; Good command of office software applications, internet and email

c Communication skills: Have the ability to form logical arguments and

persuasive; shown capable technical solutions or presentations with graphics, models and multimedia materials; communication skills in writing, email; Skills to present problem logically, briefly and easy to understand

d Teamwork: Ability to organize work groups effectively can play a role as leader

or member participates in the same group or multi-disciplinary field of international

working environment

e Foreign Languages: Ability to read, translate technical documents in English,

have basic communication skills in English in social and professional

It can be seen from the current learning outcomes that most of the professional outcomes related to knowledge, however, what the society needs from an engineer is not their knowledge but also their competency and practicing skills

Using the modern theory in developing a program, the Faculty should start from the learning outcomes that are designed based on the demand of the society, employers, alumni and other stakeholders of the program It’s the reason why the learning outcomes of the MEP should be redesigned to prepare for the whole improvement of the MEP

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

1 Determine the importance of draft learning outcomes items of the Mechanical Engineering Program in terms of:

1.1 Disciplinary Knowledge and Reasoning

1.2 Personal and Professional Skills and Attributes

1.3 Interpersonal Skills: Teamwork and Communication

1.4 Applying Knowledge to Benefit Society

2 Evaluate the current status of learning outcome topics and the expected LO topics of MEP by:

2.1 Alumni 2.2 Faculty 2.3 Graduating students 2.4 Employers

3 Redesign the learning outcomes for the MEP

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study attempts to develop the learning outcomes for Mechanical and Engineering Program which meet the requirements of the society and the international integration The study would be beneficial to the followings:

Administrators: It is hoped that the study will make clear about the state of the

arts of learning outcomes and what the stakeholders of the program are expected from the graduate of the program The finding of the research will help to reform the training program towards the outcome-based education in regional higher education institutions

Teachers/ Professors: The outcome of this study will be very beneficial to teachers

and professors since they provide them with a clearer picture of what others stakeholders are expected them to provide, and also give them guidelines to organize their teaching to meet with the demands of the society and the current trend of international integration

Students: The students are the main stakeholder of the training process, so with the

results of this study, students will have a better choice on the learning strategy to get the

best outcomes of knowledge, skills and attitude They will benefit the changes in the program for the better achievement of the learning outcomes set

Future researchers: This study could provide references for future proponents

who wish to venture a study similar to the nature of this ongoing research

SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The study was implemented in the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering - College of Engineering - Thai Nguyen University with the involvement of 250 students who are in the senior year and graduating in June, 2013; 50 faculty who are teaching in the program; 100 enterprises representatives; 100 alumni of the MEP

Learning outcomes are classified into knowledge outcomes, skills outcomes and attitude outcomes and divided into four groups: (1) Disciplinary Knowledge and Reasoning (2) Personal and Professional Skills and Attributes (3) Interpersonal Skills: Teamwork and Communication (4) Applying Knowledge to Benefit Society

To define the outcomes for the program, survey on the different stakeholders of the MEP will be carried out Representatives of the enterprises where alumni of the MEP work, alumni, faculty and students/ graduate will be the participants of the survey

Development of the learning outcomes was limited to the use of questionnaires, expert discussion and consultancy Checklists were developed for the purpose of the study

The timeframe for the study is from February 2013 to July 2013

Communications is composed of the skills necessary to devise a communications strategy

and structure, and those necessary to use the four common media: written, oral, graphical, and electronic (http://www.cdio.org/participate/instructor-resource-modules/interpersonal-skills-teamwork-communication)

Disciplinary knowledge and reasoning includes knowledge of basic sciences and core

engineering fundamental knowledge and professional engineering knowledge

Experimental Inquiry is a special kind of problem solving that is governed by rules of

process and evidence, a process of generating and testing hypotheses for the purpose of understanding some physical or psychological phenomenon (http://schoolnet.org.za/teach10/resources/dep/higher_thinking/using_knowledge/experimental_inquiry.htm)

Interpersonal skills are skills used by a person to properly interact with others In the

business domain, the term generally refers to an employee's ability to get along with others while getting the job done Interpersonal skills include everything from communication and listening skills to attitude and deportment (http://www.investopedia.com/terms/i/interpersonal-skills.asp)

Learning outcomes describe what a learner is expected to know, to understand and be

able to demonstrate after successful completion of a process of learning They are statements of concrete and verifiable signs that witness/ certify how the planned competences, including the required levels of knowledge are being developed or acquired (https://www.ucviden.dk/portal/files/9576063/Tuning_G_Formulating_ Degree_PR4.pdf)

Non-cognitive outcomes consist of suggestions and supports for the completion of study

beliefs, values and attitude

Personal Skills and Attitudes include the general character traits of initiative and

perseverance, the more generic modes of thought of creative and critical thinking, and the skills of personal inventory (knowing one’s strengths and weaknesses), curiosity and lifelong learning, and time management (EF Crawley - 2001, The CDIO Syllabus)

Professional Attributes are characteristics of an engineer including professional integrity

and professional behavior to plan for one’s career and to stay current in our

dynamic world of engineering materials/personal-and-professional-skills-attributes

http://www.cdio.org/participate/instructor-resource-Redesigned learning outcomes are learning outcomes that are designed based on the

previous one with the consultancy of ideas from employers, alumni, teachers and students and administrators

Requirements of the society include the requirement of people (faculty, students),

employers, alumni and government

Teamwork is comprised of forming, operating, growing, and leading a team, along with

some skills specific to technical teamwork

Thinking holistically involves perceiving a system through sensing its large-scale patterns

and reacting to them Holistic thinking is mostly applied in social situations which need sensitivity, intuition and tact

Chapter II REVIEW OF LITERATURE AND STUDIES

This chapter presents the literature and studies of the learning outcomes, the roles

of the learning outcomes in developing the curriculum and the program, the quality in education, the engineer criteria of some organizations and how to formulate the learning outcomes of a program

The first part presents the educational program and some definitions of learning outcomes

According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Educational_program, “An educational program is a program written by the institution or ministry of education which determines the learning progress of each subject in all the stages of formal education”

Learning outcomes

Learning (whether in cognitive, affective, interpersonal or psychomotor domains) is said to involve a process of individual transformation Thus people actively construct their knowledge (Biggs and Moore, 1993)

Learning outcomes refer to the personal changes or benefits that follow as a result

of learning Such changes or benefits can be measured in terms of abilities or achievements There have been a lot of definitions of learning outcomes “Learning outcomes are statements of what is expected that a student will be able to DO as a result of

a learning activity”… (Jenkins and Unwin) Learning outcomes are explicit statements of what we want our students to know, understand or to be able to do as a result of completing our courses (Univ New South Wales, Australia) A view from the American Association of Law Libraries (2004) adds a normative element to the definition: “Learning outcomes are statements that specify what learners will know or be able to do as a result of

a learning activity Outcomes are usually expressed as knowledge, skills, or attitudes Learning outcomes should flow from a needs assessment The needs assessment should determine the gap between an existing condition and a desired condition Learning outcomes are statements that describe a desired condition—that is, the knowledge, skills,

or attitudes required to fulfill the need They represent the solution to the identified need

or issue Learning outcomes provide direction in the planning of a learning activity.” Otter

(1992, p.i) defined learning outcomes as “what a learner knows or can do as a result of learning.”

According to Vietnam Ministry of Education and Training, learning outcomes are defined of the domain specific knowledge; practical cognitive skills, technological cognitive and problem solving ability; types of job that learners can do after graduation and other requirements for each level of training 11

It should be noted that outputs and outcomes have different meaning in the education process While outputs can mean every product of the educational process such

as the number of articles, works, classes or number of graduate … according to Allan (1996), outcomes describe what the student actually achieves, as opposed to what the institution intends to teach Outcomes “are essentially what one ends up with, intended or not, after some form of engagement” Eisner (1979, p.103) The UNESCO definition

identifies both outcomes and student learning outcomes although they do not differ much:

Outcomes: Anticipated or achieved results of programs or the accomplishment of

institutional objectives, as demonstrated by a wide range of indicators (such as student knowledge, cognitive skills, and attitudes) Outcomes are direct results of the instructional program, planned in terms of student/learner growth in all areas An outcome must be distinguished from an objective, which is a sought-after result Generally, each outcome statement should describe one effect of the instructional program, and not accumulate several into one statement Also, the statements should be clearly detailed and easily understandable by all teaching staff and students in the given area or department 5

Student Learning Outcomes: Statements of what a learner is expected to know,

understand, and/or be able to demonstrate after completion of a process of learning as well

as the specific intellectual and practical skills gained and demonstrated by the successful completion of a unit, course, or program Learning outcomes, together with assessment criteria, specify the minimum requirements for the award of credit, while grading is based

on attainment above or below the minimum requirements for the award of credit Learning outcomes are distinct from the aims of learning in that they are concerned with the achievements of the learner rather than with the overall intentions of the teacher (Vlãsceanu et al., 2004, pp 41–42)

Hussey and Smith (2003, p 362) distinguishes emergent and intended learning outcomes The latter is, in essence, what the course or program is designed to deliver and

the former are the learning outcomes that emerge as the learner engages with the course and relates it to their own experience Hussey and Smith specify different forms of emergent learning outcomes:

Contiguous Learning Outcomes are those which are sufficiently close to the

intended learning outcomes to be considered by the teacher as making a positive contribution towards their achievement

Related Learning Outcomes are those which are considered to contribute to the

subject matter in terms of its consolidation or extension within the area, they broaden, elaborate and increase sophistication

Incidental Learning Outcomes are those which, whilst not contributing significantly

to the specific subject matter, are considered by the teacher to contribute towards knowledge and experience within the field in general

In the context of this study, the researcher uses learning outcomes with its meaning

as the intended learning outcomes that is what the program intend to deliver

Learning outcomes are defined as something that can be observed, demonstrated and measured (Spady, 1988; Melton, 1996) The statement of learning outcomes by

educational institutions often implies that assessment and evaluation of their quality can

be achieved (Melton, 1996)

In short, “learning outcomes describe what a learner is expected to know, understand and be able to demonstrate after successful completion of a process of learning They are statements of concrete and verifiable signs that witness/ certify how the planned competences, including the required levels of knowledge are being developed or acquired”3

TYPES OF LEARNING OUTCOMES

With regards to learning outcomes, different writers have different classifications

of learning outcomes The most common classification is the two types of LO – they are cognitive outcomes and non-cognitive outcomes

Cognitive learning outcomes

According to Posner (1992), cognitive learning refers to the recall or recognition

of knowledge and to the development of intellectual abilities and skills (Posner,

1992) Broadly defined, cognitive learning outcomes “range from domain-specific knowledge to the most general of reasoning and problem-solving skills” (Shavelson and Huang, 2003, p.13)

The classifications of cognitive learning outcomes are various and many of which are referred from the Bloom’s taxonomy of educational objectives (1956) The cognitive domain (Bloom, 1956) involves knowledge and the development of intellectual skills This includes the recall or recognition of specific facts, procedural patterns, and concepts that serve in the development of intellectual abilities and skills There are six major categories, which are listed in order, starting from the simplest behavior to the most complex going beyond factual knowledge and comprehension to include academic skills like application, synthesis, analysis, and evaluation

For the purpose of the study, the learning outcomes will be classified as the knowledge and skills outcomes since the distinction has been commonly accepted by the assessment literature

Knowledge outcomes

According to Bloom ( 1956, p.62), knowledge acquisition involves the

“remembering, either by recognition or recall, of ideas, materials or phenomena” Knowledge outcomes can be general content knowledge and domain-specific knowledge

General content knowledge refers to the knowledge of a certain core curriculum

whose content is considered “essential learning” (Maeroff, 2006)

Domain-specific, or subject-specific, knowledge outcomes refer to acquired

knowledge in a particular field, such as biology or literature Pascarella and Terenzini (2005) found that while studying at a HEI, undergraduate students make the greatest gains in those domains that are consistent with their major area of studies

Skills outcomes

Cognitive skills are based on complex processes of thinking, such as verbal

and quantitative reasoning, information processing, comprehension, analytic operations, critical thinking, problem-solving and evaluation of new ideas There are some disagreements as to whether such thinking processes are generic (following general patterns) as opposed to being field-specific

Yet, there are some doubts as to whether such outcomes can really be connected

to the university experience Although HEIs often emphasize the transmission of generic skills in their overall missions and objectives, such skills are rarely an explicit part of particular course curricula The question is, then, where such generic skills are actually acquired and which role universities play in developing them Some studies have revealed that student development in terms of academic skills is correlated with the age of students (Banta and Pike in Ewell, 1991) Such an age/performance correlation suggests that some skills outcomes may be more a result of social maturation than of studying at a HEI (Ewell, 1991) There is a risk that generic skills assessment may end up measuring students’ intelligence and results of prior schooling more than revealing the impact that HEIs have made on their learning

Domain-specific skills are the thinking patterns used within a broad disciplinary

domain, such as natural sciences or humanities They are stated in terms of methods

of enquiry, ways of evaluating evidence, and patterns of procedure necessary to confront new contextual situations in specific fields of study They involve an understanding of how, why, and when certain knowledge applies (Shavelson and Huang, 2003) Domain-specific skills are not entirely transferable throughout subject areas For example, the ability outcome “excellent writing” takes different forms and requires different skills in the various disciplines (AAC&U, 2004) Some argue that although academic skills are a general outcome of higher education, they can hardly be tested independently of disciplinary subject matters In line with this view, domain-specific skills may be assessed by providing students with new documentation taken from their domain of expertise, and asking them to assess the quality of the evidence and make use of it to write complex answers (AAC&U, 2004)

Non-cognitive outcomes

Non-cognitive development refers to changes in beliefs or the development of certain values (Ewell, 2005) Mission statements of HEIs often include non-cognitive elements, which show that their role goes beyond the acquisition of knowledge and skills Non-cognitive outcomes may be developed both through classroom instruction and out-of-class activities that are organised by HEIs to supplement the curriculum Such activities or “co-curricula” include advising, tutoring, counseling, student-faculty relations, clubs, athletics and other activities The existence of such services indicates that

HEIs value the development of non-cognitive learning as a way of complementing the learning that occurs during classroom teaching (Middle States Commission on Higher Education, 1996)

Many attempts have been made to establish theoretical and empirical taxonomies

of non-cognitive higher education outcomes Studies on non-cognitive learning outcomes often focus on the presence or absence of certain theorized stages of identity development (Pascarella and Terenzini, 2005) Pascarella and Terenzini (2005) provide a synthesis of more than 2,500 studies on the impact of American colleges on their students Among the most frequently assessed variables are outcomes related to psychosocial development, attitudes and values

Psychosocial development includes aspects of self-development such as identity

development and self-esteem, as well as relational developments such as students’ relationships with people, institutions and conditions Relational outcomes include

interpersonal and intercultural skills, as well as autonomy and maturity Attitudes and values are closely interrelated and often confounded A distinction can be made between

the two, as attitudes are beliefs focused on a specific object, whereas values are generalized standards that transcend attitudes (Rokeach, in Pascarella and Terenzini, 2005) Attitudinal and value outcomes may include social responsibility, motivation for learning and understanding of diversity (Volkwein, 2003)

According to Astin (1984), learning outcomes are not simply the consequence

of an institution’s educational quality, but rather a function of students’ active engagement with the learning opportunities that the HEI presents In line with this rationale, the National Survey for Student Engagement (USA), for example, aims to measure the extent to which HEIs actively encourage high levels of engagement

The definition of desirable non-cognitive learning outcomes for the purpose of assessment may be somewhat controversial Judgments as to which attitudes and values are desirable or “right” are not always shared by all stakeholders Moreover, the definition of desirable non-cognitive outcomes may involve quite some variation between cultural contexts There are also some doubts as to whether non- cognitive developments can really be attributed to the university experience Not all students participate in extracurricular campus activities and not all their out-of-class experiences are related to campus life Some studies suggest that non-cognitive outcomes are rather

related to social maturation, generational effects (Pascarella and Terenzini, 2005) or

“significant life events” (Glenn in Pascarella and Terenzini, 2005, p.272) These factors can hardly be controlled for when measuring the impact of HEIs on student development

The study of non-cognitive outcomes of higher education is more complicated than that of cognitive outcomes The links between values and beliefs on the one hand and observable activities and behaviours on the other are not clearly established (Pascarella and Terenzini, 2005) There is little evidence that values and beliefs can be demonstrated and measured by using behavioural data Therefore, non-cognitive outcomes are generally measured indirectly, through questionnaires and surveys, including student self- reports and faculty and employer surveys Such indirect measures are based on individual perceptions as much as on facts The results may be less objective indicators of student learning than direct measurements of knowledge and skills

Going beyond the cognitive/non-cognitive separation of outcomes, Rycher (2004, p.7) proposes a more general model of learning outcomes “in which competence is defined as the ability to meet demands or carry out a task successfully, and consists of

both cognitive and non-cognitive dimensions” According to Winch and Foreman-Peck

(2004, p.4), “competence lies in a mix of action, knowledge, values and goals in changing settings.” Such concepts of student outcomes are based on the idea that outcome typologies may not adequately capture the essence of integrated outcomes that unite different skills into real expertise (Ewell, 2005) Along this rationale, student outcomes should be defined and observed in the context of actual performance tasks

Otter (1992) emphasizes the difference between general competence, which is a

broad set of abilities that can be applied in a range of settings, and occupational competence, which is a narrower description of the abilities needed for employment in a specific occupation Occupational competencies may also be referred to as employability

Preparing students for competence in the workplace is a major goal of higher education (Bowen, 1977) HEIs have come under increasing pressures to prepare their students’ ability to meet the needs of industry, commerce and other service organizations (Seagraves et al, 1996) This includes the development of skills that are valued in employment (Dearing, 1997)

However, the definition of learning outcomes in terms of occupational competence

may raise several issues of concern Important dimensions of higher education, such as providing opportunities for in-depth study and helping students to develop their potential, may be undervalued if HEIs focus solely on occupational competencies (Otter, 1992; Melton, 1996) Also, it is not always possible to define clear occupational objectives for each subject domain, because graduates may take up employment in a wide range of occupations (Melton, 1996) For some subjects it may not be feasible to define clearly related occupational roles Finally, employment outcomes statements tend

to focus on immediate employment needs, whereas students may be more interested in developing intellectual skills that would enable them for lifelong and unpredictable future labour markets, rather than just for an initial job (Melton, 1996; AAC&U, 2004)

The term learning outcomes has its origins in outcomes-based education, a

model of educational structuring that involves the clear and explicit identification, statement and assessment of student learning (Spady, 1988; Allan, 1996; Andrich, 2002; Adam, 2004) Outcomes-based education systems organise curricula around explicit and detailed student outcome statements Such statements describe what the learner is expected to know, understand and/or be able to demonstrate at the end of a period of learning (Adam, 2004) Outcomes-based approaches are most frequently used in secondary schooling (Ewell, 2005) In higher education, outcomes-based approaches were first introduced in the USA, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, but more recently also in other OECD countries (Adam, 2004)

Defining curricula in terms of expected outcomes is an important step in the direction of learning outcomes assessment Once HEIs have specified expected student outcomes explicitly and in a measurable way, comparative assessment of learning outcomes becomes feasible

Outcomes of higher education are not limited to learning outcomes Students can benefit from their HEI experience in many different ways, such as better social status, higher employment rates, civic engagement, opportunities to pursue further studies, or simply leading a more fulfilled life (Ewell, 2005) While such outcomes are related to learning, they should not be confused with the actual mastery of knowledge, abilities, and skills that result from students’ engagement in HEI learning experiences (Ewell, 2005) Such long-term social and economic benefits of the HEI experience can serve as secondary proxies for learning outcomes, but they are not direct outcomes of learning

LEARNING OUTCOMES AND OUTCOME-BASED APPROACHES

Learning outcomes and outcome-based approaches’ have a strong impact on curriculum design, teaching, learning and assessment, as well as quality assurance They constitute an important part of modern approaches to higher education and the reconsideration of such vital questions as to what, who, how, where and when we teach and assess The very nature and role of education is being questioned, now more than ever before, and learning outcomes are important tools in clarifying the results of learning for the student, citizen, employer and educator (Adam, 2004)

The Bologna Seminar on Recognition Issues in the Bologna Process held in Lisbon

in April 2002 stated that: ‘Learning outcomes are important for recognition, since the basis for recognition procedures is in the process of shifting from quantitative criteria such as the length and type of course studied, to the outcomes reached and competencies obtained during these studies The principle question asked of the student or the graduate will therefore no longer be “what did you do to obtain your degree?” but rather “what can you

do now you have obtained your degree?” This approach is of more relevance to the labour market and is certainly more flexible when taking into account issues of lifelong learning, non-traditional learning, and other forms of non-formal educational experiences.’

More emphasis is put on the link between education and the world of work A new term is introduced; the qualification standard, stressing the importance that vocational education and training policy which should lead to the labour market Qualification standards are either job based, occupational, vocational or general, depending on the degree that they are adapted to the specific demands of employers or to the requirements of the education system in general The key word is development of competence and the manual tries to explain what competence is The curriculum design process is analyzed, starting from the definition of standards, and finishing with the evaluation of the curriculum see Figure 1 4

Learning outcomes are not just an isolated tool at the level of curriculum design but also represent an approach that plays a significant role in a much wider context that includes: the integration of academic and vocational education and training (VET), the accreditation of prior experiential learning, the development of lifelong learning qualifications frameworks and the development of credit transfer and accumulation

systems They are the foundation stone of the new architecture of educational reform (Bob

Mansfield, Hermann Schmidt, 2001)

Figure 1 The relationship between occupational standards and training

standards Source: Bob Mansfield, Hermann Schmidt, 1999

THE ROLE OF LEARNING OUTCOMES IN PROGRAM DESIGN AND IMPROVEMENT

Learning outcomes have applications at three distinct levels: (i) the local level of the individual higher education institution (for course units/modules, programs of study and qualifications); (ii) the national level (for qualifications frameworks and quality assurance regimes); and (iii) internationally (for wider recognition and transparency purposes) 16

In terms of course and module design, according to Adam (2004) the use of explicit learning outcome statements can help ensure consistency of delivery across modules or programs They can aid curriculum design by clarifying areas of overlap between existing modules, program and qualifications Learning outcomes help course designers to determine precisely the key purposes of a course, how components of the syllabus fit and how learning progression is incorporated Highlighting the crucial relationship between teaching, learning and assessment (including assessment criteria and grading) improves course design and the student experience Learning outcomes promote in-depth reflection

on assessment, and the introduction of more effective and varied assessment

In terms of curriculum design and development, learning outcomes are at the forefront of educational change They represent an adjustment in emphasis from ‘teaching’

to ‘learning’ typified by what is known as the adoption of a student-centred approach in contrast to the traditional teacher-centred viewpoint Student-centred learning produces a focus on the teaching – learning – assessment relationship and the fundamental links between the design, delivery and measurement of learning 1

Learning outcomes play an important role in the design, development and implementation of the curriculum In Fry, Kettleridge and Marshall (2009) – Figure 2, learning outcomes are decided by the requirements outside the HEIs (e.g the demand of the society), however they have impact on every factor of a program, from the assessment strategy to the learning and teaching and finally the evaluation of the program The results

of the program evaluation then have impact on the management of the program, the learning outcomes could be changed accordingly and another cycle starts

Figure 2 Learning outcomes in the development of program

Bloxham and Boyd (2007) shared the same idea of the role of learning outcomes in the formation of a program in which the learning outcomes will be the starting points then comes the decision of evaluation and testing methods and finally the learning activities and

teaching contents The Tuning process (2010) suggested Ten steps for designing/improving new programs (or improving existing ones) as follows:

1 Determine the need and potential: which consists of consulting stakeholders (potential students, academics, potential employers) to verify that the degree is needed; and

deciding whether the program proposed satisfies established or new professional and/or social demands

2 Define the profile and the key competences: identifying the main discipline(s)/ subject area(s) which form the basis of the degree program; specifying whether the focus

of the degree program is to be general and/or specialist; deciding on the orientation of the degree program; identifying and describing the potential fields/ sectors where its graduates may find employment; identifying and describing its contribution to developing citizenship and personal culture; identify the Key Program Competences, making if possible a distinction between generic and subject specific competences, most relevant for the degree program proposed; formulating these key generic and subject specific competence in greater detail

3 Formulate the Program Learning Outcomes: this process related to the Key Program Competences identified

4 Decide whether to ‘modularise’ or not

5 Identify competences and formulate learning outcomes for each module

6 Determine the approaches to teaching, learning and assessment to develop and assess the competences, to achieve the expected learning outcomes Besides, the process suggests approaches to learning, teaching and assessment

7 Check whether the key generic and subject specific competences are covered by the modules/course units

8 Describe the program and the course units

9 Check balance and feasibility

10 Implement, monitor and improve by using implementation plan, making use of questionnaires on student and staff, using feed back to enhance the degree program and its

components 3

So defining the program learning outcomes is very important in the program design and improvement The learning outcomes will help to decide what and how teachers will teach in the program, how the students will learn and what assessment instruments will be used Learning outcomes are the central factors in the development of the program

LEARNING OUTCOMES AND LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Learning outcomes are concerned with the achievements of the learner rather than the intentions of the teacher (expressed in the aims of a module or course) They can take many forms and can be broad or narrow in nature There is often some confusion between learning outcomes and aims and objectives Aims are concerned with teaching and the teacher’s intentions whilst learning outcomes are concerned with learning One way to distinguish aims from learning outcomes is that aims indicate the general content, direction and intentions behind the module from the designer/ teacher viewpoint Learning outcomes and objectives are more difficult to distinguish as objectives can be written in terms of learning outcomes 14 In general, in comparison to program objectives, LOs are detailed statements of what learners should know and be able to do by the time they graduate and program objectives are description of the competences of the graduate some years after their graduation 17

HOW TO WRITE LEARNING OUTCOMES

There are many books, articles and texts that help us to write good learning outcomes The learning outcomes will be developed under consideration of many variables including: qualifications frameworks, external reference points, past experience, subject benchmark statements, employer requirements, student feedback, qualifications descriptors, etc And the Bloom’s taxonomy is often used to write learning outcomes

Bloom’s taxonomy

Benjamin Bloom (1913 - 1999) looked on learning as a process we build upon our former – learning to develop more complex levels of understanding The cognitive domain (Bloom, 1956) involves knowledge and the development of intellectual skills This includes the recall or recognition of specific facts, procedural patterns, and concepts that serve in the development of intellectual abilities and skills There are six major categories, starting from the simplest behavior to the most complex The categories can be thought of

as degrees of difficulties That is, the first ones must normally be mastered before the next ones can take place Bloom’s taxonomy is frequently used by teachers in writing learning outcomes as it provides a readymade structure and list of verbs 24 The affective domain relates to the emotional component of learning It emphasizes a feeling, tone, an emotion,

or a degree of acceptance or rejection Affect encompasses a range from simple attention to

organization and characterization of complex, but internally consistent, qualities of character and conscience Karthwohl, Bloom and Masia (1964) developed five levels in the affective domain including: receiving (attending), responding, valuing, organization, characterization by a value or value complex The psychomotor domain (Simpson, 1972) emphasizes physical skills It involves muscular or motor skill, some manipulation of materials and objects, or some act which requires a neuromuscular coordination It captures the complexity of grace, strength and speed that is often involved in physical activity or skill acquisition The psychomotor domain includes the following levels: perception, set, guided response, mechanism, complex overt responses, adaptation, and origination

There are few topics in the syllabus that related to the psychomotor domain, these topics all have an important cognitive component as well Therefore the cognitive verbs are consistently used for these topics, and the psychomotor categories are not used

QUALITY AND QUALITY IN EDUCATION

The concept of quality and quality evaluation standards have been the educational central concept since 1980 In general, it is difficult to give “quality” an objective definition When we talk about the quality of a product or the quality of a service, the definition often used is the satisfaction of the client While quality, in general, is already a difficult concept in itself, quality in higher education is much more confusing, because it is not always clear what the "product" and who the "client" is If we consider that the

‘products’ are the graduates and the clients are parents, students, employers, and the government then when we decide about the quality, we should know about the satisfaction

of the clients 2

In an article published in Assessment and Evaluation in Education, Green and Harvey (1993) concluded: “First, quality means different things to different people Secondly, quality is relative to processes or outcomes” So quality in education may relate

to the processes of teaching and learning, the activities of departments and institutions and the correspondence between the program goals and the competence of its graduates (Frazer

1992, 1994)

According to UNESCO, the educational quality in its components consists of quality of the input (resources), quality of the process (the implementation of the educational activities) and the quality of the outputs Under such approach, educational quality consists of every factor, relation, condition … which are related to the educational

products such as the graduates those who are trained by the educational activities which contributed to the holistic development of those people to meet the educational set goals, the researches, articles Therefore, the most important factor of educational quality is the consistence of the educational products and the educational goals And from different views for education the best definition for quality is “fitness for purposes”

UNESCO has also issued a Framework for understanding educational quality that describes the relationships among components of what make quality in education 26

Figure 3 Framework for understanding educational quality (UNESCO source)

Figure 3 indicates that teachers, textbooks, learning materials are essential to make

an efficient education Teaching and learning are keys for the development and change in human However, in order to make good quality of education “the outcomes of education should be assessed in the context of its agreed objectives They are most easily expressed

in terms of academic achievement (sometimes as test grades, but more usually and popularly in terms of examination performance), though ways of assessing creative and emotional development as well as changes in value, attitudes and behavior have also been devised”

The framework that is used by the UNESCO does not conflict but goes hand in hand with the EFQM model or the Deming P-D-C-A cycle that are used in quality management

ENGINEER STANDARDS/ CRITERIA

In Vietnamese Education Law 2005, Article 39 about Objectives of higher education states (1.) The objectives of higher education are to educate learners in acquiring

political and moral qualities, endeavor to serve the people, professional knowledge and practical skills relevant to the education levels, and physical health, meeting the needs of building and defending of the Fatherland (2.) University education shall help students acquire in-depth professional knowledge and fluently practical skills in one profession with the ability to work independently and creatively as well as to solve problems in the field of study

Over the world, there have been criteria on the LOs of students of engineering Those criteria describe what an engineer can do after his graduation Criteria for Accrediting Engineering Programs by Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), United State, 2012 – 2013 describe the outcomes of the students as follows: (a) an ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering (b) an ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data; (c) an ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability, and sustainability; (d) an ability to function on multidisciplinary teams; (e) an ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems; (f) an understanding

of professional and ethical responsibility; (g) an ability to communicate effectively; (h) the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental, and societal context; (i) a recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in life-long learning; (j) a knowledge of contemporary issues; (k) an ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice 22

EUR-ACE Framework Standards for the Accreditation of Engineering Programs – Final Version 17/11/2005 highlighted the followings 17:

Knowledge and Understanding includes knowledge and understanding of the scientific

and mathematical principles underlying their branch of engineering; a systematic understanding of the key aspects and concepts of their branch of engineering; coherent knowledge of their branch of engineering including some at the forefront of the branch; awareness of the wider multidisciplinary context of engineering

Engineering Analysis includes the ability to apply their knowledge and understanding to

identify, formulate and solve engineering problems using established methods; the ability

to apply their knowledge and understanding to analyze engineering products, processes and methods; the ability to select and apply relevant analytic and modeling methods

Engineering Design includes the ability to apply their knowledge and understanding to

develop and realise designs to meet defined and specified requirements; an understanding

of design methodologies, and an ability to use them

Investigations comprises of the ability to conduct searches of literature, and to use data

bases and other sources of information; the ability to design and conduct appropriate experiments, interpret the data and draw conclusions; workshop and laboratory skills

Engineering Practice requires the ability to select and use appropriate equipment, tools

and methods; the ability to combine theory and practice to solve engineering problems; an understanding of applicable techniques and methods, and of their limitations; an awareness

of the non-technical implications of engineering practice

Transferable Skills requires function effectively as an individual and as a member of a

team; use diverse methods to communicate effectively with the engineering community and with society at large; demonstrate awareness of the health, safety and legal issues and responsibilities of engineering practice, the impact of engineering solutions in a societal and environmental context, and commit to professional ethics, responsibilities and norms

of engineering practice; demonstrate an awareness of project management and business practices, such as risk and change management, and understand their limitations; recognise the need for, and have the ability to engage in independent, life-long learning

Boeing's desired attributes of an engineer (Boeing, 1996) stated their requirements

of an engineer – an engineer should possess: a good understanding of engineering science fundamentals: Mathematics (including statistics), Physical and life sciences, Information Technology (far more than “computer literacy”); a good understanding of design and manufacturing processes (i.e., understands engineering); a multi-disciplinary, systems perspective; a basic understanding of the context in which engineering is practiced: Economics (including business practices), History, the environment, customer and societal needs; good communication skills: written, verbal, graphic and listening; High ethical standards; an ability to think both critically and creatively - independently and cooperatively; flexibility - the ability and self-confidence to adapt to rapid or major change; curiosity and a desire to learn for life; a profound understanding of the importance

of teamwork 8

From the requirements and criteria of an engineer mentioned above, we can see that although they could use different words to explain the ideas, they still share the same points that an engineer should have knowledge and reasoning of the technology, he should possess professional and personal skills as well as interpersonal skills and finally the ability to contribute to the society

CDIO INITIATIVE

The CDIO™ INITIATIVE 25 is an innovative educational framework for producing the next generation of engineers The framework provides students with an education stressing engineering fundamentals set in the context of Conceiving — Designing — Implementing — Operating real-world systems and products Throughout the world, CDIO Initiative collaborators have adopted CDIO as the framework of their curricular planning and outcome-based assessment

The most important part of CDIO is its Syllabus, a statement of undergraduate engineering education goals, and a set of 12 Standards designed to help achieve the goals The Standards address program philosophy, curriculum development, design-build experiences and workspaces, new methods of teaching and learning, faculty development, and assessment and evaluation As designed, the Syllabus provides the answer to the question of what skills, knowledge, and attitudes (SKA) should engineering graduates should possess, while the 12 Standards provide the answer to the question of how we can

do better to ensure that our graduates achieve these SKA Providing answers to the “what” and “how” questions in a systematic and unprescriptive way makes it viable for department programs in Vietnam to adopt and adapt CDIO according to their needs and the unique conditions in Vietnam

The specific objectives of the CDIO Syllabus are to create a clear, complete, and consistent set of goals for undergraduate engineering education, in sufficient detail that they could be understood and implemented by engineering faculty 7,8 These goals form the basis for rational design of curricula (i.e they are requirements document), as well as the basis for a comprehensive system of assessment Our goal was to create a list which is rationalized against the norms of contemporary engineering practice, comprehensive of all known other sources, and peer-reviewed by experts in the field Further, we sought to develop a listing that was prioritized, appropriate to university education, and expressed as learning objectives