Paper Info
Title
An evaluation of an instructional system for engineering task estimation
Abstract
As a result of prior research into the estimating and planning skills of experienced engineers, a number of observable goal-directed expert practices were identified. A computer assisted learning package was developed to teach these to less experienced, practicing engineers. The primary teaching mechanism required the learner to infer how alternative practices differed. This was reinforced both by demonstrating practices in analogous domains, and by showing learners how different practices make different assumptions about the task environment. An evaluation program was conducted with 35 participants in nine organizations, with a number of findings. Individual differences occurred in a variety of ways and proved problematic both for the design of the interface and that of the learning mechanisms. Learners' preconceptions were also problematic in some instances, but seem to be unavoidable in teaching empirical practices to experienced learners. Nonetheless the learning mechanisms worked well, except in isolated instances, particularly the use of analogies. Analogies appeared to be effective both in helping learners transfer practices between everyday tasks and engineering estimation tasks, and in helping them reflect on their current practices
Year
DOI
Venue
2000
10.1109/13.825737
Education, IEEE Transactions
Keywords
DocType
Volume
computer aided instruction,engineering computing,engineering education,professional aspects,teaching,CAI,computer-assisted learning package,computer-based instructional system,engineering task estimation,goal-directed expert practices,instructional system evaluation,interface design,learning mechanisms,primary teaching mechanism,professional engineers
Journal
43
Issue
ISSN
Citations 
1
0018-9359
4
PageRank 
References 
Authors
1.95
1
4
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
J. S. Busby1306.10
Payne, K.241.95
Scamans, J.341.95
Hibberd, R.E.441.95