WIP: Exploring Curriculum Design for Introductory Electrical Engineering Subjects: A Review of the Australian Context

This work-in-progress research paper describes a comparative analysis of introductory electrical engineering subjects within Australian universities. A mixed-methods approach was used which included a desktop review of subject handbook entries, extraction of key metrics from this data, and a content analysis of the learning outcomes and subject descriptions. The analysis revealed that most universities in Australia follow similar teaching and learning activities and assessment distributions and do not describe instructional strategies in their handbook. Where instructional strategies are described, they are mostly restricted to practical or lab work, or mention the use of real-world and authentic approaches. Analysis of the intended learning outcomes revealed a tendency for higher-order thinking skills to be mentioned, which is unique in an introductory subject. The study identifies key challenges and opportunities for educators to consider when designing their EE subjects.