A multi-strategy approach to improve the performance of electrical power engineering students

Engineering Topics in Universities have expanded astronomically in recent years resulting in congested curricula and concomitant pressure on students who opt to enroll in the various disciplines, which are also expanding. It is not a surprise therefore that Engineering Students spend more study hours than their colleagues in pursuing, for example, programmes in the social sciences. Under such pressures, many students fail to cope and overall pass rates are low. In this paper, the authors will present the results of a combination of interventions he has incorporated in his classes for study areas that include Engineering Design, Capstone Projects as well the delivery of individual course modules. Through a combination of the measures incorporated, the authors has observed a revived interest in engineering and improved performance. Among the techniques applied to more depth are, Creative Thinking, espoused in Edward de Bono's "Six Thinking Hats", Start Pugh's "Total Design" and a more in-depth implementation of a student's "Learning Portfolio". Through this combination of measures, the authors has achieved not only higher pass rates but also higher passing grades. More recently the authors devised an alternative to laboratory work in which students would as part of a group work on the construction a "Training Board" based on a industry type "script". In this manner, the students would not only have to face the challenge of engineering language, but would learn the dynamics of engineering, e.g. budgeting, purchasing, component sizing, project management and documentation.