Bridging the gap between teaching and research: a case study for engineering & applied science

Abstract

Higher education systems need to rethink the way teaching content is delivered to face the evolution of education and breakthroughs in educational online services. One way in which systems can innovate is by allowing students to apply their knowledge to real research problems. The benefits are dual: the students work on highly innovative topics and real examples; and for teaching staffs, there is a seamless integration of their research into their teaching. We present a case study in the form of an observational analysis of an Engineering & Applied Science undergraduate lecture taught in the UK at master level and teaching skills in electronic and rapid prototyping. We present the rationale chosen to better integrate research aspects in the unit and the results of an observational study: we used thematic analysis to expose eight guidelines for better integration of research in teaching as well as consideration for higher education curriculums.