Informal learning in engineering

Abstract

With new technological developments and non-curricular resources and opportunities, sites of engineering work and learning have expanded. There is now a greater need to better understand how students learn engineering across different contexts, both formally designed and informal opportunities. In this paper we present a review of current literature on informal learning in engineering and outline a framework, drawn from the situated learning paradigm, for better understanding informal learning within engineering. We present findings from preliminary empirical research we have undertaken. Our review and preliminary studies provide evidence for the efficacy of informal opportunities for improving engineering learning. Finally, we discuss directions for future theoretical and empirical work.