Complete thesis - Murdoch University

ing: they respond to information presented in an organised logical fashion and expect theteacher to function as an expert. Convergers respond to having opportunities to work activelyon well-defined tasks and to learn by trial-and-error, also catered for in engineering teaching.This traditional teaching is seen by some researchers (eg Holt and Solomon (1996)) to excludeDivergent and Accommodators from effective learning, and to limit the opportunitiesof all learners to develop the skills required for proficiency in two key areas of engineering:design and invention (requiring a divergent approach), and business management (requiringaccommodative skills).In terms of the intervention implemented in this cycle, the learning styles profile has somemajor implications: the majority of students should be comfortable within the Apprenticeshipmodel. The modelling/coaching role taken by the teacher can be considered an example ofexpertise for the Assimilators, while the Converger students respond to having opportunitiesto work actively on well-defined tasks and to learn by trial-and-error in an environmentthat allows them to fail safely. They expect the instructor should function as a coach,providing guided practice and feedback in the methods being taught. On the other hand,the Accomodator students may feel constrained by the apprenticeship environment, and bemore at ease once the Fading occurs. It would seem, therefore that the learning model alignswell with the learning characteristics of this particular cohort. Its non-traditional nature,however, may challenge some of their expectations of how they should be taught while at thesame time being inclusive of the less typical engineering students.6.2 Cycle 1 – Apprenticing in REThe environment established for ENG260 in 2002 was triggered by the desire to provide amore ‘authentic’ environment for learning, in order to facilitate transfer of the disciplinespecificknowledge acquired in this unit to other software development situations, initiallywithin the formal education context but also after completion. Since the discipline is notpracticed as lectures and tutorials, it was considered more appropriate to model learning assituated. Although this approach was the basis of the workshop format of the unit sinceits inception, one issues raised in the initial reflection section of Chapter 5 (section 5.2.1)suggested a more rigourous model of situated learning had the potential to address these.6.2.1 The learning environmentAs has been noted, Requirements Engineering (ENG260) is the first of the core SE units,offered in the first semester of the second year of study, after a common first year, and is252