CREE launches position paper

Theory to practice: Dr Jenni Case, director of CREE, and Dr Harro Von Blottnitz, CREE member and senior lecturer in the Department of Chemical Engineering, at the launch of the paper on student learning

On Monday 10 September, the Centre for Research in Engineering Education (CREE) launched a joint paper, pooling the expertise of a number of educational researchers in science, mathematics, and engineering education from institutions in the Western Cape.

The launch of the paper, Learning as Acquiring a Discursive Identity Through Participation in a Community: A theoretical position on improving student learning in tertiary science and engineering programmes, drew vigorous debate on how the theory could be implemented in the classroom.

As a theoretical position, the authors of the paper argued that it should not be seen to be offering a prescriptive set of tools for the classroom, but rather as a framework for deciding on critical educational interventions to address skills shortages in science and engineering professionals in South Africa.

Those interested in reading more can download the paper from CREE's website or send an email to Zulpha Geyer to request a copy of the next CREE magazine where many of the theoretical issues will be illustrated in real case-studies.