Abstract:

Initiating a reflection process in large engineering classes is a frequently discussed challenge regarding competence-based teaching and learning. Especially in Germany, engineering education continues to be heavily dominated by technical content, which, combined with the large number of compulsory courses, poses challenges in terms of reflection especially on ethical and sustainable topics.

The Bachelor’s lecture “Engineering and Society” is attended by about 500 engineering students each year at RWTH Aachen University, Germany. As a mandatory course for civil and environmental engineering students, it creates a contrast to the highly technical engineering contents in these study programs, dealing with central topics and theories of ethics, social responsibility, and sustainability. To not only convey these topics to the students in a satisfactory manner, but also to establish critical reflection processes among students, various teaching and learning methods are required that go beyond the classic frontal teaching. That is why over the past few years, the lecture has been transformed into a flipped classroom format, now containing several elements of self-studying as well as interchange formats in varying extents. The lecture format encourages independent learning, interaction, and reflection using a concept that could serve as a blueprint for other lectures, not only in engineering but for all content which goes beyond pure knowledge transfer in large mandatory classes. Thus, the following research questions are discussed: How can a flipped classroom concept supporting (self-)reflection processes be integrated in large (engineering) classes? How can we initiate a sustainable learning process and encourage engineering students to reflect issues of social responsibility in large and mandatory courses? To answer these questions, we reflect on the development of the flipped-classroom concept within the last three years. Based on evaluation outcomes and reflection papers of the students throughout this time period, challenges and solutions related to initiate reflection processes in a large engineering class are discussed.

Keywords:

Engineering Education, Blended Learning, Flipped Classroom, Large Courses, Ethics, Social Responsibility, SDGs, RRI, Critical Thinking.