Evaluating and enhancing the efficacy of the community-centered learning and teaching pedagogy in an engineering course

CONTEXT: Charles Sturt University (CSU) Engineering incorporates modern engineering education by introducing a community-centred pedagogy in its curriculum, which is informed by contemporary engineering education research. This innovative approach moves beyond traditional classroom teaching methods to incorporate real-world contexts, emphasising problem-solving skills, cultural competency, and social responsibility. Students participate in human-centred design activities while communicating with clients through a central platform during their initial year. The following year, they collaborate on projects sourced from the community, presenting prototypes and interacting directly with clients. Afterwards, students undertake cadet placements, fulfilling clients' requirements while acquiring hands-on experience in the industry. PURPOSE: The scholarly project proposes a comprehensive evaluation of the efficacy of the community- centred pedagogy employed at CSU Engineering. By utilising thematic analysis of the student subject experience survey transcripts from multiple cohorts, the project aims to provide empirical evidence of the approach's impact on students' learning outcomes and professional development. This rigorous evaluation contributes to the scholarship of teaching and learning in engineering education, guiding future curriculum development efforts. Ultimately, the project seeks to inform and refine the engineering curriculum's community-centered approach. METHODOLOGY: We collected the student subject experience survey results across three subjects (first-year first session, first-year second session, and second-year first session) spanning nine years. We used the thematic analysis, a qualitative analysis of texts and transcripts, and identified major themes to inform effective teaching practices. OUTCOMES: A checklist was formulated as a result of the thematic analysis. This checklist covers subject design and delivery strategies to enhance students' success. CONCLUSIONS: The checklist can be used to ensure consistent and quality teaching of project-based engineering curriculums.