Embracing ambiguity: agile insights for sustainability in engineering in traditional higher education and in technical and vocational education and training
Embracing reflective practice and retrospection, with a goal of identifying commonalities, this paper examines delivery of engineering subjects in both traditional higher education (THE) and technical and vocational education and training (TVET). Reflections on actions and autoethnography were empl...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Emerald
2019
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/56117/ |
| _version_ | 1848799275212865536 |
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| author | Towey, Dave Walker, James Ng, Ricky |
| author_facet | Towey, Dave Walker, James Ng, Ricky |
| author_sort | Towey, Dave |
| building | Nottingham Research Data Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Embracing reflective practice and retrospection, with a goal of identifying commonalities, this paper examines delivery of engineering subjects in both traditional higher education (THE) and technical and vocational education and training (TVET).
Reflections on actions and autoethnography were employed to examine the teaching and learning experiences of three educators across two higher education (HE) institutions (HEIs), in the greater Chinese context. Literature reviews and historical contexts are outlined to support the approaches and insights identified.
The paper presents a number of common characteristics and challenges identified across both THE and TVET. Drawing on the successful embrace of ambiguity and change in recent software engineering (SE) development paradigms, recommendations are then made for how the agile SE themes can be applied in a larger sense to address the wider challenges facing both THE and TVET.
To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time engineering education has been examined and contrasted in the contexts of THE and TVET. The similarities and common challenges may represent a new focus for related work, and the presented insights, from agile methodologies in software engineering, represent a new perspective for viewing future HE and TVET sustainability. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T20:33:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | nottingham-56117 |
| institution | University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus |
| institution_category | Local University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T20:33:04Z |
| publishDate | 2019 |
| publisher | Emerald |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | nottingham-561172019-04-15T11:08:00Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/56117/ Embracing ambiguity: agile insights for sustainability in engineering in traditional higher education and in technical and vocational education and training Towey, Dave Walker, James Ng, Ricky Embracing reflective practice and retrospection, with a goal of identifying commonalities, this paper examines delivery of engineering subjects in both traditional higher education (THE) and technical and vocational education and training (TVET). Reflections on actions and autoethnography were employed to examine the teaching and learning experiences of three educators across two higher education (HE) institutions (HEIs), in the greater Chinese context. Literature reviews and historical contexts are outlined to support the approaches and insights identified. The paper presents a number of common characteristics and challenges identified across both THE and TVET. Drawing on the successful embrace of ambiguity and change in recent software engineering (SE) development paradigms, recommendations are then made for how the agile SE themes can be applied in a larger sense to address the wider challenges facing both THE and TVET. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time engineering education has been examined and contrasted in the contexts of THE and TVET. The similarities and common challenges may represent a new focus for related work, and the presented insights, from agile methodologies in software engineering, represent a new perspective for viewing future HE and TVET sustainability. Emerald 2019-02-13 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/56117/1/PDF_Proof_0001.pdf Towey, Dave, Walker, James and Ng, Ricky (2019) Embracing ambiguity: agile insights for sustainability in engineering in traditional higher education and in technical and vocational education and training. Interactive Technology and Smart Education . ISSN 1741-5659 Higher Education; Technical and Vocational Education and Training(TVET); Technology-enhanced Learning (TEL); Open and Flexible Learning; Open Educational Resources (OERs); Reflection doi:10.1108/ITSE-10-2018-0088 doi:10.1108/ITSE-10-2018-0088 |
| spellingShingle | Higher Education; Technical and Vocational Education and Training(TVET); Technology-enhanced Learning (TEL); Open and Flexible Learning; Open Educational Resources (OERs); Reflection Towey, Dave Walker, James Ng, Ricky Embracing ambiguity: agile insights for sustainability in engineering in traditional higher education and in technical and vocational education and training |
| title | Embracing ambiguity: agile insights for sustainability in engineering in traditional higher education and in technical and vocational education and training |
| title_full | Embracing ambiguity: agile insights for sustainability in engineering in traditional higher education and in technical and vocational education and training |
| title_fullStr | Embracing ambiguity: agile insights for sustainability in engineering in traditional higher education and in technical and vocational education and training |
| title_full_unstemmed | Embracing ambiguity: agile insights for sustainability in engineering in traditional higher education and in technical and vocational education and training |
| title_short | Embracing ambiguity: agile insights for sustainability in engineering in traditional higher education and in technical and vocational education and training |
| title_sort | embracing ambiguity: agile insights for sustainability in engineering in traditional higher education and in technical and vocational education and training |
| topic | Higher Education; Technical and Vocational Education and Training(TVET); Technology-enhanced Learning (TEL); Open and Flexible Learning; Open Educational Resources (OERs); Reflection |
| url | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/56117/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/56117/ |