Innovative teaching methods for transformative skills in higher education engineering programmes – a review

Transformative skills are becoming critical requirement in the job advertisements for engineering graduates. Transformative skills help engineers to identify, critically analyse and solve the challenges with engineering techniques and knowledge. Graduate level engineering programmes offer separate modules consisting of transformative skills such as project and innovation management, research methodology and communication skills etc. However, there is a growing interest and developments in integrating elements of transformative skills throughout the engineering programme modules so that students can develop competencies to meet the requirements of industry. The three major transformative competencies identified by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Learning Compass 2030 include new value creation, reconciling tensions and dilemmas and taking responsibility. This paper represents some critical teaching and assessment methods that can induce transformative skills in the students throughout their learning experience during engineering graduate programmes. Innovative teaching methods currently being used in engineering programmes include development of business and impact canvas, blog writing, self evaluation and peer review. These transformative skills elements can be easily integrated into several technical modules and offer enhanced learning experience and increased employability of graduates.