Enhancing the mechanical engineering program of Thai Nguyen University through redesigned learning outcomes

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ENHANCING THE MECHANICAL ENGINEERING PROGRAM

OF THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY THROUGH

REDESIGNED LEARNING OUTCOMES

___________________________

A DISSERTATION

Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School

Southern Luzon State University, Lucban, Quezon, Philippines

in Collaboration with

Thai Nguyen University, Socialist Republic of Vietnam

___________________________

In Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Management

___________________________

By

PHAM VAN HUNG (HERO)

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October 2014

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ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The author would like to express her gratitude to the following persons

who had great contribution to the preparation and accomplishment of this

research.

Sincerest and profound gratitude and appreciation are extended to all

the persons who in their own special ways have made this thesis a reality. The

author is most grateful to:

Dr. Cecilia N. Gascon, President of Southern Luzon State University,

Republic of the Philippines, for her invaluable contribution in the establishment

of the Master of Arts in Educational Management program in Thai Nguyen

University;

Prof. Dr. Dang Kim Vui, President of Thai Nguyen University, the

Socialist Republic of Vietnam for his incomparable contribution and support to

the Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Management program under the

auspices of the Southern Luzon State University, Republic of the Philippines;

Dr. Walberto A. Macaraan, Vice-President for Academic Affairs, for his

support to the tie-up program between SLSU and TNU;

The Panel of Examiners, for their invaluable comments, suggestions and

recommendations to enhance the thesis manuscript of the author of this study;

Dr. Melchor Milo O. Placino, his adviser, for his dedication, enduring

patience and concern, guidance, sincere hopes and encouragement for the

researcher to finish the manuscript;

Dr. Apolonia Espinosa, professor of advanced statistics for her

patience and support;

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To the Staff of the Learning Resource Center of Thai Nguyen

University, for allowing the researcher to utilize valuable sources of books and

references;

To the authors and researchers of books and unpublished graduate

theses that served as reliable source of data and information presented in the

study;

Prof. Phan Quang, the Rector of Thai Nguyen University of

Technology, for the approval of the researcher’s request to conduct the study;

The respondents of the study, for their active involvement, without

their cooperation the result of this dissertation may not be possible;

His loving classmates and colleagues, for endless support and

friendship which inspires the researcher to do his best in finishing the study;

His wife – Dinh Thi Kim Phuong, the only person with a special space

in his heart, for being his inspiration;

His parents and siblings, for their encouragement, financial, moral and

spiritual supports and for continuously believing that he can finish the task to

the best of his abilities

PVH

DEDICATION

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With pride and honor,

this piece of work is lovingly dedicated

to my beloved parents, wife and children.

PVH

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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PAGE

TITLE PAGE ……………………………………………………………….. i

APPROVAL SHEET ………………………………………………………. ii

CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY ……………………………………….. iii

ACKNOWLEDGMENT ………………………………………………….. iv

DEDICATION ……………………………………………………………… vi

TABLE OF CONTENTS ………………………………………………….. vii

LIST OF TABLES …………………………………………………………. ix

LIST OF FIGURES………………………………………………………… xii

LIST OF APPENDICES …………………………………………………... xiii

ABSTRACT ………………………………………………………………… xiv

CHAPTER

I INTRODUCTION …………………………………………… 1

Background of the Study ………………………………….. 4

Objectives of the Study ……………………………………. 8

Significance of the Study ………………………………….. 9

Scope and Limitation of the Study ……………………….. 10

Definition of Terms …………………………………………. 11

II REVIEW OF LITERATURE ……………………….………. 15

Learning Outcomes …………………………………………. 15

Types of Learning Outcomes ……………………………… 18

Learning Outcomes and Outcomes-Based Approaches .. 23

The Role of Learning Outcomes in Program Design and

Improvement ………………………………………………… 25

Learning Outcomes and Learning Objectives …………… 29

Formulation of Learning Outcomes ……………………….. 30

Conceptual Framework …………………...….………..…… 33

Research Paradigm ……………………………...….……… 42

III METHODOLOGY …………………………………………… 45

Locale of the Study ………………………….……………… 45

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Research Design …………………………….……………… 45

Population and Sampling ………………….…...………….. 45

Instrumentation ………………………...…………..…….…. 46

Data Gathering Procedure …………………………………. 48

Statistical Treatment …….………………………………….. 48

IV RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS ……………………….…. 51

The importance of each learning outcome topic under

the view of the four main stakeholders of the MEP ……... 51

Evaluation of the current status of learning outcomes and

the expected LOs of MEP ………………………………….. 66

The correlation among the important level of learning

outcomes, current proficiency level of the students, the

expected proficiency level that the students should

achieve ……………………………………………………….. 103

The Process for formulating the redesigned learning

outcomes for the MEP ……………………………………………. 104

V SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND

RECOMMENDATIONS

Summary …………………….…………………………….… 122

Conclusions ……………………………………………….… 125

Recommendations ……………………………………..…… 127

REFERENCES

……………………………………………………………..

129

APPENDICES

……………………………………………………………...

132

CURRICULUM VITAE

…………………………………………………….

160

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LIST OF TABLES

TABLE PAGE

1 Weighted Mean Distribution of the LO Topics in Terms of the

Importance of the Disciplinary Knowledge and Reasoning as

viewed by the Students ………………………………………… 52

2 Weighted Mean Distribution of the LO Topics in Terms of the

Importance of Personal and Professional Skills and

Attributes and the Interpersonal skills Topics as viewed by

the Students ……………………………………………………… 53

3 Weighted Mean Distribution of the LO Topics in Terms of the

Importance of Skills in Applying Knowledge to Benefit

Society as viewed by the Students ……………………………. 54

4 Weighted Mean Distribution of the LO Topics in Terms of the

Importance of the Disciplinary Knowledge and Reasoning

Under the View of the Alumni ………………………………….. 55

5 Weighted Mean Distribution of the LO Topics in Terms of the

Importance of Personal and Professional Skills and

Attributes Topics as viewed by the Alumni ………………….. 56

6 Weighted Mean Distribution of the LO Topics in Terms of the

Importance of Skills in Applying Knowledge to Benefit

Society ……………………………………………………………. 58

7 Weighted Mean Distribution of the LO Topics in Terms of the

Importance of the Disciplinary Knowledge and Reasoning as

viewed by the Teachers ………………………………………… 59

8 Weighted Mean Distribution of the LO Topics in Terms of the

Importance of Personal and Professional Skills and

Attributes and Interpersonal Skills Topics as viewed by

Teachers …………………………………………………………. 60

9 Weighted Mean Distribution of the LO Topics in Terms of the

Importance of Skills in Applying Knowledge to Benefit

Society ……………………………………………………………. 61

10 Weighted Mean Distribution of the LO Topics in Terms of the

Importance of the Disciplinary Knowledge and Reasoning as

viewed by the Employers ………………………………………. 63

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TABLE PAGE

11 Weighted Mean Distribution of the LO Topics in Terms of the

Importance of Personal and Professional Skills and

Attributes Topics as viewed by Employers …………………… 64

12 Weighted Mean Distribution of the LO Topics in Terms of the

Importance of the Interpersonal Skills: Teamwork and

Communication - Applying Knowledge to Benefit Society

Topics Under the View of the Employers …………………….. 65

13 The Current and Expected Proficiency Level of Designing as

viewed by Students ………………………..……………………. 68

14 The Current and Expected Proficiency Level of Operation as

viewed by Students ……………………………………………... 70

15 Results of Survey on Knowledge of Underlying Mathematics

and Sciences …………………………………………………….. 72

16 Results on Analytical Reasoning and Problem Solving …….. 74

17 Results on System Thinking and Attitudes, Thoughts and

Learning ………………………………………………………….. 76

18 Results on Ethics, Equity and Other Responsibilities ……….. 77

19 Results on External, Societal and Environmental Context …. 79

20 Results on Conceiving, Systems Engineering and

Management …………………………………………………….. 80

21 Results on Operations ………………………………………….. 81

22 Results of Survey on Knowledge of Underlying Mathematics

and Sciences …………………………………………………….. 83

23 Results on Analytical Reasoning and Problem Solving …….. 86

24 Results on Attitudes, Thoughts and Learning ………………... 87

25 Results on Interpersonal Skills: Teamwork and

Communication ………………………………………………….. 88

26 Result on External, Societal and Environmental Context …... 90

27 Results on Enterprise and Business Context ………………… 91

28 Results on Conceiving, Systems Engineering and

Management and Implementation …………………………….. 92

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TABLE PAGE

29 Results on Operation …………………………………………… 93

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LIST OF FIGURE

FIGURE PAGE

1 The Relationship Between Occupational Standards and

Training Standards ……………………………………………… 25

2 Learning Outcomes in the Development of Program ……….. 27

3 Framework for Understanding Educational Quality …………… 35

4 Building Blocks of Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes

Necessary to Conceive, Design, Implement, and Operate

Systems in the Enterprise and Societal Context (CDIO) …… 41

5 The Schematic Presentation of the Study to Develop the

Learning Outcomes which Meet the Requirements of the

Society and International Integration …………………………. 43

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LIST OF APPENDICES

APPENDIX PAGE

A Questionnaires ………………………………………………. 133

B Statistical Computations ……………………………………. 143

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ABSTRACT

Title of Research : ENHANCING THE MECHANICAL

ENGINEERING PROGRAM OF THAI NGUYEN

UNIVERSITY THROUGH REDESIGNED

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Researcher : PHAM VAN HUNG (HERO)

Degree Conferred : DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN EDUCATIONAL

MANAGEMENT

Name and Address

of Institution

: Southern Luzon State University Lucban, Quezon,

Philippines and Thai Nguyen University, Socialist

Republic of Vietnam

Adviser : Dr. Melchor Melo O. Placino

Year Written : 2014

______________________________________________________________

Formulation of the learning outcomes which meet the requirements of

the society plays an important role in order to improve the quality of the

program. This study aimed to redesign the learning outcomes of the Mechanical

Engineering Program at Thai Nguyen University of Engineering using the

survey results from the main stakeholders (employer, alumni, teacher and

student) of the program. The results were discussed by educational experts,

institutional managers and teaching staff. The study results indicated that the

importance of learning outcome topics of the Mechanical Engineering Program

under the view of the four main stakeholders of the MEP was almost the same.

They shared their interest in those topics and most of them needed to be in the

redesigned learning outcomes with an average rating of 2.1918 (level 3 scale).

The current status of learning outcomes did not meet the expectation of the

graduating students. The research results of the current status of the learning