Profiles And Factors Of Engineering Student’s Epistemological Development Under The Background Of Chinese Engineering Education Reform

With the development of global industry and economy,engineering education is facing with severe challenges of the shortage of high quality engineering talents.Global engineers need to solve interdisciplinary problems in addition to complicated problems in specific areas.The epistemological development level of engineering talents is an important factor that restricts their engineering abilities.Students with a high level of epistemological development can challenge authority and think independently and actively.It also helps them to construct knowledge with critical thinking,and solve problems with innovative thinking.Individuals in advanced levels of epistemological development are more likely to demonstrate the way of thinking of engineering experts.At present,the study of epistemological development of students in China is mainly focused on introducing epistemological developmental theories in foreign countries.However,the profiles of students’ epistemological development and the impact of the exploration of engineering education reform practices on students’ epistemological development were rarely investigated.With empirical study as its main part,this research adopts western modern epistemological developmental theories and conducts a quantitative study on the epistemological development situation of engineering students in the school of A in H University.On this basis,one-on-one interview is adopted to deeply explore the characteristics and major factors as related to the engineering students’ high level of epistemological development.The research result shows that 85% of them are in their advanced level of the Perry epistemological development theory,which is relativism or commitment within relativism.Students with different genders have significant differences in relativism and commitment within relativism.Students in different learning stages in A school have significant differences in dualism scale.Major factors that are associated with engineering students’ high level of epistemological development in A school include,individual subjective effort,teachers and classmates,the environment and platform of H university,international exchange experience,work experience at school and internship and visiting activities in companies,and scientific training such as PRP project,college students innovation project,graduate design,curriculum design and so on.This research applies Perry’s epistemological development theory to the study of engineering students’ epistemological development in Chinese engineering education reform.It expands the application of epistemological development theory and provides references for the improvement of Perry’s epistemological development theory.Our findings suggest that the characteristics of engineering students with sophisticated thinking manners resemble the current desired attributes for developing engineering education talents in China.Current reformative practices in Chinese engineering education seem to have impacted the development of innovative thinking and engineering systematic thinking among engineering students.This research provides useful suggestion for current education practices to develop engineering talents with innovative and critical thinking to combat the challenges and demand facing Chinese industry.