Learning off the job : engineers and professional education.

This thesis identifies a framework of critical occasions documented by engineering
students taking residential modules during the taught element of an MSc. It
develops a categorisation of critical events on which future research could be built
and will be of interest to practitioners, learners and academics. Building on this
nomenclature the effect of important episodes on respondents' cognition and
professional development is examined by applying fuzzy logic.
Using a reflective interview based case study students were questioned about their
background, attitudes and landmark events to investigate the classification. A focus
group provided another perspective and validated early findings. The choice of a
case study and use of interviews are discussed within the methodology.
Previous literature on critical incidents, professional development and cognition was
considered to illuminate the framework. The resulting data was analysed and
patterns identified in the fieldwork chapters to catalogue the critical happenings.
The developing professional identity of respondents is another area examined
providing an insight into how and why such professional development occurs.
Findings include: that milestones volunteered were representative of critical
episodes found in previous writing and that attitudinal changes revealed within the
subsets of Apprentices and Graduates appeared to converge as the course
progressed. Practitioners may facilitate critical incidents and so enhance their own
professional development. Learners will be interested to know that discussions with
respondents highlighted occasions that resulted in increased cognition, improved
confidence and presented opportunities for networking leading to professional
formation.
For academics the research presents ways in which students learn using critical
thinking, highlighting a continuum of critical happenings on which future research
could be encouraged. While offering no strong claim to generalisability the
taxonomy identifies areas for further examination, which could lead to
generalisability in the future.