Centre for Research in Engineering and Materials Education

Research Themes

Assessment and feedback in STEM subjects

Assessment and feedback are central to the development of students in STEM areas, and it is used to understand how students learn and progress through the acquisition of knowledge and skills as well as supporting students to improve through feedback. In STEM, the more effective approaches are assessment strategies that promote learning by doing and require students to use competences, knowledge and skills required in professional life.

Our current research, both innovates in and evaluates how assessment allows students to demonstrate their knowledge, understanding and skills throughout their degree. Designing assessment that is measurably authentic for the 21st century world, for example through strategies focussing on learning by doing, ensures not only our students graduate with transferable learning outcomes, but that we can share our scholarship within and beyond the school to promote student learning.

Our scholarship incorporates engagement strategies to scaffold assessments as well as investigating how to ensure students harness their feedback for future development, linked to graduate attributes such as resilience. In turn scholarship projects also address how to make such feedback meaningful to the individual, and how this can be scaled for larger cohorts. Increasingly work also looks at how to support students using generative AI tools, balancing academic integrity with recognising how these tools already support professional life.

Educational leadership and Professional Practice

Educational Leadership: At the heart of effective higher education lies a commitment to continuous professional development and leadership in teaching and learning. Our approach is guided by the 2023 Professional Standards Framework (PSF), a globally recognized framework that defines best practices for educators. Guided by PSF, we emphasize:

  • Leadership in Learning: Driving innovation and excellence in teaching practices to enhance student experiences.
  • Ongoing Professional Development: Supporting continuous growth for educators, ensuring they meet evolving educational demands.
  • Inclusive Teaching Practices: Fostering equitable, supportive learning environments that empower all students.

Aligned with PSF 2023, our goal is to cultivate leaders who elevate higher education through effective teaching, reflective practice, and inclusivity.

Professional practice: We strive to engage with the local community to support its needs while providing valuable learning contexts and materials for our students. Our engagement extends beyond the UK to other parts of the world, leveraging our expertise to help develop new policies, frameworks, and practices at local, municipal, governmental, and international levels.

Additionally, it is crucial to share our professional practice not only in the form of outcomes but also as teaching materials for the next generation. In implementing professional practice, we must consider how it aligns with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the UN core competencies. This approach broadens our students' perspectives beyond simple engineering issues to encompass global societal challenges, which are often complex and interconnected, or 'wicked problems.' We aim to educate not just engineers limited to specific fields, but individuals who are prepared to serve society at large—students who can analyse issues through an engineering lens while remaining open to insights from other disciplines.

Inclusive Education

Technical courses in science and engineering disciplines tend to emphasise rote learning and repetitive application of formulae to students, often overlooking the value of embracing the diverse differences of the student population.

Acknowledging diversity within these disciplines can create a more inclusive environment that is welcoming to all students, by particularly promoting and encouraging participation from traditionally underrepresented minority groups. An area of our current research aims to highlighting the achievements of diverse scientists and pioneers, which can not only motivate students from varied backgrounds to build their confidence and interest but can also help address representation gaps in leadership roles within these fields. 

Research being conducted within group-based practical activities identify students often struggle with challenging elements such as managing expectations and group dynamics. This highlights the need to incorporate teamwork approaches that consider diversity and promote equitable participation by all students, enhance the culture of the learning environment and are more likely to lead to productive group interactions. Our research in this area therefore focuses on providing the implicit and explicit support that students need contribute to an effective team dynamic.

Consequently, our work within the Centre aims to dismantle the barriers faced by our diverse group of students by focusing on identifying and developing (often through co-creation with our students) inclusive teaching and learning practices in the areas of, but not limited to, curriculum design, pedagogy and teaching delivery and student assessment and feedback, in line with QMUL’s Principles of Inclusive Curriculum. By widening participation to promote equality and diversity through these approaches, we seek to improve student retention and success by offering learners a holistic and all-inclusive educational experience. 

Experiential Learning

Experiential Learning defines a pedagogical approach that departs from conventional methods and traditional lectures. This model promotes learning through immersive experiences during which learners are exposed to cognitive, emotional and sensory stimuli. It also involves elements of the "learn-by-doing" approach that help learners apply theoretical knowledge to real-world contexts. Experiential Learning extend beyond simple practice and can be implemented as structured programs that integrate active participation, critical reflection, and the synthesis of interdisciplinary knowledge. Learning occurs through experience, where the learner takes a central role by experimenting, taking action, and reorganizing concepts and theories, thereby broadening technical expertise and developing knowledge and resources.

In this process, learners can also strengthen essential soft skills such as collaboration, problem-solving, teamwork, communication, and leadership. By tackling challenging situations, can boost their creativity, emotional management, and resilience, which are crucial for different working environments and life situations.

Our current research areas encompass active student participation (e.g.  From the first year, students have opportunities to participate in research projects through the recently established Queen Mary Centre for Undergraduate Research (QMCUR).), critical thinking and analysis of experiences, and interdisciplinary collaborations.  These experiences are crucial for connecting classroom theory with the real-world challenges that engineers encounter. Through these innovative learning environments, we ensure that students are well-equipped to tackle the evolving demands of the engineering and materials science professions.

Professional Skills Development

Engineers require a range of professional skills to be effective and successful in their careers. Communication and teamwork skills are fundamental in engineering along with practical skills and professional behaviour.

The Centre’s research in this area is focused on embedding employability skills in the curriculum. We use a Programme Level Approach (PLA) to development students' ability to work efficiently and professionally. We work with students and external stakeholders to create structured learning opportunities that support the development of professional skills. Our projects in professional skills are oriented toward ensuring a holistic approach to support students in acquiring and practice of professional skills in and outside the classroom.

Examples of current research in this area includes 1) a project enables students to engage in practice-based learning throughout their degree, tackling real-world problems while developing professional skills and engineering fundamentals. It aligns with our focus on PLA, co-creation, experiential learning, and environmental sustainability, 2) an engineering logbook that supports professional development by tracking ethics, risk, lab safety, and other key skills like critical thinking and teamwork. It allows students to reflect on their growth and serves as valuable evidence for further study, employment, or professional registration and 3) a project that emphasises accelerating sustainability education across the curriculum, equipping students with the essential knowledge and skills needed for future jobs in a world facing escalating environmental challenges. Understanding sustainability's impact on society, the environment, and the economy is critical for today’s employers.

Student Engagement

Student engagement refers to the level of interest, motivation, and involvement that students exhibit in the learning process. It encompasses how actively and attentively students participate in academic activities, both inside and outside the classroom. Engaged students are more likely to be focused, curious, and motivated to succeed academically, often demonstrating a deeper understanding of the material and a stronger connection to the learning environment. Student engagement initiatives are vital for enhancing the educational experience and success of university students.

In order to achieve this, there is work being conducted within Learners’ Engagement Analytics. By tracking engagement metrics, such as attendance, participation in online platforms, and interaction with course materials, universities can identify at-risk students early and intervene proactively. This data-driven approach allows for personalised support, helping students stay on track academically and emotionally. Moreover, understanding patterns of engagement provides insights into the effectiveness of teaching methods and curriculum design, enabling continuous improvement. Such research also fosters an inclusive learning environment by addressing the diverse needs of students, ensuring that all students can succeed.

Gamification is another area that can be utilised to research student engagement and enhance student experience. Gamification involves integrating game-like elements into the learning process to improve student engagement, motivation, and learning outcomes. Engineering education can be particularly challenging, with complex concepts and problem-solving requirements, making gamification an attractive approach to stimulate student interest and participation.

Transnational Education

Transnational education allows universities such as Queen Mary to provide educational opportunities to students who might not otherwise have the chance to study in the UK. QMUL has several joint partnerships with Chinese universities, including Northwestern Polytechnical University, where several CREME staff members work. A large part of working on these joint partnerships is developing relationships with our global partners.

Educators involved in TNE programmes must remain informed of and contribute towards pedagogical research related to TNE, exploring effective teaching and assessment strategies, assessing curriculum design across multiple regions, and understanding how cultural differences impact learning outcomes. In addition to delivering lessons in person, many of these educators are also familiar with mixed-mode teaching, having had to adapt the programmes to online teaching during the pandemic. All of this helps to ensure a high quality of TNE at QMUL.