Development of a Two-Dimensional Model for Affective Domain Competencies in Engineering Courses

This paper presents a study to identify the required work competencies by modern industry in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Various stakeholders in the Technical and Vocational Education (TVE) system in Bahrain, namely teachers, specialists from human resources departments in industry, and industrial supervisors, were asked to provide information by completing a questionnaire on the competencies delivered to TVE students in schools, and the competencies that are needed by industry.
The questionnaire’s responses were statistically analysed and it was obvious that a considerable skills gap exists between the TVE students’ level of competencies and modern industrial requirements. Also, the studies indicated that TVE is facing a number of problem areas and operational challenges in the delivery of appropriate engineering education courses (EECs) and technical competencies. In addition, the questionnaire responses indicated that affective domain competencies, which are so important in an industrial setup, were not integrated in the curriculum content of EECs in Bahrain’s TVE system.
The authors have developed a two-dimensional model for affective integration of domain competencies in EECs in the course curriculum. The first dimension concerns the categories of affective learning levels being employed for content development in EECs. The second incorporates the categories of attitude being learnt during the teaching and learning processes. The aim of the model is to develop TVE students’ affective domain competencies in order to meet the identified industrial requirements. In addition, the model will be the basis for suggested modifications in both curriculum content structures for various engineering courses, and teaching and learning processes in the TVE system.