Evaluation and Engagement of STEM Learning Strategies in Industrial Engineering Discipline: Nigerian experience

Abstract

Industrial Engineering (IE) education is a SCIENCE, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) discipline that requires an appropriate instruction approach, thus making it imperative to look deep into finding a suitable learning approach. Surprisingly, in Nigeria, there is an absence of course-specific studies that utilized a hybrid Multi-Criteria Decision Method (MCDM) approach to evaluate STEM learning strategies in order of importance in deploying IE subjects for the utmost academic fulfilment of the pedagogical requirements as provided in the curriculum. Analytical Hierarchical Process and Preference Ranking Organization Method for Enrichment of Evaluations (AHP-PROMETHEE) model were used to develop the hierarchical model of the problem and illustratively rank the STEM alternatives and core STEM competent criteria to facilitate appropriate learning for IE education. The results show that the prioritised STEM approach for IE education is Challenge-Based LEARNING (CBL), followed by Project-Based Learning (PJBL). The core competence associated with these two STEM learning strategies ranges from collaboration, critical thinking, independent learning, problem-solving and digital literacy.