Elsevier Brings Active Learning to the Classroom With the Global Engineering Academic Challenge 2017

NEW YORK, September 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Elsevier, the information analytics business specializing in science and health, today announced that the Engineering Academic Challenge (EAC) 2017 will begin on September 18, 2017. The bi-annual five-week challenge enables engineering teachers and librarians around the world to integrate real-world problem-solving into their STEM education communities. This year's cross-disciplinary questions revolve around the key challenges that future engineers will solve; including expanding access to clean water, designing and building better robots, and engineering the tools of scientific discovery. Participants will compete to solve questions for five consecutive weeks, with weekly and overall prizes awarded to top performing students.

Now in its 12th year, the EAC involves taking on real-world challenges faced by users of Knovel, Elsevier's engineering decision support solution that helps engineers answer complex problems. The open-ended problems, drafted by a team of engineering students at Drexel University in Pennsylvania, will require that students take a creative approach and access a broad range of scientific knowledge in order to solve them. Participants are given access to Knovel, and also to Engineering Village's flagship database, Ei Compendex. Knovel has recently undergone a user interface (UI) redesign; the new intuitive UI has been developed with engineers in mind, requiring minimal training to master. Last year, 60% of EAC participants were new users to the products, highlighting just how important it is that the tools they use are intuitive and easy to understand.

The EAC flips the traditional education model by promoting active learning and placing the student at the center of the experience. By engaging students through active learning methods, professors and librarians can encourage faster learning and improved knowledge retention - which contributes to operational excellence in the workplace. Active learning has shown to be a superior method of teaching; in comparison to traditional lecturing, failure rates for students decline by 55%.^[1] In conjunction, the EAC operates on a 'research sprint' model where students share and communicate their findings, helping to develop crucial skills required in the working world.

"The Engineering Academic Challenge has evolved into a truly global event," said Sumita Singh, Managing Director of Reference Solutions at Elsevier. "Previously, the majority of participants have been in North America, but now - from APAC to Latin America - librarians and students have been organizing their own EAC events and taking part. Events like the EAC are vital in helping hone the skills of the next generation of engineers and scientists. Elsevier is committed to preparing engineers to succeed in the working world and equipping them with the knowledge and abilities they'll need to tackle the challenges of the 21^st century."

Nanyang Technological University's Chiang Wee noted that the interdisciplinary nature of the challenge is in keeping with the university's current focus. "Previously, our six engineering schools each worked separately. Now we have an Interdisciplinary Graduate School (IGS) where students, faculty and engineering research fellows can all work together. The challenge will help by pushing students into areas they may not have encountered before."

Engineering and science students from academic institutions across the globe who wish to participate in this year's challenge can register at: https://eac.elsevier.com/.

References 

^[] Freeman, S. et al. Active learning increases student performance in science, engineering, and mathematics. Proceedings of the national academy of sciences, June 10, 2014, 111 (23)

About Elsevier 

Elsevier is a global information analytics business that helps institutions and professionals progress science, advance healthcare and improve performance for the benefit of humanity. Elsevier provides digital solutions and tools in the areas of strategic research management, R&D performance, clinical decision support, and professional education; including ScienceDirect, Scopus, ClinicalKey and Sherpath. Elsevier publishes over 2,500 digitized journals, including The Lancet and Cell, more than 35,000 e-book titles, and many iconic reference works, including Gray's Anatomy. Elsevier is part of RELX Group, a world-leading provider of information and analytics to professionals and business customers, in a wide range of industries. http://www.elsevier.com.

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