The shift toward online learning (hustled along by the pandemic when academic programs were forced to go online) has revealed distinct preferences among engineering faculty and students, creating an ongoing dialogue about the most effective teaching approaches for this traditionally hands-on field.
Faculty Perspectives on Engineering Education Delivery
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Engineering faculty who favor online teaching often appreciate the flexibility it provides in balancing their teaching loads with industry consulting work or professional development. Many community college engineering instructors work in multiple settings or maintain active industry connections, making the elimination of commute time particularly valuable. They find that online platforms can effectively deliver theoretical engineering concepts and allow students to work at their own pace through complex mathematical derivations and design principles.
However, a significant majority of engineering faculty remain strong advocates for in-person instruction. In a recent national survey, 55 percent of instructors across all disciplines reported preferring face-to-face teaching, with engineering faculty showing even stronger preferences for traditional delivery methods. Engineering educators emphasize that their field requires unique pedagogical approaches that are difficult to replicate online. They argue that the discipline's emphasis on hands-on problem-solving, laboratory experimentation, and design thinking requires the immediate feedback and collaborative environment that physical classrooms provide.
The challenge is particularly acute for laboratory courses. As one study noted, "Laboratory education is central in engineering studies, and it is a challenge to deliver remotely." Faculty consistently report that practical engineering courses requiring hands-on experience with equipment, materials testing, and real-world problem-solving are less effective when taught online and should be conducted in traditional engineering laboratories.
Student Needs and Preferences
Student preferences in engineering education are notably complex and often differ from their counterparts in other disciplines. Working adults and non-traditional students—who make up a significant portion of community college engineering programs—often gravitate toward online courses for their convenience and flexibility. These students frequently balance full-time jobs, family responsibilities, and educational goals, making the scheduling flexibility of online learning attractive.
However, engineering students face unique challenges in online environments. Research has found that online engineering students often struggle with the lack of hands-on experience that is fundamental to engineering education. Students have reported particular difficulties with remote laboratory components, noting that virtual simulations cannot fully replicate the tactile learning and real-world problem-solving that traditional labs provide.
Studies have shown that engineering students in online courses may face lower completion rates and different learning outcomes compared to their in-person peers. The nature of engineering coursework—with its emphasis on spatial reasoning, hands-on experimentation, and collaborative design projects—presents particular challenges for remote delivery.
The Laboratory Challenge
Perhaps nowhere is the online versus in-person debate more pronounced than in engineering laboratory education. Traditional engineering labs provide students with direct experience using instrumentation, working with physical materials, and troubleshooting real-world problems. These experiences develop crucial engineering skills that are difficult to replicate in virtual environments.
While virtual laboratories and simulations have improved significantly, research indicates they currently "lack the ability to completely replace hands-on labs in engineering education." However, virtual labs do show promise in enhancing student motivation and engagement, particularly when used to supplement rather than replace traditional laboratory experiences.
Some engineering programs have found success with hybrid approaches that combine virtual pre-lab activities, remote data collection, and in-person analysis and discussion. This model allows students to prepare thoroughly before hands-on sessions while maintaining the essential tactile learning components.
Emerging Solutions and Future Directions
Engineering educators are exploring innovative approaches to bridge the gap between online convenience and hands-on requirements. Virtual and augmented reality technologies show promise for enhancing online engineering education, allowing students to interact with 3D models and simulated environments that closely approximate real-world engineering challenges.
Remote laboratories—where students control actual equipment from a distance—represent another emerging solution. These systems allow students to conduct real experiments with physical equipment while maintaining the flexibility of remote access.
The most successful engineering programs are recognizing that both modalities serve important purposes in their unique educational context. Rather than forcing a one-size-fits-all approach, they're offering diverse options that accommodate the varied needs of both faculty expertise and student populations. Theoretical courses and design principles may translate well to online delivery, while laboratory work and hands-on applications continue to require in-person instruction.
The key lies in thoughtful course design that leverages the strengths of each modality while addressing the specific learning objectives of engineering education. As the field continues to evolve, the most effective programs will likely be those that strategically blend online and in-person elements to create comprehensive engineering learning experiences.
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