Page 69 - Teaching Innovation for the 21st Century

Concluding remarks
In the enrichment of the curriculum for the Applied Engineering and Environmental Geology second-year module, practical assessments were developed with the assistance of industry-based specialists. Geology-specific entrepreneurship education was also introduced into the curriculum. Our efforts and their perceived impact can be summarised as follows:
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References
Aadland, T. & Aaboen, L. 2020. ‘An entrepreneurship education taxonomy based on authenticity’. European Journal of Engineering Education, 45(5): 711–728.
Cohen, D.R. 2018. ‘Educating the next generation of geologists’. AusIMM Bulletin, 46: 3–9.
Keane, C.M. & Houlton, H.R. 2012. ‘Four cornerstones for ensuring a sustainable workforce and opportunity for the next generation of geoscientists’. EGU General Assembly Conference Abstracts: 9225.
King, C. 2008. ‘Geoscience education: An overview’. Studies in Science Education, 44(2): 187–222.
Mafolo, K. 2022. ‘New Centurion sinkhole is one of about 200 recorded across Gauteng in past five year’. https://www. dailymaverick.co.za/article/2022-01-17-new-centurion-sinkhole-is- one-of-about-200-recorded-across-gauteng-in-past-five-years/.
Mantashe, G. 2008. ‘The decline of the mining industry and the response of the mining union’. Doctoral dissertation, University of the Witwatersrand.
Maresch, D., Harms, R., Kailer, N. & Wimmer-Wurm, B. 2016. ‘The impact of entrepreneurship education on the entrepreneurial intention of students in science and engineering versus business studies university programs’. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 104: 172–179.
Mwasalwiba, E.S. 2010. ‘Entrepreneurship education: A review of its objectives, teaching methods, and impact indicators’. Education + Training, 52(1): 20–47.
Mwasalwiba, E.S., Groenewegen, P. & Wakkee, I. 2014. ‘University entrepreneurship education in Tanzania: Introducing entrepreneurship education in a context of transition’, in Handbook on the Entrepreneurial University. Edward Elgar Publishing.
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By using industry-specific contexts and practices, developed in collaboration with industry specialists, we are able to develop students who are able more easily to transition into the working environment. In this way, we are producing industry-fit graduates.
• Since engineering and environmental geology are applied competencies, the inclusion of local case studies alongside entrepreneurship education makes our students well placed to identify relevant problems and potentially create innovative solutions for our communities. In the context of declining employment opportunities within the mining sector, the future requires Geology graduates who can create employment not only for themselves but also for others. This will likely be possible to achieve for some using the skills learnt from this module and their overall Geology knowledge.
Teaching Innovation for the 21st Century | Showcasing UJ Teaching and Learning 2021
By supplementing theoretical concepts with authentic real-world data and case studies, the students’ learning experiences are enhanced. Examples of engineering and environmental geological problems/hazards abound within our communities. The inclusion of locally sourced South African data and examples renders the curriculum more familiar to the students, resulting in the delivery of a decolonised curriculum.
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