Engineering Students Show Strong Preference for Traditional Learning Methods in Refugee Health Course
At the start of each academic semester, I make it a practice to inquire with my students about their motivations for enrolling in my specialized course. Just last week, as our new term commenced, I posed this very question once again. My class is specifically designed to examine the complex health challenges confronting refugee populations and individuals forcibly displaced by conflict and various other circumstances. The primary objective is to cultivate engineering solutions that can effectively address the pressing health issues these vulnerable communities face.
A Classroom Policy Focused on Fundamental Skills
I maintain a strict classroom policy that prohibits the use of computers and all electronic devices during sessions. Students are required to take notes and complete assignments using traditional pen and paper. Furthermore, I consciously prioritize using the blackboard or whiteboard for instruction rather than relying on PowerPoint presentations. Recently, I have introduced weekly in-class writing assignments, also completed on paper, with the explicit aim of gaining direct insight into students' perspectives and ideas. This approach ensures I receive authentic student work rather than summaries potentially generated by Large Language Models.
My students consistently demonstrate intelligence, thoughtfulness, and substantial knowledge. I am genuinely more interested in their original contributions and personal insights than in any content produced by generative artificial intelligence.
Remarkable Growth in Course Enrollment
When I first introduced this course several years ago, it attracted over thirty students, surpassing my initial expectations. Last year, enrollment increased to the mid-forties. This current semester, I expanded the class capacity to sixty seats. Not only were all available slots filled promptly, but I also maintain a waiting list of additional students eager to enroll. This sustained growth indicates a significant and growing interest in the subject matter.
Given this context, I recently asked my current students to complete an anonymous survey explaining their choice to take this particular course amidst numerous other academic options. The responses were revealing and multifaceted.
Student Motivations: From Global Concerns to Pedagogical Preferences
Many respondents expressed a keen interest in understanding how engineering methodologies can be applied to solve problems for displaced communities worldwide. Several students cited the current global situation as a motivating factor. A number shared personal or familial experiences with displacement, adding a deeply personal dimension to their academic pursuit.
However, a substantial portion of the student feedback highlighted an appreciation for the course's unique structure. These students explicitly stated that they valued the integration of serious reading and writing components alongside traditional engineering design work. They expressed a desire to participate in a class that emphasizes original thought, creativity, and human-generated content over reliance on generative AI tools.
A Troubling Discovery in Engineering Education
Intrigued by these survey results, I engaged in follow-up conversations with several students after reviewing their comments. What I discovered was concerning. My students, all of whom come from engineering backgrounds, reported receiving a consistent message throughout their academic training: that science and engineering are solely about doing and technical execution. They have been led to believe, for unclear reasons, that broad reading and serious writing are not essential skills for their success.
The concept of an engineering course incorporating rigorous reading expectations—with materials drawn not just from technical manuals but from a diverse range of disciplines, including creative works—and requiring students to write for a broad audience while simultaneously conducting complex mathematical modeling and engineering design, appears highly unconventional to them.
Broader Implications for Teaching and Learning
I have long held concerns that students in scientific and engineering fields do not engage in sufficient reading. However, what increasingly troubles me is the apparent pedagogy that teaches them reading is unnecessary for success, implicitly suggesting that serious reading is reserved for humanities or social science scholars.
My concerns are amplified by documented evidence from colleagues worldwide. Research indicates that students are actively seeking deeper, more prolonged intellectual engagement that poses substantive questions. They are often more than willing to participate in learning environments that encourage disconnection from digital devices. Contrary to popular assumption, they may not be as dependent on artificial intelligence as educators generally presume.
As instructors, we frequently operate under the assumption that students seek the easiest path, are addicted to their devices, and are reluctant to undertake the demanding work of handwriting and deep reflection. Because we inhabit this imagined reality, we often design our courses accordingly.
Re-evaluating the Source of the Challenge
Based on my direct interactions and observations, I now believe the core issue may lie more with educators than with students. Perhaps it is the teachers who are seeking expedient solutions. In our contemporary world, where injustice remains widespread, we urgently need to cultivate future leaders who are honest, thoughtful, compassionate, and caring.
The pathway to developing such qualities is not paved solely by efficiency metrics and algorithms. It is constructed through serious intellectual engagement, critical reflection on our decisions, and careful consideration of what we choose to build and why. My experience suggests that students are prepared and eager for this kind of reflective, meaningful work. The pressing question now is whether the teaching community is equally ready to guide them on that journey.
