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Research Publications (Engineering and Built Environment)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://ir-dev.dut.ac.za/handle/10321/215

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    Chaos theory as relevance for engineering education in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution in Africa
    (Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering and Sciences Engineering and Sciences Publication - BEIESP, 2020) Fomunyam, Kehdinga George
    In the fourth industrial revolution (4IR)period, an inclusion of Chaos Theory (CT) in Engineering education (EE) and its significant relevance have involved debates from engineering academia and industrial professional over the years. Thus, much has been done to recall relevance for EE, yet EE has not attained Sustainable Development Goal for educational target, in areas of research relevance, curriculum restructuring, and learning materials/instructional platforms redesigning are still lacking in engineering academia and profession in Africa. With much sensitization on inclusion of CT to instil EE relevance in Africa, is still far from addressing EE gaps; hence the crux of this paper. This paper was guided by Chaos theory providing definite perception which involves equilibrium constructs that are crucial in EE. This paper focused on the concept of CT as its relevance in EE in the4IR in Africa. In particular, it explores how CT can enhance relevance in EE; and how the principles of CT can improve the EE relevance, as well as its implications in Africa. Thus, to address these gaps, recommendations such as developing nonchaotic curriculum for EE, adopting Chaos theoretical principles in facilitating staff training and students’ skill development were advocated.
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    Rebuilding after a pandemic, the place of engineering education in nation building
    (Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering and Sciences Engineering and Sciences Publication - BEIESP, 2020) Fomunyam, Kehdinga George
    Engineering education was defined as a field, discipline, practice and profession that has ties with the development, acquisition and the application of technical, scientific and mathematical principles to understand, design, implement and invent materials, machines, structures, systems and processes for specific activities. This typifies that engineering education has the drive to make things better. Engineering education is vital for national development and competitiveness. Issues of health are vital to humans and humans are key elements in nation building. At the termination of the year 2019, series of pneumonia cases were discovered in Wuhan China. The corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an RNA virus with a crown like appearance when viewed under an electron microscope as a result of the presence of glycoprotein spikes on its envelope. The study looked at the place of engineering education to ensure rebuilding after a pandemic. Findings from the study revealed that engineering is important for nation building and various evidences that supports this were considered in this study. The Impetus of engineering education for rebuilding after the pandemic to contribute to nation building was also considered in the study. The study therefore recommended that effort must be made at leveraging on engineering education because of its import for rebuilding after a pandemic.
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    Gender and gender mainstreaming In engineering education in Africa
    (Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering and Sciences Engineering and Sciences Publication - BEIESP, 2020) Fomunyam, Kehdinga George; Matola, Noluthando; Moyo, Sibusiso
    In Africa, a lot of debates on the issues of gender gap and gender inequality has raised concerns in engineering education (EE) and engineering workforce. Thus, gender inequality and equity are significant in realizing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and in recent years much has been done to address gender gaps, yet women are still excluded, underrepresented, segregated and relegated inengineering profession and academia. With much sensitization on gender equality, Africa is still far from addressing gender gaps in EE; hence the crux of this paper. This paper was guided by Liberal Feminism theory, focusing on women’s freedom as an autonomy to be free from coercive interference, due to‘gender system’ or patriarchal nature of inherited traditions and institutions. This paper takes a broad look at the concepts of gender and gender mainstreaming in EE in Africa. Specifically, it explores gender and inequality in EE and how gender mainstreaming canbe enacted to address gender gaps in EE, as well as its implications in Africa. Thus, to address these gaps, recommendations such as developing gendersensitive curriculum for EE, adopting policies in facilitating women’s access to training and employment opportunities as well as creating gender-sensitive career counselling were advocated
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    Decolonising the engineering curriculum in a South African University of Technology
    (Research India Publications, 2017) Fomunyam, Kehdinga George
    The coming to being of the ‘MustFall’ movements in South Africa heightened the call for decolonising the higher education sector. With engineering being at the heart of national development and transformation, there is greater need for engagements in the engineering curriculum to foster the debate on epistemological access and skills development. This paper therefore explores the challenges in the engineering sector in South Africa and highlights decolonising the curriculum as one way of addressing it. As such the research was designed as a qualitative case study and data was generated using open ended questionnaires. The data generated was coded and categorised and themes were developed from the categories which were used for analysis. The findings of the study reveal that four key areas required decolonisation; theory and practice, language, academics and pedagogy. It further revealed that teaching and learning within the institution failed to enhanced decolonisation. The findings further indicated that the decolonisation process can be enhanced by creating contextual relevance and curriculum change. The paper concludes by recommending that decolonising the engineering curriculum is long overdue and the powers that be need to take responsibility and engage the subject if the training of more engineers is the goal. Secondly, the language of instruction, pedagogy, teaching and learning process and or theory and practice requires further interrogation to enhance the training of young engineers for without this the engineering question or challenge will for ever be a mystery.
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    Convergence and divergence in engineering education in Africa
    (Transstellar Journal Publications and Research Consultancy Private Limited (TJPRC), 2021-12-01) Fomunyam, Kehdinga George
    Engineering education is the process of teaching and learning engineering which has the capacity to make systems, processes and structures better. But in solving problems, there has been the case for having a finite appropriate solution or a plethora of solutions known as the convergence-divergence nexus. The convergence-divergence complex has been at the front burner of issues since the beginning of the 1950s and various scholars have argued for both in addressing challenges. This study unraveled the engineering education dynamic while also trying to understand convergence and divergence in engineering education in Africa. findings from the study revealed that Findings from the study revealed that convergence-divergence has been at the front burner of issues for long and various authors have made the case for each of the concepts as a result of their defining peculiarity and applicability. It was found out that it is important to understand both processes so as to ensure the selection of the best approach to issues and it was thus important to analyze both. This study, therefore, recommends that there must be synergy between convergence and divergence to ensure appropriate solutions to challenges in engineering education.
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    Engineering education and individualism : the quest for individual excellence
    (The World Academy of Research in Science and Engineering, 2021-11) Fomunyam, Kehdinga George
    Engineering has been a discipline that is different from others as a result of various reasons. First, it is old as human civilization, and it has always been over the years. Excellence has over the years been a word common to institutions of learning as it has been a major part of most institutions vision and mission statement. This is not only limited to the academic institution as people have demonstrated excellence across various fields of human endeavour. Excellence is a defining character that sets individuals apart from others and it can be gotten by fulfilling certain standards that confer a mark of exceptionality on people. One of the most notable authors on individualism opined that it is an aspect of culture that is related with traits like independence and taking care of oneself. Findings from the study revealed that individual excellence gives specificity to the concept of excellence as it focuses on the individual. Thus, it was important to analyse individual excellence in engineering education using individualism and in doing this, some defining element in individualism were conceptualized for achieving individual excellence in engineering education. The study therefore recommended that to ensure the relevance of the distinction and excellence individualism offer, it must be subject to empirical verification.