Learning By Teaching In Engineering Technology Education

Engineering technology professors usually receive little or no training in effective teaching methods. Most of them teach the same, ineffective way they were taught—by lecturing. This paper examines a method that can be used to actively engage students in their own learning: “learning by teaching.” A sophomore-level electronics engineering technology course was conducted so that most of the material was taught by the students themselves. They presented the material and evaluated each other’s mastery of it. This transfer of control from the professor to the students had several benefits: (1) more motivation to learn, (2) better understanding of the material, (3) development of important non-technical skills, and (4) surprising creativity that taught the professor as much as the students.