Bridging the Gap: Fostering Practical Experience and Industry Impact in Engineering Education

Abstract

This study addresses a common gap that frequently obstructs the learning experience for a seamless transition from theoretical knowledge to real-world applications to produce value for student learning experience journey. The lack of hands-on experience has a negative influence, hindering and demising their understanding of the dynamic demands in the engineering sector. A deliberate educational intervention was devised to study and produce a transforming tool to the mentioned gap through utilization of an integrated hackathon. The event served as an immersive educational agenda, incorporating lectures, group activities, and innovative tasks, all within specified and tight timelines. The hackathon, themed "Understanding the Purpose of Learning," is associated with Sustainable Development Goal 9 (SDG9), and participants are to produce economical solutions that have an impact on the user community. Two coaches from various nations were strategically appointed for cross-institutional engagement and knowledge exchange. Students were asked to design and execute their own projects, which served as a tremendous accelerator for their learning journey, allowing them to apply theoretical principles in real-world applications. The hackathon had a dramatic impact, as participants left with increased confidence in applying theoretical knowledge to real world projects. Participants' enthusiasm and ability in constructing projects from scratch have clearly increased, rising from 23% prior to the event to 85% thereafter. This demonstrates that organizing hackathons is one of the most successful ways to improve engineering education by emphasizing the critical relevance of hands-on experience. This effort not only improves students' practical skills but also establishes a long-term accelerator, cultivating engineering graduates who are well-prepared for industry difficulties.