Addressing global sustainability challenges: a qualitative study on factors that promote transformative learning in engineering students

Engineers play crucial roles in helping overcome complex global challenges. These include challenges related to energy, environment, security, health, social and population growth issues which could threaten the sustainability of life on the planet. The complexity and scope of these challenges place ever increasing demands on the training of engineers. Embracing a more holistic approach that includes both informational and transformational aspects of learning may prove key in equipping engineers capable of leading the way in meeting and overcoming these challenges. This study focuses on the transformational aspect of learning. A qualitative study was conducted on participants from an Engineering School in Malaysia which had adopted the CDIO framework in its curriculum as well as provided its students with the opportunity of being voluntarily involved in the Grand Challenges Scholars Program. There were also ample opportunities for students to participate in extracurricular activities. The aim of this study was to identify the factors that promoted transformative learning in students. These factors were found to be the breaking out of comfort zones, having crucial learning experiences and in staying motivated throughout the process. A variety of subthemes clustered under each of these main themes or factors. The transformative learning outcomes enabled by these factors were found to be new and different ways of thinking, improved people and relational skills, made project management ability second nature and improved resilience. Such qualities would be useful in addressing global sustainability challenges and consistent with education for sustainable development and global citizenship.