Active Learning, Community Engagement, and Soft Skills Development: Insights from Four Engineering Courses

Abstract

This paper investigates four engineering courses that incorporate active learning, community engagement, and soft skills development into their design. These elements, recognized as essential in engineering education, enhance learning by promoting practical skills, real-world problem-solving abilities, and community engagement. Using a qualitative methodology, the study combines program review, non-participant classroom observations, and interviews with teachers and students to identify key elements, examine practical implementation, and highlight strengths and challenges. The results reveal flexible, student-centered servicelearning designs tailored to diverse engineering contexts and communities, the integration of technical knowledge with real-world applications, and a strong focus on developing soft skills. However, challenges identified include low enrollment, limited institutional support, restricted opportunities for student reflection, and lack of feedback from community partners. This analysis provides practical insights into the strengths and limitations of integrating active learning, community engagement, and soft skills development into engineering courses and offers guidance for future curriculum design and implementation.