Implementation Of Advanced Cognitive Processes In 21st-Century Engineering Education: A Review And Framework

Abstract

Engineering education in the 21st century must transcend the traditional focus on disciplinary content to foster advanced cognitive processes such as systems thinking, metacognition, adaptive expertise, and design cognition. This review synthesizes contemporary theoretical frameworks, pedagogical models, and empirical evidence on how cognitive science principles can be integrated into engineering curricula. The findings highlight active, problem-based, and reflective pedagogies as critical enablers of higher-order thinking. The paper proposes a framework, the Advanced Cognitive Implementation Model (ACIM), for embedding these processes at curricular, instructional, and assessment levels. The review concludes with implications for faculty development, institutional policy, and future research.