Rate My Professor Simon Howell

Simon Howell is a Lecturer in the School of Engineering and Built Environment at Griffith University, serving as the Engineering First Year Coordinator on the Gold Coast campus. In this capacity, he coordinates introductory engineering programs, focusing on developing students' professional practice and employability skills from their first year. He convenes courses such as Engineering Design Practice (1022ENG) and contributes to the Engineering Professional Practice and Employability Skills Stream for undergraduates. Howell's teaching emphasizes practical design activities, self-reflection through ePortfolios, and integration of real-world engineering challenges to build foundational competencies.

Howell's research specializes in engineering education, particularly employability, engineering identity, student perceptions of learning experiences, and effective pedagogical strategies. His publications explore these themes, including 'Exploring changes in perceived employability in Australian engineering undergraduates: A pilot study' (2024), 'Academics' perception of final examinations in engineering education' (2024, with I. Gratchev et al.), 'Independent and creative learning in a Digital Electronics course' (2023, with Y. Zhu et al.), 'Engineering Identity and Attitudes to Engineering Professional Practice: A Pilot Study' (2024, with S. Hodge and W. Hall), and 'Student Perceptions of Introductory Design Activities' (2022). He has also contributed to earlier work on integrated professional practice initiatives and sustainability in engineering curricula. In 2018, Howell was part of a team awarded a group Sustainability Award at Griffith University by Dr. Graham Jenkins and Associate Professor Wayne Hall. His presentations at Australasian Association for Engineering Education conferences further disseminate his findings, impacting student-centered approaches in engineering programs.