Cognitive Competency-Based Technical and Engineering Education: A Systematic Review

Sahar Soufi; Mansureh Hajhosseini; Javad Pour Karimi; Ebrahim Alizadeh

Authors

Sahar Soufi PhD in Educational Psychology, Kish International Campus, University of Tehran, Tehran , Iran Author https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5666-869X
Mansureh Hajhosseini Associate Professor, Department of Educational Psychology, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6937-1609
Javad Pour Karimi Associate Professor, Department of Educational Management and Planning, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran. Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4599-9087
Ebrahim Alizadeh Assistant Professor, Counseling Psychology Department, Faculty of Education and Psychology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran. Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8040-4165

Keywords:

competency, cognitive competency, technical and engineering students, engineering students, engineering education, problem-based learning

Abstract

This systematic review aimed to identify, appraise, and synthesize prior research on cognitive competency-based technical and engineering education. A systematic search based on PRISMA was conducted across reputable scientific databases, including Web of Science, Scopus, IEEE Xplore, Google Scholar, Science Direct, and the Iranian database Noormags. Following the screening of 320 identified records, 15 studies meeting the inclusion criteria were selected for analysis. The findings indicate that cognitive competencies in engineering education are not a set of discrete and separable abilities, but rather an integrated and mutually constitutive network. Critical thinking, problem solving, working memory, cognitive flexibility, self-regulation, and emotion regulation are deployed simultaneously and in an intertwined manner in authentic professional situations, and their analytical separation yields a reductive account of engineering cognition. The present review further demonstrates that cognitive processes constitute the foundation of learning, and without them, deep, durable, and transferable learning does not take shape. Neglect of these processes results in the training of graduates with strong theoretical knowledge but limited applied capacity, particularly in complex and uncertainty-laden situations that necessitate the management of cognitive resources and decision-making under ambiguity. The present analysis also reveals that cognitive competencies are dynamic and context-bound in nature, taking shape through the interaction among the individual, the task, and the context; their assessment and cultivation therefore require a process-oriented, multi-wave, and context-sensitive approach. It is concluded that embedding agency, self-regulation, and cognitive competencies within the explicit objectives of the curriculum is not optional but imperative for enhancing the quality of engineering education and graduates' employability. The realization of this aim requires a holistic curricular architecture rather than an additive treatment of skills, so that the link between theoretical knowledge and practical application may be established.

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