What Factors Drive the Improvement of Students' Cross-Disciplinary Innovation Competencies in Engineering-Education Intersection? A Comparative Study of Blended Curriculum Models

Abstract

Against the backdrop of the deep integration of engineering technology and educational innovation, the cultivation of students’ cross-disciplinary innovation competencies has become a core goal of higher education reform. However, empirical research on the effectiveness of blended curriculum models in the engineering-education intersection discipline is still scarce. This study takes three universities in East Asia and Europe as research objects, adopts a mixed research method combining one-way ANOVA and structural equation modeling (SEM), and explores the key variables affecting students’ cross-disciplinary innovation competencies in engineering-education intersection programs by comparing the competency differences of students under different blended curriculum models. The study identifies six potential influencing variables: the proportion of project-based learning (PBL) in engineering courses, the number of educational technology integration practice courses, participation in industry-education collaborative innovation internships, the frequency of cross-disciplinary student team collaboration, the implementation of engineering-education interdisciplinary team teaching, and the use of intelligent teaching evaluation tools. The results show that industry-education collaborative innovation internships (β = 0.426 , p < 0.001 ) and educational technology integration practice courses (β = 0.389, p < 0.001) have the most significant positive effects on students’cross-disciplinary innovation competencies, followed by the proportion of PBL in engineering courses (β = 0.278, p < 0.01) and intelligent teaching evaluation tools (β = 0.215, p < 0.05). The frequency of cross-disciplinary team collaboration and interdisciplinary team teaching have no direct significant effect but play a significant moderating role in the above core variables. The research conclusions are verified in universities with different educational systems and cultural backgrounds, showing high objectivity and universality. This study constructs a “practice-driven, technology-supported” curriculum design framework for the engineering-education intersection discipline, which provides a theoretical basis and practical reference for the cultivation of cross-disciplinary innovation talents in related fields.