Integrating soft skills in the teaching of hard sciences at a private university: A preliminary study

This paper presents a study conducted in aprivate university in Malaysiaspecialisingin Engineering and Technology studies. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the preliminary findings of a study which examined to what extent the soft skills are being integrated in the teaching of Engineering courses by addressing the teaching approaches and examining the soft skills that are being emphasisedby lecturers. This study employed a mixed-method approach in data gathering, using questionnaire survey, group interviews and review of documents. The results show that the lecturersemphasised the following skills the most: communication skills, critical thinking and problem-solving skills and lifelong learning ability. The results also reveal that the teaching approaches most employed are cooperative learning, followed by problem-based learning and the teacher-centered approach. This paper concludes with recommendations on enhancing the effectiveness of teaching delivery in integrating soft skills in the teaching of Engineering courses. © Universiti Putra Malaysia Press.