Showing papers on "Engineering education published in 1994"

Cooperative Learning in Technical Courses: Procedures, Pitfalls, and Payoffs.

Abstract: A longitudinal study of a cohort of engineering students has been conducted at North Carolina State University since 1990. The students were taught five chemical engineering courses in five consecutive semesters using several nontraditional instructional methods, including cooperative (team-based) learning. As part of the longitudinal study, procedures were adapted or devised for implementing cooperative learning in courses that stress quantitative problem solving. These procedures are summarized in this report. The objectives of the report are to offer ideas for using cooperative learning effectively in technical courses, to give advance warning of the problems that might arise when cooperative learning is implemented, and to provide assurances that the eventual benefits to both instructors and students amply justify the perseverance required to confront and overcome the problems. The report is divided into sections that include: (1) "Introduction: Elements of Cooperative Learning"; (2) "In-Class Exercises"; (3) "Out-Of-Class Exercises"; (4) "Issues and Answers"; and (5) "Conclusion." Contains 20 references. (LZ) l'eic*irici,****************.ir****:.:dr***,%--***i:*****::**** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. **************************************************** -**************** U A DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Reimarcn and imotovernenl EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIci document tuts been reproduced as eceiveo I rem tile person or Organization originating n Minor cnangeS nave been made 10 improve ,IP,OduCt.0,, [WON n points of v..* 0r Opon,onS stated in tniSdOC, mern do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy ' PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY al TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC!

Total Quality Management Applied to Engineering Education

Abstract: A methodology demonstration using Quality Function Deployment (QFD) as a tool to explore some key elements of higher education. QFD is most commonly applied in industrial settings where products are manufactured. This research applies QFD to a service, specifically engineering education. The goal of this research is, therefore, twofold. While exploring the quality of engineering education in a university setting, a new application of QFD was tried and tested. Considering the university students as the primary customers, the results of a nominal group technique session, along with interviews of faculty members and administrators were used to define “the voice of the customer”. QFD procedures and forms were used to analyse and scrutinize the specific areas of advising and teaching within the university. Recommendations were devised which range from a comprehensive instructor‐training programme to self‐help and mentor programmes by student groups.

Team learning for engineering students

Abstract: One of the top concerns on any recruiter's list is the amount of experience, if any, the new graduates being hired have had in working as part of a team. Aside from those students who have been involved in athletics, the concept of working as part of a team for a common goal is completely foreign to nearly all of our students. As an attempt to better prepare students for entry into a very team-oriented workplace after graduation and with the belief that cooperative team learning, in itself, has the potential for an enhanced learning experience, the format of a second semester junior electronics course was modified to accommodate pedagogical concepts more in line with team learning. This paper reports on the concepts implemented in this course and the results experienced to date (after three semesters of implementation). >

Technology management: educational trends

Abstract: Educational institutions are offering an increasing number of degree-granting programs to prepare engineers and scientists to move toward management responsibilities while maintaining identity in their technical backgrounds. These programs are offered under various titles including "engineering management", "engineering and management", "management of technology", "technology management", and several others. This paper presents the summary of the findings of a study conducted among those institutions. It is the fifth such study since the mid-1970s. The previous ones were conducted in 1977, 1981, 1985, and 1990. The paper reports on the trends and observations about the past, present and future of the educational aspects of this field. The term "engineering and technology management" is used as the representative title for the programs identified. >

Journal of Engineering Education Round Table: Reflections on the Grinter Report

Abstract: The Round Table is a new presentation format for the Journal of Engineering Education. The purpose of the Round Table is to present the comments of several distinguished indi­ viduals about a topic as well as their responses to the comments offered by their colleagues. For the initial Journal of Engineering Education Round Table we asked for reflections about the Grinter Report, published in September 1955. After a brief introduction to the topic of discussion, the invited participants present their views, and, then, respond to the remarks of their colleagues. The goal is two-fold: to pre­ sent a spectrum of views on the topic, and to provoke a discus­ sion of the topic by the community.

Systems engineering management: a framework for the development of a multidisciplinary discipline

Abstract: Systems engineering is a multidisciplinary function dedicated to controlling design so that all elements are integrated to provide an optimum, overall system/spl minus/as contrasted with the integration of optimized sub-elements. A systems engineer is a person who is capable of integrating knowledge from different disciplines and seeing problems with a "holistic view" by applying the "systems approach." Since no complex system is created by a single person, systems engineering is strongly linked to management. The question addressed in this paper is how can knowledge and skills in systems engineering management be developed through a formal training program. We describe a multidisciplinary framework for curricula planning in systems engineering and suggest that any formal program for such training should consist of the following five chapters: (1) basic studies, (2) disciplinary studies, (3) specific systems, (4) systems engineering concepts and tools, and, (5) management studies. We also advise that any multidisciplinary program of this nature should be established as a cooperative effort of an engineering school and a management school. >

The Challenge and promise of a Catholic university

Abstract: Contemporary Catholic higher education finds itself at a crucial crossroad. The issues are many and complex. How is the Catholic character of the university to be preserved and fostered while avoiding secularization on the one hand and insular sectarianism on the other? Must a majority of the faculty in a college or department be Catholic? How is Catholic to be defined in terms of culture, belief, or practice? What is the level of commitment to intellectual inquiry and the possibility of dissent that must be present on a Catholic campus? These are some of the issues that prompted Fr. Theodore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C., to write a position paper and invite 29 distinguished members of the faculty and administration at the University of Notre Dame to address as they strive to envision and create a great Catholic university. The contributors explore these issues from a wide variety of religious and academic perspectives, and although their backgrounds and fields of study differ widely, they agree on a number of points. First, a great Catholic university must begin by being a great university that is also Catholic. Second, the catholicity, or universality, of a Catholic university fosters the centrality of philosophy and particularly theology as legitimate intellectual concerns, especially as they challenge the disintegration and turmoil of our modern predicament. Finally, how a Catholic university is seen as a community of service is also examined in both its intellectual and practical applications. Throughout, these essays describe a university community where reason and faith intersect and reinforce each other as they grapple with all the problems that face the transmission and growth ofknowledge and the multiplication of new and complex moral problems.

Engineering education for the 21st century

Abstract: The engineering environment of the 21st century will require new engineers to handle ambiguity and chaos, to understand the design/process/manufacture path for a product, to balance independence and teamwork, and to combine the techno-scientific base with a societal context. This paper summarizes some of the specific activities and experiments currently underway at universities in the United States to provide new educational models. >

How Well Is Engineering Education Incorporating Societal Issues

Abstract: The formal undergraduate engineering curriculum of a leading North American university was examined in terms of the extent to which students learn to incorporate an understanding of how technology affects human life, society and the biosphere into engineering theory and design in order to ensure a greater compatibility between technology and its contexts. Faculty publications and theses were also examined. Given current economic, social and environmental trends and policies, the study shows cause for deep concern, while at the same time identifying a largely untapped potential for engineers to assist society in overcoming some of its current challenges while helping to reduce the drop-out rate and attract more persons to engineering.

Summary of innovations in electrical engineering curricula

Abstract: Two aspects of innovation in electrical engineering education are summarized: the membership and goals of the NSF Engineering Education Coalitions, and innovations implemented at individual schools. The latter summary results from responses to a survey of electrical engineering department heads. Responses from 35 schools were received; they are organized in this report under the categories of major program/curriculum revisions, curricular revisions, first-year experience, undergraduate engineering design experience, course innovations, and innovations in graduate education. Also reported are issues in electrical engineering education that merit attention, as reported by the department heads responding to the survey. >

Attracting young minority women to engineering and science: necessary characteristics for exemplary programs

Abstract: A national educational imperative has been issued to reverse the trend of declining numbers of students choosing to study engineering and science. Minority women are particularly underrepresented in engineering and science, but in order to reach this pool of talent, the special concerns that affect young minority women must be recognized and programs that deal with these concerns must be developed. One such program offered at The George Washington University (GW) and funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) from 1989 through 1993, utilizes computer technology and cooperative learning in a university setting to interest young minority women in engineering and science careers. As a result of the success of the GW/NSF program, a two-day working conference of experts was convened to determine the characteristics of exemplary programs that focus on this population. Outcomes from the conference included a criteria checklist, a program planning and self-evaluation guide, and suggestions for a national clearinghouse of information about exemplary programs designed to attract young minority women to engineering and science. >

Technology management: a brief review of the last 40 years and some thoughts on its future

Abstract: During the last 40 years, much progress has been made in engineering and technology management education. The situation has changed from a handful of degree-granting programs, mostly at the master's level, such as those at UCLA, Pittsburgh, Case Western, and the Rensselaer Institutes of technology, to over 100 in the US alone and another 54 abroad. Here, the author presents a brief review of the last 40 years of technology management as well as some of his thoughts on its future. >

Academic programs in computational science and engineering

Abstract: Outlines are given of various CSE (computational science and engineering) educational programs in the US. Traditional computer science, physical science, and engineering programs have not cross-trained their students beyond the college sophomore level. The education that occurs beyond this level tends to be ad hoc, on the job, and self-taught. CSE programs have risen out of a desire to remedy this situation. Although program specifics vary, the common thread is that they contain substantial computer science and engineering/science content. All the programs encompass more than one department, and most involve computer science. Ideally, students should learn most of the course material from two disciplines; since this is unreasonable, hard choices must be made as to what material to include. The descriptions presented illustrate the programs' diversity as well as their common approach, combining computer science, engineering, science, and applied mathematics in some way. Programs at the following universities are discussed: Clemson University, George Mason University, Mississippi State University, North Carolina University, Purdue University, Rennslaer Polytechnic Institute, Rice University, Stanford University, Syracuse University, University of California at Davis, University of California at San Diego, University of Michigan and University of Utah. >

Design and teamwork: a must for freshmen

Abstract: This paper presents the philosophy, content, and operation of a freshman-level course designed to introduce the basic principles of problem solving and decision making while the students are engaged in a semester-long design project One of the major components of this course is the incorporation of teamwork into every facet of student activity >

Getting at deep learning: a problem-based approach

Abstract: The use of aims and objectives in the design of an engineering education are reviewed, together with the approaches to learning adopted by students. Characteristics of degree courses which inhibit students achieving these aims and objectives are described. The mismatch between the aims in teaching and the reality of what students learn is then addressed. A problem-based learning course is described as a possible method of developing both higher level cognitive and personal and interpersonal skills, and the implications of such an approach are discussed. Details of the prerequisite courses are also presented. It is finally suggested that careful implementation of problem-based learning may be an approach to accommodate the expansion of Higher Education without a reduction in standards.

Professional Practice: A Topic for Engineering Research and Instruction

Abstract: Professional practice is considered as a much broader topic for inclusion in engineering curricula than traditionally associated with engineering design. Practicing engineers require a working knowledge of several non-engineering disciplines and must interact with people of a variety of backgrounds within a variety of organizational contexts. Engineers must develop the skills of problem solving and decision making for circumstances much broader than generally used in the engineering class room. Professional engineering practice in this broad context can be the subject of legitimate research and instruction. Case research methods are applicable to the exploratory study of engineering practice and the development of a knowledge base important to designing engineering curricula. Case instruction provides one method of dealing with topics at the boundaries of the engineering disciplines and in developing decision making skills that are fundamental to engineering practice. It is concluded that the engineering education community should explore new frameworks for research, instruction and the associated scholarship that address professional practice issues.

Tomorrows Engineering Education: The Aalborg Experiment

Abstract: SUMMARY The experiment with comprehensive project-organized and problem-based engineering education at Aalborg University has now lasted for 20 years. Several independent evaluations show that the graduates are more readily adaptable, with strong qualities in the field of problem-shooting, cooperation, communication and synthesizing project work. Also, their general theoretical and technical knowledge is relatively strong, while their weakness is their fundamentals and relatively low load of handbook knowledge.

Teams in Engineering Education.

Abstract: This report reviews the needs for teaming skills in the engineering workplace and discusses why these same skills can contribute to improving the educational process. The report also includes a Team Training Workbook that contains exercises designed to take teams of participants through the stages of team development and the principles of effective team performance. A Facilitator's Guide is included to provide instructors with additional information to help insure the success of the exercises in the Workbook. Teams in Engineering Education 4 Table of

Changes in Professional Degree Programs in the USA: An Environmental Analysis of Professional Education Requirements

Abstract: American universities, colleges and schools are uniformly moving toward modernisation and innovation in their academic programs. Nowhere is this more evident than in professional degree programs. The impetus behind the move is overall to produce quality graduates prepared for the changing environment and its demands of the 21st century. Another impetus is survival in the academic competition for students and revenue. A force that affects both impetuses is technology, both the technology of professional practice and the technology of educational delivery. This paper is in two parts. The first part provides a comparison of changes in four professional degree programs in U.S. institutions, Accounting and Engineering at the baccalaureate level, and Business and Law at the graduate level. The second describes early efforts in the application of “total quality management” to curriculum planning and implementation.

Computing in Analysis and Design in Structural Engineering Education, Practice and Registration: A View from the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying

Abstract: When taking the examinations for licensure as professional engineers, computers are not allowed. The knowledge tested on the Structural Engineering examinations are discussed with a sample problem to be presented later. The use of computers in administering the examinations is under review.

Government, Ideology and the University Curriculum in Greece.

Abstract: This article attempts initially to sketch the main forces that have been inhibiting transformations in Greek university education [1] and precluding any serious debate on key educational issues such as the curriculum, the organisation of studies and their European context. It then focuses on certain general trends in university curriculum developments, taking as points of reference four disparate disciplines. More precisely the question we shall try to tackle is to what extent the politics of governmental populism andstate patronage impinge on academic curricula.