Engineering education

About: Engineering education is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 24293 publications have been published within this topic receiving 234621 citations.

Applying a constructivist and collaborative methodological approach in engineering education

Abstract: In this paper, a methodological educational proposal based on constructivism and collaborative learning theories is described. The suggested approach has been successfully applied to a subject entitled ''Computer Architecture and Engineering'' in a Computer Science degree in the University of La Laguna in Spain. This methodology is supported by two tools: the Moodle platform as a collaboration framework among students and teachers and a free Instruction Level Parallelism (ILP) processor simulator called SIMDE, developed by the authors to promote the experience and help the understanding of superscalar and VLIW processors. This work is described showing how the constructivist and collaborative approaches have been applied and how the activities have been structured temporarily in phases. This educational proposal has been validated and improved with the feedback of the students during two academic years. Furthermore, the methodological procedure is also suitable to be used not only in subjects with contents which require the understanding of dynamic situations but also in subjects with other requirements.

Engineers, development, and engineering education : From national to sustainable community development

Abstract: In October 2007, Norman Borlaug wrote in Science magazine that ‘more than 200 science journals throughout the world will simultaneously publish papers on global poverty and human development – a collaborative effort to increase awareness, interest, and research about these important issues of our time’. Borlaug, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and father of the green revolution, was demonstrating that the scientific community is at last taking questions seriously of sustainability and development. Borlaug's own contentious role in the history of ‘development,’ however, points to the complexity of the term and the contested role scientists and engineers have played in that history. As engineering education initiatives incorporating sustainable development practices proliferate, it becomes ever more important to understand the historical lessons of development and the contributions of engineers. This paper outlines a history of engineering practice and education in relationship to development, sustainable develo...

Visual learning for science and engineering

Abstract: This survey looks at visualization techniques used in science and engineering education to enhance student learning and encourage underrepresented students to pursue technical degrees. This article aims to encourage faculty in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) disciplines to use visual methods to communicate to their students. Visual learning is an important method for exploiting students' visual senses to enhance learning and engage their interest. This methodology also has the potential to increase the number of students in STEM fields, especially of women and minority students. A visual approach to science and engineering enhances communication. This visualization revolution shows that letting scientists engage the higher cognitive parts of the brain by thinking and communicating visually improved how they performed their research.

Challenges of engineering education and curriculum development in the context of the Bologna process

Abstract: The work of Activity 1 of the Thematic Network E4 “Employability through Innovative Curricula” on curriculum development issues has been guided by the intention to contribute to the establishment of a European Higher Education Area (EHEA) by addressing crucial aspects of harmonisation, compatibility and comparability. In due course the activities aspired to contribute to the enhancement of engineering education by encouraging diversity and innovative solutions to deal with a range of changing demands. Creative competitiveness and the strive for specific profiles of engineering qualifications on a high level of quality must be accompanied by the attempt to make diversity and quality transparent and comparable based on common terms. The article describes briefly various demands and discusses the challenges of the Bologna Process on the development of engineering education in Europe and how some of the meanwhile 45 signatory countries deal with it. Based on the published Outcomes of Activity 1 and referring ...

Effective teaching and learning in higher education, with particular reference to the undergraduate education of professional engineers

Abstract: This paper discusses current knowledge about effective teaching and learning in higher educationand the implications for undergraduate engineering education. The author considers that aspects ofthe traditional model of engineering education, such as the widespread use of lectures, theovercrowded content and the assessment methods used, do not lead to high quality learning.Problem-based learning is one approach to overcoming these deficiencies; its advantages arediscussed and some examples of its implementation are given.