Development Of Engineering Related Minors For Non Engineering Students

Abstract

Many Americans lack even a rudimentary understanding of the principles underlying the technology essential for daily life. Engineering concepts are pervasive in decision making within industry, government, education, and health care, yet most decisions in these sectors are made by people with little or no formal engineering education. This research will develop minors to be offered by engineering units as an approach to developing technological competence in nonengineers. A collaboration between Iowa State University, Ohio State University, Hope College, and Rice University is building on the promising results achieved in the Minor in Engineering Studies Program at Iowa State. The project goal is to develop the concepts and resources to support model minors which can be adopted efficiently and widely within American higher education. To facilitate adoption by other institutions, flexibility is a key objective of the intended guidelines. Since the appropriateness of using the name engineering in the context of a minor is subject to debate, the specific name of minor should be part of that flexibility. These degrees do not focus on teaching specific engineering technical content but on teaching students how to think like an engineer. The minor aims to develop the broad understanding and practical technological competence outlined by the National Academy of Engineering in reports such as Technically Speaking. Thus decoupled from the engineering major, the Minor in Engineering Studies at Iowa has attracted students majoring in business, communications, journalism, and design. Minors provide a recognized credential deemed attractive by many students. This work will develop a set of Technological Literacy Objectives and Outcomes for such a minor. These outcomes will be similar to the ABET a-k outcomes that are used for engineering degrees, but will be focused on developing technologically literate citizens. The anticipated use of a standard set of outcomes rather than a standard series of courses, will allow flexibility for each institution to develop a minor or minors that is best suited to its local conditions, similar to the way engineering departments meet the ABET a-k requirements for engineering degrees.

Minors as a Means of Developing Technological and Engineering Literacy for Non-engineers

“…An Important question also studied is the extent to which potential employers view the minor as a valued set of knowledge or skills. This effort builds on the promising results and related experience at Hope College, Iowa State University, Ohio State University, and Rice University [8][9][10][11][12] .…”

Technological Literacy as an Element in the Structure, Assessment, and Evaluation of Engineering and Engineering Technology Degree Programs

“…Over the past ten years or so, teaching technological literacy has been recognized as an important topic. [1][2][3] Faculty members at universities and community colleges have developed courses 4 and minors 5,6 to help college students develop technological literacy. A review of papers submitted for Technological Literacy sessions at ASEE meetings shows a range of approaches, Page 25.1266.2…”

“…In college courses and programs, the primary emphasis has been on helping people who are not majoring in engineering or engineering technology develop technological literacy. 4,6 Majors need to be technologically literate as well. 22 Many dimensions of technological literacy can be linked to topics listed in both EAC ABET and TAC ABET criteria.…”