Workplace changes and engineering education reform

Ernst, Edward W.

doi:10.1109/fie.1996.573092

Cited by 7 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 1 publication

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“…To briefly summarize how we reached this point, consider the following. As described by Ernst [5], since the founding of the ASEE in 1893, practically every decade has witnessed a major study of engineering education that collectively has shifted the focus from course content to the development of students as emerging professionals. Yet, even at that initial ASEE meeting, William H. Burr, professor of civil engineering at the Columbia College School of Mines stated, "The first and fundamental requisite in the ideal education of young engineers, a broad, liberal education in philosophy and the arts, is a precedent to the purely professional training" [6].…”

Section: Evolution Of the Professional Skillsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The ABET “Professional Skills” - Can They Be Taught? Can They Be Assessed?

Shuman

Besterfield‐Sacre

McGourty

2005

Journal of Engineering Education

882

723

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In developing its new engineering accreditation criteria, ABET reaffirmed a set of “hard” engineering skills while introducing a second, equally important, set of six “professional” skills. These latter skills include communication, teamwork, and understanding ethics and professionalism, which we label process skills, and engineering within a global and societal context, lifelong learning, and a knowledge of contemporary issues, which we designate as awareness skills. We review these skills with an emphasis on how they can be taught, or more correctly learned, citing a number of examples of successful and/or promising implementations. We then examine the difficult issue of assessing these skills. We are very positive about a number of creative ways that these skills are being learned, particularly at institutions that are turning to global and/or service learning in combination with engineering design projects to teach and reinforce outcome combinations. We are also encouraged by work directed at assessing these skills, but recognize that there is considerable research that remains to be done.

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Section: Evolution Of the Professional Skillsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The ABET “Professional Skills” - Can They Be Taught? Can They Be Assessed?

Shuman

Besterfield‐Sacre

McGourty

2005

Journal of Engineering Education

882

723

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“…[3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17] Such integration is necessary in order to prepare students to work successfully in a global, diversified workplace. 18 However, the means to integrate communication skills into the curriculum is still open to debate. A review of the Journal of Engineering Education over the past five years reveals that some universities have chosen a Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) or Writing in the Disciplines (WID) emphasis, 4,[6][7][8][9]11,12,16 which sometimes includes cross-disciplinary team teaching.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Integrating Writing Instruction into Engineering Courses: A Writing Center Model

Walker

2000

J of Engineering Edu

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Engineering students often have difficulty learning how to write laboratory reports in their field. To assist students with this learning process and teach them writing strategies that will prove helpful in the workplace, a writing center was established in the Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) Department at the University of South Carolina. There, consultants trained in technical writing work closely with ECE faculty members and teaching assistants to create a supportive network for students as they draft reports, including discussions during recitation periods, team consultations, and individual consultations. This paper presents a theoretical framework for the writing center program, as well as specific writing strategies that have proven helpful. Assessment methods and feedback from faculty and students about the success of the program are presented as well.

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“…6,7,8,9 Global competition and the end of the cold war have led to a rising number of US businesses providing services instead of manufacturing a product. 10 Shuman et al argue that these characteristics are even more prevalent now because of rapid technology changes, more corporate downsizing, and outsourcing (local and global). The authors argue that outsourcing in particular means that US engineering graduates need to provide a marketplace value that justifies their higher salaries as compared to global competitors.…”

Section: Column 1 Ofmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The remaining graduates go into diverse career areas including marketing, financial services, management, and other sectors not traditionally recognized as part of the engineering workplace. 10 However, Russel, Stouffer, and Walesh argue that undergraduate programs do not fully prepare these students for management and leadership positions.…”

Section: Column 1 Ofmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Along with changing the content of the undergraduate curriculum, Ernst suggests that the method of teaching engineering is also altered so that technical content is no longer isolated from the non-technical context; the two are intertwined to enable the engineer to have both the social aptitude to recognize a problem and the technical skill to resolve it. 10 Kulacki suggests that this proposed undergraduate engineering paradigm will change how professional registration is obtained. 11 First, the student gains a baccalaureate degree in engineering and is given the status of Engineer-In-Training (EIT).…”

Section: Possible Educational Solutionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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