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"Engineering education"

A synthesis of nearly 2,000 articles to help make engineers better educators While a significant body of knowledge has evolved in the field of engineering education over the years, much of the published information has been restricted to scholarly journals and has not found a broad audience. This publication rectifies that situation by reviewing the findings of nearly 2,000 scholarly articles to help engineers become better educators, devise more effective curricula, and be more effective leaders and advocates in curriculum and research development. The author's first objective is to provide an illustrative review of research and development in engineering education since 1960. His second objective is, with the examples given, to encourage the practice of classroom assessment and research, and his third objective is to promote the idea of curriculum leadership. The publication is divided into four main parts: • Part I demonstrates how the underpinnings of education-history, philosophy, psychology, sociology-determine the aims and objectives of the curriculum and the curriculum's internal structure, which integrates assessment, content, teaching, and learning • Part II focuses on the curriculum itself, considering such key issues as content organization, trends, and change. A chapter on interdisciplinary and integrated study and a chapter on project and problem-based models of curriculum are included • Part III examines problem solving, creativity, and design • Part IV delves into teaching, assessment, and evaluation, beginning with a chapter on the lecture, cooperative learning, and teamwork The book ends with a brief, insightful forecast of the future of engineering education. Because this is a practical tool and reference for engineers, each chapter is self-contained and may be read independently of the others. Unlike other works in engineering education, which are generally intended for educational researchers, this publication is written not only for researchers in the field of engineering education, but also for all engineers who teach. All readers acquire a host of practical skills and knowledge in the fields of learning, philosophy, sociology, and history as they specifically apply to the process of engineering curriculum improvement and evaluation. © 2005 by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. All rights reserved.

Business skills, particularly in the areas of science, engineering and technology (SET) and small firm development are becoming increasingly important. The vocational skills student learns can be augmented by an understanding of how business operates as well as an appreciation that enterprise skills can be applied within an organisation i.e. acting as an “intrapreneur”. Universities prepare students for many of the “professions” such as medicine, engineering, law and accountancy. Many other disciplines such as healthcare, social sciences and the sciences also require a professional attitude to be adopted. However, new graduates generally begin their post-university career in a form of apprenticeship where their professional skills are developed, often via a pre-registration period before achieving, for example, for engineers, chartered status. After that stage is reached, and with a few years work experience, they may move on to form practices or partnerships of their own. Based on the principle that business skills development, particularly in the SET disciplines, is likely to have a positive impact on the competitiveness of existing SET organisations, as well as encourage the creation of new, innovative knowledge firms, this paper aims to document the experience of introducing and embedding entrepreneurship education into vocational disciplines at Heriot-Watt University, with a key objective being to provide a model which other institutions may find useful. © 2004, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Employers attempt to shape employees' work identities through the organisation of work. However, they are partly constrained by employee expectations related to education and training, the occupational structure and the labour market. Employees, individually and collectively, also attempt to influence how their work is performed and play an active role in shaping their own work identities. Work identities are therefore influenced both by structural factors and the agency of employers and employees. This article concentrates upon how individuals working in engineering seek to shape their own work identities. An overview of the broad structural context of working in engineering and metal working in France, Germany, Spain and the UK is given, followed by an outline of how employers sought to shape work identities. © 2004, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

This paper examines the way the Japanese education system strategically channels talent towards its elite universities, turning out a high proportion of engineers and architects for the construction industry. At the same time, it provides limited education for construction workers and technicians in public vocational institutes and technical colleges, preferring to turn out a highly educated workforce of generalists who are trained for specific jobs by employers through the training centres of large firms, private vocational institutes, or on-the-job training by smaller subcontractors. © 2003, MCB UP Limited

Due to the increasing need for an understanding of technology and engineering for individuals in management positions, a familiarity with both business and engineering principles, as well as their interdependence, is required. This paper is a study of the academic opportunities offered by selected colleges and universities to prepare students to become business leaders in fields that require the systematic and efficient solution of technological problems. It first describes the categories of programs offered, along with descriptive examples, and then focuses on a unique program offered at Bucknell University. The strengths of these programs are highlighted and suggestions for improvement are given for developing the most effective program.

The University of Ulster places a strong emphasis on vocational education and work-based learning. Furthermore, the Faculty of Informatics has recognised achievements in technology transfer and industrial collaboration. This paper outlines how the industrial partnerships forged and experiences gained through these ventures have been utilised in the design, delivery and assessment of an undergraduate module in entrepreneurship. Different models for incorporating entrepreneurial skills will be explored including: Classroom based teaching, learning and assessment; Support for students in industrial placement through the use of a Virtual Learning Environment (WebCT); Development of a portfolio of professional competencies; highlighting the merits and problems associated with each.

A Student Exchange Program began with four students from Germany visiting Siemens-Westinghouse and the University of Central Florida in Summer, 1999, as an initiative from Siemens training officials in Muelheim, Germany. In Summer 2000, a program with four German apprentices coming to the U.S. and four U.S. interns working and studying in Germany was very successful. The initial UCF students continued part-time work at Siemens during their senior year and were offered full-time employment upon graduation. Not only did the German students complete their work, but some of them returned for employment in the U.S. Siemens, as a multinational enterprise, is preparing technologists and engineers to understand product design and manufacturing for integrated systems in international markets. Students will benefit from an understanding of the systems, standards, and cultures involved. The internship model being developed uses the best from the German and U.S. systems and merits further study and implementation.

A Student Exchange Program began with four students from Germany visiting Siemens-Westinghouse and the University of Central Florida in Summer, 1999, as an initiative from Siemens training officials in Muelheim, Germany. In Summer 2000, a program with four German apprentices coming to the U.S. and four U.S. interns working and studying in Germany was very successful. The initial UCF students continued part-time work at Siemens during their senior year and were offered full-time employment upon graduation. Not only did the German students complete their work, but some of them returned for employment in the U.S. Siemens, as a multinational enterprise, is preparing technologists and engineers to understand product design and manufacturing for integrated systems in international markets. Students will benefit from an understanding of the systems, standards, and cultures involved. The internship model being developed uses the best from the German and U.S. systems and merits further study and implementation.

There are number of advantages to be gained from work experience programmes. For the enterprise they provide a cost effective source of skilled or semi-skilled labour and a means of screening potential employees. Whilst for the education institution they offer a ready source of practical experience for young people, enabling institutions to develop employability skills. Traditionally, work experience programmes formed part of a sandwich course in which a young person would spend a year in industry obtaining relevant work experience. However, the nature of these programmes are beginning to change in response to policy reforms in the education system and due to the demands of the workplace. This article presents the findings of a study that investigated how work experience programmes are coping with these pressures. Using a series of case studies it identifies how programmes in the field of engineering at the Further and Higher education level are responding to the varied needs of industry. Overall, the study finds that these programmes are undergoing changes and the traditional year-long sandwich programme, involving a year placement in industry, is not always the typical route followed by engineering students in the United Kingdom today. On a theoretical level the article argues that the market orientated reforms introduced into country’s education and training system over the past two decades, has done little to encourage industry-education links at FE or HE institutions. Moreover, when such links do occur they are a result of the innovative approaches adopted by individual departments, as well as the commitment of staff working in these institutes. © 2001 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

The benefits of incorporating the concepts of contextual learning and cognitive apprenticeships into a cross-functional safety curriculum within industrial technology, are discussed. Interactions between industrial technology disciplines can lead to a more efficient use of departmental resources across a larger number of classes. The safety students take the real-life challenges seriously because manufacturing faculty are interested in their suggestions and recommendations. Successful cross-curricula interactions can lead to experiences that are more realistic for the students and heightens interest level among students for content outside of their area of focus.