Transcript Results from a Survey of NAE Frontiers of Engineering Alumni

National Academy of Engineering
of the National Academies
Phase II: Educating the 2020 Engineer
• Phase II: Adapting
Engineering Education
to the New Century
. . . NAE Summit of 100+
current and emerging leaders
in engineering and
engineering educators to lay
out what will or should
engineering education be like
today, or in the near future to
prepare the next generation of
students for effective
engagements in the
engineering profession in 2020
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National Academy of Engineering
of the National Academies
Characteristics of the 2020 Engineer
–
–
–
–
–
–
Technically proficient
Innovative
Broadly Educated
Flexible
Ethically grounded
Prepared to work in a rapidly changing global
economy
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National Academy of Engineering
of the National Academies
Characteristics of the 2020 Engineer
• Prepared to contend with emerging advances such as
biotechnology, nanotechnology, information and
communications technology, material science, Photonics
and other unanticipated technologies
• Possessing a systems perspective to enable collaboration
with multidisciplinary teams of technical experts
• Able to communicate with technical and public audiences
• Able to communicate using technology and an
understanding of the complexities associated with a global
market and social context
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National Academy of Engineering
of the National Academies
Guiding Strategies from the
Phase II Summit
• Engage in a comprehensive examination of the
“system of systems of engineering education”.
• Focus on levers for change.
• Pursue student-centered education.
• Develop engineering education research base.
• Communicate, Communicate, Communicate
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National Academy of Engineering
of the National Academies
System of Systems Review
• The teaching, learning and assessment
processes that move a student from one
state of knowledge to another state
• Student and teacher/faculty as primary
actors within the learning process
• Curriculum, laboratories, instructional
technologies, and other tools for teaching
and learning
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National Academy of Engineering
of the National Academies
System of Systems Review
• Goals and objectives of teachers/faculty,
departments, colleges, accreditors, employers, and
other stakeholders of engineering education
• The external environment that shapes the overall
demand for engineering education
• A process of revising goals and objectives as
technological advances and other changes occur
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National Academy of Engineering
of the National Academies
Focus on Levers for Change
•
•
•
•
Professional Societies
Engineering Faculty
Students
Others whose perspectives, imagination and
energies can help in designing,
implementing and assessing systems
changes to create desired outcomes
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National Academy of Engineering
of the National Academies
Pursue Student-Centered Education
• Address how students learn as well as what
they learn in order to ensure that student
learning outcomes focus on the performance
characteristics needed in future engineers
– Better alignment of curriculum
– Better alignment of faculty skill set with those
needed to deliver the desired curriculum in light
of the different learning styles of students
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National Academy of Engineering
of the National Academies
Develop Research Base
• Conduct research on how students learn
engineering to address issues related to
broadening participation, improving
retention of majors, creating courses for
non-majors and designing an alternative
engineering degree for students interested
in careers and public service opportunities
outside traditional engineering employment
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National Academy of Engineering
of the National Academies
Communicate, Communicate, Communicate
• To increase public awareness and
understanding of engineering
– Its social context and how engineering makes
contributions to our quality of life
– The values of engineering training for a variety
of tasks/challenges
– Its breadth and depth and expanding options
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National Academy of Engineering
of the National Academies
Selected Recommendations
Educating the
Engineer of 2020:
Adapting
Engineering Education
to the New Century
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National Academy of Engineering
of the National Academies
Recommendation
• Whatever other creative approaches are
taken in the 4-year engineering curriculum,
the essence of engineering - the iterative
process of designing, building, and testing should be taught from the earliest stages of
the curriculum, including the first year.
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National Academy of Engineering
of the National Academies
First Year Engineering Projects
Retention (%)
100
90
Caucasian Takers
Caucasian Non-Takers
90
86
80
82
79
Asian Takers
79
74
73
70
68
62
73
70
68
60
58
77
Asian Non-Takers
Latino Takers
64
61
60
59
Latino Non-Takers
African American Takers
54
50
50
44
44
African American NonTakers
40
Third
Fifth
Seventh
Semester of Engineering
Source: Knight, D. W., L. E. Carlson, and J. F. Sullivan. 2003. Staying in engineering: Impact of a
hands-on, team based, First-Year Projects course on student retention. In Proceedings of the 2003
American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition. Washington, DC:
American Society for Engineering Education.
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National Academy of Engineering
of the National Academies
Recommendation
• Four-year engineering schools must
accept it as their responsibility to work
with their local community colleges to
ensure effective articulation, as seamless
as possible, with their two-year
programs.
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National Academy of Engineering
of the National Academies
Recommendations
• The engineering education establishment should
participate in a coordinated national effort to
promote public understanding of engineering and
technology literacy of the public.
• Engineering schools and employers of engineers
should lend their energies to a national effort to
improving math, science, and engineering
education at the K-12 level.
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National Academy of Engineering
of the National Academies
Recommendations
• Though not addressed specifically in the
report, the opportunity exists for engineers
and engineering schools to enhance the
ability of schools to prepare students for
STEM disciplines by partnering with
schools of education on in-service and preservice education and training programs and
by engaging in outreach activities in the
community.
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National Academy of Engineering
of the National Academies
Guideposts for the Future
• Collaborations
– NSF Funded Coalitions
– Grand Challenges
– Programs sparked by industry, foundations
and/or professional societies
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National Academy of Engineering
of the National Academies
Guideposts for the Future
• Technologies for Collaborations
– Electronic technologies that enable sharing of ideas,
materials, and other resources relating to the
transformation of individual courses or labs,
departments, programs or institutions
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National Academy of Engineering
of the National Academies
Engineer of 2020 Initiative – Purdue Univ.
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