Engineering: good for technology education?

Recent curriculum changes in the educational system of Australia have resulted in study options being available in Engineering for senior secondary students to use for university entrance. In other educational systems, Engineering is playing an increasingly important role, either as a stand-alone subject or as part of an integrated approach to Science, Mathematics and Technology. These developments raise questions about the relationship between Engineering and Technology education, some of which are explored in this paper

Teaching Software Engineering through Robotics

This paper presents a newly-developed robotics programming course and reports the initial results of software engineering education in robotics context. Robotics programming, as a multidisciplinary course, puts equal emphasis on software engineering and robotics. It teaches students proper software engineering -- in particular, modularity and documentation -- by having them implement four core robotics algorithms for an educational robot. To evaluate the effect of software engineering education in robotics context, we analyze pre- and post-class survey data and the four assignments our students completed for the course. The analysis suggests that the students acquired an understanding of software engineering techniques and principles

Game-Based Learning in Engineering Education

The new generation of undergraduates entering UK higher education have grown up with computer games of ever increasing sophistication. In this educational project a race game, Racing Academy, was developed to investigate how game technology and gaming communities could enhance undergraduate engineering education. The computer game embodied the principles of engineering dynamics to simulate and display in real time a car drag race in which students ‘designed’ their car by selecting an engine, tyres and gearbox from a set menu. The aim was to complete a set course in the minimum time and graphically display the dynamic performance in order to better understand the engineering system. The students and staff involved in this project provided extensive feedback on the exercise and identified the visual nature of game-based learning software as a positive feature that helped illustrate engineering dynamics. Game-based learning communities, organised around tutor groups, were seen as an excellent way of encouraging an element of competition in a small non-threatening environment while discussion forums based around Moodle provided efficient support for the large group of 160 students. Finally, learning through ‘doing’ in a game environment was proven to be a successful method of illustrating physical phenomena

Engineering programme structure requirements for Bologna compliance

In 1999 twenty nine European countries have signed the Bologna Declaration to establish a common European higher education system as for the year 2010. Engineering Ireland has decided that the education standard for the title of CEng and MIEI should be raised to Master Degree in engineering accredited by Engineers Ireland with effect from programmes completed in 2013”. This paper focuses on engineering programme structure in our school. Further discussions will be carried out to present the current engineering programmes in our school and the future vision to compliance with Bologna treaty

Sustainable design and the design curriculum

This paper reports on an initial study that begins the process of considering how design education should deal with the issue of sustainable design specifically in the context of the education of graduate designers in the fields of product, design engineering and interior design. Consideration is given to the development of the design curriculum and the design process. Further, a number of questions related to shaping the future of design and engineering education are also explored. The question this research seeks to address is whether sustainability, or more specifically sustainable design, should or can be an integral part of engineering/product design programmes or whether it should/or can be developed as a separate design discipline, perhaps as a postgraduate extension to the designer’s core skills set? The research also discusses the difference between, eco-design and sustainable design and the implications of the understanding of this difference for design education

Solid Freeform Fabrication Research In Engineering Education

Because Solid Freeform Fabrication (SFF) has an extremely wide range of potential applications, crossing traditional engineering and science boundaries, it is a technology that lends itself to multi-disciplinary activities and projects. SFF is an ideal mechanism to present scientific concepts including materials science and mechanics, as well as larger-scope engineering topics such as agile manufacturing. At Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE), we are using SFF technologies as a means to teach engineering concepts to undergraduate students through multidisciplinary research. MSOE was awarded a five-year grant under the NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program (EEC-9619715) to facilitate student exploration in the field of Solid Freeform Fabrication. Sixty undergraduates will participate in summer and academic year programs by the year 2001. Eighteen students from around the country have participated in the program to date, bringing with them a diverse background of university experience, skill level, and interests. Working closely with a faculty advisor possessing expertise in a particular research area, they have performed research on Solid Freeform Fabrication applications in the biomedical, aerospace, architectural, manufacturing, and electronics industries. Some ofthe keys to the success of this program include: • Hands-on access to Solid Freeform Fabrication equipment through the facilities ofthe MSOE Rapid Prototyping Center (SLA 250, LOM 2030, and FDM 1650). • Close partnerships of the students with faculty and industry mentors in specialized areas of expertise. • Teaming with other educational institutions. • Significant cross-pollination between projects; faculty from diverse departments. • Encouraging students to publish and present results at national conferences and symposia.Mechanical Engineerin

Creativity in Mass-Education Contexts

This paper discusses a learning framework (working title: ‘fog framework’) that has been developed in response to the challenge of teaching creative subjects in a mass-education context. The framework is an evolving one in the department of Design, Manufacture and Engineering Management (DMEM) in the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Strathclyde. The framework has been generated within the context of a level 3 undergraduate module. It is intended that the framework can be applied to any discipline in design or engineering and potentially further to any academic discipline concerned with developing creativity in a mass-education context

Middle school students' perceptions of engineering

This paper focuses on implementing engineering education in middle school classrooms (grade levels 7-9). One of the aims of the study was to foster students’ and teachers’ knowledge and understanding of engineering in society. Given the increasing importance of engineering in shaping our daily lives, it is imperative that we foster in students an interest and drive to participate in engineering education, increase their awareness of engineering as a career path, and inform them of the links between engineering and the enabling subjects, mathematics, science, and technology. Data for the study are drawn from five classes across three schools. Grade 7 students’ responded to initial whole class discussions on what is an engineer, what is engineering, what characteristics engineers require, engineers (family/friends) that they know, and subjects that may facilitate an engineering career. Students generally viewed engineers as creative, future-oriented, and artistic problem finders and solvers; planners and designers; “seekers” and inventors; and builders of constructions. Students also viewed engineers as adventurous, decisive, community-minded, reliable, and “smart.” In addition to a range of mathematics and science topics, students identified business studies, ICT, graphics, art, and history as facilitating careers in engineering. Although students displayed a broadened awareness of engineering than the existing research suggests, there was limited knowledge of various engineering fields and a strong perception of engineering as large construction