Holistic Engineering Education (eBook)

Beyond Technology

Domenico Grasso, Melody Burkins (Herausgeber)

eBook Download: PDF

2010 | 2010
XX, 301 Seiten
Springer New York (Verlag)
978-1-4419-1393-7 (ISBN)

Infos

Holistic Engineering Education: Beyond Technology is a compilation of coordinated and focused essays from world leaders in the engineering profession who are dedicated to a transformation of engineering education and practice. The contributors define a new and holistic approach to education and practice that captures the creativity, interdisciplinarity, complexity, and adaptability required for the profession to grow and truly serve global needs. With few exceptions today, engineering students and professionals continue to receive a traditional, technically-based education and training using curriculum models developed for early 20th century manufacturing and machining. While this educational paradigm has served engineering well, helping engineers create awe-inspiring machines and technologies for society, the coursework and expectations of most engineering programs eschew breadth and intellectual exploration to focus on consistent technological precision and study. Why this dichotomy?

While engineering will always need precise technological skill, the 21st century innovation economy demands a new professional perspective that recognizes the value of complex systems thinking, cross-disciplinary collaborations, economic and environmental impacts (sustainability), and effective communication to global and community leaders, thus enabling engineers to consider 'the whole patient' of society's needs. The goal of this book is to inspire, lead, and guide this critically needed transformation of engineering education.

'Holistic Engineering Education: Beyond Technology points the way to a transformation of engineering education and practice that will be sufficiently robust, flexible, and systems-oriented to meet the grand challenges of the 21^st century with their ever-increasing scale, complexity, and transdisciplinary nature.'

-- Charles Vest, President, National Academy of Engineering; President Emeritus, MIT

'This collection of essays provides compelling arguments for the need of an engineering education that prepares engineers for the problems of the 21^st century. Following the National Academy's report on the Engineer of 2020, this book brings together experts who make the case for an engineering profession that looks beyond developing just cool technologies and more into creating solutions that can address important problems to benefit real people.'

-- Linda Katehi, Chancellor, University of California at Davis

'This superb volume offers a provocative portrait of the exciting future of engineering education...A dramatically new form of engineering education is needed that recognizes this field as a liberal art, as a profession that combines equal parts technical rigor and creative design...The authors challenge the next generation to engineering educators to imagine, think and act in new ways. '  

-- Lee S. Shulman, President Emeritus, The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and Charles E. Ducommun Professor of Education Emeritus, Stanford University

---

Holistic Engineering Education: Beyond Technology is a compilation of coordinated and focused essays from world leaders in the engineering profession who are dedicated to a transformation of engineering education and practice. The contributors define a new and holistic approach to education and practice that captures the creativity, interdisciplinarity, complexity, and adaptability required for the profession to grow and truly serve global needs. With few exceptions today, engineering students and professionals continue to receive a traditional, technically-based education and training using curriculum models developed for early 20th century manufacturing and machining. While this educational paradigm has served engineering well, helping engineers create awe-inspiring machines and technologies for society, the coursework and expectations of most engineering programs eschew breadth and intellectual exploration to focus on consistent technological precision and study. Why this dichotomy? While engineering will always need precise technological skill, the 21st century innovation economy demands a new professional perspective that recognizes the value of complex systems thinking, cross-disciplinary collaborations, economic and environmental impacts (sustainability), and effective communication to global and community leaders, thus enabling engineers to consider "e;the whole patient"e; of society's needs. The goal of this book is to inspire, lead, and guide this critically needed transformation of engineering education. "e;Holistic Engineering Education: Beyond Technology points the way to a transformation of engineering education and practice that will be sufficiently robust, flexible, and systems-oriented to meet the grand challenges of the 21st century with their ever-increasing scale, complexity, and transdisciplinary nature."e;-- Charles Vest, President, National Academy of Engineering; President Emeritus, MIT"e;This collection of essays provides compelling arguments for the need of an engineering education that prepares engineers for the problems of the 21st century. Following the National Academy s report on the Engineer of 2020, this book brings together experts who make the case for an engineering profession that looks beyond developing just cool technologies and more into creating solutions that can address important problems to benefit real people."e;-- Linda Katehi, Chancellor, University of California at Davis"e;This superb volume offers a provocative portrait of the exciting future of engineering education A dramatically new form of engineering education is needed that recognizes this field as a liberal art, as a profession that combines equal parts technical rigor and creative design The authors challenge the next generation to engineering educators to imagine, think and act in new ways. "e;  -- Lee S. Shulman, President Emeritus, The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and Charles E. Ducommun Professor of Education Emeritus, Stanford University

Inhalt

Biographical Sketch 7
Forewords 9
Contents 14
Contributors 16
1 Beyond Technology: The Holistic Advantage 19
2 Holistic Engineering 29
3 Engineering for a Changing World 34
The Challenges to American Engineering 34
Engineering Practice 35
Engineering Research 35
Engineering Education 36
A Framework for Change 38
Transforming the Profession 40
Expanding the Engineering Knowledge Base 41
Transforming Engineering Education 42
Concluding Remarks 49
References 51
4 K-12 Engineering the Missing Core Discipline 53
The Missing Core Discipline 53
Why Should Engineering Be Part of the Core Curriculum? 55
Technological Literacy is Basic Literacy 55
Engineering Promotes Problem Solving and Project-Based Learning 55
Engineering Makes Math and Science Relevant 56
Engineering as a Career 57
Navigating in a Three-Dimensional World 59
The Transformational Moment 60
Expanding to the National Level 61
Advocacy and Support 61
Curriculum Development 62
Professional Development 62
Challenges 62
Moving Forward 63
Standard Development and Assessment 64
Funding 64
Teacher Preparation 64
Facilities 64
Textbooks 65
Changing the Culture 65
Conclusion 65
Suggested Reading 65
5 Liberal Arts and Engineering 68
Introduction 68
Personal Story 70
Engineering and the Liberal Arts Colleges 73
Smith and Union Colleges 76
Engineering as a Liberal Art 80
Conclusion 80
References 81
6 What Is Happening in Liberal Education? 83
Works Cited 93
7 Holistic Engineering and Educational Reform 94
Introduction 94
Background 98
Educational Innovation 101
Summary 104
References 105
8 Beyond Systems Engineering Educational Approaches for the 21st Century 106
9 The Education of an Engineer in a Holistic Age: A Latin American Perspective 111
Models for Engineering Education in Latin America 113
Creating the Holistic Engineer 114
The Future of Engineering Education: Holistic Approaches, Life-Long Learning, and the Importance of Design 115
Curriculum Proposal 116
The Need for Core Competencies 119
Beyond the Students Holistic Engineering Professors 122
10 On the Cultivation of Innovative Engineering Talent 124
Fundamental Characteristics of 21st Century Engineering 124
Engineers and Innovation 125
Achieving Balance 126
The Importance of Design 126
Existing Challenges in Engineering Education 127
The Challenge of Implementing a Comprehensive Curriculum 128
The Challenge of Promoting Innovation 128
The Challenge of Early Overspecialization 129
The Challenge of Creating Successful University--Industry--Government Partnerships 129
Opportunities 130
Best Practices to Train and Cultivate Engineering Talent in China 130
''Mixed Class'' Program 130
Zhukezhen Honors College 131
''Advanced Class of Engineering Education'' 131
''Intensive Training Program on Innovation and Entrepreneurship'' 131
Long Schooling and Flexible Schooling 132
Four-Term Academic Years 133
Continuing Education Leadership 133
International Experience 134
Real-World Project Experience and Co-operatives 134
Conclusion 135
11 International Education and Holistic Thinking for Engineers 136
Some Important Models 137
The WPI Model 138
The Global Perspective Program 139
Some Model Global Projects 141
Requirements and Challenges for this Type of International Program 144
Conclusion 145
References 146
12 Engineering Value Propositions: Professionaland Personal Needs 147
Engineers Are Value Creators 147
The Challenge and the Opportunity: The New Economy Engineer 148
Engineering Customer (Professional) Value Propositions 149
Engineering Personal Value Propositions 150
Closing Thoughts: The New Academy Engineer 153
References 153
13 The Missing Basics and Other Philosophical Reflections for the Transformation of Engineering Education 155
Introduction 155
Cold War Curriculum Meets Senior Design 156
Seven Failures of Engineering Education and the Missing Basics 157
Removing Conceptual Hurdles to the Missing Basics 159
A Cold War Curriculum in an Internet World 159
The Forces Shaping the Cold War Curriculum After World War II 160
The Missed Revolutions 160
Our Creative Era 160
Kuhn, Paradigms, and all That 161
Is Engineering Merely Applied Science? 162
Engineering Academics Do Believe That Engineering Is Merely Applied Science 163
An Analysis of the Term ''Merely'' 163
A View from Engineering Practice 164
Why Philosophy? Why Now? 165
References 167
14 Dispelling the Myths of Holistic Engineering 169
The Myth of a Watered-Down Education 170
The Myth of Technological Supremacy 171
The Myth of Specialization 172
The Myth of Public Peril 173
The Myth of Institutional Inertia 173
The Holistic Advantage 174
15 The Practice of Systems Engineering: A Foundationfor Technical Leadership 176
What Is Systems Engineering? 177
An Analogy to Business Leadership 177
Why Do We Care About Systems Engineering and Technical Leadership? 178
Case: Project Establishment for the Global Positioning System 179
Transformational Effect 179
Advocacy and Leadership 180
Consensus Building and Decision-Making 180
Uncertainty and Cost Risk 181
Architecting as Systems Engineering and Technical Leadership 181
Case: Modernizing Ground Systems That Support Satellite Operations 182
Evolving System Architectures 184
Backwards Compatibility 184
Architecting for Transformational Effect 185
Case: Improve Timeliness of Weather Data 185
Non-technical Solutions 186
Innovation and Project Origination 187
Technical Leadership in Guiding Projects to Their Ultimate Aim 187
Systems Engineering Tools for Addressing Program Risk 190
Conceptual Design Tools and the Concept Design Center 191
Mission Assurance Tools 194
Software Process Modeling 197
Engineering Ethics Realities of an Imperfect World 199
Where Are the Next Systems Engineering Challenges? 200
Conclusion 202
References 203
16 Holistic Systems Integration 205
Introduction 205
Broadening the Scope of Systems Integration Implications for Systems Engineering 207
Complex Adaptive Systems 208
Understanding Complex Systems Engineering Environments 209
Profiler Structure 209
Addressing Uncertainty and Complexity 213
Building Systems That Work Together 214
Layered Architectures, Loose Couplers, and Bowties 215
Composable Capabilities on Demand 218
Enterprise-Scale Skills 220
Enterprise Systems Engineering 221
Engineering Skills for the 21st Century 222
Applying Enterprise-Scale Skills 223
Enterprise Engineering Leadership 224
Impacts on Engineering Skill Development 227
Governance 227
Grant Authority and Assign Accountability 228
Define Expectations 229
Verify Performance 230
Good Governance Enables Program Management 231
Conclusion 231
Bibliography 232
17 Engineers of Tomorrow: Holistic-Thinking System Engineers 234
Introduction 234
Background 234
Defining the Issues 236
Issue 1 -- Filling the Pipeline 236
Current Situation 236
Integration of the Factors 238
Issue 2 -- Need for Holistic Engineers 238
Current Situation 238
Systems Engineering and Holistic Engineers 240
Proposed Solutions 241
Recommendations for Issue 1: Filling the Pipeline 243
Recommendations for Issue 2 -- Need for Holistic Engineers: Preparing Enlightened, Holistic System Engineers 245
Concluding Remarks 247
18 Collaborative Innovation and Service Systems 249
Introduction: Growth and Collaborative Innovation 249
Implications for Institutions: Nations and Businesses 250
The Three Drivers 250
The Changing Nature of Innovation 252
The Innovation--Commoditization Cycle Dilemma 253
Professions in a Knowledge-Intensive Service Economy 254
Higher Education in a Knowledge-Intensive Service Economy 256
R& D Investment in a Knowledge-Intensive Service Economy
Succeeding in Collaborative Innovation 259
Implications for Disciplines: Science and Engineering 263
Growing Number of Disciplines 263
Reasoning About the ''Shape'' of Professionals 265
Understanding Terminology Related to Disciplinary Relationships 266
Service Science 268
Holistic Engineering 271
Succeeding in Collaborative Innovation 272
Concluding Remarks 273
References 274
19 Technology and Policy 276
Building and Sustaining a Program in Technology and Policy 277
Undergraduate Programs in Technology and Policy 280
Graduate Education and Research in Technology and Policy 282
Jobs for Students in Technology and Policy 283
Key Programs and Their Evolution in Technology and Policy 284
Impacts 285
Subject Index 287

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 1.3.2010
• Zusatzinfo: XX, 301 p.
• Verlagsort: New York
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Mathematik / Informatik ► Informatik ► Theorie / Studium
• Themenwelt: Naturwissenschaften ► Physik / Astronomie ► Thermodynamik
• Themenwelt: Sozialwissenschaften ► Pädagogik
• Themenwelt: Sozialwissenschaften ► Politik / Verwaltung
• Themenwelt: Technik
• Schlagworte: Complexity • Complex Systems • complex systems education • Education • engineering curriculum • engineering education transformation • Green Engineering • green engineering education • Holistic Engineering • Profession • rethinking Eng • rethinking Engineering Education • Sustainability Engineering • sustainable engineering • teaching engineering • Unity of Knowledge
• ISBN-10: 1-4419-1393-9 / 1441913939
• ISBN-13: 978-1-4419-1393-7 / 9781441913937