REVERSING THE ORDER OF THE ENGINEERING CURRICULUM
Erol İnelmen
Boğaziçi University, Bebek, Istanbul, TURKEY
{inelmen@boun.edu.tr}
ABSTRACT
There is an increasing reduction in the number of
university candidates applying for engineering education
in some institutions. This fact shows the dissatisfaction
for the content of the program and the prospects
perceived for the profession. We propose a radical
change in the curriculum that will attract candidates to
this career that requires more and more creative as its
basic ingredient.
KEYWORDS
curriculum design, engineering practice
1. INTRODUCTION
Our aim is to share our experiences while in engineering
education with the hope that in the coming years, reform
on the curriculum will take place. We start with the
premise that engineering education -as per today- does
not satisfy the expectations of neither the students nor
the instructors. Consequently we claim that to enhance
the quality of engineering education the order of the
curriculum must be reversed so that what we now teach
at the end must be covered in the early stages. During
the last decade we have gathered during our teaching
experience enough evidence to support our claim as it
will be argued in the following sections. We share in
this paper lessons learned while implementing new ideas
evolving from the literature available.
One of the most important realizations while teaching
engineering courses was to understand the need for a
system approach to education. From our previous
experience we can say that engineers are required to
bridge the gap between needs and means considering the
environment as a limited resource. Engineering practice
require close cooperation with other studies: economy,
law and sociology are as important as technology.
Respect for the environment –flora and fauna- is clear in
the need to recycle what we produce and then dispose.
There is no end to the needs –shelter, nutrition etc- but
we are constrained by the available means. We must
develop curricula that keep “appropriate technologies”
courses at the top of the agenda together with extracurriculum activities.
2. REFLECTION
We present here the chronological summary of our
previous published work that will help to support our
claim: the order of the engineering curriculum must be
changed so that early on in the program students will
have hand-on experience on the profession they have
selected and be willing to engage in training programs
outside the classroom. We do not what to suggest that
this is the only literature available, we want only to
share our own experiences which were reflected in these
publications. We started with defending our practice of
project based learning, but as we when along the years
the idea of active or engaged learning seemed more
attractive. At the current juncture we are for what is
known as “situated learning” as will be obvious for latter
publications.
3. DESCRIPTION
Currently engineering programs are very much tailored
according to the classical idea that “basic comes first”. If
we just take any engineering program -and in our case
mechanical for the author convenience- we see that
physics, chemistry and mathematics are the only courses
offered to the new candidate (See Appendix for METU
program simplified) during the first two years. This is
the “black hole” of the curriculum: the candidate is
expecting to be involved in creative work but must be
contended to solve problems that have been solved years
and years along and do experiments that have definite
solutions. It is only in the third year that the candidate
starts to feel the goodies of engineering but still in a very
abstract fashion
Based on the experience of the author and reflected in
the publications referred in the previous section we are
about to propose a mechanical engineering program that
is reversed: “last in, first out”. Basic courses are
postponed until the candidate has a pretty good idea
about what engineering is about. In order to suggest a
general pattern for all engineering programs we submit
at the end of this section a framework applicable to all
programs which reflects the idea behind the proposed
program to be expanded in the next section. As you can
see from the Appendix the candidate is first introduced
to general design using parameters concurrently with
numeracy (computers tools). Further on, the candidate is
required –as needed- to grasp the “nuts and bolts” of
basic science.
4. PROPOSITION
We are working on the design of a “fluid engineering”
curriculum as a top down approach to the education. We
start with a system in a holistic approach followed by
the design of the mechanical equipment. Once the
equipment is decided upon based on the catalogue
characteristics the detailed design of the fluid conduits
can be addressed. It is then that basic physics enters in
the picture with all the details of the science backed up
by mathematics. The design of a complete system can
only be possible when the electrical- electronic devices
are put on place. Basic mechanical components can be
matched with the electrical- electronic counterpart to
assure a smooth operation of the whole system.
5. RECOMMENDATION
Basic sciences departments have always imposed their
preferences in the design of engineering curriculum
assuming this profession to be only a science.
Engineering is also a skill that has to mature with
experience. We have not denied the importance of basic
sciences: we simply want to seem them –and even to a
more depth- presented when it is relevant. To give and
example the chemical characteristics of a fuels should be
given exactly when the students are dealing with the
design of an “internal combustion engine”. With this
approach the deep knowledge about organic chemistry
will be relevant in understanding the combustion
process. Furthermore nanotechnology now requires that
the student of materials goes deeper into the molecular
structure of matter.
After half a century (1958-2008) of experiences in the
field of engineering –as trainee, student, practitioner,
instructor and researcher- we feel entitled to make
suggestion on the organization of the curriculum. We do
not attempt to reduce or add and course to the program,
our concern is that the student should feel that what she
is learning is relevant to what she is doing: learning will
then take place. The use of portfolios will assure that the
student has a feeling of her accomplishments and is
ready to present herself in the work market as a full
fletched engineer. The graduate should feel she is ready
to take on board any real assignment and will contribute
with innovative ideas. We are not including here other
questions about engineering that require answers to be
investigated in future work.
Table 1. List of engineering subjects covered
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Active learning
Case based reasoning
Collaborative work
Computer aided design
Distance learning
Engineering curriculum
Extra-curriculum activities
Global education
Life long learning
Problem based learning
Quality of education
Social responsibility
Use of internet
Visual thinking
Work based learning
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We remain grateful to our first engineering Prof. Turgut
Noyan (former Provost) who tried in vane to convince
us of the importance of engineering history he delivered.
In later years he became instrumental in guiding us in
taking the first steps in the profession with courage. Our
university had funded in several occasions conferences
expenses that had widened our understanding.
APPENDIX
Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Program (METU simplified)
FIRST YEAR
PHYS105
GENERAL PHYSICS I
physics
MATH119
CALCULUS WITH ANALYTIC GEOMETRY
mathematics
ME113
COMPUTERUTER AIDED ENGINEERING DRAWING I
computer
CENG230
INTRODUCTION TO C PROGRAMMING
computer
IS100
INTRODUCTION TO INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES AND APPLICATIONS
computer
PHYS106
GENERAL PHYSICS II
physics
CHEM107
GENERAL CHEMISTRY
materials
MATH120
CALCULUS FOR FUNCTIONS OF SEVERAL VARIABLES
mathematics
ME114
COMPUTERUTER AIDED ENGINEERING DRAWING II
SECOND YEAR
computer
MATH219
INTRODUCTION TO DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
mathematics
EE209
FUNDAMENTALS OF ELECTRICAL&ELECTRO. EN
electricity
ME200
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING ORIENTATION
design
ME203
THERMODYNAMICS I
heat
ME205
STATICS
mechanics
METE227
BASIC CONCEPTS IN MATERIALS SCIENCE
materials
ME202
MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGIES
materials
ME204
THERMODYNAMICS II
heat
ME206
STRENGTH OF MATERIALS
materials
ME208
DYNAMICS
mechanics
ME210
APPLIED MATH. FOR MECHANICAL ENGINEERS
mathematics
METE228
ENGINEERING MATERIALS
materials
THIRD YEAR
ECON210
PRINCIPLES OF ECONOMICS
economy
ME301
THEORY OF MACHINES I
mechanics
ME303
MANUFACTURING ENGINEERING
mathematics
ME305
FLUID MECHANICS I
mechanics
ME307
MACHINE ELEMENTS I
mechanics
ME311
HEAT TRANSFER
heat
ME302
THEORY OF MACHINES II
mechanics
ME304
CONTROL SYSTEMS
electricity
ME306
FLUID MECHANICS II
mechanics
ME308
MACHINE ELEMENTS II
mechanics
ME310
NUMERICAL METHODS
mathematics
ME312
THERMAL ENGINEERING
heat
FORTH YEAR
ME407
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING DESIGN
design
ME410
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING SYSTEMS LAB.
design
Proposal for a “reversed program” in engineering (for mechanical engineering)
year
1
2
3
4
basic
materials
process
control
mathematics
design
general
machine
heat
system
area
devices
drivers
coolers
plants
core
numeracy
electricity
economy
physical-chemistry
: Selected publications by the author (1996-2007)
1
2
3
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Inelmen, E., “The Role of the Third Sector in Enhancing University,
Industry and Government Collaboration: A Case Study”, UnIG’96,
International
Conference
on
Technology
Management:
University/Industry/Government Collaboration, UNESCO Chair on
Mechatronics, Boğaziçi University, Istanbul, pp. 554-558, 1996.
Inelmen, E., “Reconciling Engineering Research and Educational Activities:
A Case Study”, V. Yerlici - Engineering and Education (Ed. G. A. Altay),
pp. 325-334, Istanbul, 1997.(indexed)
Inelmen, E. "Introducing Freshmen Students to Hands-on Experience in
Engineering Design", UNESCO Global Congress on Engineering
Education, 6-11 September 1998, Cracow, (Poland), pp. 273-276.
Inelmen, E. "Enhancing the Engineering Orientation Course to Meet the
Requirements of the Next Century, 100th Anniversary Jubilee Conference on
Engineering Education, 17-19 September 1998, Fachhochshule Mannheim,
(Germany), pp. 300-303.
Inelmen, E. "Encouraging Freshmen Engineering Students to Prepare Oral
and Written Reports: A Case Study", IGIP International Symposium on
Engineering Education, 14-18 September 1998, MADI Technical
University, Moscow, (Russia), pp. 270-273.
Egi, S.M. and Inelmen, E., “The Role of Extra-Curriculum Activities in the
Life Long Education of Engineers”, Global Journal of Engineering
Education, UNESCO International Centre for Engineering Education, Vol 3,
No 3, (1999), pp.199-202.
Inelmen, E., "Stimulating Social Responsibility as a Prerequisite for “Project
Based Learning”, 2nd UICEE Annual Conference on Engineerig Education,
12-14 February 1999, Auckland, (New Zealand), session chair, pp. 151-154.
Inelmen. E., “Proposal for Full Integration of Electrical Engineering
Undergraduate Programs”, Annual Conference of the American Society for
Engineering Education, 20-23 June 1999, (poster, on CD)
Inelmen, E., “Project Centered Learning as a Model for the Life-long
Education of Engineers”, 4th European Form for Continuing Engineering
Education, Trondheim (Norway), 9-11 June 1999, pp 117-120.
Inelmen, E., “Experience Gained While Implementing ‘Project Based
Learning’ in Engineering Graphics”, SEFI Annual Conference, Zurich,
(Switzerland), 1-3 July 1999, pp.135-140.
Inelmen, E. “A Holistic Approach to Work Based Learning in Engineering
Education”, 3rd Baltic Region Seminar on Engineering Education, Göteburg,
(Sweden), 3-5 September 1999, pp. 72-74.
Collaboration between stakeholders
Education and research hand
in hand
Engineering design start-up
Engineering
freshmen
Writting
reports
orientation
oral
and
written
Extra-curriculum activities
Social
awareness
Integration
curriculum
responsibility
of
engineering
Project centered learning
Project centered learning
Work based learning
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
Inelmen, E.,”Integrating Engineering Disciplines to Meet the Requirements Integrating disciplines
of the Next Century: The Case Study of Biomechatronics”, 28th
International Engineering Education Symposium, Istanbul (Turkey), 20-24
September 1999, session chair, pp. 394-399.
Inelmen, E. “Experience Gained in Teaching Computer Aided Design Using Computer aided design
a Problem Centered Learning Approach”, 5th International Conference on
Computer Aided Design in Engineering Education, Sofia (Bulgaria), 22-24
September 1999, pp.181-187.
Inelmen, E. “Professional Development of Engineer Educators: From the Professional development of
Lecture to the Program”, 3rd UICEE Annual Conference on Engineering educators
Education, Hobart, (Australia), 9-12 February 2000, pp.388-391.
Inelmen, E. “Engineering educators as models for the new generations: a Education of engineering
case study”, 2nd Global Congress on Engineering Education Wismar, educators
(Germany), 2-7 July, 2000, pp.210-213.
Inelmen, E. “A new model for teaching computer machine language to Teaching computer machine
freshmen students”, 4th Baltic Region Seminar on Engineering Education, Lyngby,
language
Copenhagen, (Denmark), 1-3 September, 2000, pp. 98-100
Inelmen, E., “In Search for Excellence in Engineering Education: Years Engineering
education
1998-2001” Global Journal of Engineering Education, UNESCO excellence
International Center for Engineering Education, Vol 5, No 1, (2001),
pp.199-202.
Inelmen, E. “Implementing ‘Visual thinking’ in the Engineering Orientation Visual thinking
Course”, European Journal of Engineering Education, SEFI, Vol.26, No.3,
(2001), pp.291-299
Inelmen, E. “Implementing ‘Case Based Reasoning’ in Engineering Case based reasoning
Management Education”, 4th UICEE Annual Conference on Engineering
Education, Bangkok, (Thailand), 7-10 February 2001, pp.110-112.
Inelmen, E. and Ibrahim, A.M. “A Proposal for a novel Control Systems Control systems curriculum
Undergraduate Program”, Proceedings of the International Association of
Science and Technology for Development (IASTED) Modelling,
Identification and Control, Innsbruck, (Austria), 19-22 February, 2001 (Ed.
M.H.Hamza), pp. 494-499.
Inelmen, E. “Reflections on Enhancing the Quality of Engineering Quality of education
Education” International Conference on Engineering Education,
Oslo/Bergen, (Norway), 6 – 10 August 2001, CD ISBN: 1--588740919
Inelmen, E. “Encouraging freshmen students to do creative collaborative Collaborative work
project work” 5th Baltic Region Seminar on Engineering Education,
Gdynia, (Poland), 17-19 September 2001, pp.155-158.
Inelmen, E. “A Roadmap for an Integrated Undergraduate Industrial Integration of curriculum
Electronics Design Program”, IECON’01, 27th Annual Conference of the
IEEE Industrial Electronics Society, Denver, Colorado (USA), 29
November-2 December 2001, pp. 1746-1749.
Inelmen, E. and Inelmen, K. “Suggestions to Further Encourage the Use of Use of internet
Internet in Engineering Education”, IECON’01, 27th Annual Conference of
the IEEE Industrial Electronics Society, Denver, Colorado (USA), 29
November-2 December 2001, pp.1750-1753.
Inelmen, E. “Re-inventing engineering education: a new challenge”, World Engineering education reform
Transaction in Engineering Education, UICEE, Vol.1 No.1, (2002), pp.141145.
Inelmen, E., “Planning the first day of class for an engineering Course
planning
in
undergraduate course”, 5th UICEE Annual Conference on Engineering engineering education
Education, Madras, (India), 6-9 February 2002, pp.119-122.
Inelmen E. ‘Frontier research’ as a novel approach in the engineering Engineering
curriculum
curriculum of tomorrow, 6th Baltic Region Seminar on Engineering reform
Education, Wismar, (Germany), 22 - 25 September, 2002, pp. 107-111.
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
39
40
Inelmen, Emine, Inelmen, E. and Ibrahim, A. “A New Approach to
Teaching Fuzzy Logic System Design”, Fuzzy Sets and Systems - IFSA
2003, (Bilgic, T., Bogazici University, Istanbul, Turkey; Baets, B. D.,
University of Gent, Belgium; Kaynak, O., Bogazici University, Istanbul,
Turkey (Eds.)), Springer-Verlag, Heidelberg, 3-540-40383-3, pp. 79-88.
Inelmen E. “Appropriate technologies research (ATR): A new approach to
engineering education” In: Information-Communication-Knowledge
Engineering Education Today (32th International Engineering Education
Symposium, 15-18 September 2003), ISBN 3-00 012081-5, Fachhochschule
Karslruhe Press, Karlsruhe (Germany) pp. 416-422.
Inelmen, E. “Challenging the Administration to Implement Problem-Based
Learning in the Undergraduate Curriculum” International Journal of
Engineering Education, Special Issue 19: 5, (2003) Problem Based
Learning, Erik de Graaff, E, Kolmos A., Fruchter, R (guest eds.), pp. 725729.
Inelmen, E. and Ibrahim, A.M. “On the Aim, Content, and Method of the
Engineering Education of Tomorrow” , 33th SEFI Annual Conference,
Ankara, (Turkey), 7-10 September 2005, pp. 323-329
Inelmen, E., ‘Placing more Emphasis on “Active Learning” in the Future of
Engineering Education’, 34th SEFI Annual Conference, Uppsala, (Sweden),
28 June - 1 July 2006, in CD,
Inelmen, E. and Inelmen, EM, “Blending “Distance Education” into an
“Undergraduate Curriculum”: A Proposal”, 35th SEFI Annual Conference,
Miskolc, (Hungary), 1-4 July 2007, pp.79-80.
İnelmen, E., “Designing an Introductory Course for an Undergraduate
Program to Address Global Economic Development Challenges”, 6th Annual
ASEE Global Colloquium on Engineering Education, "Shaping the Future
through Global Partnerships", hosted by Boğaziçi University, Conrad
Hilton, Istanbul, Turkey, October 1 - 4, 2007, in CD
İnelmen, E., “Reverse-Engineering the Engineering Curriculum: A
Proposal”, 6th Annual ASEE Global Colloquium on Engineering Education,
"Shaping the Future through Global Partnerships", hosted by Boğaziçi
University, Conrad Hilton, Istanbul, Turkey, October 1 - 4, 2007
İnelmen, E., “Guiding Engineers through a Self-Regulated Life Long
Learning Pathway”, 6th Annual ASEE Global Colloquium on Engineering
Education, "Shaping the Future through Global Partnerships", hosted by
Boğaziçi University, Conrad Hilton, Istanbul, Turkey, October 1 - 4, 2007
İnelmen, E., “Finding a Role in the Education Process for Extra-Curriculum
Activities”, 6th Annual ASEE Global Colloquium on Engineering Education,
"Shaping the Future through Global Partnerships", hosted by Boğaziçi
University, Conrad Hilton, Istanbul, Turkey, October 1 - 4, 2007
İnelmen, E., “Fulfilling the three Aims of a Global Engineering Education
Institution”, 6th Annual ASEE Global Colloquium on Engineering
Education, "Shaping the Future through Global Partnerships", hosted by
Boğaziçi University, Conrad Hilton, Istanbul, Turkey, October 1 - 4, 2007
Engineering
reform
curriculum
Engineering
reform
curriculum
Problem based learning
Engineering
reform
curriculum
Active learning approach
Distance education
Global education
Engineering curriculum
Life long education
Extra-curriculum activities
Global education