U.S. engineering education for the 21 st century
“How could/should ASEE contribute?!’
Two-Phase Project
& Planning Dialogue”
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
2010
Objective today
• Share highlights of the report
• Tell you where we’re headed
• Hear from you!
Phase 1 Report
June 2009
105 contributors
Creating a Climate for Scholarly and Systematic Innovation in Engineering Education
Phase 2
(Final)
Report
Phase 2 Report
Fall 2010
100’s! 1,000’s?

a universal and fundamental question…
…and the report’s major recommendation
Q: “How can we create an environment in which many exciting, engaging, and empowering engineering educational innovations can flourish and make a significant difference in educating future engineers?”
A: “Create and sustain a vibrant engineering academic culture for scholarly and systematic educational innovation — just as we have for technological innovation — to ensure that the U.S. engineering profession has the right people with the right talent for a global society.”
2010 Creating a Climate for Scholarly and Systematic Innovation in Engineering Education

a foundational premise how we teach is as important as what we teach
Pedagogy cannot make up for a lack of content — but inattention to pedagogy can seriously compromise learning
High-quality learning environments are the result of attention to both content and how people learn
2010 Creating a Climate for Scholarly and Systematic Innovation in Engineering Education

the focus of the report
Integrating what we want in the “next generation” engineer with what we know about how people learn into a field of inquiry and practice focused on engineering learning
2010 Creating a Climate for Scholarly and Systematic Innovation in Engineering Education

who, what, and how
Most reports emphasize
“what” needs to change (e.g., topics to cover, experiences to offer)
“Who” should drive the change and
“how” have not been as fully discussed — but they largely determine how quickly and how well
“what” occurs and how it is sustained
2010 Creating a Climate for Scholarly and Systematic Innovation in Engineering Education

“how” educational innovation looks today
How do we bridge the divide?
(Engineering) education researchers
Engineering education practitioners
2010 Creating a Climate for Scholarly and Systematic Innovation in Engineering Education

a proposed model
More than “proposed,” used in practice by leading scholars which help improve
Answers
Insights
Educational
Practice identifies and motivates
Questions
Ideas that results in which lead to
Educational
Research
“Challenge-based
Instruction in an
Introductory
Biomedical
Engineering Course”
(p. 8)
2010 Creating a Climate for Scholarly and Systematic Innovation in Engineering Education

building capacity and connecting the communities
2010
Answers
Insights
Educational
Practice
Educational
Research
Questions
Ideas
Engineering education innovation depends on a vibrant community of scholars and practitioners working in collaboration to advance the frontiers of knowledge and practice…and it also depends on support –
• Adequate fiscal resources
• Appropriate facilities
• Reputable journals
• Highly-regarded conferences
• Prestigious recognitions
Creating a Climate for Scholarly and Systematic Innovation in Engineering Education

“who” should drive change?
engineering education depends on many stakeholders, but…
…engineering faculty and administrators are key
– they determine the content of the program
– they decide how it is delivered
– they shape the environment in which it is offered
2010 Creating a Climate for Scholarly and Systematic Innovation in Engineering Education

encouraging, supporting, and empowering faculty
It’s the reward system.
Nah, duh!
• No doubt, we need to continue to assure evaluation processes are transparent and they do reward educational innovation
• However, the proposed model has many of the same metrics used to evaluate faculty success in scholarly and systematic technological innovation
2010 Creating a Climate for Scholarly and Systematic Innovation in Engineering Education

more specifically
The role of faculty members is not to impart knowledge — it is to design learning environments that support the process of knowledge acquisition
• Strengthen career-long professional development — starting with doctoral students
• Create supportive environments (e.g., R&D units, resources, HR practices)
• Form broader collaborations — engineering education innovation is a cross-disciplinary endeavor
2010 Creating a Climate for Scholarly and Systematic Innovation in Engineering Education

integrating “what” we know about engineering with “what” we know about learning
An examination of recent literature, program announcements, conference themes, etc. make clear that a considerable amount of attention is being directed at making our engineering programs more —
• engaging (e.g., active learning)
• relevant (e.g., experiential, real-world)
• welcoming (studies show repeatedly that the most effective way to improve persistence is to improve the quality of the learning experience)
2010 Creating a Climate for Scholarly and Systematic Innovation in Engineering Education

for those ready to get started
Some suggested actions (pp. 21-26)
2010 Creating a Climate for Scholarly and Systematic Innovation in Engineering Education

Phase 2 — “catalyzing a conversation” feedback from the broader engineering community
1. Web site for individual comments from anyone, open until June 2010 www.asee.org
2. Focused discussions at conferences, ASEE
Section meetings, etc.
2010 Creating a Climate for Scholarly and Systematic Innovation in Engineering Education

Phase 2 — “catalyzing a conversation” feedback from the broader community
3. Invited samples of engineering programs
- random sample: 100 universities, 200 departments
- 55 additional universities
- sample of engineering technology programs
2010 Creating a Climate for Scholarly and Systematic Innovation in Engineering Education

a research study
2010
Project Team
Barbara M. Olds, Chair
Colorado School of Mines
Maura J. Borrego, Vice Chair
Virginia Tech
Mary Besterfield-Sacre
University of Pittsburgh
Lori Breslow
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Monica F. Cox
Purdue University
Lorraine N. Fleming
Howard University
Lisa R. Lattuca
Pennsylvania State University
James W. Pellegrino
University of Illinois at Chicago
Sarah K.A. Pfatteicher
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Questions
1. Departments: Survey of extent to which report elements are being practiced and to what extent they are viewed as important.
2. Chairs/Heads/Deans: What are the principal opportunities and challenges you face helping your department/college create a culture of scholarly and systematic innovation in engineering education?
Creating a Climate for Scholarly and Systematic Innovation in Engineering Education

a synthesis of broad community input
Phase 1
Phase 2
A final report summarizing the feedback (perhaps even consensus!) on how best to proceed to rapidly to create and sustain a culture of scholarly and systematic innovation in engineering education
[ Title: TBD ]
2010 Creating a Climate for Scholarly and Systematic Innovation in Engineering Education

“think - pair - share”
2010
• Think:
– Pick one of the questions 1,2,3.
– For 3-4 minutes, think and write your response on the card.
• Pair:
– Turn to your neighbor, introduce yourself.
– Talk about your responses.
• Share:
– Share your responses with the group.
– We’ll collect the index cards at the end of the session.
Creating a Climate for Scholarly and Systematic Innovation in Engineering Education

your turn: help advance the next phase
How can you, your home organization, or other organizations, including CDIO, act on the report’s ideas?
1. [Who] What examples of the cycle of educational practice and research stand out in your mind?
2. [How] How can innovation as a cycle of educational practice and research be practiced more effectively?
3.
[What] What can we do to make engineering programs more engaging, relevant, or welcoming based on what we know about learning?
2010 Creating a Climate for Scholarly and Systematic Innovation in Engineering Education

Phase 2 — how you can continue to help
1. Web site for individual comments from anyone, open until June 2010
2. Continue the conversation in workshop W3A at 14:00 today.
3. If asked, participate in the research survey
2010 Creating a Climate for Scholarly and Systematic Innovation in Engineering Education

Report and survey form for individual responses: www.asee.org
(upper right-hand block) or http://asee.org/about/board/committees/EEGE/upload/
CCSSIEE_Phase1Report_June2009.pdf
(direct link to report) lhj@purdue.edu
jlohmann@gatech.edu

23

Focus on Chapter 5 Suggested Actions
Some suggested actions (pp. 21-26)
2010 Creating a Climate for Scholarly and Systematic Innovation in Engineering Education

• Engineering Faculty Members, Chairs and
Deans
• American Society for Engineering Education
• Professional Engineering Societies
• ABET and Accreditation Agencies
• Industry
• Funding Agencies
2010 Creating a Climate for Scholarly and Systematic Innovation in Engineering Education

• Link engineering education practice and research
• Support and recognize educational innovation
• Prepare future faculty
(graduate students)
• Enhance faculty experience in industry
2010 Creating a Climate for Scholarly and Systematic Innovation in Engineering Education

2010
• Integrate the curriculum – multiple disciplines and student careers stages within projects
• Promote learning through entrepreneurship
• Educate the global engineer
• Develop students as leaders
• Promote learning through service (service-learning)
Creating a Climate for Scholarly and Systematic Innovation in Engineering Education

“think - pair - share”
• Think:
– For 3-4 minutes, think and write down your response.
• Pair:
– Turn to your neighbor, introduce yourself.
– Talk about your responses.
• Share:
– Share your responses with the group.
– We’ll collect written feedback at the end of the session.
2010 Creating a Climate for Scholarly and Systematic Innovation in Engineering Education

Many of these recommendations require coordination among many people working within and beyond a university – what actions can you take to move engineering education innovation forward without waiting for others?
2010 Creating a Climate for Scholarly and Systematic Innovation in Engineering Education