Civil Engineering Education Related To Engineering Practice And To The Nation S Needs

Traditionally, engineering education books describe and reinforce unchanging principles that are basic to the field. However, the dramatic changes in the engineering environment during the last decade demand a paradigm shift from the engineering education community. This revolutionary volume addresses the development of long-term strategies for an engineering education system that will reflect the needs and realities of the United States and the world in the 21st century. The authors discuss the critical challenges facing U.S. engineering education and present a plan addressing these challenges in the context of rapidly changing circumstances, technologies, and demands.

The National Research Council's Panel on Engineering Interactions with Society was formed to examine the functioning of the engineering profession in the context of, and in relation to, American society. This document presents the findings of the panel. The panel's inquiry was twofold. First, it examined the impact that engineering and technology development has had on the nation, including the impact on societal demands, values, and perceptions on engineering. Next, the panel attempted to assess the structure and development of the engineering profession, and the adaptability of the profession in meeting current and future national needs. Chapters in the document deal with: (1) the evolution of American engineering; (2) the present era (managing change in the information age); (3) engineering and social dynamics; (4) maintaining flexibility in an age of stress and rapid change; and (5) conclusions and recommendations. Appendices include 23 references and a 16-item bibliography, along with an article prepared by Arthur L. Donovan, entitled "Engineering in an Increasingly Complex Society: Historical Perspectives on Education, Practice, and Adaptation in American Engineering." (TW)

Since 2001, the international network Active Learning in Engineering education (ALE) organized a series of international workshops on innovation of engineering education. The papers in this book are selected to reflect the state of the art, based on contributions to the 2005 ALE workshop in Holland. This overview of experiences in research and practice aims to be a source of inspiration for engineering educators.