Engineering Education And Practice In The United States

Both sides of the engineering equationâ€"education and utilizationâ€"are studied in this unique volume. A brief discussion of the development of engineering in the United States is followed by an examination of the status of engineering today. A specially developed flow diagram, which defines all aspects of the current engineering community, demonstrates how the profession adapts and responds to change. The book then takes a critical look at the strengths and weaknesses of current engineering and evaluates major trends in the composition of the engineering work force. The final section offers a preview of engineering and its environment in the year 2000. Companion volumes in the Engineering Education and Practice in the United States series listed below discuss specific issues in engineering education.

The Panel on Technology Education was one of four panels established by the Committee on the Education and Utilization of the Engineer of the National Research Council. This panel's task was to investigate the technology aspects of the preparation of engineers in the United States. This report deals with: (1) "The History of Technical Institutes"; (2) "Engineering Technology and Industrial Technology"; (3) "Engineering Technology and Engineering"; (4) "Engineering Technology Education"; (5) "Cooperative Education and Engineering Technology"; (6) "Accreditation, Certification, and Licensing"; (7) "Manpower Considerations"; (8) "The Impact of High Technology"; and (9) "Allocating Resources for Engineering Technology." An executive summary provides a set of recommendations developed as a part of the panel's work. (TW)

Both sides of the engineering equation--education and utilization--are studied in this unique volume. A brief discussion of the development of engineering in the United States is followed by an examination of the status of engineering today. A specially developed flow diagram, which defines all aspects of the current engineering community, demonstrates how the profession adapts and responds to change. The book then takes a critical look at the strengths and weaknesses of current engineering and evaluates major trends in the composition of the engineering work force. The final section offers a preview of engineering and its environment in the year 2000. Companion volumes in the Engineering Education and Practice in the United States series listed below discuss specific issues in engineering education.

Both sides of the engineering equation--education and utilization--are studied in this unique volume. A brief discussion of the development of engineering in the United States is followed by an examination of the status of engineering today. A specially developed flow diagram, which defines all aspects of the current engineering community, demonstrates how the profession adapts and responds to change. The book then takes a critical look at the strengths and weaknesses of current engineering and evaluates major trends in the composition of the engineering work force. The final section offers a preview of engineering and its environment in the year 2000. Companion volumes in the Engineering Education and Practice in the United States series listed below discuss specific issues in engineering education.

This inclusive cross-cultural study rethinks the nexus between engineering education and context. In so doing the book offers a reflection on contextual boundaries with an overall boundary crossing ambition and juxtaposes important cases of critical participation within engineering education with sophisticated scholarly reflection on both opportunities and discontents. Whether and in what way engineering education is or ought to be contextualized or de-contextualized is an object of heated debate among engineering educators. The uniqueness of this study is that this debate is given comprehensive coverage – presenting both instrumentally inclined as well as radical positions on transforming engineering education. In contextualizing engineering education, this book offers diverse commentary from a range of disciplinary, meta- and interdisciplinary perspectives on how cultural, professional, institutional and educational systems contexts shape histories, structural dynamics, ideologies and challenges as well as new pathways in engineering education. Topics addressed include examining engineering education in countries ranging from India to America, to racial and gender equity in engineering education and incorporating social awareness into the area. Using context as “bridge” this book confronts engineering education head on. Contending engineering ideologies and corresponding views on context are juxtaposed with contending discourses of reform. The uniqueness of the book is that it brings together scholars from the humanities, the social sciences and engineering from Europe – both East and West – with the United States, China, Brazil, India and Australia.

Educating the Engineer of 2020 is grounded by the observations, questions, and conclusions presented in the best-selling book The Engineer of 2020: Visions of Engineering in the New Century. This new book offers recommendations on how to enrich and broaden engineering education so graduates are better prepared to work in a constantly changing global economy. It notes the importance of improving recruitment and retention of students and making the learning experience more meaningful to them. It also discusses the value of considering changes in engineering education in the broader context of enhancing the status of the engineering profession and improving the public understanding of engineering. Although certain basics of engineering will not change in the future, the explosion of knowledge, the global economy, and the way engineers work will reflect an ongoing evolution. If the United States is to maintain its economic leadership and be able to sustain its share of high-technology jobs, it must prepare for this wave of change.

This report of the Panel of Continuing Education was prepared as part of the study on engineering education and practice in the United States that was conducted under the guidance of the National Research Council's Committee on the Education and Utilization of the Engineer. The report deals with: (1) "Participation in Continuing Education--The Engineer's Perspective"; (2) "The Role of Industry"; (3) "The Role of the University"; (4) "The Role of Professional Societies"; (5) "The Role of Proprietary Schools"; and (6) "The Role of Government." A reference list and bibliography are included, along with appendices which address a pilot study for a study of policymakers' attitudes toward continuing education, a list of 1984 continuing education programs of technical societies, and a professional society survey. (TW)

The current state of engineering graduate study in the United States, its future, and its relationship to research are examined in this report of the National Research Council Committee on the Education and Utilization of the Engineer. The study focuses principally on increasing the supply of highly qualified doctoral recipients who are United States citizens particularly with respect to academic employment. It also gives attention to the importance of master's level work and to the need for access to part-time programs for engineers who are employed full time. Report sections include: (1) an executive summary; (2) the background (reviewing previous reports and studies in engineering education); (3) supply and demand (providing data on the supply of Ph.D.s and recommendations for increasing the supply); (4) women and minorities in engineering (examining representation patterns); (5) master's degree (presenting findings and recommendations); (6) doctor's degree (with findings and recommendations); (7) nontraditional graduate programs (analyzing existing approaches); (8) engineering faculty (addressing needs for faculty development); and (9) university-industry interactions (discussing conflicting and complementary interests). A list of 66 reference notes is included. (ML)