Engineers have a set of powerful tools at their disposal for designing robust and reliable technical systems. In educational design these tools are seldom applied. This paper explores the application of concepts from the systems approach in an educational context. The paradigms of design methodology and systems engineering appear to be suitable…

To develop meaningful instructional programs for technology education, goals need to be in place to direct the outcomes of curriculum development and teaching. Goals are program terminal outcomes that focus curriculum writers or teachers who structure content for learners. Goals provide direction so content can be delivered for long-term impact to…

The need for a flexible and versatile workforce that is constantly learning and upgrading its skills has led to a continual demand for courses in which employees are re-trained and updated on a lifelong basis. Students and workers now have to be prepared for a labour market in which they can be expected to change jobs many times, and they need to…

A series of studies carried out by the Advisory Committee on Academic Planning (ACAP) published by the Council of Ontario Universities (COU) dealt with a planning study of doctoral work in engineering that was conducted in several parts corresponding to the various disciplines within engineering. This document, which is one part of that study,…

This guide describes the requirements for courses in computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) that are part of engineering technology programs conducted in vocational-technical schools in Georgia. The guide is organized in five sections. The first section provides a rationale for occupations in design and in production,…

Argues in favor of establishing an accreditable curriculum in "pure" astronautical engineering (leading to a bachelor of science degree in this field), giving reasons why such reform is needed (including equating "astronautics" with "aeronautics") and why a new curriculum is needed. (JN)

Questionnaires were sent to 534 contractors in Pennsylvania asking which construction courses best prepare students for careers in construction engineering. Results (based on a response rate of 38 percent, N=104) of the contractors attitudes toward seven subjects and their background are presented and discussed. Implications for the curriculum are…

Electrical engineering (EE) curricula in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region have gone through an evolutionary process, and are now approaching a maturity level. In order to address academic and local industrial needs in a unified way, a need has been felt to investigate EE curricula in a way that highlights theoretical understanding, design…

Describes the work of a curriculum committee established to create a "transfer curriculum" for engineering technology students transferring from two-year to four-year programs. The resulting program (which allows flexibility while providing some guidance for engineering technology programs), transfer problems, issues, and public response…

Our full-year capstone design course, "Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering Design Methodology and Application," focuses on both design methodology and design application. We redesigned the course to more effectively prepare students for the "application" aspect of design. The approach was essentially to implement a short…

In 2004, the National Center for Engineering and Technology Education (NCETE) secured funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to infuse engineering design into the schools through technology education. In order to reach this goal the researchers, in cooperation with NCETE, conducted a two phase study to identify outcomes for high-school…

This study was conducted to describe a high school engineering curriculum, identify teaching strategies used to increase math and science literacy, and discover challenges and constraints that occur during its development and delivery, as well as what strategies are used to overcome these obstacles. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with…

PLATO has become a successful method for computer-based education in a statics course since it offers diversified teaching/learning activities as well as alternative ways to teach content and exercise skills. Advantages for student learning are discussed, course guidelines are given, and a description of the course's computer graphics is provided.…