Discusses the characteristics of the Rensselaer design educational programs which emphasize the use of computer-oriented laboratories and linear algebraic equations as analytical tools. Effects of the Sloan Foundation grant are studied. (CC)

An engineering case study is used as the focal point of a communications course. Communications theory and practical exercises are structured around the case study described, an adaptation and extension of the power station game developed in the early 1970s. Includes outline of and sample student activities. (JN)

Describes the development of product design engineering, a successful student-centered interdisciplinary elective that blends critical thinking with curriculum integration, authentic assessment, practical problem solving, and hands-on engagement in a Virginia high school. The goal is to analyze the meaning of engineering as a profession and…

Described is a computer software package suitable for teaching and research in the area of multicomponent vapor-liquid equilibrium. This program, which has a complete database, can accomplish phase-equilibrium calculations using various models and graph the results. (KR)

Describes a study that investigated the activities of engineering students working on a collaborative design project in a distributed multimedia environment. Topics discussed include learning as a social process; face-to-face and video communication; problem-solving techniques; use of interactive media; the construction of knowledge; and group…

Problem-solving models in memories of 11 good and 12 poor novice first-year university students were studied. The students reconstructed physics problems seen briefly, relying on models in memory. Both good and poor students had models of problem situations at their disposal, but good students performed better than poor students. (SLD)

SEVERAL PROBLEMS WHICH ARISE WITH THE USE OF FILM AND TELEVISION IN INSTRUCTION WERE INVESTIGATED. STUDY CONSIDERATIONS WERE FOCUSED ON DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN RELEVANT AND IRREVELANT LEARNING BY COMPARING LABORATORY TEACHING TECHNIQUES FOR AN ENGINEERING COURSE WITH FILM PRESENTATIONS OF THE SAME MATERIAL. THERE WERE NO OVERALL SIGNIFICANT…

Reports on a study in which two spatial tests were given to science and engineering majors and to students in nursing and agriculture at Purdue University (Indiana). Scores from the tests consistently contributed a small but significant amount of success on measures of performance in chemistry. (TW)

Engineering Practices Introductory Course Sequence (EPICS) is designed to introduce freshmen and sophomores to skills of self education and open-ended problem solving so that high levels of competence can be obtained. Rationale for the program, description of theme projects (including management and instruction), and pilot program evaluation are…

Discusses guided design teaching method, applications in secondary/higher education, and the formation of a center to foster guided design as a viable instructional strategy. Guided design course activities are organized around the solution of open-ended problems to provide for the systematic development of decision-making skills. (Author/JN)

Describes Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC), an independent public corporation established to aid scientific research in developing nations. The four programs executed by them are agriculture, food, and nutrition sciences, health sciences, information sciences, and social sciences. (Author/SA)

Described are six activities for elementary and middle school students designed to encourage them to think about careers in engineering. Instructions and materials are discussed. (CW)

Discussed are the possible uses of spreadsheets in the undergraduate curriculum in chemical engineering classes. The advantages and flexibility of spreadsheets, spreadsheet instruction, graphing capabilities, assignment examples, and conclusions are described. (KR)

This study reports on a multi-year effort to create and evaluate cognitive-based curricular materials for secondary school science classrooms. A team of secondary teachers, educational researchers, and academic biomedical engineers developed a series of curriculum units that are based in biomedical engineering for secondary level students in…

This article offers an introduction to the central concepts and principles of the Systemic-Structural Theory of Activity (SSTA), an activity-theoretical approach specifically tailored to the analysis and design of human work. In activity theory, cognition is understood both as a process and as a structured system of actions. Building on the…