Assessment determines what students regard as important: if a teacher wants to change students' learning, he/she should change the methods of assessment. This article describes the use of portfolio assessment on five courses dealing with chemical reactor and process design during the years 1999-2001. Although the use of portfolio was a new…

An engineering professional argues that the graphing calculator is simply a pedagogical tool no more useful than the answer key in the mathematics text.

This article discusses a collaborative program between schools with the purpose of training and providing advanced education in welding. Modern manufacturing is turning to automation to increase productivity, but it can be a great challenge to program robots and other computer-controlled welding and joining systems. Computer programming and…

This article describes the Soddy-Daisy High School in southeastern Tennessee. It used to be that vocational training and a focus on academic studies were considered completely different means of education. But in Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee, the two go hand in hand. Eric Thomas and his brother Mark, teach side by side in adjacent rooms, where computer…

Math-education reformers encourage the incorporation of mathematical modeling activities into K-12 curricula. Many of the purported educational benefits derive from the authenticity of the activities-how well they reflect the everyday and occupational mathematical practices of adults. But a paucity in the literature of observational descriptions…

Informal education can augment science classroom instruction and draw students to careers in science. The science and engineering expo, created by the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL), is a high-impact, inquiry-based, informal-education experience that can be replicated. It engages a broad range of students in…

As science and engineering are taking on an increasing political importance in a knowledge-driven economy, there is growing need for Governments, scientists, industrialists and voluntary groups to measure the degree to which national science policies are contributing effectively to economic and social wellbeing. However, the long-term and diffuse…

Societal and ethical implications of nanotechnology have become a hot topic of public debates in many countries because both revolutionary changes and strong public concerns are expected from its development. Because nanotechnology is, at this point, mostly articulated in visionary and futuristic terms, it is difficult to apply standard methods of…

In this paper we return to an issue often discussed in the literature regarding the relationship between highway expansion and population change. Typically it simply is assumed that this relationship is well established and understood. We argue, following a thorough review of the relevant literature, that the notion that highway expansion leads to…

The term "tooling" refers to a variety of devices that increase production efficiency in manufacturing. Incorporating the appropriate tooling in the production process generally improves accuracy, speed, and safety. This in turn leads to more profit for the producer and lower prices for the consumer. This article introduces students to two common…

Wind energy is the fastest-growing renewable energy source in the world. Over the last 20 years, the wind industry has done a very good job of engineering machines, improving materials, and economies of production, and making this energy source a reality. Like all renewable energy forms, wind energy's successful application is site specific. Also,…

This article profiles John Kuniholm, a 34-year-old PhD candidate in biomedical engineering at Duke University and has master's degrees in mechanical engineering and industrial design from North Carolina State University. He has worked in the research and development of tools for robotic cardiac surgery for Cardiovations, a Johnson & Johnson…

Comments on the original article "Sex Differences in Intrinsic Aptitude for Mathematics and Science?: A Critical Review," by E. S. Spelke (see record EJ733610 ). Spelke reviewed an assortment of studies showing how rare the differences are between genders in mathematics ability. Yet she also mentioned that academic faculties of U.S. universities…

A survey on the attitudes of engineering faculty to chemistry, physics, and mathematics was conducted with the aim of clarifying the attitudes of engineering faculty to chemistry courses in relation to engineering education or curricula and assessing their expectations. The results confirm that on the whole chemistry is perceived as having a…

Work and technology are--at least in all industrialized countries--characterized by continuous and fundamental change. This change has to be reflected in the education of technical workers. Engineering pedagogy must identify new demands and ensure that they are addressed in the design of technical education. To this end, engineering teachers in…