Examines the potential problems facing educational institutions from the impact of computer use, ergonomics, and physical injuries. Paying attention to ergonomics and solutions through proper furniture buying are discussed. Tips to help institutions reduce the possibility of children suffering painful and possibly disabling injuries are…

Reports on a study that describes in detail the design processes used by small groups of preservice teacher education students engaged in ill-defined, open-ended, self-selected design technology projects. Provides insight to assist teacher educators in designing courses. (Contains 30 references.) (DDR)

Presents the third part of a series on the development and implementation of project-based spiral curriculum in chemical engineering. Focuses on the details of the assessment design, describes the results of the assessment, and draws conclusions about the success of the program. (Contains 18 references.) (ASK)

Relates concerns for minority students regarding their reluctance to pursue advanced study. Concerns include financing of study, weaknesses in advisement practices and systems, lack of knowledge about the rewards of doctoral employment, and employment after graduation. Suggests early socialization and expanded funding as correctives. (Author/MM)

Several legislators indicated that the primary goal of the Commission on Advancement of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering and Technology (CAWMSET) was to identify disincentives that cause attrition among females and minorities in science, engineering, and technology. Discusses why recent diversity legislation in Congress has now come…

Points out the developing interest in engineering ethics education in the last quarter of the 20th century, and explains the content of engineering ethics education which addresses the development of technology. Describes the prominent curriculum models in the United States and changing accreditation criteria for U.S. engineering schools.…

Kerr wrote of the black box of design decisions--that time when the "heart of an instructional solution first appears." Petroski writes of judgment as indispensable for engineering design decisions. Both instructional design and engineering are design sciences, yet engineering has a rich tradition of discussing and reflecting upon design…

Case studies of professional software development practices describe how real (or realistic) projects are planned and executed. Cases provide engaging models of the activities and materials of software development to students and other novice practitioners. They vividly remind learners of the possibilities for meaningfully applying knowledge and…

In higher education, different instructors who teach the same course may vary the instructional paths, pace, and depth of the content. These variations may result in different performances among learners. The intent of this research is to design a course management system that aggregates appropriate course units based on maximum consensus among…

This project was designed to examine the feasibility of using a "collapsed day" to explore socio-scientific issues relating to genes and genetic engineering in secondary schools by enabling science and humanities staff to collaborate. It was believed that science staff would have expertise in promoting understanding of genetics and humanities…

In India, putting a child through engineering or medical college is, for many middle-class families, a life's mission in a way that is almost unknown in the United States. Though middle-class families in India have long steered their children into professions like engineering and medicine, the trend has taken off over the past decade. It's been…

The purpose of this study was to assess ways by which creativity may be enhanced in a design-oriented course. In order to demonstrate the validity of the approach, a statistically based study was employed. Additionally, the experiment was replicated in two design-oriented fields at the University of Kentucky. These fields were civil engineering…

The "productivity puzzle," or gender gap in research productivity, is often thought to be due, in part, to gendered child care responsibilities. The time, energy, and money devoted to child-rearing can reduce the research productivity of scholars, especially women. However, there is little systematic research on this issue. The present study…

Four groups (three engineering students in each group) were videotaped while constructing concept maps in Linear Algebra. There are two aims of this study. The first is to characterize the discourse in the groups by addressing the following research questions: Do the students communicate in an "effective" way? Do the students'…

With a satisfying "Whoompf!" the air cannon sends a tennis ball the length of the school gym. The successful launch is met with cheers from the science club members and their partners--college engineering students from a local university. This air cannon activity was one of many learning opportunities that grew out of a partnership…