The creative solutions found by four colleges and universities to specific student recruitment dilemmas are described. Two dilemmas involved clarification of the campus' geographic location, one addressed recruitment of minority group engineering students, and the fourth concerned recruitment of exceptionally gifted 13- to 16-year-old girls to an…

Argues that the shared use of artifacts is supported by latent border resources that lie beyond the canonical artifact. Designers must understand the role border resources play and work more directly to help users develop them. This will require designers to change their understanding of artifacts and users. (Contains 69 references.) (KRN)

Explores how people with disabilities use computer technology, as well as the issues involved in using this technology to access electronically published materials. Topics discussed include definitions of disability; uses of adaptive technology; the physical environment; documentation, training, and support; problems in accessing electronic media;…

Describes a unit in biotechnology for average and below average high school students. Students developed productive team membership, used math and communication skills to solve problems, and used the scientific method to learn about biotechnology. Students separated DNA, transformed bacterial cells, interpreted DNA fingerprints, completed creative…

Urges the internationalization of the engineering curriculum to prepare students for the rigors of global competition in the international marketplace. Lists accreditation pressures and market incentives as barriers to needed diversity. Discusses engineering programs at several schools. Concludes that interdisciplinary inquiry is needed to provide…

An activity in which students obtain a growth curve for algae, identify the exponential and linear growth phases, and calculate the parameters which characterize both phases is described. The procedure, a list of required materials, experimental conditions, analytical technique, and a discussion of the interpretations of individual results are…

Describes reform of a Chinese vocational teaching program. Emphasizes a teaching structure combining theoretical and practical teaching. Lists prerequisites for an independent teaching system as suitable instructors (usually engineers), equipment for practice, and a transformation of the students' views toward study. Urges revision of teaching…

Addresses the impact of computing on engineering education and the gradual infusion of computing work into the engineering curriculum since the early 1960s. This lecture discusses the academic computing environment in terms of initial developments, what students should know, how to build a network infrastructure, the "first" computing course, the…

Institutions varied widely in amount and type of data collected in tracking research proposals. Many do not collect predicted data or much data of national interest. Most do not require prior approval of use of human subjects, recombinant DNA, or hazardous substances. Only one required certification of integrity of scholarship. (Author/MSE)

Interviews with 10 men studying early childhood education and 8 women in motor-vehicle engineering, areas in which they were gender minorities, revealed intimidating behaviors and stereotypes preventing their full participation. Difficulties also arose in workshops and job placements. (SK)

Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS) was created by Purdue University (Indiana) School of Electrical and Computer Engineering to broaden the education of engineering students by the use of an extended service-learning experience integrated into the engineering curriculum. EPICS provides local community service organizations with…

Describes how to combine computer-assisted learning with collaborative learning in an introductory chemical engineering course in process dynamics and control. Discusses participants' impressions regarding the effectiveness of the approach. (WRM)

Proposes a framework to evaluate Ph.D. supervision requirements from a student's perspective. The evaluation documents perceived shortfalls between expected and provided supervision for personal, indirect research-related, and direct research-related help. Finds that the biggest discrepancy between expected and provided supervision was in direct…

Describes the author's experiences in serving as a program evaluator for an Engineering Criteria 2000 accreditation visit and preparing for the visit to her own department. Examines how constituency "buy-in" and closing of the improvement loop affect evaluation and institutionalization of a program improvement process. (Contains 16 references.)…

Defends the existence of a synergy between research and education, which requires the acceptance of two principles: (1) education of engineers as the creation of a pro-innovation attitude; and (2) research as an open-minded compromising attitude with progress of valuable knowledge. Argues that research-oriented centers are better-prepared to boost…