Presents an approach to the teaching of engineering that uses the ideas about the teaching of academic subject matter developed by D. Ausubel. Identifies a threat to higher education in the lack of knowledge of the relationship between research and teaching in engineering and science and remarks on the absence of a corpus of work related to…

Describes the work of usability engineers, who improve computer hardware, software, and websites by focusing on how users perceive and manipulate those tools. Discusses education, training, salaries, and talents needed by usability engineers. (Author/JOW)

Discusses the variety of efforts being made by some colleges to attract more females into the field of engineering; the discipline is trying to stress its social relevance, an important factor for many women. (EV)

Introduces an undergraduate level course aiming to prepare students for graduate work in chemical engineering, considering the need of cross-trained employees in industry. (Contains 29 references.) (Author/YDS)

Suggests that today's engineering schools are not preparing their graduates as well as they might for useful practice in the 21st century. (Author/MM)

Examines structural characteristics of university engineering students' conceptions of energy elicited through paragraph writing and their relations with categories of their conceptions specific to energy in solution processes identified through interviews. Reports that structures of students' conceptions are characterized primarily by…

Uses dartboards to represent magnitude-frequency relationships of natural hazards which engage students at different levels of preparation in different contexts, and for different lengths of time. Helps students to mitigate the misconceptions that processes occur periodically by emphasizing the random nature of hazards. Includes 12 references.…

Investigates characteristics of a quality program in graphic communications teacher education with involvement of professionals in the field. Uses the Delphi technique to achieve consensus on the characteristics that they felt compromised a good educational program for future graphics teachers. (Contains 27 references.) (Author/YDS)

Presents a research project in which the nature and extent of the misunderstanding of moles is quantified. Outlines a design and the implementation of a set of activities to promote conceptual change in this area. (CCM)

Seeks to open up a new avenue for feminist technology studies--gender-aware research on engineers and engineering practice--on the grounds that engineers are power symbols of the equation between masculinity and technology, and occupy significant roles in shaping new technologies. (Author/CCM)

Tests the hypothesis that integrating cross-course concepts in bioengineering and process control courses through a unified project could provide a stimulating learning environment. Indicates that the project helped students to integrate their acquired knowledge in process control in the bioengineering project. (ASK)

Describes a number of staff development organizations along with their strategies and experiences. Features examples from Denmark, Sweden, and Belgium. (Author/MM)

Indicates the importance of flexible teaching and learning in engineering education, especially to students who cannot attend in traditional, full time, on-campus studies. Discusses the benefits of flexible teaching and learning for both students and academic staff. (Contains 27 references.) (Author/YDS)

Discusses an alternative approach to lecturing, the interactive lecture. Examines the effects of interactive teaching in lectures using an interactive voting system and peer instruction on the attainment of learning objectives, student motivation, and student perception of the instruction offered. (Contains 20 references.) (Author/YDS)

Introduces rapid prototyping which creates virtual models through a variety of automated material additive processes. Relates experiences using JP System 5 in freshman and sophomore engineering design graphics courses. Analyzes strengths and limitations of the JP System 5 and discusses how to use it effectively. (Contains 15 references.)…