A Year of Dialogue Focused on Engineering Education Research
A Year of Dialogue Focused on Engineering Education Research
复制标题
聚焦工程教育研究的对话年
DOI：
10.1002/j.2168-9830.2006.tb00890.x
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发表时间：
2006
影响因子：
3.4
通讯作者：
D. Wormley
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
D. Wormley
就国家对工程的兴趣及其在经济活力、安全和国民健康方面的作用而言，这是一个特别重要和痛苦的时刻。在最近的两份报告和一本书中，工程对这些关键的国家问题的贡献的重要方面得到了强调：●从聚集的风暴中崛起：为更光明的经济未来注入活力和雇用美国bb1●2020年的工程师：新世纪的工程愿景bb1●世界是平的；21世纪简史b[3]这些出版物确定了工程师和技术在高度互联的全球经济中促进国家健康和福利的重要作用。他们还列举了工程师必须具备的重要素质，以便有效地解决全球问题。从本质上讲，工程教育必须准备毕业生：●在全球环境中实践；●灵活，敏捷和创新；●沟通清晰，理解团队合作，并意识到文化差异；●基础扎实，基础广泛。最近研究的一个重要内容是工程师在创新和向全球经济引进新技术方面所起的作用。美国国家科学院的报告强调，未来的工程师需要为职业生涯做好准备，这将需要高度重视工程的创造性和创新方面。ASEE非常注重工程教育工作者的参与，以发展解决这些问题的工程教育。在上个月举行的2006年ASEE年会暨博览会全体会议上，进行了题为“推进工程教育的奖学金：开启对话年”的苏格拉底式对话。这次全体会议开启了为期一年的对话，在ASEE的各个层面上讨论社区如何共同推进工程和工程技术教育方面的奖学金。ASEE的十二个部门和四个区域的会议将在全体会议上发起的对话的基础上召开，并使其成员参与发展培养有效的全球工程师所需的教育的任务。只有在工程和工程技术教育研究的大力支持和支持下，这一努力才会成功。教育研究告诉我们，就学生学到的东西而言，我们教什么和怎么教都有重要的影响。因此，在我们进入对话年之际，牢记几个世纪以来几位教育家（博耶尔、杜威、孔子）的评论将是有益的：“我听到了，我忘记了；我看见了，我记得；我明白，我明白。”工程教育研究的中心主题之一是如何最好地让学生参与主动和基于问题的学习。这些概念从根本上与未来毕业生所需的技术深度和理解以及创新和创造能力的发展联系在一起。在发展未来的工程教育中，重要的是吸取世界各地最好的思想和智慧，培养真正能有所作为的工程师。因此，借鉴世界各地基础工作的研究对于教育未来的全球工程师至关重要。最后，如果不关注未来的工程师，以及吸引和为未来的学生提供教育的迫切需求，特别是来自历史上在工程领域代表性不足的群体，我们就不能考虑为2020年及以后的全球工程师培养人才。很明显，必须大大加强努力，使年轻学生认识到工程职业。研究确定和定义有效的方法，让工程界以可持续的方式吸引K-12教师和学生，将是这一努力成功的重要因素。总之，对话年将为工程教育界提供一个重要的机会，以推进工程和工程技术教育研究，并解决目前我们在培养有效的全球工程师方面的理解差距。
This is a particularly important and poignant time with respect to the national interest in engineering and its role in economic vitality, security, and the health of the nation’s citizens. Important aspects of the contributions of engineering to these critical national issues have been highlighted in two recent reports and a book: ● Rising Above the Gathering Storm: Energizing and Employing America for a Brighter Economic Future [1] ● The Engineer of 2020: Visions of Engineering in the New Century [2] ● The World is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century [3] These publications identify the essential role of engineers and technology in advancing the nation’s health and welfare in the highly interconnected, global economy. They also cite the important attributes that engineers must possess to be effective in addressing global problems. In essence, an engineering education must prepare graduates to: ● practice in a global environment, ● be flexible, agile and innovative, ● communicate clearly, understand teamwork, and be aware of cultural differences, and ● be solidly grounded in fundamentals and have a broad base. An important element in the recent studies is the role engineers play in innovation and in introducing new technologies into the global economy. The National Academies reports highlight the need for future engineers to be prepared for careers which will require heightened emphasis on the creative and innovative aspects of engineering. ASEE has a strong focus on engaging engineering educators in developing an engineering education to address these issues. In the plenary session of the 2006 ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition held last month, a Socratic dialogue was conducted entitled, “Advancing Scholarship in Engineering Education: Launching a Year of Dialogue.” This plenary initiates a year of dialogue at every level within ASEE on how the community collectively can advance scholarship in engineering and engineering technology education. Meetings of ASEE’s twelve sections and four zones will be convened to build on the dialogue initiated in the plenary and to engage its members in the task of developing the education needed to produce effective global engineers. This effort will only be successful if it is supported and informed strongly by research in engineering and engineering technology education. Education research has shown us that in terms of what our students learn, both what we teach and how we teach, has an important impact. Thus, as we enter into the Year of Dialogue it will be useful to keep in mind the comments of several educators (E. Boyer, J. Dewey, Confucius) over the centuries: “I hear, I forget; I see, I remember; I do, I understand.” One of the central themes of engineering education research has been directed to how best to engage students in active and problem based learning. These concepts are fundamentally tied with the development of technical depth and understanding and the innovative and creative abilities needed in future graduates. In developing the future engineering education it is important to draw on the best thoughts and wisdom from around the world to produce engineers who can truly make a difference. Thus, research which draws on fundamental work from across the world is vitally important to educate the global engineer of the future. Finally, we could not consider producing the global engineer for 2020 and beyond without focusing on prospective engineers and the critical need to attract and provide an education to prospective students, especially from groups historically under-represented in engineering. It is clear that the efforts must be significantly increased to make young students aware of engineering careers. Research to identify and define effective methods to engage K-12 teachers and students in a sustainable manner by the engineering community will be an important element for success in this endeavor. In summary, the Year of Dialogue will offer an important opportunity for the engineering education community to advance engineering and engineering technology education research and to address current gaps in our understanding in preparing effective global engineers.