scholarly journals CHALLENGES IN ENGINEERING DESIGN EDUCATION: VERTICAL AND LATERAL LEARNING

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aleksander Czekanski ◽  
Maher Al-Dojayli ◽  
Tom Lee
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Education ◽  
Engineering Design ◽  
Design Education ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Engineering Practice ◽  
Design Strategies ◽  
Engineering Design Education ◽  
Advanced Analysis ◽  
Capstone Projects ◽  
Team Design

Engineering practice and design in particular have gone through several changes during the last two decades whether due to scientific achievements including the evolution in novel engineering materials, computational advancements, globalization and economic constraints as well as the strategic needs which are the drive for innovative engineering. All these factors have impacted and shaped to certain extent the educational system in North America and Canada in particular. Currently, high percentage of the engineering graduates would require extensive training in industry to be able to conduct reliable complex engineering designs supported by scientific verification and validation, understand the complete design stages and phases, and identify the economic and cultural impact on such designs. This task, however, faces great challenges without educational support in such vastly changing economy.Lots of attention has been devoted to engineering design education in the recent years to incorporate engineering design courses supported by team design projects and capstone projects. Nevertheless, the lack of integrated education system towards engineering design programs can undermine the benefits of such efforts. In this paper, observations and analysis of the challenges in engineering design are presented from both academic and industrial points of view. Furthermore, a proposed vertical and lateral engineering education program is discussed. This program is structured to cover every year of the engineering education curricula, which emphasizes on innovative thinking, design strategies, support from and integration with other technical engineering courses, the use of advanced analysis tools, team collaboration, management and leadership, multidisciplinary education and industrial involvement. Its courses have just commenced for freshmen engineering students at the newly launched Mechanical Engineering Department at the Lassonde School of Engineering, York University.

Instructor approaches to creativity in engineering design education

2018 ◽  
Vol 233 (2) ◽  
pp. 395-402
Author(s):  
Yasemin Tekmen-Araci ◽  
Llewellyn Mann
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Education ◽  
Engineering Design ◽  
Design Education ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Practical Implementation ◽  
Training Methods ◽  
Action Research Project ◽  
Educational Backgrounds ◽  
Engineering Design Education ◽  
Fostering Creativity

Creativity is essential in the engineering design process. Researchers, academics, educators, and engineering organisations all agree that further improvement is necessary in training methods for fostering creativity in engineering education. Even though studies exist about how creativity should be taught in engineering education, there is still limited research about the challenges of practical implementation. To address this gap, an action research project has been conducted in two undergraduate Mechanical Engineering design subjects at a prominent university in Australia with the aim of enhancing creativity during the problem-solving process. The study shows the many challenges that arose when enhancing creativity in engineering design education, and the issues that surrounded this implementation. Although teaching creativity to engineering students is a challenge, this study illuminates the difficulties of convincing the engineering instructors to embed creativity in the subjects they teach. Overall, the study found that instructors' understandings and beliefs about creativity influence their teaching approach and what they value. These influences were around four main areas: the instructors' focus on the design product being produced, their educational backgrounds and training, the subjective nature of creativity and their beliefs about it, and the performance mindset of the instructors. These findings suggest that enhancing creativity among engineering students is not possible until the engineering educators and practitioners understand and value creativity practice.

scholarly journals ENHANCING DESIGN EDUCATION BY PRODUCT REVERSE ENGINEERING

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kezheng Huang
Keyword(s):  
Reverse Engineering ◽  
Engineering Education ◽  
Engineering Design ◽  
Design Education ◽  
Design Theory ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Learning By Doing ◽  
Engineering Practice ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Current Engineering

As science and technology develops faster and faster, the accumulation of knowledge is exponential over time. Engineering education must keep up with the changing environment including engineering practice. As each individual’s capability is limited, engineering students need choosing right stuff to learn so that they can graduate as qualified engineers with both broad knowledge and practical skills as required in industry. In this paper, the current engineering education is discussed with some trends, such as creativity training as most have insisted in project-based hands-on design education, broad knowledge including essential engineering science knowledge. As a comprehensive discipline, design engineering courses exist to teach engineering design fundamental. Due to immature design theory and methodology, the “learning by doing” approach is widely accepted to complement current engineering design education. In this paper, an integrated effort is introduced which combines together the two basic aspects, knowledge and skill, in order to increase the half-life of engineering knowledge and enhance the hands-on skills at the same time. Based on new development in design research, an experimental design education using Product Reverse Engineering (PRE) as education tool, is introduced with initial evaluation for suitability in design education.

scholarly journals APPROACHES THAT HELP STUDENTS GENERATE NEW DESIGN SOLUTIONS

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yong Zeng ◽  
Shengji Yao ◽  
Michel Couturier ◽  
Frank Collins
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Design ◽  
Design Problem ◽  
Design Education ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Creative Design ◽  
Design Strategies ◽  
Design Problems ◽  
Engineering Design Education ◽  
Design Solutions

Recently a new design methodology, Environment-Based Design (EBD) [1, 2] has been developed. In using the model of EBD, three elements are important: primitive synthesis knowledge, primitive environment and primitive solutions. Based on the three elements, three design strategies have been validated in [3] for generating new design solutions: formulating design problems differently, changing the sequence of decomposition of the design problem and extending synthesis knowledge. Increasing the possibilities of generating new design solutions may increase the chance of getting creative design solutions. Thus the three strategies for leading to new design solutions can be introduced into our engineering design education for helping and inspiring students generate creative design solutions. In this paper, we will first briefly introduce EBD model and the three design strategies leading to new design solutions, then explain how EBD can be integrated into the design education of engineering students and elaborate how the design strategies can be used to help students generate different design solutions.

A Pillar of Mechanical Engineering Design Education in Australia: 25 Years of the Warman Design and Build Competition

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Warren F. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Design ◽  
Design Education ◽  
Mechanical Engineering ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Student Assessment ◽  
National Committee ◽  
Engineering Design Education ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Institutional Learning ◽  
History Of

The “Warman Design and Build Competition”, running across Australasian Universities, is now in its 26th year in 2013. Presented in this paper is a brief history of the competition, documenting the objectives, yearly scenarios, key contributors and champion Universities since its beginning in 1988. Assuming the competition has reached the majority of mechanical and related discipline engineering students in that time, it is fair to say that this competition, as a vehicle of the National Committee on Engineering Design, has served to shape Australasian engineering education in an enduring way. The philosophy of the Warman Design and Build Competition and some of the challenges of running it are described in this perspective by its coordinator since 2003. In particular, the need is for the competition to work effectively across a wide range of student group ability. Not every group engaging with the competition will be competitive nationally, yet all should learn positively from the experience. Reported also in this paper is the collective feedback from the campus organizers in respect to their use of the competition as an educational experience in their classrooms. Each University participating uses the competition differently with respect to student assessment and the support students receive. However, all academic campus organizer responses suggest that the competition supports their own and their institutional learning objectives very well. While the project scenarios have varied widely over the years, the intent to challenge 2nd year university (predominantly mechanical) engineering students with an open-ended statement of requirements in a practical and experiential exercise has been a constant. Students are faced with understanding their opportunity and their client’s value system as expressed in a scoring algorithm. They are required to conceive, construct and demonstrate their device with limited prior knowledge and experience, and the learning outcomes clearly impact their appreciation for teamwork, leadership and product realization.

Biomedical Engineering Design Education at King Saud University: A First of Its Kind Approach

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harcharan Singh Ranu ◽  
Aman Sweet Bhullar
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Design ◽  
Biomedical Engineering ◽  
Design Education ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
King Saud University ◽  
Research Education ◽  
Medical Centers ◽  
Engineering Design Education ◽  
Established Firms ◽  
First Time

Biomedical Engineering in the Millennium is building the future of biology and medicine. New products, from biotechnology and novel devices for diagnosis and treatment, are marketed through interactions between universities, medical centers, small start-up companies, and large, more established firms. The role of biomedical engineering in the 21st century has already been highlighted by Ranu as far as research, education and space age technologies are concerned. Therefore, educating the modern biomedical engineering students in design processes is extremely important. This paper highlights how biomedical engineering design is taught for the first time to King Saud University students in Saudi Arabia. The conclusion drawn from this is that for the first time an innovative design course has been developed to teach the biomedical engineering students at King Saud University to meet the needs of tomorrow’s biomedical engineers.

scholarly journals Engaging Students in Meaningful Learning: Understanding Student Perspectives of Engineering Design Education

1969 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Aleong ◽  
David Strong
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Engineering Education ◽  
Engineering Design ◽  
Design Education ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Full Extent ◽  
Undergraduate Engineering ◽  
Engineering Design Education ◽  
Master's Thesis ◽  
Research Findings

Learning how to design plays a vital role inengineering education to prepare students to solve openended,complex problems. To serve the continuousimprovement of engineering design education, a qualitative study of undergraduate engineering students’perspectives of engineering design was conducted. This research aims to understand the meaning students place on design in their engineering education and how thismeaning is described. By examining what students thinkabout learning and practicing design, engineeringeducators can be better positioned to enhanceinstructional strategies and curriculum development. The full extent of the research findings and implicationswill be presented in the researcher’s master’s thesis. This spaper serves to highlight the application of qualitativeresearch and the learning sciences in engineering education.

The Impact of Team-Based Product Dissection on Design Novelty

2014 ◽  
Vol 136 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine A. Toh ◽  
Scarlett R. Miller ◽  
Gül E. Okudan Kremer
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Design ◽  
Design Education ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Design Method ◽  
Idea Generation ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Design Concepts ◽  
Engineering Design Education ◽  
Current Design ◽  
The Impact

Although design novelty is a critical area of research in engineering design, most research in this space has focused on understanding and developing formal idea generation methods instead of focusing on the impact of current design practices. This is problematic because formal techniques are often not adopted in industry due to the burdensome steps often included in these methods, which limit the practicality and adoption of these methods. This study seeks to understand the impact of product dissection, a design method widely utilized in academia and industry, on design novelty in order to produce recommendations for the use or alterations of this method for supporting novelty in design. To investigate the impact of dissection, a study was conducted with 76 engineering students who completed a team-based dissection of an electric toothbrush and then individually generated ideas. The relationships between involvement in the dissection activity, the product dissected, the novelty and quantity of the ideas developed were investigated. The results reveal that team members who were more involved in the dissection activity generated concepts that were more novel than those who did not. In addition, the type of the dissected product also had an influence on design novelty. Finally, a positive correlation between the number of ideas generated and the novelty of the design concepts was identified. The results from this study are used to provide recommendations for leveraging product dissection for enhancing novelty in engineering design education and practice.

International Trends in Engineering Design Education—A Partial View

1979 ◽  
Vol 101 (4) ◽  
pp. 540-545
Author(s):  
A. Bar-Cohen
Keyword(s):  
System Design ◽  
Engineering Design ◽  
Design Education ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Undergraduate Engineering ◽  
Engineering Program ◽  
International Trends ◽  
Engineering Design Education ◽  
Partial View ◽  
Developed Nations

Approaches to engineering design education in several developing and developed nations are reviewed and found to suggest widespread recognition of the need for early and frequent student exposure to the pragmatic and often controlling aspects of mechanical system design. In this context, it appears that the undergraduate engineering program at most U.S. Universities may not contribute to the ability of engineering students to pursue successful careers in engineering innovation and design.

scholarly journals Learning to Learn: Defining an Engineering Learning Culture

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marnie Vegessi Jamieson ◽  
John M. Shaw
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Education ◽  
Lifelong Learning ◽  
Design Education ◽  
Learning Culture ◽  
Engineering Practice ◽  
Learning To Learn ◽  
Graduate Attributes ◽  
Engineering Design Education ◽  
Functional Learning ◽  
Cultural Construct

Learning is a cultural construct. Beliefs, perceptions and values regarding learning shape the culture of a classroom and a program of study. A framework for engineering education grounded in the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB) Graduate Attributes and engineering practice is proposed. Methods and activities to shape a learning culture in engineering design education consistent with a community of practice and lifelong learning are also proposed. This transformational approach offers an opportunity to teach lifelong learning and integrate engineering practice and engineering education, while entrenching graduate attributes more deeply in the engineering curriculum. Accountability, engagement, recognition, motivation, appreciation, credibility, and continual improvement are key elements of a functional learning culture. Learning moments are a concise way to make learning to learn a relevant part of each session and encourage student reflection and metacognition.  

Advancing Sustainable Engineering Practice Through Education and Undergraduate Research Projects

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Radian Belu ◽  
Richard Chiou ◽  
Tzu-Liang (Bill) Tseng ◽  
Lucian Cioca
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Education ◽  
Curriculum Design ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Sustainable Design ◽  
Water Environment ◽  
Practice Change ◽  
Green Design ◽  
Industrial Society ◽  
Engineering Practice ◽  
Design Strategies

Major challenges such as energy, food, water, environment, health and so many more have never been more prominent than they are today. Engineers and educators, as problem solvers should be addressing these issues and challenges in sustainable ways. They have an enormous opportunity to help create a more sustainable world. Technology problems interconnecting sustainability challenges such as climate change, loss of biodiversity, environmental pollution, economic and social instability are becoming increasingly major concerns for mankind. However, the engineers and scientists have failed on large extend to fully address the sustainability issues. It was also found that engineering graduates do not possess necessary skills to tackle sustainability related problems. Engineering practice and education are changing as social expectations and conditions for engineering practice change too. Students have the responsibility and opportunity to continue improving our life while reducing or even reversing the negative impacts that our industrial society is having on the environment. Current engineering curricula are not equipping them to properly deal with these challenges due to little integration of sustainable and green design strategies and practice. Transforming higher education curricula for sustainable development is a tough challenge, dealing with the complexness of sustainability concepts and integration into engineering education. Teaching students the sustainability principles and equipping them with necessary tools help them to make better choices on materials and energy use, or design. These concepts and methods are still relatively new to engineering curriculum and are not an established practice for most of such programs. Meanwhile, today’s students have a strong desire to improve the world through their work, and sustainability connects with these interest and motivations. However, students’ hunger for knowledge often outstrips what is available in their courses and the experiences of their professors. Furthermore, to make sustainable design compelling to a wider base of engineering students, we need to craft sustainable design in terms of mainstream design problems that are important, cutting-edge, and achievable. Then we need to help them how to effectively deal with environmental and societal needs and constraints as part of their core design process. The paper highlights the process required for embedding sustainability and green design into our programs, curriculum design, implementation and impediments to surmount for sustainability and green design in engineering education. This was done through a project-based approach, developing three new courses and appropriate changes in a number of existing courses. The skill requirements were studied and finally the list of subjects, topics, teaching and learning methods are identified and discussed in this paper.

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