Adapting Engineering Education to the New Century - Web-Based Engineering Education: Critical Design and Effective Tools - page 31

1. IntEgrAtIng “WHAt”
Into “WHy” In EngInEErIng
EducAtIon

meet the demands likely to be placed on them in
the coming decades, while alternative methods that
have been extensively tested offer good prospects
of doing so (Rugarcia, et al., 2000).
Engineering is the profession in which knowl-
edge of the mathematical and natural sciences
gained by study, experience and practices are
applied with judgment to develop ways to utilize
economically the materials and forces of nature for
the benefit of mankind. Engineering is a unique
profession since it is inherently connected to
providing solutions to some expressed demand
of society with heavy emphasis on exploiting
scientific knowledge. In the real world, engineers
must respond to sudden changes. The engineers
of today, and in the decades ahead, also must be
able to function in a team environment, often
international, and be able to relate their techni-
cal expertise to societal needs and impacts. Yet
we start at making transformative changes in our
educational system. Our educational challenge
is itself a design challenge—making the “right”
engineers for our nation's future. The basis for
the reform of engineering education is made up
of unique experiences, traditions and everlast-
ing values of specialist training at universities.
Engineering educators have to focus on market
demand and stop defending the obsolescent and
obsolete programs. In order to prepare engineers
to meet these new challenges, engineering training
and education must be revised and modernized.
Today's engineer cannot be merely a technician
who is able to design the perfect bridge or the
sleek skyscraper.
Today's engineer must not only have a breadth
and depth of expertise, but must be able to com-
municate effectively, provide creative solutions
with vision, and adapt to ever-changing demands.
Today's engineer, like any other modern profes-
sional, must be someone who can see the big
picture

A professional needs to recognize the “why”
dimension as well as the “what” in order to pro-
vide a wisdom and understanding. Also, for the
profession to attract students there needs to be an
enhanced community respect for engineering. This
can be assisted if we integrate a person-centered
and nature-respecting ethic into engineering edu-
cation (Hinchcliff, 2000).
The urgent need to change the teaching method
of the current engineering education system was
the reason for which the author launched to a
new plan. The new plan envisaged changes in the
curriculum to meet the demands of the industry,
now facing strong competition as a consequence
of the recent technological changes. With this aim,
the authors developed the courses considering
following issues:

1. “ Why” not try replacing one quarter of the
lectures with an online resource? As part of
online resources, lecture-based courses are
taught at many institutions using videotaped
lectures, live compressed video, television
broadcasts or radio broadcasts (CSU, 2004;
Forks, 2009; UI, 2004). The student can
have an easier time communicating online
as opposed to in a full classroom (Purcell-
Roberston & Purcell, 2000). In addition,
student is at the center of his or her infor-
mation resources. The content information
is not delivered as a lecture for the students
to hear but rather as information for the stu-
dents to use. Students are free to explore and
learn through their successes and sometimes
failures Instead of the lecture, students could
spend time over a month working through
some online materials complete with self-
tests, interactions, mini-project or whatever.