Collegiate Times

engineeringEducation021209

The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has released the findings of its study on engineering education in undergraduate programs in its January 2009 edition.

The foundation noted that "engineering schools are heavily influenced by academic traditions that do not always support the profession's needs" and called for a new model of engineering education.

A survey of education conducted at 40 institutions offering undergraduate engineering programs found an emphasis on lectures and projects that were not applicable to the disciplines students would be working in.

There are 1,740 institutions in the United States that offer undergraduate engineering programs, and most of them were found to be underwhelming in terms of engaging their students, according to the report.

Virginia Tech, responding to pressures of the need to engage undergraduate engineers in all aspects of their education, has stepped up its teaching methods. Multiple professors in the College of Engineering have received awards for excellence in education.

The recognized professors include Hayden Griffin, dean of the engineering education department, who recently received the Alumni Teaching Award. Janis Terpenny, associate professor of mechanical engineering, was awarded with the Edward S. Diggs Teaching Scholars Award.

The recognition of professors in the Tech engineering program for their strides in teaching gives merit to the pace Tech is keeping with the education curve.

Griffin explained that the undergraduate system is broken into two sections, a lecture and a more hands-on workshop.

"We try and make sure that all of the material is worthwhile," Griffin said. "We try and put everything in terms of something that they will actually encounter in engineering. There needs to be a clear worth to the material."

"The strategy is to keep the material from getting dry," Terpenny said. "The reason why students may find it dry is that they are learning the material out of context."

Terpenny explained that the lack of relevance of the material to students hurts the chances of any learning happening.

"People choose the engineering major to make a difference in the world, their education can be in the concept of solving real problems," said Terpenny. "I always think realism is important, whether I'm teaching seniors, juniors, sophomores or freshmen. I always try and incorporate realism."

There was also a dilemma of professors not engaging in material because of its lack of relevance. Professors could not put it across as something engaging to their students.

"As a student myself, I can see if the instructor is really engaged in the material. Their enthusiasm makes it easier for me to become engaged," Griffin said.

Terpenny explained that it was her own passion for the subject that keeps her so enthralled in her lecture topics. She said that she finds it helpful to show YouTube clips to her classes, providing that they are relevant to the material being taught.

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