New NAE report on the Engineering Curricula


The National Academy of Engineering has released a new workshop summary, Engineering Curricula: Understanding the Design Space and Exploiting the Opportunities.  Workshop participants, who included individuals from industry, university faculty and administrators, and representatives from government agencies and professional societies, discussed 1.  the rationale for the scope and sequence of current engineering curricula; 2.  the potential to enhance engineering curricula through creative uses of instructional technologies; 3. the importance of inquiry-based activities as well as authentic learning experiences grounded in real world contexts; and 4. the opportunities provided by looking more deeply at what personal and professional outcomes result from studying engineering.  Suggestions offered to create curricular innovation include expanding faculty and administrator communication networks; increasing faculty incentives; and enhancing interactions among stakeholders of engineering education.