Conference Session

Promoting Engineering and Technological Literacy

Collection

2016 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Janet L. Gbur, Case Western Reserve University; Daniela Solomon, Case Western Reserve University

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Technological and Engineering Literacy/Philosophy of Engineering

standards organizations, how could standards get integrated into theclassroom if not currently done and to consider adding other SDOs to the panel. In addition,many respondents commented on the enthusiastic presentations and interactions betweenpanel members and between the panel and audience during the first half of the workshop.Based on the survey questions and additional comments, the majority of the attendees wouldprefer an interactive workshop format that would be smaller in size. This would also allowthe ability to target more specific topics in standards education and implementation. How could future events be improved? Make the panels more interactive

Conference Session

The Philosophy of Engineering and Technological Literacy

Collection

2016 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jennifer Karlin, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology; Cheryl Allendoerfer, University of Washington; Rebecca A Bates, Minnesota State University, Mankato; Dan Ewert, North Dakota State University; Ronald R Ulseth P.E., Itasca Community College

Tagged Divisions

Technological and Engineering Literacy/Philosophy of Engineering

, Curriculum, and Laboratory Improvement (CCLI) program7. The use of theresearch-to-practice cycles, while an encouraging development, has not made a large enoughchange in the ways engineering education researchers think about framing their results for useacross the broad varieties of practices. We posit that the common understanding of the research-to-practice model is one of impeding factors and that resituating the research-to-practice model isa necessary, though not sufficient, step towards transforming engineering education practice. Theobjective of this paper is to examine the limitations of the current research to practice cycle andexpand the conversation to include a broader and more nuanced understanding of whysustainable change in

Conference Session

The Philosophy of Engineering and Technological Literacy

Collection

2016 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Alan Cheville, Bucknell University; John Heywood, Trinity CollegeDublin, The University of Dublin

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Technological and Engineering Literacy/Philosophy of Engineering

being considered and resourced by policy makers directly concerned withengineering education an analysis of issues identified in request for proposals (RFPs) wasperformed. Program solicitations and program descriptions from the National ScienceFoundation were selected over two three year periods one decade apart: 2003-2005 and 2013-2015. Programs focused primarily on undergraduate engineering education were selected. Thusgraduate focused programs that overlapped engineering education—e.g. Integrative GraduateEducation and Research Training (IGERT)—were excluded as were Graduate ResearchFellowships. Programs focused on technician training—e.g. Advanced Technology Education—and K-12 focused programs were also excluded as were those focused on a

Conference Session

Promoting Engineering and Technological Literacy

Collection

2016 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

John Heywood, Trinity College-Dublin

Tagged Divisions

Technological and Engineering Literacy/Philosophy of Engineering

Science andTechnology, the IEEE Society on the Social Implications of Technology, and the Society forthe History of Technology in this area of knowledge which often takes place in schools out-side of engineering as for example the departments of philosophy in universities in theNetherlands. “A person who is technologically literate might have a knowledge of the systems of an automobile such as engine, power train, and brakes along with the basic principles underlying the functioning of these systems. This is knowledge of the product. Engineering literacy would include knowledge or ability to design, analyse or otherwise create the constituent components of the automobile.” “An integrated circuit is a technological device. A person who is

Conference Session

Promoting Engineering and Technological Literacy

Collection

2016 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jonathan Grunert, Virginia Tech; Stephanie G. Adams, Virginia Tech

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Technological and Engineering Literacy/Philosophy of Engineering

literacy inother fields and other areas of their lives. It should also here be noted that both these studentsintend to apply to graduate programs in engineering after their undergraduate degrees. What, exactly, had these students’ experiences with engineers been? By developing somebaseline for what an engineer is, and what students’ interactions with engineers and engineeringhas been, we can extrapolate some ideas for implementing engineering literacy into a curriculum. Common understandings of engineers and engineering often begin with stereotypes.5,6Students, when asked about their experiences with engineers and engineering, brought severalstereotypes as their basis for examining those experiences. Rowena said, “I experienced a lot

Conference Session

Promoting Engineering and Technological Literacy

Collection

2016 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

James W Malazita, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; Dominic Francis Gelfuso; Dean Nieusma, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Tagged Divisions

Technological and Engineering Literacy/Philosophy of Engineering

process aremore blurred, and play is encouraged. Thus, though photosculpture was dismissed as beingunable to truly capture aesthetic “beauty” or creative “genius”—fundamental properties ofartistic mastery—3D printing needs only to afford the ability to be “more creative.” In an oddway, the rhetoric of 3D printing, particularly its ability to further galvanize a burgeoning popularcreative movement, may be successful because of its lack of the ontological burden of art. Inother words, because 3D printing does not have to strive to be art, it is free to do educational andcritical work beyond art. We draw out some of the implications of this comparative history fortechnological literacies—both in terms of public engagement with technology and in

Conference Session

The Philosophy of Engineering and Technological Literacy

Collection

2016 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jonathan S Weedon, Case Western Reserve University

Tagged Divisions

Technological and Engineering Literacy/Philosophy of Engineering

. Necessary as the analytical tools of science and mathematics most certainly are, more important is the development in student and neophyte engineers of sound judgment and an intuitive sense of fitness and adequacy. No matter how vigorously a “science” of design may be pushed, the successful design of real things in a contingent world will always be based more on art than on science. Unquantifiable judgments and choices are the elements that determine the way a design comes together. Engineering design is simply that kind of process. It always has been; it always will be. 2 Ferguson implies that engineering judgment is something informed by mathematics andscience, but states that engineering judgment