Conference Session

The Philosophy of Engineering and Technological Literacy

Collection

2016 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Bill Williams, CEG-IST Universidade de Lisboa; Jose Figueiredo, IST, Universidade de Lisboa

Tagged Divisions

Technological and Engineering Literacy/Philosophy of Engineering

, engineering faculty and the general public. This paper contributes toscholarship in the areas of technology literacy and engineering practice studies by presenting atimeline of empirical studies of engineering practice carried out in the US, Europe and Australiafrom the 19th century to today. We observe a notable widening of the range of researchapproaches employed to capture what engineers do and an increasing recognition thatsociotechnical aspects of engineering work play an important role in the workplace. Weconclude by setting out some implications for educators of the empirical findings from of thisarea of scholarship. 1. ContextAt a symposium entitled Engineering as a Social Enterprise organized by the US NationalAcademy of Engineering in

Conference Session

Promoting Engineering and Technological Literacy

Collection

2016 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Dan G. Dimitriu, University of Texas at San Antonio; Mehdi Shadaram P.E., University of Texas, San Antonio

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Technological and Engineering Literacy/Philosophy of Engineering

United States realized that science and technology had a continuouslyincreasing role in the everyday life of our citizens and initiated a major effort to define culturaland scientific literacy (1-3). Bauer, et al. published a comprehensive review of the key issues inpublic understanding of science research, outlining the divergence between science literacy andsociety in general.Current developments connected with Global Warming, Pollution, Green Energy, and GeneticEngineering show that the “Trust deficit” and the “Crisis of confidence” between Society andScience are more prevalent now than ever before in our society and that our future depends onhow we will address these vital issues(5).As society continues to evolve, technological and

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

ofpeople—if not more—who want to create something,” celebrated Bass, “… an unbelievablecommunity of people who want to be making things.”1 Similar messages of the creative, eventransformative potential of consumer-level additive printing technologies were echoed byTechShop CEO Mark Hatch, Lockheed Corporate Director Steve Betza, and Adidas CreativeDirector Paul Gaudio. “Bringing the familiar into the future; marrying the qualities ofhandcrafting … with the limitless potential of new manufacturing technologies,” dreamedGaudio of consumer-created product design.2While there is more-than-a-little marketing speak running through these messages, it would bewrong to dismiss the above as merely CEOs glossily pitching new wares; Bass, Hatch, Betza,and

Conference Session

Promoting Engineering and Technological Literacy

Collection

2016 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

John Krupczak Jr, NSF Division of Undergraduate Education; Mani Mina, Iowa State University

Tagged Divisions

Technological and Engineering Literacy/Philosophy of Engineering

solutions in aglobal and societal context.The motivation for this work is an approach to student educational development based onthe three dimensions of technological literacy outlined in Tech Tally. This includes thesocial, technical, and ethical aspects of technology. Tech Tally identifies threedimensions of technological literacy as shown in Figures 1 and 2. These are knowledge,capabilities, and critical thinking and decision-making. Engineering educators whoreflect on this perspective will note that most engineering classes focus on the capabilitiesand knowledge dimensions, while the dimension of critical thinking and decision-makingis not well-represented in the engineering curriculum.Figure 1: A Graphical Representation of the Three

Conference Session

The Philosophy of Engineering and Technological Literacy

Collection

2016 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

John Krupczak Jr, National Science Foundation; Mani Mina, Iowa State University; Kate A Disney, Mission College

Tagged Divisions

Technological and Engineering Literacy/Philosophy of Engineering

components, and discernment of the boundaries of thesystem. The ability to synthesize systems to achieve a particular function in given technologicaldomain is also considered. This work begins an effort to create some assessment tool appropriatefor use with the large number of students who are not majoring in one of the STEM disciplines.Preliminary from using these assessments with undergraduate non-STEM majors are described.BackgroundOur modern economy and way of life depend on the use of technology. In TechnicallySpeaking: Why All Americans Need to Know More about Technology,1 the National Academyof Engineering (NAE) has made an effort to publicize and clarify the importance of technologyin our daily lives. Informed citizens should possess an

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

engineering education has not yet happened at a systemic level.Research to Practice CycleThe research to practice cycles tend to look like that used in the CCLI program description7,Figure 1, or the “Innovation Cycle of Educational Practice and Research” adapted from Booth,Colomb, and Williams8 and proposed by the American Society for Engineering Education9,Figure 2. These cycles share several aspects important to the continued transformation ofengineering education, including:  one of the (often unspoken) goals of research in engineering education is to improve practice in engineering education; and  engineering education practice is a key course of questions to be answered through engineering education research

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

is that many engineering faculty havelittle or no knowledge of practitioner standards6 and that training them to recognizestandards value is time consuming,11 while textbooks and handbooks are quickly out of datesince standards are reaffirmed or revised every five years.6 Moreover, the development ofnew courses or the changing of curricula is a challenging process.11That is why the USSS recommends a concerted effort for identification of new ways toteach about standards, both from the universities and SDOs.1 Following this directive, manySDOs have developed a plethora of online training materials. However, these are difficult todiscover, difficult to understand, and many times they are not available for free.6 Otherinitiatives include

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

, 2016 From Problem Solvers to Problem Seekers: The Necessary Role of Tension in Engineering EducationIn this paper it is proposed that the current focus on problems in engineering education andtechnological literacy may be more constructively reframed by focusing on tensions. PriyanDias claims engineering has an identity crisis that arises from tensions inherent in: 1) theinfluence of the profession on society, 2) the role engineers play, and 3) what constitutes validknowledge in engineering. These are ethical, ontological, and epistemological tensionsrespectively, which Dias frames as a tension between identities of homo sapiens and homo faber.Beyond the tensions in engineering there are additional tensions that arise

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

is illustrated by some of the presentations at the 2013 annual conference shown inexhibit 1.Only one of the presentations came from outside the US, in this case, TheUniversity of Buenos Aires. The programme inadvertently highlights one of the dilemmasfacing those who would promote technological literacy namely, that it is all too often taken Application of peer-reviewed journal articles for enhancing technological literacy (Brooks, R.M., Cetin, M., Kavuturu, J and Al-Maghrabi, M-N). Demonstration of electrical principles in the classroom by hydraulic analogues (Graff, R. W and P. R. Leiffer). Waves of engineering: using a mini-wave flume to foster engineering literacy (Lyman-Holt, A. L and L. C Ribichaux). Simulating interest 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

. This is fine. This is fine.” tapping each converted unit with his marker.Figure 1. Bob checking off converted units. Clockwise from Bob: Nico, Pranav, and Steven. The group then started to calculate the numbers. The calculating was the work of Nicoand Steve, primarily. Bob stood awaiting the calculations, standing aside from the whiteboard soNico and Steve could see the equation. Nico and Steve reach different values. After checkinga This is the drag equation and not a formula for determining wind load. The group will soon see their mistake.with Bob, it was revealed that Nico neglected to square a number. Steve’s number, 9.2 lbs. offorce, was determined as the correct value given the equation on the board. The conclusion that

Conference Session

The Philosophy of Engineering and Technological Literacy

Collection

2016 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

George D. Ricco, Gonzaga University

Tagged Divisions

Technological and Engineering Literacy/Philosophy of Engineering

constructs present within Heidegger’sDiscourse on Thinking,[1] this work aims to further that reflection with an introduction toanother few differences between continental philosophers in the same vein. I had hoped to workwith a Cartesian framework, but the works of the modern continental philosophers is more thanadequate for this short digression.Previous to Heidegger – A Brief Note on Husserl’s Phenomenology Husserl’s Logical Investigations may be the least relevant within this current treatise, so Iwill touch upon them lightly and expand at a later time. Within this work, he outlines hisapproach to consciousness and intentionality. Here we find a divergence from what we may beaccustomed to within engineering education – a classical use of

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

. From the National Assessment GoverningBoard (NAGB), engineering literacy is “the ability to solve problems and accomplish goals byapplying the engineering design process.”1 Or, from John Heywood, it “requires that weunderstand how individual’s [sic], organizations and society interact with technology, and thisrequires an appreciation of the values we bring to that understanding.”2 These definitions worktogether to provide a fuller notion of engineering literacy, as recognizing the fact of it as well aswhy it is necessary give us reason and means to becoming engineering literate. Adapting from definitions of technological literacy, from Gramire and Pearson,engineering literacy is, at its core, a broad appreciation of what engineering is