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A Novel Program of Parallel Pre-Engineering and Visual & Performing Arts Education at the High School Level

Abstract

A pre-engineering program that incorporates parallel participation in the visual & performing arts has been designed at a regional high school. This program would interact with a college-level program that also features engineering/visual & performing arts integration. The rationale for the program is presented that includes the results of a survey that probed both student and parent interest in such a program. Survey results indicated a strong interest in such a program. Also, details of the program and how the high school/college interactions occur will be presented. In addition to providing a broader educational experience including positive benefits to the engineering component, such a program should also have a positive impact on both retention and recruitment of engineering students.

Introduction

Engineering education has traditionally focused on the development of a variety of math, science, analytical, and related skills necessary for the engineering professional to succeed in his or her chosen profession. Recognizing the value and need for skills and knowledge beyond engineering, ABET and other engineering professional societies (including the American Society for Engineering Education ) have also stressed the value of the liberal arts (see note 2) part of undergraduate engineering education. Kranzberg=s 1993 article1 presents a good overview of this subject as it relates to engineering. Dr. Shirley Jackson=s 2001 speech2 is another good summary along with a document produced by the Liberal Education Division of ASEE3. The Royal Academy of Engineering in Great Britain has also addressed the issue of involving the arts in engineering4.

Various innovative approaches have been proposed and implemented to allow the engineering student more exploration in the liberal arts (for example, see the summary by Florman5). Examples of undergraduate academic programs which allow the engineering major to simultaneously pursue interests in the liberal arts include the University of Wisconsin-Madison AEngineering Honors in Liberal Arts@ program, the joint liberal arts/engineering programs at the University of Michigan and University of Iowa, and the engineering science/liberal arts programs at Smith College and Dartmouth. All of these approaches have focused on the Atraditional@ academic liberal arts (literature, art, and music history, critical analysis, and appreciation) rather than the visual & performing arts (VPA) (see note 3) . The dual major program at Lehigh University allows simultaneous pursuit of bachelors degrees in engineering and the liberal arts, including possibilities in the performing arts (students can select from a wide list of liberal arts programs). The University of South Florida has recently implemented an undergraduate certificate program (ACertificate in the Arts@) designed specifically for engineering majors. This allows students to pursue the traditional engineering curriculum while simultaneously pursuing an interest in one of the VPA.

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Lee, W., & Nook, L., & Massolio, W., & Liming, R., & Smith, N., & Pantling, S., & Jones, R., & Davis, J., & Meksraitis, J., & Beauette, E. (2007, June), A Novel Program Of Parallel Pre Engineering And Visual And Performing Arts Education At The High School Level Paper presented at 2007 Annual Conference & Exposition, Honolulu, Hawaii. 10.18260/1-2--2529