Honolulu, Hawaii
June 24, 2007
June 24, 2007
June 27, 2007
2153-5965
International
18
12.1119.1 - 12.1119.18
10.18260/1-2--2093
https://peer.asee.org/2093
430
Waddah Akili has been in the academic arena for over 35 years. He has held academic positions at Drexel University, Philadelphia, Penna (66-69), at King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia (69-87), and at The University of Qatar, Doha, Qatar (87-00). Professor Akils major field is geotechnical engineering and materials. His research work & experience include: characterization of arid and semi arid soils, piled foundation, pavement design & materials, and concrete durability. His interests also include: contemporary issues of engineering education in general, and those of the Middle East and the Arab Gulf States, in particular
On Professional Development of Engineering Educators in the Arab Gulf States: Rethinking the Mental Model
Abstract
Engineering education in the Arab Gulf States ((Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Oman) faces significant challenges as it seeks to meet the demands on the engineering profession in the years to come. Engineering faculty and the young in particular, need to expand their technical knowledge and develop new competencies to further their technical professional development. This paper explores ways to effective professional development of Region’s engineering educators to enable them to assume the roles they are entrusted with. The purpose here is to offer a new way to think about the development of the professional engineering educator. In this respect, the paper focuses on:(i) the cognitive processes that faculty would most likely tend to follow as they grow and learn more about teaching and learning,(ii) the discipline-based industrial/practical experience they need to acquire in their locale to add to their repertoire as “practitioners” of engineering, and (iii) the institutional initiatives, including: administrative support, encouragement and resources. What is needed is to create a change in culture within the institution, i.e., the department or college, to generate a comprehensive and integrated set of components: clearly articulated expectations, a reward system for good teaching aligned with expectations, and opportunities for professional development to occur. The ultimate goal is to identify what Region’s engineering educators and their institutions can do to generate more powerful and responsive forms of education that improves the quality of student learning.
Introduction Engineering education in the Arab Gulf States ((Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Oman) faces significant challenges as it seeks to meet the demands on the engineering profession in the future. This paper focuses on professional development of faculty members (teaching engineering subjects in the Arab Gulf States), and argues that good teachers of engineering are those who keep up with new developments in their areas of specialization; and, at the same time, learn new approaches to teaching and learning.
Traditionally, engineering research and teaching have been approached in very different ways. To prepare for research we undergo years of rigorous training, both in scientific knowledge and in methods of gaining new knowledge through experimentation, analysis and modeling. To prepare for teaching, most of us acquire the same knowledge, but, except for a stint as teaching
Akili, W. (2007, June), On Professional Development Of Engineering Educators In The Arab Gulf States: Rethinking The Mental Model Paper presented at 2007 Annual Conference & Exposition, Honolulu, Hawaii. 10.18260/1-2--2093
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