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After exploring genres common to the field of engineering through a preliminary genre analysis,

I continued analyzing the language and genres of my field by researching one of the building blocks of

becoming an engineer. I gathered articles relating to the education of engineering that makes one

become a successful engineer. Through my research I found sources discussing the different learning

styles of engineers (Felder, R, & Silverman, L. (1988);Kolmos, A, & Holgaard, J. (2003); Holvikivi, J.

(2007)),the various teaching methods involved in engineering education (Bernhard, J.(1997);Goh, S.

(2012); Felder, R et al. (2000); Courter, S et al. (1996)), as well as application of new technologies in

engineering education (Delale, F et al. (2011); Orange, A et al. (2012);Borrego, M, Lindsay, E, &

Madhavan, K. (2011)). These sources have helped me to identify the various aspects of what is involved

in the education of engineers in relation to the field of engineering. In addition, these articles have

helped me continue exploring the genre conventions that I will need to learn as I enter a new

community through my major. These articles offer information on how engineers think, learn, speak,

and how they work with arising technology, which is crucial for anyone to know that is entering that

profession.

I decided to explore this topic because I felt that trying to understand the methods behind education in

engineering would clarify the ways in which a person would become an engineer, like I hope to be.

Researching the education involved is crucial in understanding the field. Through researching the field of

engineering education you learn about the teaching methods involved and about the people in the field

itself. Engineering education is the foundation of what creates an engineer, and through exploring this

topic you learn how that foundation comes into fruition.

Learning styles of engineers and effect on engineering education

The understanding of learning styles when developing a curriculum has a dramatic effect on

education in engineering. Some sources suggest that one's teaching style is a determinant on one's

education in engineering (Holvikivi.2007; Felder & Silverman.1988; Kolmos & Halgaard.2003). More

specifically in Felder and Silverman's article they assert their belief that due to the diverse learning styles

of engineering students form the need of teaching styles shaped around those learning styles. These

teaching styles have a dramatic effect on the quality of ones learning. Although most engineers are

active, sensing and visual learners, there are many that have different learning styles. Kolmos and

Holgaard suggest that these diverse learning styles are due to the existence of different engineering

fields. Because of the variety of fields, there exist all different types of engineers, each type with their

own unique learning style. In the class setting the "performance of an individual student in a class

depends on a staggering variety of factors", many of which are caused by the individual learning style

that one possesses (2003). In order to reduce the negative impact of these factors, Kolmos and

Holgaard agree that an educator in engineering must mold their teaching methods into an effective way

to address different learning styles present in the students of the course.

Jaan Holvikivi also addresses that education requires an in depth analysis on learning styles to

improve educational courses in engineering. She acknowledges the fact, however, that "engineering

students represent different types of learners; each student has their own special abilities, skills and

capabilities" (2007).Knowing this is important because educators need to realize that truly

understanding the minds of their students is nearly impossible without in depth research. Holvikivi uses

data collected from learning style tests to show the typical learning styles of engineers. In her data

engineers typically showed similar results, but in the data there were many individuals who showed

other learning styles. The problem is that educators cannot completely address all of the needs of the

individual students. Although it is nearly impossible, educators in engineering can still do their best to

address the general minds of engineers.

Learning styles are a way of defining the best forms of education in which a student will

respond. Addressing learning styles in the classroom is an effective way of creating an efficient

course.The above authors all agree that understanding the learning styles of an engineer is completely

necessary in developing a curriculum, but while Holvikivi believes it is important, she states that the fact

remains that educators cannot truly understand the learning styles of engineers. While this is true,

trying to develop courses using the learning style that applies to most engineers in that field is still

important.

Teaching Methods of Engineering Education

In engineering education it is important for educators to create efficient teaching methods for to

teach their students. Some sources assert that engineering education requires certain methods of

teaching for the development of efficient courses(Bernhard.1997; Felder et al.2000; Goh.2012; Courter

et al.1996). In Bernhard’s article she suggests that the main concern in teaching engineering is creating

efficient methods that “teach students how to think independently, solve problems, and innovate"

(1997).Specifically she is just stating what the overall goal of engineering education is. Professors use

various methods in education different from that of others in their field in order to fulfill the challenges

Bernhard stated, including the use of "Star Power" by Goh. "Star Power" was once used for other

means, but Goh tried to apply it to engineering as he believes that "although Star Power is normally

played from a sociology context, current survey suggests that the game can provide a simulation to

practice professional skills that are relevant to an engineer"(2012). Simply, Goh tries to explain that his

out of the ordinary teaching methods, do in fact have practical applications in engineering education.

Through the game “Star Power”, Goh wanted to teach professional skills to rising mechanical engineers.

While Goh's teaching method seems out of the ordinary, the teaching methods described by Felder et al

and Courter et al, are basic forms of teaching that were designed to provide efficient courses. In the

article written by Felder et al they emphasize key components of the education that include formulating

and publishing clear instructional objectives, establishing relevance of course material and teach

inductively, balancing concrete and abstract information in every course, promoting active learning,

using cooperative learning, giving challenging but fair tests, and conveying a sense of concern about the

students learning. Keeping these key components in mind, there is still the issue that the “performance

of an individual student in a class depends on a staggering variety of factors, many of which are out of

the instructor’s control” (2000). Usually this is the case, but through writing this article the authors

hoped to describe teaching methods that can benefit the engineering curriculum. The College of

Engineering needs to educate students to the point where they are comfortable in that field and

develop a teaching method that fits a students learning style. In the article written by Courter et al, they

state that themain mission in engineering courses is to "create, integrate, transfer, and apply

engineering knowledge"(1996). Simply, this is just acknowledging the some of the main goals involved

engineering education.

The authors describe that when keeping these goals in mind, one can develop an effective

teaching method that addresses each of these goals. Each article addresses the importance of teaching

methods and their impact on one's education, and although these teaching methods vary they address

the goals of ones education in engineering. All of my sources describe their own teaching method,

where Bernhard describes several teaching methods that applies to the different levels of education,

while in the articles by Felder et al, Goh, and Courter et al, they describe simply general teaching

methods for the overall education.

Use of applying new technology in engineering education

Since technology is a huge part of the engineering career, its application in the education is

important so that students will feel experienced after that education. Some sources claim that the

application of new technology in the engineering curriculum is crucial in engineering education (Delale

et al; Orange et al; Borrego, Lindsay, & Madhavan). In the article written by Delale et al, they assert that

due to the new emerging technologies, the engineering curriculum is in constant need of reform in

order to include these innovations. While most key concepts have stayed consistent in engineering

education, new technology provides new methods of education and for effective teaching methods it is

important to include the infusion of new technologies within the curriculum. The use of new technology

provides new ways of teaching and revolutionizes the ways in which students learn. According to Orange

et al, students overall have higher success in engineering courses that use higher education

technologies, which include video solutions, course blogs, course wikis, and lecture podcasts. Infusing

these technologies into certain schools provided positive results, showing the potential use of emerging

technologies. One of the biggest revolutions in engineering education is the use of elearning, or cyber

learning, which uses a form of computer infrastructure that makes use of communicative and

informative technology. Borrego, Lindsay, and Madhavan agree that elearning, although not widely

used, can play a potential role in engineering education. Elearning is rising up in education, because it is

still essentially learning, it is developed to fit complex circumstances, and it serves to support and

complement traditional lecture formats (2011).

Due to the advances of technology, education has been innovated to include new education

methods such as eLearning, blogs, wikis, and video solutions. The infusion of new technologies makes

these forms of education possible and all of my sources agree to this fact. Applying new technology to

the engineering curriculum holds a great importance in education. This application of new tech has

already shown positive results in their respective fields and with constant advancements in technology,

the use of higher e.d. technologies in the classroom can only grow.

Another Perspective:

In this paper my sources have covered learning styles, teaching methods, and the application of

new technology in engineering education. However, what my sources haven’t covered is the

perspectives of the student’s involved. Each article discusses data that shows the learning styles of most

engineers, where most of these teaching methods are created in order to meet that standard. In a field

as difficult as engineering, it is important to bring out the innovative and creative sides of the students.

Not one article expressed student input, but rather just discussed the general mass through evaluation

of engineering courses. If you do not use any form of student input when developing courses, you

hinder what that student would have to offer towards that course.

In these sources, most are written by professors of engineering who do have experience

teaching classes of their own. These professors usually develop their courses due to their analysis of the

overall class and will keep using the same method for some time, but engineering is an ever changing

field where the same teaching methods will not always work. The sources try to focus on who engineers

are, when in reality they are all different. I believe that in order for courses to be developed effectively,

professors need to essentially cut the middle man. These tests and data collecting aren’t as practical as

simply asking the students of who they are and what they want to learn. In order to create successful

courses in the engineering curriculum, I would place an importance on the input of the students to

create courses that respond better to that of its students.

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