A Framework for Integrating Design Education, Research and Outreach: The Center for Innovation and Engineering at West Point

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruce Floersheim ◽  
J. Ledlie Klosky ◽  
Matthew Flynn
Keyword(s):  
Education Research ◽  
Engineering Education ◽  
Real World ◽  
Undergraduate Education ◽  
Design Education ◽  
Educational Outreach ◽  
West Point ◽  
Assessment Data ◽  
Technical Problems ◽  
Education Experience

The Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering at West Point has recently established a multi-disciplinary research and educational outreach center that has a two-fold mission: enhance the undergraduate educational experience of students and assist in solving real-world technical problems, supporting global Army operations. This is accomplished by tying projects directly to the undergraduate education mission and gaining efficiency by consolidating administrative and outreach functions for multiple existing research programs. The paper describes the Center for Innovation and Engineering (CIE), its lines of effort, and several past and current initiatives. Assessment data from students participating in the senior capstone design course, which is closely tied to the CIE, reinforces the importance of multi-disciplinary, client-based projects in the engineering education experience.

Mechanical Engineering Education for 1st Year Seminar Using Real Products

1999 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haruo Sakamoto ◽  
Kazuhiro Kusukawa ◽  
Jens Jorgensen
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Education ◽  
Real World ◽  
Mechanical Engineering ◽  
Report Writing ◽  
Education Experience ◽  
University Of Technology ◽  
The Us ◽  
Electric Drill ◽  
Single Use ◽  
Oral Presentations

Abstract An engineering education experience for a 1st year mechanical engineering seminar using real world products is described. The seminar contains product dissection, report writing, and oral presentations. The objectives are to observe the real engineering world and to provide engineering experience for 1st year students. The product dissection items consist of a hand drill, hand cleaners, coffee maker, single-use camera, hedge trimmer, electric drill, and sheet finishing sander, some of which were obtained from the US and Japanese markets. It provides a comparison of consumer requirements in the US and Japanese markets as well as some technical aspects. The seminar was 1997 and 1998 at the Kochi University of Technology, which was opened in April, 1997. The seminar seemed successful because 1st year students were able to experience a first look at real world technology, although some modification will be needed for future sessions.

Development of Design Skills Through Employment of Open-Ended Problems

1993 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harvey R. Brock ◽  
Sridhar S. Condoor ◽  
Christian P. Burger
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Engineering Education ◽  
Real World ◽  
Design Problem ◽  
Design Education ◽  
Solution Strategy ◽  
Inconsistent Information ◽  
Engineering Problems ◽  
Design Skills ◽  
Selection Of

Abstract With the recent increased concern about the design and problem solving needs of U.S. industry, and academia’s inability to address them, there has arisen a desire to incorporate open-ended problems in engineering education. In the initial stages most, if not all, real-world engineering problems are ill-defined, and have several acceptable solutions, i.e. they are open ended. Yet, our students get very little practice in finding solutions for this type of problem. Correcting this weakness in engineering curricula is hampered by misconceptions about, and inexperience with, these types of problems. As a consequence, educators often attempt to modify typical well defined example problems by expanding their scope, but still taking care to insure that the solution domains are closely circumscribed and well defined. The goal of this paper is to illustrate the main features of open-ended problems and their utility in design education. Such problems are characterized by incomplete or inconsistent information, no evident solution strategy, non-unique solutions, and often poorly understood goals. A real-world open ended design problem will be contrasted with its’ typical engineering education counterpart. This paper attempts to provide the necessary insights to aid in the formulation and selection of effective open ended problems for use in engineering education.

From Problem-Solving Paradigm to Co-Ontogenic Drift: How Do Learning Narratives Self-Generate?

Leonardo ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 133-138
Author(s):  
Johann van der Merwe ◽  
Julia Brewis
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Real World ◽  
Design Education ◽  
Design Theory ◽  
Social Situation ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Use Of Self ◽  
Real World Problems

It is now an accepted maxim in design theory and practice that real-world problems needing the attention of design practitioners are not neat and well-structured, but ill-structured and “wicked”—part of a larger, complex social situation. For design education, then, to take its lead from contemporary social, political and economic structures, it will have to seriously re-think its problem-solving paradigms. The authors investigate the use of self-generating learning narratives in the classroom and contrast the approach they introduce with the still-too-prevalent notion that knowledge can be transferred from teacher to student. Their methodology draws from ideas formulated by Maturana and Varela on autopoiesis, specifically the notion of co-ontogenic drift.

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