Learn Learn & Why They Don’t Learn & Why They Don’t Learn It: It: A Cold War Curriculum in a A Cold War Curriculum in a Creative Era Creative Era & How to Fix It & How to Fix It David E. Goldberg Illinois Foundry for Innovation in Engineering Education University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Urbana, IL 61801 USA [email protected]
This talk, presented at Case Western Reserve University on Friday, 20 February 2009, as part of the Latest Word Seminar Series, discusses (1) 7 qualitative thinking skills engineers don't learn (the missing basics), (2) 5 reasons they don't learn them, and (3) considers ways to fix the problem organizationally, philosophically, and politically.
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What Engineers Don’t What Engineers Don’t Learn Learn & Why They Don’t & Why They Don’t Learn It:Learn It:A Cold War Curriculum in a A Cold War Curriculum in a Creative Era Creative Era & How to Fix It& How to Fix It
David E. GoldbergIllinois Foundry for Innovation in Engineering EducationUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignUrbana, IL 61801 [email protected]
Engineering Reform is in Engineering Reform is in the Airthe Air
Many calls for reform. Many lists the same:
Need more “design.” Need more “soft” people skills. Need better “communications.”
Change has come slowly, if at all.
Steadfast defense of “the basics” against foreign invaders.
Reflect on missing elements & why they’re missing.
Kuhn, Paradigms & Engin Kuhn, Paradigms & Engin SchoolSchool“Paradigm” traces to
The Structure of Scientific Revolutions in 1962.
Argued that science proceeds in fits and starts, not gradually.
Old paradigms, ways of thinking about the world, are overturned by revolutions, not gradually.
Thomas S. Kuhn (1922-1996)
Paradigm of Tech Paradigm of Tech AcademyAcademyFollowing assumptions sacrosanct:
◦ Basic engineering science key to success.◦ Government funds superior to industry $$$.◦ Demonstrate mettle as individuals with peer-
reviewed journal papers in specialty.Question any stare, derision & ridicule.These beliefs are not scientific. Paradigm of 50s-present.Code words: “the basics,” “rigorous,” &
“soft.”Invoking code words not an argument.
Creative Era & Missed Creative Era & Missed RevolutionsRevolutionsThe paradigm was OK for
WW2 & Cold War.Now a creative era, a flat
world. Missed revolutions since
WW2:◦ Quality revolution.◦ Entrepreneurial revolution.◦ IT revolution.
Teach the “revolutions,” but do not integrate lessons into academy or curriculum.
A Technoeconomic A Technoeconomic FrameworkFrameworkPlace revolutions in
framework of underlying causes.
Missed revolutions enabled by technoeconomic effects:◦ Transport and
communication improvements.
◦ Network effects.◦ Transaction costs.
Puts past in perspective & project future trends. Karl Marx (1818-1883)
No Philosophy of No Philosophy of EngineeringEngineeringOntology,
epistemology, and reasoning not taught, discussed.
Assumed to come from “the basics.”
“Design” as abused term & mysterious process.
The 7 not usually articulated as fundamental to design.
More InformationMore Information iFoundry: http://ifoundry.illinois.edu EotF2.0: http://engineerofthefuture.olin.edu iFoundry YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/illinoisfoundry iFoundry SlideShare: http://www.slideshare.net/ifoundry TEE, the book.