The engineers of K-12
A companion piece to "The future of engineering," celebrating T&MW's 25th anniversary.
Rick Nelson, Chief Editor -- Test & Measurement World, 9/1/2006
COMPLETE ANNIVERSARY COVERAGE: READ OTHER SEPTEMBER ARTICLES: |
Panelist Leah Jamieson, dean of the Purdue College of Engineering, described ways to improve engineering's attractiveness as a career path through the Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS) program, which she co-founded. EPICS, she said, emphasizes engineers' roles as citizens and demonstrates that engineering is a helping profession. Jamieson also suggested that training teachers in K–12 technical education would help. “We are systematic about how we teach electrical engineering and mechanical engineering,” she said, adding that there is an opportunity to be systematic in teaching engineering educators as well.
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Courtesy of Lego. |
For additional information on First, STEM, Legos, and other educational initiatives and tools:
Suzanne Deffree, news editor at sibling publication Electronic News, has written more about the NIWeek education panel discussion (including more on the STEM initiative) here, and she has written more on the First program here.
The Web site of the Texas Education Agency provides more information about the STEM initiative.
You can learn more about the Lego Mindstorms NXT robot (pictured) here and read the press announcement that Lego and NI released when they announced the project in January 2006 here.
Read chief editor Rick Nelson's September "Editor's note: Competing with basketball," which covered the state of engineering education.
Also, see Nelson's related blog postings on the topic of engineering education.
Complete anniversary coverage:
-The future of engineering
-Where are the women?
-Is engineering a profession?
-Industry and academia form symbiotic relationship
-The engineers of K-12
