This study provides an in-depth analysis of recent graduates' experience with completing an engineering technology program and entering the profession. It is unique because the study was conducted on a baccalaureate-level program and because it helps fill a gap in the literature. The phenomenological method was used to obtain qualitative data to…

Engineering students need a head start on designing a component, a process, or a system early in their educational endeavors, and engineering design topics need to be introduced appropriately without negatively affecting students' motivation for engineering. In ENGR1010 at Robert Morris University, freshmen engineering students are introduced to…

This study examined undergraduate and graduate engineering students' epistemological beliefs as a function of their educational level. Schommer's (1998) Epistemological Questionnaire was used to assess the beliefs in quick learning, certain knowledge, fixed ability, and simple knowledge of 396 students attending two universities in Western…

Simulation is a powerful tool in developing and troubleshooting manufacturing processes, particularly when considering process flows for manufacturing systems that do not yet exist. Simulation can bridge the gap in terms of setting up full-scale manufacturing for nanotechnology products if limited production experience is an issue. An effective…

There are a number of examples in technology education history of multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary efforts linking technology education with other disciplines; however, there has never been a time in technology education where multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary efforts are not only promising but also may be essential for the prosperity…

This article focuses on how technology educators can challenge students to "think" about technical problems. A key aspect of success in quality problem solving is understanding learning preferences and problem-solving approaches. The Learning Style Inventory (LSI) can be used to assess an individual's ideal way to learn, in essence, a…

The messages of Booker T. Washington and W. E. B. DuBois could not have been more diverse. The philosophical rivalry between Washington and DuBois has deep historical roots. To be on the same side fighting for the same purpose, progress, and uplifting of the Black race, these two Black intellectuals harbored radically divergent views on how to…

The health industry is an important and growing economic engine. Advances are being made in pharmaceutical and biotechnology discoveries and their applications (including manufacturing), as well as in health care services. As a result, there is an increasing sophistication of the products and services available and being developed, with an…

Best practices for online courses are explored as precision teaching (PT) within the context of a case study analysis. The case study focuses on courses taught, 100 per cent online, as part of Quality Systems (QS) at Bowling Green State University (BGSU). PT literature establishes main attributes desired as the basis for best practices. The…

In the current economic situation, most academic institutions would like to plan new courses to increase enrollment. Often, these changes do not follow with a proportional increase in cost or staff numbers to the institution. For cost-efficiency reasons, a reduction in student contact hours is most desirable, providing that this can maintain the…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of both industry professionals and faculty members of technology-based programs concerning the preparedness of recent graduates as they began a quality related position. To gain this information, surveys were administered among managers and technical leaders in industry and compared with…

Implementing information systems (IS) is expensive and sometimes unsuccessful due to low levels of system user acceptance (Legris, Ingham, & Collerette, 2003). For this reason, IS research has focused, in part, on variables contributing to system user acceptance of technology. As a part of this effort, Davis (1989) theorized and tested the…

Hungarian higher education is in transition from the stage of elite training to that of mass education. At the same time, according to monitoring surveys, the output efficiency level of secondary school students has decreased. These aspects, combined with the narrowing resource base due to the worsening demographic conditions, call for the renewal…

This article discusses the relationship among an individual's cognitive style, attitude to learning, and his or her achievement in the context of computer aided learning (CAL). The results of a small-scale study involving 32 students (18 male and 14 female) studying their first electronics module during an Initial Teacher Training (ITT) Design and…