Presents strategic planning designed to help academic institutions. Describes five key elements: situation analysis; mission statement; objectives; creating strategies; and tactics. Discusses the implementation, benefits, and side-effects of strategic planning. (YP)

Reviews and discusses objectives of the humanities and social science (HSS) component in undergraduate engineering programs, examining variations in HSS requirements among engineering disciplines. Also suggests some innovative approaches intended to resolve the conflict between the objectives and the current reality in engineering curricula. (JN)

Describes the objectives, content, organization, and evaluation of an eight-module course focusing on such areas as the historical development of technology, impact of new technologies on the fabric of society, issues faced by modern society, dynamics of technological change and "future shock," and ethical problems faced by engineers.…

Described are the rationales for the Engineering Practices Introductory Course Sequence (EPICS) program at the Colorado School of Mines, and the McMaster Problem-Solving (MPS) program at McMaster University. The professional development model used in these programs is discussed. (CW)

Suggests that instructional goal structures (cooperative, competitive, and individualistic) may promote three major goals of engineering education: technological, interpersonal, and social-technical competencies. Reviews research on instructional goal structures, appropriate use for all three structures, and establishing a cooperative structure.…

Discusses a laboratory course to familiarize mechanical engineering students in the use of electronics and computers. Describes the objectives, laboratory facilities, lecture topics, projects, and laboratory exercises for the course. (YP)

Introduces two courses for developing relevant computer use in a civil engineering department. The sophomore course introduces students to a set of problem-formulation methods and computer-based problem-solving tools. The senior course introduces students to representative, professional quality computer-aided engineering tools. Discusses impact of…

Promotes the use of machine-scored tests in basic engineering science classes. Discusses some principles and practices of machine-scored testing. Provides several example test items. Argues that such tests can be used to enhance basic understanding of concepts and problem solving skills. (TW)