This commentary was stimulated by Yeping Li's first editorial (2014) citing one of the journal's goals as adding multidisciplinary perspectives to current studies of single disciplines comprising the focus of other journals. In this commentary, I argue for a greater focus on STEM integration, with a more equitable representation of the four…

Colleges and universities increasingly view engineering as an important part of a liberal-arts education. Rather than segregate engineering from the arts and humanities, they are integrating the disciplines, in hopes of educating students to perform more effectively in an increasingly complex and technological world. Several college presidents,…

There are two main claims in this article. First, that the classic pillars of engineering education, namely, traditional mathematics and differential equations, are merely a particular, if not old-fashioned, representation of a broader mathematical vision, which spans from Turing machine programming and symbolic productions sets to sub-symbolic…

Emerging technologies, declining technology teacher education programs, and the evolution of engineering into multidisciplinary areas suggest that engineering and engineering technology might serve the needs of public schools better than technology education. The concept of technology could shift from a discrete curriculum to an integral component…

Physiology as a discipline is uniquely positioned to engage undergraduate students in interdisciplinary research in response to the 2006-2011 National Science Foundation Strategic Plan call for innovative transformational research, which emphasizes multidisciplinary projects. To prepare undergraduates for careers that cross disciplinary…

Jargon, when used properly, defines precisely and concisely the concepts peculiar to a profession. Within a profession, it meets the criteria for clear, brief, specific communication. When used outside that profession, however, it tries to impress rather than to express. Engineers and other professionals need to be taught when--and when not--to…

Presents a critique of existing methodology used in curriculum updates in academic institutions, suggesting that an integrated approach is more realistic and meaningful to study and to bridging the gap between academic curriculum and industry's needs. Specifically recommends that curriculum-related and job-related data be analyzed simultaneously.…

In this article, the authors discuss how to prepare high-quality engineers who are better equipped to serve in the changing global marketplace, and suggest educators in pursuing the holistic concept of the "unity of knowledge" that will yield a definition of engineering more fitting for the times ahead. The unity of knowledge is fundamentally…

In this article, the author argues that teaching "technological literacy" at the expense of hands-on skills training is wrong for the students, wrong for the economy, and wrong for the nation. Students need not only the opportunity to explore a variety of trade skills but also the opportunity to learn a skill well. It is in the teaching…

An essential difficulty in solving practical problems that are not like the ones a student has solved before is discerning the core of the problem. It is claimed that discernment has to be trained by variation--by varying the context of the assignments in which students have to identify and grasp their "underlying form". A decisive…

To eliminate the public's fear of recombinant genetics the important link between science and the humanities should be part of the educational system. Universal applied genetics guidelines are needed that encompass philosophical and technical issues. Biological advances can revitalize humankind in the future. (AM)

Evaluates Samuel Chandler Earle's 1911 presentation to the Society for the Promotion of Engineering Education. Demonstrates Earle's role in the shift of technical writing courses that combined both the goals of an engineering curriculum with the real-world needs of the graduated engineer. Finds that Earle's "Tufts Experiment" provided…

The integration of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics content (STEM) has become a mainstream topic within educational systems. This paper discusses the technology integration model for education and the factors to be considered when taking into account technology education as a focal point of integrated curricula. These factors are:…

Newsletter issues pertaining to Lehigh University's Humanities Perspectives on Technology (HPT) Program, which was renamed the Science, Technology and Society Program, are presented. Additionally, a newsletter article excerpt entitled "Elements of Technology in a Liberal Education" is included. Two 1977 issues of "HRP News,"…

Designed to aid speech communication educators who want to attract engineers and engineering students to their classes, this paper provides a brief profile of the engineering profession and the engineering professional, proposes courses to meet the needs of these students, and offers some suggestions on how to adapt the speech communication…