In the teaching of fluid flow, an analogy with electric circuitry can be useful, especially in dealing with pipe networks with laminar flow, and even in turbulent flow. (BB)

Describes a new curriculum for the final two years of a B.S. program in physics. Defines junior progress from a descriptive, lower-division understanding to an advanced analysis of a topic by phenomenon rather than discipline. (Contains 17 references.) (Author/YDS)

Investigates the effectiveness of using trimetric pictorials instead of isometric pictorials on the Purdue Spatial Visualization Test - Visualization of Rotations (Guay, 1977). Records student responses and response times as well as information on gender, current major, and number of previous graphics courses completed. (Contains 18 references.)…

Questions teaching effectiveness in higher education and focuses on five points for the appraisal of teaching effectiveness: (1) educational goals; (2) performance criteria; (3) assessment process; (4) evaluation process; and (5) educational scholarship. Explains how to evaluate teaching effectiveness. (Contains 14 references.) (YDS)

Presents the presidential address delivered to the Association for Science Education (ASE) at its annual meeting held at the University of Surrey, January 2001. Consists of three sections: (1) science and engineering and the knowledge economy; (2) teaching challenge and the role of science teachers; and (3) partnerships to support science,…

Discusses the effects of training on the teaching staff in an innovation process that is the implementation of English-medium instruction by non-native speaking lecturers to non-native speaking students. The workshop turned out to be the most appropriate professional development for the first two phases in the innovation process. (Contains 13…

Critical reflection is at the heart of being an effective teacher. Suggests that it is no longer appropriate in university education to focus on what but also on how and why. (Author/MM)

Describes the two-course engineering design graphics sequence on introductory design and graphics topics. The first course focuses on conceptual design and the development of visualization and sketching skills while the second one concentrates on detail design and parametric modeling. (Contains 28 references.) (Author/ASK)

This paper discusses the knowledge and skill requirements for manufacturing system design and describes an innovative "learning laboratory" approach to educating graduate level manufacturing engineers. The laboratory provides a mechanism that gives engineers a wide range of knowledge and skills in design and implementation, much of which cannot be…

This article features original text passages from the primary source, "Diary of Judge A. N. Ferguson engaged as Civil Engineer with a U.P.R.R. [Union Pacific Rail Road] Surveying Party April 25, 1868 to May 10, 1869." Creative ideas for discussion are provided about topics such as weather, and the dangers the survey team endured as they completed…

A practical course was given to undergraduate biology students enrolled in the elective course "Introduction to Genetic Engineering" at the Federal University of Sao Carlos (UFSCar), Sao Paulo, Brazil. The goal of the course was to teach current molecular biology tools applied to a real research situation that could be reported by the…

An engineering professional argues that the graphing calculator is simply a pedagogical tool no more useful than the answer key in the mathematics text.

Societal and ethical implications of nanotechnology have become a hot topic of public debates in many countries because both revolutionary changes and strong public concerns are expected from its development. Because nanotechnology is, at this point, mostly articulated in visionary and futuristic terms, it is difficult to apply standard methods of…

Work and technology are--at least in all industrialized countries--characterized by continuous and fundamental change. This change has to be reflected in the education of technical workers. Engineering pedagogy must identify new demands and ensure that they are addressed in the design of technical education. To this end, engineering teachers in…

This article introduces Model-Eliciting Activities (MEAs) as a form of case study team problem-solving. MEA design focuses on eliciting from students conceptual models that they iteratively revise in problem-solving. Though developed by mathematics education researchers to study the evolution of mathematical problem-solving expertise in middle…