Identified factors which distinguish persisters, dropouts, and transfer students in engineering. Also determined a discriminant function which predicts persistence of an incoming engineering student. Factors influencing attrition include: student expectations, academic style, and faculty support.

Describes a two-semester-hour freshman course in engineering graphics which uses both traditional and computerized instruction. Includes course description, computer graphics topics, and recommendations. Indicates that combining interactive graphics software with development of simple programs gave students a better foundation for upper-division…

Although pressures toward vocationalism are increasingly intense, engineers should be studying the liberal arts. Since communication is essential to successful engineering, it is clear that engineering students should study English; literature and history could also provide knowledge and understanding of people. (MLW)

Presents results of a 1983 survey of engineering students about attitudes behind their decisions to pursue graduate study or seek employment, and what is needed to make graduate school more attractive. Results are compared to a Tau Beta Pi survey on honors students graduating in 1971 and 1982. Conclusions/recommendations are included. (JM)

Encourages use of case studies to introduce "real-life" engineering assignments, suggesting that they should be given in a natural order as a series. Describes three such assignments being used at the University of the West Indies. Description, analysis, and design of an existing engineering system is included. (JM)

Describes a separate engineering administrative unit established to meet the needs of lower-division students. Need for the unit, courses that make up the basic program of instruction, advising, academic assistance, and advantages and disadvantages to the engineering college are discussed along with concerns and problems that have arisen. (BC)

The difference between educational research and educational program evaluation is discussed, and the evaluation of a German engineering program experiencing high dropout rates is described. Data were gathered through guided personal interviews, written student reports, and student evaluations of lectures. Both curriculum and examinations were…

Describes an experiment in which a microcomputer was programed to function as a transfer function analyzer to investigate the dynamics of stirred vessels. The main objective of the experiment is to illustrate the theory and application of the pulse test (a method of determining the transfer function of a process). (JN)

Describes the design and implementation of a microcomputer-based model active solar heating system. Includes discussions of: (1) the active solar components (solar collector, heat exchanger, pump, and fan necessary to provide forced air heating); (2) software components; and (3) hardware components (in the form of sensors and actuators). (JN)

The author discusses the effect of the rise of technology on the liberal arts. The benefits of liberal arts to society are sketched and ways to protect them from demise are suggested. The liberal arts core curriculum, as introduced at the University of Bridgeport, is described. (CT)

The pros and cons of government intervention in technical education, especially that of engineers, are discussed in the context of Ireland's efforts to support technological manpower development by predicting manpower needs, setting up institutions, and giving financial support. (MSE)

Describes an easily constructed, small laboratory computer that can be programed in BASIC. The computer is easy to use with analog to digital and digital to analog converters so that it can serve as a control or data logging computer. (Author/JN)

Provides data from 218 institutions on number of faculty and undergraduate students; degree requirements; faculty, enrollment, and degrees granted; appointments made to graduate students; research areas; personnel engaged in separately budgeted research; and research expenditures. Indexes to fields of graduate study and areas of research are…

Examines current uses and future possibilities of computer graphics in chemical engineering, discussing equipment needs, maintenance/manpower costs, and plan to implement computer graphics into existing programs. The plan involves matching fund equipment grants, grants for development of computer assisted instructional (CAI) software, chemical…

Predictions of a severe shortage of engineers are not confirmed by an analysis of defense spending and salary trends. Data are provided and discussed for defense budget, engineering demand, attritions/layoffs, bachelor's salaries in selected industries, effect of research and development pool of engineers, and influence of starting salaries. (JN)