Time for a new educational model
Received wisdom is that you learn theory at university, and the rest in practice. This is wonky out-moded logic, based not on the needs of C21st engineering but post-rationalised to suit academic career structures rewarded primarily through research.
Astonishingly, at the end of the second year over half of the undergraduates who can invert matrices, analyse beam stresses and even plot Mohr’s circle cannot draw the basic components of a suspension bridge or a water supply system or a building or the different types of foundations and where they might be used.
They do not understand the difference between a tunnel and a pipe, a valve and pump, an excavator and a bulldozer and so on. This prompts a fundamental question.
What is the purpose of a C21st engineering education?
Here the educational needs of engineering science and engineering practice careers are very different. While engineering science may be best served by universities, the relevant experience to teach practice is now rooted firmly in a rapidly changing industry.
Useful action starts with a critical assessment of the skills needed by the C21st engineer. The Constructionarium aims to develop some of these skills.
Critically, the Constructionarium would’t have happened without the active involvement of industry. Educational change like this needs strong direction and visionary support from its accrediting Institutions, flexibility from its government paymasters, and a lot of help from practical industry types who in the end will benefit from good graduates.
Received wisdom is that you learn theory at university, and the rest in practice. This is wonky out-moded logic, based not on the needs of C21st engineering but post-rationalised to suit academic career structures rewarded primarily through research.
Astonishingly, at the end of the second year over half of the undergraduates who can invert matrices, analyse beam stresses and even plot Mohr’s circle cannot draw the basic components of a suspension bridge or a water supply system or a building or the different types of foundations and where they might be used.
They do not understand the difference between a tunnel and a pipe, a valve and pump, an excavator and a bulldozer and so on. This prompts a fundamental question.
What is the purpose of a C21st engineering education?
Here the educational needs of engineering science and engineering practice careers are very different. While engineering science may be best served by universities, the relevant experience to teach practice is now rooted firmly in a rapidly changing industry.
Useful action starts with a critical assessment of the skills needed by the C21st engineer. The Constructionarium aims to develop some of these skills.
Critically, the Constructionarium would’t have happened without the active involvement of industry. Educational change like this needs strong direction and visionary support from its accrediting Institutions, flexibility from its government paymasters, and a lot of help from practical industry types who in the end will benefit from good graduates.