Review - The Inflection Point of Engineering Education and the Impact of Innovative Pedagogical Techniques to Shift Towards a Learning-Based Culture.

Abstract

The expectation of an engineer’s abilities in today’s workforce is rapidly expanding into a very dynamic role; an engineering professional in today’s society is more than a problem solver, s/he is also a problem identifier. This shift can largely be attributed not only to the recent advances in technology, improved  rate of data manipulation, as well as the availability of  new systems for accessing information but also to demanding societal needs for personalized medicine, personalize learning and saving energy.  These technological challenges (and advances) motivate the people’s capability for having more keen insights into effectively identifying challenges and solving problems and thus the potential for more innovative solutions is created. However, the methods and techniques that are needed in today’s engineering education, although many available in the literature, have not kept up with the demands of society to develop engineering professionals capable of delivering the outcomes sought.   This review focuses on identifying key successful efforts found at the college level and how leading universities are implementing them to develop a more holistic style of engineering professional.  One goal is to present a systematic analysis of the transition from a traditional lecture-based culture into a modern learning-based. Moreover, efforts focused on developing an innovative, adaptable and societal impactful professional will be highlighted.  Efforts centered on understanding the  engineering education transformation towards a holistic style of engineering professional are vital for the success of future engineers that meet societal needs. Key examples related to these efforts will be illustrated.