Year: 2024
Type: conference-paper
Abstract: In 1991, the National Research Council (NRC) identified the lack of training and education in design as the principal cause of declining competitiveness of American industry.In reviewing undergraduate engineering curricula, the NRC wrote: (University) curricula as a whole lacked the essential interdisciplinary character of modern design practice and did not teach the best practices currently in use in the most competitive companies.1 As it turns out, many who teach design have little direct experience.Overall, only about one-half of engineering faculty have had some work experience in industry 2 and are typically unaware of the most recent design techniques.Agreeing with the NRC's analysis, participants of the Engineering Coalition of Schools for Excellence in Education and Leadership (ECSEL) found that faculty without experience in industry typically are less prepared to teach design.3 Added professional experience is clearly an important factor in the growth and development of a faculty member.Collaborative teaching and learning refers to faculty who are teaching at a university and learning while working in industry.Research has shown that cooperative settings produce positive results in elaboration of ideas, analysis, and problem solving.4 This conclusion, while drawn during research on students could also apply to faculty.Many professions require continuing education credit to maintain licensing or other certifications; it is only logical that educators should require the reciprocal of themselves.There is tremendous value in life-long learning that builds a collaboration between education and practice.The two should be integrated, continual, and less fragmented.The obligation the faculty takes on is to prepare students for their profession.They should do this by staying abreast of current developments in industry as well as academia, and allowing this knowledge to influence what they teach and how they teach it.Collaboration with industry provides sound and practical solutions for faculty growth.Moreover, using industry to meet the professional development needs of faculty is a highly viable solution.5 I.
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--8099
Author: Daniel Davis
Institution: University of Hartford
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2508202303