Change in Engineering Education

Introduction: Why is Change Necessary in Engineering Education?

• Engineering education needs change.
• Humanities add skills like communication, ethics, and social awareness to engineering.
• Technological advancements necessitate engineers developing human-centered skills.

Contributions of Humanities and Social Sciences to Engineering

• "Soft skills" like communication and cultural awareness are becoming increasingly important.
• Engineers benefit from combining technical knowledge with social skills.
• Humanities foster empathy and social awareness in engineers.
• Improved decision-making abilities result from humanities integration.

Soft Skills in Engineering

• Soft skills influence how people interact, communicate, and work together.
• These skills encompass abilities like effectively sharing ideas, listening, understanding others, adaptability to change, awareness of cultural differences, and approaching issues creatively.
• Teamwork is a critical soft skill for engineers when collaborating with colleagues.

Ethics Education in Engineering

• Ethics courses help engineers understand impacts of their work.
• Engineering education encourages responsible, community-focused solutions.
• Ethical considerations include social responsibility in engineering decisions.
• Ethical technology use is essential in engineering education.

Social Awareness and Engineering

• Considering user needs is crucial for engineering design.
• Incorporating social and cultural factors into design is essential.
• Engineers must assess the impact of their solutions on society.
• This approach leads to more sustainable solutions

Methods to Identify User Needs in Engineering Design

• User Research: Understanding needs, expectations, and pain points of the target audience. Resources include surveys, focus groups, and interviews.
• Empathy Mapping: Creating maps to understand user perspectives, encompassing thoughts, feelings, observations, and audios.
• User Personas: Constructing character profiles based on user data representing typical users, covering details like age, occupation, and behaviors.
• User Journey Mapping: Mapping the user experience, documenting the step-by-step process, challenges, and emotional responses.
• Usability Testing: Allowing real users to test the product or prototype, identifying any usability difficulties. Observing interactions and collecting feedback.
• Feedback Loops: Regularly gathering feedback from users and integrating it into the design process. Utilizing methods like surveys, reviews, and user testing.

How to Conduct User Research

• Define the target audience by collecting demographic data.
• Conduct online or in-person surveys to reach a broader audience.
• Organize focus groups for in-depth insights into specific topics.
• Conduct one-on-one interviews for detailed and personal information.

How to Conduct Empathy Mapping

• Define target audience and identify main user groups.
• Focus on user's thoughts, feelings, perceptions, and experiences.
• Organize group activities or individual interviews to create empathy maps.
• Empathy maps show how the product is perceived by the users and help identify user challenges.

How to Conduct User Personas

• Create user profiles based on actual user data.
• Define user characteristics like age, occupation, needs, goals, and behaviors for each persona.
• Analyze data from research to create detailed profiles for each persona.
• The profiles will help the engineering team keep users' needs in mind.

How to Conduct User Journey Mapping

• Analyze each step of the user's interaction with the product/service.
• Map each stage of user experience, along with challenges and emotional responses encountered.
• Understand users' goals and expectations at each stage.
• Improve processes to meet user needs.

How to Conduct Usability Testing

• Allow real users to test the product/prototype.
• Ask users to complete specific tasks while observing difficulties encountered.
• Observe how users interact with the product and encourage user feedback.
• Identify issues and determine necessary improvements for the product.

How to Conduct Feedback Loops

• Collect user feedback regularly using surveys, review sessions, or user tests.
• Analyze feedback and integrate it into the development process.
• Make product adjustments based feedback and repeat the cycle continuously.
• Feedback loops continuously improve the product.

Personal Development in Engineering Education

• Personal development is crucial for engineering success.
• Professional success involves technical skills, communication, ethics, and adaptability.
• Working with diverse disciplines broadens students' perspectives.
• Personal development contributes to creativity and flexibility in engineers.

Elements of Professional Success

• Technical Competence: Master engineering principles, tools, and techniques.
• Career Advancement: Progress in roles, responsibilities, and recognition.
• Impactful Contributions: Positive impact on society via solutions or projects.
• Adaptability/Continuous Learning: Staying up-to-date with industry trends.
• Professional Reputation: Maintaining integrity, collaboration, and reliability.
• Work-Life Balance: Achieving a healthy work-life balance.

Design and Social Interaction

• Design is a social process involving user interaction.
• Social factors are crucial when generating real-world solutions.
• Engineers must incorporate user feedback into the design process.
• User-friendly and accessible products are the result of user interaction.

Instilling a Sense of Ethics and Social Responsibility in Students

• Engineers need social responsibility beyond technical knowledge.
• Integrate ethical values into engineering education.
• Encourage solutions considering the public good.
• Engineers should consider the long-term effects of their projects.

Harmonizing Scientific and Human-Centered Knowledge

• Technical knowledge aligns with human-centered understanding.
• Engineers use both types of knowledge to create human-centered solutions.
• Designing with human needs yields successful engineering solutions.
• Combining scientific knowledge with social values leads to impactful engineering projects.

Requirements for Comprehensive Engineering Education

• Well-rounded curriculum with humanities integration.
• Integrating multiple disciplines provides a broader perspective.
• A comprehensive curriculum creates both technical and social skills.
• Future challenges are addressed through a well-rounded education.

Preparing Students for Real-Life Situations in Engineering

• Prepare students to address complex real-world problems.
• Real-life examples in education provide practical experience.
• Encourage creative thinking and problem-solving.
• Engineers can create practical and effective solutions via real-world scenarios.

Skills Expected of Engineers in the 21st Century

• Analytical thinking, creativity, ethics, and leadership are crucial skills.
• Effective methods to develop these skills in engineering education need to be considered.

Developing Targeted Approaches in Engineering Education

• Project-Based Learning: Students engage in practical projects.
• Internships & Industry Partnerships: Hands-on experience in workplaces.
• Soft Skills Courses: Include communication, teamwork, leadership, and ethics.
• Interdisciplinary Learning: Broader perspectives are fostered through different fields.

Additional Methods for Developing Skills

• Simulation & Case Studies: Exposure to complex engineering challenges.
• Mentorship Programs: Guidance with industry professionals and faculty mentors.
• Team-Based Assignments: Development of collaboration, leadership, and conflict resolution.

Interdisciplinary Education Approach

• The approach combines engineering with social sciences.
• Promotes holistic learning and diverse perspectives on problems.
• Improves comprehension of complex issues in engineering.