Integration throughout the curriculum: Cumulative effects

Andrew J. Guswa

Borjana Mikic, Donna Riley

Picker Engineering Program

Symposium on Engineering and Liberal Education

Community and place

Hydrosystems Engineering

Social interactions

Thermo-dynamics

Focus on self

Introduction to Engineering

What is our place in the world?

Introduction to Engineering

• The Engineering Narrative Essay– Students are challenged to articulate their

own goals and values, how they imagine themselves having an impact on the world, and in what ways engineering might be an appropriate vehicle for achieving this type of impact.

Introduction to Engineering

• The Engineering Narrative Essay– Students are challenged to articulate their

own goals and values, how they imagine themselves having an impact on the world, and in what ways engineering might be an appropriate vehicle for achieving this type of impact.

“Looking back, I think I thought of engineering as a field dominated by males... The engineers in my family were all strong, determined, intelligent men.... I began to wonder why I could not include myself in my own picture of engineering.”

“Engineering is not strictly for the person who has grown up in a science environment, but, rather, engineering is [perhaps] better put to use by someone who is well-rounded in [many] different kinds of skills and interests.... It is time to disregard any negative assumptions I have… finally pay attention to my interests, and get down to work .”

“EGR100 altered my state of mind, my way of thought, and the way I look at the world. It made me want to be an engineer, and I am a different person now. I am more confident, more curious, and more excited for my future.”

Thermodynamics

• Michel Foucault: Truth and Power – Relation between power/knowledge

interwoven in what, how, and why students learn

– Role of science in forming society’s truths (“Truth is centered on the form of scientific discourse and the institutions that produce it”)

– Stimulates critical thinking about course content

Thermodynamics

• Michel Foucault: Truth and Power

“Now I am more critical; critical about the problems we solve, about the issues we cover in class and the discussions we have there also… It was not just the sciences, the technology, and all the math behind it, it was also this other side that helped me develop these critical thinking skills.”

Hydrosystems Engineering

Integration throughout the curriculum: Cumulative effects