Unit IV - Module III - Written Communication

7/30/2019 Unit IV - Module III - Written Communication

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ENGLISH V

UNIT 4THE FORMATION OF AN ENGINEER

UNIT IV - MODULE II - WRITTEN COMUNICATION / Reading

ESSAY ON THE FORMATION OF AN ENGINEERDocument written in Spanish by chemical engineer GEMAY BONILLA ARBOLEDA

and translated into English by Olga Gil Dominguez,Copyrights of this article have been granted to Universidad de Antioquia to be used in English V in

the English for Engineers program

There are many specialists in engineering topics who have conducted studies,research, retrospectives and projections about the past, present, and future formationof an engineer before the permanent evolution of tools developed by basic sciencesand engineering for achieving more efficiency, better performance, lower costs, moresatisfaction, and wellbeing.

With the purpose of contextualizing this topic, lets start with the meaning of the word

engineering. According to Law 842, 2003 (law which governs engineering performancein Colombia): Engineering should be understood as every application of physical,chemical, and mathematical sciences, industrial technique, and in general, applicationof human ingenuity to the use and invention on the matter.

MIT -one of the most important academic institutions in USA- defines engineering asfollows: creative profession for the development and application of scientific andtechnological knowledge for meeting societys needs. Engineering can also becontextualized with the development possibilities of a society, as established byUNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization):

Economic development of any country will finally depend on the human effort. Humanbeings trained to discover and exploit natural resources, to manage capital, to developtechnology, to produce goods and distribute them among the population so the entirecountry can benefit from them, are required. Scientific and technical personnel hascontributed in a very meaningful way to these social development works.


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Qualified formation for engineers cannot be oriented based on the erudition (learning,

knowledge) but in the development of abilities. Studies with university studentsconducted by UNESCO points out that 50% of knowledge learned by memory isforgotten in one year, and 80% in two years. In the World Conference on HigherEducation (1998) held at UNESCO headquarters, it was expressed that it is necessaryto promote both permanent learning and construction of appropriate abilities tocontribute to the cultural, social, and economic development of a society.

Abilities may be defined as a system of knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values for acontinuous improvement through study and practice. Personal abilities (personal

formation objectives) are those personality traits such as leadership, teamwork,effective communication, creativity, and global and systematic vision developed sincechildhood and then motivated by both universities and companies, and frequentlydefined by them as institutional competences. Professional competences are related tothe work fields of each profession and are expressed in professional formationobjectives of the programs of studies: professional model, curricular disciplines, andsubjects. What should be planned, analyzed, designed, optimized, constructed,evaluated, and recycled is defined in each area; that is, professional competences ofan engineer according to his/her specialty.

Some of these competences are referred to in ABET (Accreditation Board forEngineering and Technology. Website:www.abet.org).

Initially, it could be stated that engineering is a profession, and education at universityinstitutions is a way to educate engineers. Engineers use all possible resources in theirprofession, become acquainted with them and improve their aptitudes and relationsfor producing and managing socio-technical systems, which provide goods andservices for satisfying the needs of humanity, thus improving standards of living andprotecting humanitys sustainable development on ethical and economic bases.

Consequently, engineering creates, together with art, science, and technology, applyscientific, technological, mathematical, and experimental knowledge as well asinformation technology methodologies from incomplete and uncertain data.
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In general terms, it could be stated that studies related to this topic agree that thefollowing are the characteristics an engineer should have:

Creativity and innovating spirit CompetitivenessA continuous habit for self-learning Communication skills Critical spirit Multi- and inter-disciplinary formation

Flexibility in his/her professional performance CuriosityAll studies agree with an ethical formation which should be reflected on: respect forvalues, for ethical codes, and for the environment.

The performance of professionals is characterized by the need for adjusting to anincreasingly competitive and demanding society. The increasing growth of informationand communication technologies results in a daily generation of a big amount ofinformation, which could probably exceed the processing capacity of a professional in

his/her specialty. Internet and satellites have completely changed informationproduction and circulation process which, at the same time, demand appropriatestrategies for selecting, classifying, and processing in such a way that they can betranslated into knowledge for people to develop their capacities in all activities ofindividual and collective growth. Information world is controlled by speed,interconnection, and intangibleness. All this information is linked to Globalization. Theepoch in which industries were exclusively devoted to produce goods and services tosatisfy a countrys needs is about to disappear. Currently, vertical production amongcountries is prevailing, and this requires qualified personnel in each one of the links of

the production chain: Brazil and Canada are considered as the leading woodproducers; Mexico and USA are becoming the best paper producers; France andGermany are leading ink and pigment production; Spain and Argentina are leadingprinting and bookbinding. This is an example not only of the need for an internationalintegration of production chains which import and export worldwide, but also of theneed for a development of specialties in each country and an associated formation ofthe personnel. Dependency among countries is increasingly strong and there is a


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need for developing projects in which several countries can participate and make

contributions of their strengths. Likewise, people have started to feel the effects of anaccelerated industrial development reflected on the Environment Deterioration. Thisproblem could be solved through two different aspects; on the one hand, education fora change of values and attitudes in order to reach more respect for each one of theresources, with rational and responsible use and showing the impact our actions haveon our environment; on the second hand, formation of engineers who promotedevelopment and research of products, processes, services, and goods withappropriate technologies to reduce environmental pollution and current contamination.

Currently, we are subject to knowledge as an axis of society which has led to provide ahigh value in the development of individuals and their societies; knowledge is beforedoing as a development agent, thus appearing Knowledge Strategic Value. It is theknowledge applied to production, distribution, and management stages which isbringing a revolution to economy, commerce, politics, culture conditions, way of living,consumptions of goods, and services. This new cycle has been named Society ofKnowledge or Information, bearing in mind that it is directing world economy. There areother related aspects such as virtualization as a part of communication strategies andovercrowding of knowledge and information.Knowledge should be the base of education of any professional, specially engineers,

and it should be controlled by an economy directed by globalized knowledge, assertivecommunication as a direction strategy, learning as a source of a sustained andcompetitive attribute, and shared and disclosed knowledge against the idea of beingmaintained without being disclosed. Telecommunications, information technology,Internet, and e-commerce are the main drivers of the economic growth in this century,such as steam machines were at the beginning of industrial revolution. Before thissituation, higher education needs a renewed vision in its planning, which should beconsistent with the characteristics of the society of knowledge or information. To planagain basic concepts of strategic planning of universities and to explore competences

which higher education institutions need to provide their students with tools to face thechallenges of the XXI century become a priority. Holland, Bigelow, Mardesn,Grootings, Ducci have suggested that education should be framed in knowledge,skills, and values, regarded as competences to be developed and strengthened inindividuals. All this requires that adjustments are made around programs of study,directives, administrative staff, academic staff, and students.


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Formation of engineers is a process which begins in the first terms in the university;

however, this process should be provided by some characteristics a student whowants to be admitted in an engineering program should have: Skill to think with imagination and vision Skill to understand scientific principles and to apply analytical methods to the

study of natural phenomena Skill to conceive, organize, and conduct appropriate experimental research Skill to synthesize and design Disposition to work in fields or factories, as applicable. Disposition to always study

Nevertheless, an engineer should have a formation which allows him/her to developabilities. One of the most powerful tools of an engineer is mathematics. If engineershave a good knowledge of mathematics, they could advance quickly in mechanics andphysics. Learning physics principles provides tools to understand the development andbehavior of magnetic materials, discharge of gases, semiconductors, thermodynamicsystems, and materials structure. Decree 0792, May 8th, 2001 establishes academicstandards for engineering undergraduate academic programs. In article 4, besidesbasic sciences, it establishes that:a program of studies in engineering should have theoretical and methodological basesof engineering based on the knowledge of natural sciences, mathematics,

conceptualization, design, experimentation, and practice of sciences of each field,looking for the optimization of resources, for the growth, for sustainable development,and for the wellbeing of humanity.

The basic plan of the program of studies is defined as follows;

Area of basic sciences integrated by courses in natural sciences andmathematics

Area of engineering basic sciences which includes courses studyingcharacteristics and applications of basic sciences in which design of systemsand mechanisms for problem solving are based

Applied engineering area or a group of knowledge of the engineering specificfield.

Social humanistic area with economic, administrative, and humanisticcomponents.

Engineering applications.


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In the proposal for a new program of studies, structure and organization of contents,pedagogical strategies, and possible learning environments to obtain results should beexpressed. Distribution is established based on the amount of hours on site (see table1), as shown in an engineering independent general formation plan. All areas shouldbe taken into consideration but the depth of each one depends on each engineeringprogram.

Table 1. Distribution of areas in engineering formation programs

Areas Minimum percentage basedon hours on site

Basic Sciences 20%Engineering Basic Sciences 20%

Engineering Applications 25%Economic-administrative Area 5%

Socio-humanistic Area 10%

The purpose of an engineering program is to educate engineers with competence intackling typical problems of their profession, with creative capacity to produceinnovations, capacity for analysis and approach of problems, Management of scientificthinking and research methodologies, global vision of knowledge which allows themrelate different areas to solve problems, and motivation for permanent learning andupdating, capacity to integrate, to form and to conduct work groups, capacity fordecision making, to preserve and to have a sustainable use of environmental

resources, and ethical attitude in their profession. It is expected that engineers have anintegral formation. The university should provide them with competences for an internalgrowth with values and knowledge so they can be morally autonomous individuals withethics, with capacity for judging and evaluating their role in each one of theirprofessional fields.


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Based on the diagnosis of the world situation, UNESCO has promoted three megatendencies from the last decade of the XX century:

To learn how to apprehend (knowledge) To learn how to do (Skills) To learn to be (attitudes, values, and qualities )

To these three megatendencies, a fourth one is added as a reply to globalizationgeneralizing processes: To learn how to live with other people (human relations)

provided the need to work in groups, multiculturalism with multinational consortia;consequently to live with other people becomes necessary to be included in programsof study.

Besides formation in undergraduate studies, graduate formation should bestrengthened, especially in research, which can be classified in different levels asfollows:

Level 1.Technical scientific research about new calculation procedures of engineering

systems; discoveries and analysis of new facts which lead to technologicaldevelopments; creation of innovations in the production and in industrial andtechnological inventions; engineering innovations resulting from the last progress inbasic sciences.

Level 2.Creation of new projects in engineering works through a clear understanding and anefficient training for the use of basic sciences; aptitude to look for and use the most

appropriate information - not for memorizing it to face a new technical problem;imagination to face daily engineering problems with innovating spirit.


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Level 3.

Direction and execution of works projected by level- 2 engineers or maintenanceengineers in established industries; carrying out projects of works in traditionalindustries which use established principles and techniques.

Level 4.To carry out tests, measures, controls, and analysis works.

Level 1 corresponds to PhD programs and there will be more creative engineers ifthere were more PhDs in the schools, if there were more research in the main fields of

engineering related to national development and if students were guided to have moretalent, vocation to study, toward research in technology and engineers sciences.Level 2 which corresponds to Master programs is not sufficient in many engineeringschools.

Besides, the other levels demand maintenance and updating; consequently althoughgraduate programs at master and PhD levels should be created, diploma programsand courses of good quality should be offered as well as modern and demandingspecialization programs

It is worth mentioning now that engineers after graduating from their undergraduateprograms should enroll in continuing education programs. They should attend events,take courses for long or short periods of time, diploma programs which are notgraduate programs and do not demand attendance or evaluations. They can alsoregister in specialization programs which last two or three terms and their objective isto update in a specific topic of the profession and eventually carry out a monograph.

It is then required that students are formed in generic abilities because they provide aplatform to learn how to apprehend, to think and create. It is also important to state that

higher education institutions select abilities which correspond to education and to thelabor world as well. The transcendence of these replies is based on the fact thatstudents knowledge at the moment could be obsolete in a future while genericabilities do not become obsolete, they develop and improve. For this reason, educationbased on competences is a new education orientation which tries to provide an answerto knowledge society. Competences constitute the axis of new education models andare focused on performance.


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After reading this essay, answer the following questions.

1. According to the essay, how engineering shouldnt be understood in Colombia?a. As every application of physical science.b. As every application of chemical science.c. As every application of mathematics.d. As every application of languages.

2. According to the MIT, which definition of the word engineering best suits theopinion of this institution?a. Profession for meeting societys needs.b. Creative profession for developing a new society.c. Creative profession for the development and application of scientific and

technological knowledge for meeting societys needs.d. None of these.

3. According to the passage, what can be inferred about memory?a. Humans have very bad memory.b. We are not pretty good at remembering things.c. Constant learning should be encouraged.d. Students forget everything they are taught at school.

4. According to the reading, what can be inferred from abilities and professionalcompetences?a. They are totally different.b. They are both needed to be an engineer.c. It is possible to posses one without the other one.d. They have nothing to do with each other.

5. According to the passage, why is it said that companies devoted to producegoods and services are coming to an end?a. Because of globalization.b. Because people dont like goods anymore.c. Because these companies arent competitive.d. Because there are too many people to be satisfied.


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6. According to the reading, it can be noticed that one of the negative aspects is.a. The environmental damage.b. Lack of opportunities for young people.c. Constant layoffs.d. A lot of unprepared people.

7. What kind of skill is not mentioned in the skills needed for an engineer?a. Skills to think with imagination and vision.b. Skills to synthesize and design.c.

Skills to deal with others.d. Skills to conceive, organize, and conduct appropriate experimental.

8. According to the passage, what kind of studies is not mentioned?a. Area of basic sciences integrated by courses in natural sciences and

mathematics.b. Applied engineering area or group of knowledge of a specific field of

engineering.c. Socio- humanistic area, which includes economic, administrative, and

humanistic components.

d. Applied engineering for general concepts.9. According to the new proposals, it can be noticed that.

a. more academic studies are needed.b. more competences for internal growth with values and knowledge are

needed.c. more demand from the teachers is needed.d. more professional fields are needed.

10.According to the reading, it finally can be inferred that:a. a grade system increasing is advised.b. students need more subjects to choose.c. more education on general abilities is necessary.d. more knowledge to become obsolete is not necessary.


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WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONWriting topic sentences for comparison paragraphs

Topic sentences for comparison paragraphs should have the items being compared inthe sentence as well as the characteristic or characteristics to be compared.

The topic sentences should be followed by sentences supporting the characteristicsbeing compared.

Some connectors can be used, either time connectors, addition connectors, and so on,depending on the situation.

Example: From the following topic sentences, choose one which is appropriate for theparagraph below.

Topic sentences.a. El Colombiano newspaper and El Tiempo newspaper are similar newspapers.b. El Colombiano newspaper and El Tiempo newspaper have similar days of

publication.C. El Colombano and El Tiempo newspaper have the same ideological tendency.

Paragraph:--------------------------------------- First both newspapers have the same sections: editorial,economic section, social section, advertising section, and classified ads. They bothhave sections in English and Spanish. In the economic section, we can find the price ofthe dollar, the international price of coffee, and the price of the most importantcurrencies in the world. On Sundays, they both have a section devoted to book and

cultural events

The appropriate topic sentence for the above paragraph should be: El Colombianonewspaper and El Tiempo newspaper are similar newspapers.


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Exercise 1. From the following topic sentences, choose one for the paragraph below.

Topic sentences.a) Bogota and Medellin are very different cities.b) Bogot and Medellin are very similar in many ways.c) Bogota is larger than Medellin.

Paragraph:--------------------------------------------.Bogota is located on a praire and there are notmountains around. Medellin is located on a valley and surrounded by many mountains.Due to the place they are located Bogota has a cold weather whereas Medellin has awarm weather. In Bogota people wear elegant clothes all the time; In Medellin peoplewear casual clothes on Fridays.


Topic sentences.a) I prefer England to USA to travelb)Traveling in USA is a wonderful experiencec) In England you can visit more cities than in the USA.

Paragraph:--------------------------------------------. It is easier to get a vista to travel to England than totravel to the USA. If you get a student visa for London, you can register at the police

station as soon as you arrive, and you will get permission to travel 20 hours a week. Ifyou get a student vista for the United Stats, you are not legally allowed to work , if youare found working, you can be deported.


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Topic sentences.a)There are very good universities abroad.b) I prefer public universities rather than private universities to study in Colombia.c) It I better to study abroad rather than studying in the country.

Paragraph: --------------------------------------------. They are cheaper than privateuniversities in which the prices are sometimes so high that it is impossible to afford

even a term. If it is true that sometimes I cannot complete my program of studies inthe time scheduled for the program, I can study by myself and take exams to advancein my program of studies. The parties are also cheap and everybody collect money tohave fun. Students in general are very friendly and nobody is taking about havingmoney because most of them come from the same socio economic strata. I cannot saythat strikes do not affect academic life, but this is part of our university life.

Writing:Students should write an essay comparing different curricula in the area ofengineering in different universities.

Documents

Unit IV - Module III - Written Communication