sign in sign up
<<
Home , Education, Olin College, Polytechnic (Portugal)

Engineering Change study at Olin . Lessons from Leaders on Modernizing Higher

An ABET Issue Brief Fall 2017

SUMMARY: In and Section 1. Meeting the Gap of One Million across the country, engineering programs he currently about 300,000 bachelor are experiencing an epic revitalization and associate degrees in STEM fields annually. While that — blurring the lines between class and may seem like an impressive number, it’s only a fraction of , and increasing access to dynamic, what’s needed to meet pending global challenges. Economic hands-on and projects — to keep Tprojections1 indicate approximately a million more college graduates pace with the rapid change of . in STEM fields are needed over the next decade, for the U.S. to retain This paper offers a brief glimpse into the its historical preeminence in and , and to address best practices for driving change within the engineering issues confronting the world today and tomorrow. engineering programs, and the benefits that have been realized.

1 PCAST Engage to Excel Report “We have an obligation to to help improve the human condition. This generation of engineering students are socially connected and helping them understand how engineering can help solve societal problems will bring more of them into the field of engineering. It’s our responsibility to improve the human condition by the that we do and the people that we train.”

Darryl Pines Dean and Nariman Farvardin of Aerospace Engineering A. James Clark of Engineering, of Maryland, College Park

Students at Capitol Technology University.

To meet this goal, the U.S. will to increase the of their populations and the surrounding number of students who receive undergraduate business communities. Each featured university has STEM degrees by about 34 percent annually. Mere- unique elements, which are threaded together here ly increasing the number of STEM majors who stay as considerations and key learnings for the higher with their programs through from the education . current rate of 40 percent to 50 percent would gen- erate three-quarters of the one million additional Section 2. A Baseline for What Works STEM degrees needed over the next decade. What of higher learning, and particularly those must happen to achieve such a significant increase with programs in the STEM fields, have been im- of students who choose a STEM degree, or at least plementing proactive and innovative steps in recent stick with it once they’ve started? years to and deliver curriculum that is out- In early 2017, at the annual ABET Symposium, ac- comes-based, informed by real-world business ademic leadership from STEM programs across the that give students core discipline while country shared their viewpoints, noting in most cases retaining a student’s ability to explore individual that the issue goes far beyond enrolling and retaining interests. Universities that have made such adjust- more students in STEM degree programs. Rather, the ments report direct improvements in their ability to broader issue they see for these institutions is the increase general enrollment, improve retention in need for them to innovate how STEM education is STEM degree programs and develop more thoughtful offered to engage student populations effectively, and and prepared graduates who then contribute to the help them develop the skillsets that are — and will be nation’s standing as a STEM leader. — most needed by a rapidly evolving global . While driving curriculum change can often be slow, This paper highlights several university programs these institutions are leading the way in keeping cur- across the country that have been successful at riculum relevant to the real-world needs of today’s driving curriculum change to better meet the needs employers in a time of rapid change.

2 Darryl Pines speaks at the 2017 ABET Symposium. 3 Section 3. The Story Understanding the Olin College of Engineering’s approach to delivering its engineering curriculum requires first understanding the undergraduate ex- perience of the college’s president, Richard Miller. The first seven semesters of Miller’s undergraduate studies were filled with courses focused on engi- neering . It wasn’t until his eighth and final semester that he’d put what he learned into practice. While Miller went on to receive a fellowship to Mas- sachusetts (MIT), he knew that his undergraduate had not effectively prepared him for the practical side of a career in engineering. Decades later, when he received an invitation from Olin College to design a new engineering program from the bottom-up, he knew that in addition to deliver- ing the basic science of engineering, the curriculum needed to engage students in the act of discovery and hands-on learning, right from day one. “Engineering is to physics what is to bi- ology,” says Miller. “One can’t become a surgeon from simply text . At some point they’ve got to pick up a scalpel.” Under Miller’s leadership as Olin College’s presi- dent, the Needham, Mass.-based school has become a model for how to develop accomplished graduates who have the knowledge and the skills to engineer solutions for real-world problems. Olin’s program boasts a 50 percent female enrollment and regularly produces engineers who, upon graduation, run enterprises that were conceptualized in their dorm room, designed in the and nurtured through collaborative with peers and mentors. Every graduate leaves Olin with a minimum of 25 case studies that describe the projects, systems, hard- ware and other they’ve built during their studies, along with their resume and transcript. Ac- cording to Miller, employers who hire Olin graduates routinely report that Olin students enter the work- force as though they’ve been working professionally for at least two years. To date, more than 2,000 faculty from 750 institu- tions of , representing 50 countries, have visited Olin to learn from and model its unique project-based curriculum. What they learn is that Olin’s to success wasn’t paved by traditional means. Instead of start- ing with Miller’s vision and hiring faculty who were known for their strong ideas and innovative thrust, Olin looked toward the young people they wanted to cultivate. “Many of the individuals who were engaged in the two-year curriculum development process had no experience at all,” says Miller. “The new ideas created by this committee of young people were much more creative than I could have imagined, and it has paid off in new students being able to relate with and remain engaged in the program experience.”

4 Students study at Olin College. velopment. “If there’s something we don’t have yet, students how to build the body of a robot, while com- “Generally, we have to understand we can implement it, or if what we have needs tai- puter science focuses on how to control its behav- loring, based on new technologies or new needs, we ior. Studies aren’t limited to just the technological and be able to respond to the radical can do that too,” added Abu-Ageel. At the same time, aspects of the field. Students are also well-versed in changes that are going on in education. it’s important to look across the traditional barriers the social and ethical implications of robotics. of curriculum, for instance, by developing programs The is in a transformational that and business. To help prepare its students for at NASA phase. Education 10 years from now and the NSA, Capitol has fostered creative partner- might be very different from today’s ships with area high , where Capitol students apply what they’re learning in the classroom. “We’ve education, and we need to figure out created custom after-school programs where Capitol where we fit in and how to respond. students act as mentors to rising juniors and seniors in high school. The win-win brings add- There’s a storm coming in, so to speak, ed to the community, broadens the and it’s massive. Institutions that don’t of high school students and creates a pipeline of future Capitol students. It also gives current Capitol anticipate or respond effectively to this students a chance to teach back what they’ve learned storm are in danger of being wiped out.” in the classroom, further cementing the practicality of their education.” For Capitol, just as with Olin, the success of the Nayef Abu-Ageel program didn’t happen overnight and required exper- imentation in programming. Many Capitol students Dean, Academics & arrive on campus weak in their math and reading Chair, Electrical Engineering Department comprehension skills. University leadership realized that in order for their student population to succeed, Capitol Technology University the first-year experience needed some rethinking. Rather than offer a standard circuits in the first year, which was challenging for most students to pass, Capitol split the program into two courses, allowing students more time to comprehend the les- sons. Almost immediately, there was an increase in Dr. Nayef Abu-Ageel, Capitol Technology University the student success rate, and that success then fol- lowed many of those students through the remainder of the program. “You must know which elements of Experimentation was key to Olin’s curriculum develop- environment. People work in teams across different the curriculum are hurdles for the students,” notes ment process. “An engineer is a person who envisions disciplines, from to cybersecurity, Abu-Ageel. “But you won’t ever know where those Student at Worcester Institute. what has never been and does whatever it takes to make engineering and business. And core to that collabora- hurdles lie if you don’t regularly interact with your it possible,” Miller argues. “With this definition, we de- tion is the dynamic hands-on element of the program.” stakeholders. Our success lies in our ability to fun- veloped and tested our until we found the best At Capitol, there is a lab component to every single damentally understand our student population.” solutions to improve and increase the flexibility of a engineering course. “We have found that when stu- The robotics program is just one example of how dated approach to engineering learning.” dents study content, they may understand it, but they WORCESTER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE — WPI employs their project-based approach. Since 1970, tend to forget the lesson quickly. However, when they PROJECT-BASED LEARNING project-based learning has been at the core of WPI’s Section 4. Finding Commonalities in learn using their own hands, the can be At Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) in Massachu- curriculum and features integrative project work across Curriculum Change retained for a much longer period of time.” setts, learning has always been about combining theory four years, both in the major and in general education, Olin College is far from alone in its intentional focus That commitment to hands-on education, combined and practice. “Students are immediately immersed in in and around the globe at our more than 40 on collaboration and experimentation. in with collaborative experiences across the , an experiential where entrepre- project centers. Students work closely with faculty and universities, business and higher education accred- Abu-Ageel , is what will become increasing- neurial thinking and risk-taking are encouraged,” says each other to develop solutions to real-world problems itation agree that certain elements must be at play in ly important for electrical engineers in the future, Michael Gennert, professor of computer science and in their own communities and in communities around order for such change to take hold, and collaboration especially as innovators seek out new solutions to founding director of the robotics engineering program the globe. Participating in team and individual is at the top of that list. problems facing our . at WPI. “Our motto is Lehr und Kunst, meaning, ‘theory settings, students tackle authentic, open-ended projects But how do we get there? Abu-Ageel suggests that and practice’ and it’s reflected in our approach.” under faculty guidance. During the process, they mas- CAPITOL TECHNOLOGY UNIVERSITY — developing such a collaborative and cross-disciplinary Realizing that no single discipline sufficiently pro- ter , sharpen research skills, fine-tune HANDS-ON COLLABORATION requires universities to keep a close eye on what vides the scope and range of knowledge demanded written and oral communication skills and connect the Take, for instance, Capitol Technology University in local industry needs, and then pivot when necessary. of engineers, WPI employs an interdisciplinary ap- curriculum to local and global issues. Laurel, Md. According to Nayef Abu-Ageel, dean of ac- Capitol, which is located in close proximity to NA- proach. For example, robotics engineering students Outside of the classroom, students are exposed to ademics and chair of the electrical engineering depart- SA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, has become an will take classes in computer science, mechanical high-level, hands-on learning and capstone projects ment and one of the visionaries behind the school’s educational conduit for astronautics careers, and engineering and electrical and computer engineer- that are supported by industry. Students also benefit innovative approach, “Capitol is a very collaborative it regularly partners with NASA on curriculum de- ing departments. The engineering components teach from the ability to collaborate with graduate and

6 7 “Our classes prepare engineering students for multiple careers in a empowered to take of their learning, In response to undergraduate student requests for which increases their level of engagement and pre- an -focused education that aligns — rather rapidly changing environment. We emphasize fundamental concepts pares them for careers in an industry where inno- than competes — with their course of study, MIT and techniques that will last longer than present technology.” vation and are necessary for success. Not introduced a new & Innovation only are students well-equipped to make an impact in minor in the fall of 2016. Jointly offered by the School their chosen STEM fields after they have graduated, of Engineering and the Sloan School of , Patricia Brackin they are also inclined to make an impact globally and and engaging departments and centers from across Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology return to Rose-Hulman as alumni to speak, advise campus, the E&I minor educates students how to and mentor,” Brackin explains. serve as leaders in the innovation economy, with the Nan Mattai, of Rockwell Collins, has said that the knowledge, skills and confidence to develop, scale company’s partnership with Rose-Hulman has “al- and deliver breakthrough solutions to real-world postdoctoral students, and leverage industry resourc- and staff at the helm; financial, the ability to show lowed us to engage with targeted departments on problems. es to help them develop the knowledge and practical a future return on an investment in staff and equip- curriculum changes to better meet our future busi- A similar focus on entrepreneurship is underway skills that they then showcase in competitions. ment; and political, the ability to get support from ness needs, to gain early access to students for our in Houston, where Rice University’s Entrepreneur- In 2016, WPI’s project-based curriculum received university leadership to get the done. With top- and co-op programs, and to enhance our ship Initiative is bridging the academic experience the prestigious Bernard M. Gordon Prize for Inno- down support from academic leadership that wanted ability to recruit exceptional graduates who are a across the liberal arts, professional schools and the vation in Engineering and . to see something new, bottom-up faculty support, great fit for our company.” research university. The new Liu Idea Lab for Inno- In the same year, ABET also honored WPI’s robotics and a solid financial plan, program directors are em- The key to Rose-Hulman’s successful STEM programs vation and Entrepreneurship (Lilie), announced in engineering program with its inaugural Innovation powered and equipped to design a rigorous course is the college’s ability to pinpoint, highlight and build 2016, and opening in the fall of 2017, will feature new after it implemented the first ABET-accredited curriculum that could meet a growing need for engi- upon their strengths. “One of our greatest strengths is and expanded entrepreneurship courses as well as undergraduate robotics engineering program in the neers in the greater Boston area. our ability to develop leaders in an environment where projects to encourage Rice students to pursue and United States. students receive individual support and from achieve success in entrepreneurial endeavors. While the basic structure of WPI’s project-based ROSE-HULMAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY — the moment they first step onto campus through — and curriculum has remained the same since its inception IMPLEMENTING REAL-WORLD SCENARIOS even beyond — graduation,” says Brackin. “A dynamic undergraduate in the , the faculty and staff have embraced Presenting the impact of engineering in real-world many changes over the years. “Our foundation has settings is a core principle for Rose-Hulman Institute MIT AND RICE UNIVERSITY — STORIES IN experience is increasingly critical proven to be really sound because of the decades of Technology, in Terre Haute, Ind. At Rose-Hulman, INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP to lead in entrepreneurship in higher of experience and solid that faculty and nearly every student in the engineering program ex- In September 2012, incoming MIT President L. Rafael staff brought when developing the curriculum,” says periences program theory through focused small- Reif noted the Institute was already a global leader education. Lilie puts this experience Gennert. “This has allowed us to focus on growing team work, from the student’s very first freshman in innovation but recognized the need to push the sci- the program and making sure that the tools students year course. Team projects where students develop ence of innovation forward. “With the right facilities, at the forefront for undergraduates, have access to, from laboratory equipment to solutions to authentic real-world problems using the alliances, and programs,” he stated, “we can build on maximizing connections with the platforms and languages, evolve with time to remain theory they’ve learned in the classroom are consis- that lead and continue to serve as one of the most relevant to industry.” tently included throughout the curriculum starting powerful engines of innovation in the world.” Rice alumni network and the startup For example, WPI’s robotics engineering offerings in the freshmen year. Rose-Hulman students also The MIT Innovation Initiative (MITii) works with community in Houston.” have expanded over the last 10 years to include new receive access to corporate partners to advance their all five MIT schools to strengthen the educational master’s and programs and more than 20 careers while directly supporting the growth of the pathways and networks for students, alumni and robotics-specific courses. The robotics program has regional economy. partners to move ideas from conception to impact. It Yael Hochberg experienced rapid growth in the number of students Since its inception, Rose-Hulman’s mission has does so by combining hands-on, global opportunities Head of Rice Entrepreneurship Initiative and quality faculty members, and they’ve become a been to offer the world’s best undergraduate STEM for expertise in the innovation process with sought-after for influential robotics or- education. To do this, the staff, faculty and leadership insights developed from the evidence-based science “With this remarkable commitment to entrepre- ganizations seeking opportunities for collaboration. at Rose-Hulman have paid close attention to its stu- of innovation. MITii serves as a connector across the neurial experience and opportunity, Rice Universi- The higher education community has also ben- dents, their strengths and technology itself. many innovation and entrepreneurship programs on ty is making a strong statement about being a top efited from WPI’s leadership through its Institute “For almost 150 years, our mission has been to of- campus; it supports the expansion of existing pro- choice for students who want to learn how to bring for Project Based Learning. Faculty from colleges fer the world’s best undergraduate STEM education grams to serve more students; and it is creating new innovative ideas to life,” said university president and universities all over the country come to WPI to in an environment of individual attention and sup- education, research and infrastructure efforts to fill David Leebron. “By providing hands-on opportunities learn how to teach immersive and hands-on, proj- port,” says Patricia Brackin, professor of mechanical key gaps in the landscape of opportunities. to learn entrepreneurship through Lilie’s innovative ect-based learning. The annual program is a 2.5-day engineering at Rose-Hulman. “In the last 10 years, MIT is refashioning its entrepreneurship cur- courses and programs, we hope to attract talented intensive workshop where teams of five or more fac- there have been many advances in educational tech- riculum with courses that integrate existing disci- and driven students and equip them with the nec- ulty and administrators can gain knowledge about nology and in research on how people learn best. This pline-based with expertise in innovation. essary resources to lead innovation both on Rice’s project-based learning and make tangible has allowed us to take those defining elements of a The curriculum is designed for undergraduate, grad- campus and across the of Houston and the to integrate those concepts into their own curricula. Rose-Hulman education to a new level, offering an uate and postdoctoral education, and it is focused of Texas,” said Frank Liu, the 1978 The Institute is hosted and run by WPI in partnership individually-engineered STEM education to the next on moving from idea and invention to action and graduate who invested $16.5 million to bring Lilie with the Association of American Colleges & Univer- generation of leaders in science and engineering. Our the marketplace. MIT faculty and experienced entre- to life. sities, the leading national association focused on model is designed to prepare students for challenges preneurs will bring clinical prowess and real-world Rice University’s E-teams Entrepreneurship Expe- undergraduate liberal education. they will face long after they graduate.” experience into the classroom. Many of the new rience course, offered through Lilie, will be open to all How did WPI lay the foundation for such success? Rose-Hulman’s commitment to maintaining a cur- courses will involve team learning where students undergraduates. Interdisciplinary teams will focus Gennert three intersecting areas of merit: rent learning environment has positively impacted from various disciplines form groups that focus on on a single project sourced from a Houston startup academic, strong pedagogy and experienced faculty students and the college as a whole. “Students are innovation challenges. company. They will meet with instructors and entre-

8 9 Robotics project at Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

as society confronts the demanding popula- Section 7. Acknowledgements preneurship mentors, progress goals and present In researching each of the stories outlined above, tion and infrastructure challenges of the next ABET wishes to thank all of those who contributed their projects to a panel of reviewers that include the six distinct themes — lessons learned — emerged several decades. This emphasis and approach to the development of this issue brief, including Dr. startup from which the project originated. The course as central to the design of effective and flexible en- to problem solving came across clearly in all Richard Miller, founding president of Olin College, will train students to solve problems, improve team- gineering program design: programs we examined. Teamwork and proj- Dr. Nayef Abu-Ageel, dean of academics and chair of work and strengthen communication. “E-Teams will 1. The blurring of disciplinary borders: Higher ect-based are the new principles of education. electrical engineering department at Capitol Tech- offer students a unique opportunity to learn about education is no longer a straight line within Universities must go beyond theory to bring nology University, Dr. Patricia Brackin, professor of the challenges and opportunities of entrepreneur- any given program area. Rather, the most com- practical experiences from outside of the class- mechanical engineering at Rose-Hulman Institute of ship while immersing themselves in the local startup pelling programs are those that blend learning room into the learning environment. Technology, Dr. Michael Gennert, professor of com- community,” said Yael Hochberg, Ralph S. O’Connor across many diverse program areas. 6. Effective Assessment: Curriculum is no lon- puter science and founding director of the robotics Professor in Entrepreneurship () and head of 2. Ho listic approach to problem solving: Learn- ger static. Through regular and effective assess- engineering program at Worcester Polytechnic Insti- the Rice University Entrepreneurship Initiative. “We ing to solve a problem is about much more than ment, as provided by ABET and other program tute and Yael Hochberg, Ralph S. O’Connor Professor expect this exciting program will inspire a wide range memorizing the math equation. By deeply en- accreditors, universities have the tools and con- in Entrepreneurship and head of the Rice University of Rice students to think entrepreneurially.” gaging real-world practice into the classroom, fidence needed to be the best they can be for Entrepreneurship Initiative. Such opportunities for , lead- students learn beyond the theory in a way that their students, donors and corporate partners. ership development and hands-on research are an in- can make them better problem solvers for life. Section 8. About ABET tegral component of the Initiative for Students, Rice’s 3. Informed by business: From cross-sector Section 6. Conclusion ABET is a forward-thinking, purpose-driven organi- three-year volunteer engagement and fundraising ef- learning to corporate pipeline programs em- Integrating hands-on learning, an entrepreneurial zation recognized by the Council for Higher Educa- fort. Rice students have indicated that they highly val- bedded inside the classroom, innovation in ed- and a global perspective into any engineer- tion Accreditation (CHEA). A federation comprising ue this type of learning, and the university has made ucation is increasingly important in building ing curriculum can be a lengthy and complex pro- 35 professional and technical member , we such experiences for students a priority. tangible success for graduates, as well as the cess especially in the context of well-established accredit college and university programs in the ar- universities in which those students thrive. curriculum components and university structures, eas of applied and , computing, engi- Section 5. Lessons Learned 4. Customizable curriculum: Flexing with the but as the case studies here point out, the impact of neering and engineering technology at the associate, For students to be competitive in the , needs of the business community has become embedding such principles in to can be bachelor and master degree levels. they cannot be taught in 20th century ways. Rather critical for universities to show value to stu- extraordinary for the students’ learning experience. Based in Baltimore, our reach is global and we have than “teach-memorize--repeat,” the new model is dents and corporate partners, as is the process To remain relevant in the competitive higher edu- 3,852 programs in 776 institutions in 31 countries. We about dynamic, hands-on learning and projects. That for allowing students an opportunity to chart cation landscape and to effectively develop students provide accreditation for post-secondary programs can mean, for example, a single project that a group their own course, with flexibility and choice who can meet the needs of today’s global economy, within degree-granting institutions already recognized of students work on throughout their program years, in program elements. university leadership must be thoughtful about how by national or regional institutional accreditation agen- learning whatever they need for that project. Often, 5. Dynamic, hands-on learning: The environment to get our students from here to there. A spirit of cies or national education authorities worldwide. Our faculty serve as a guide, assisting students with the in which one learns, tests and problem-solves exploration, flexibility, innovation and experimenta- accreditation is voluntary. With ABET accreditation, learning process, so that when students graduate, is just as important as the frame in which one tion must become a natural part of the learning pro- students, employers and society can be confident that they will be confident in their abilities, well inte- is learning. Exposing students earlier to re- cess, and the delivery of education in general must a program meets the quality standards that produce grated into the industry and have the skills to excel. al-world challenges is increasingly important be nimble enough to evolve as technology evolves. graduates prepared to enter a global workforce.

10 11 415 North Charles St Baltimore, MD 21201 www..org