Economic Impact For Integrating Constructivism, Project Based Learning And Practice Into High Quality Professional Graduate Education For Engineers In Industry To Enhance Corporate Advantage And U.S. Competitiveness In The Global Economy

Abstract

This is the fourth of four papers prepared for a special panel session of the National Collaborative Task Force on Engineering Graduate Education Reform focusing on new educational approaches and processes that better meet the development needs of the U.S. engineering workforce in industry to enhance global competitiveness. Further graduate development of the U.S. engineering workforce in industry is critical to the continuous improvement, invention, development, and innovation of new technology which is the engine for U.S. economic prosperity and competitiveness. This paper focuses on a unique model for workforce development that represents a significant advancement in professional graduate education extending through the professional masters, professional doctorate and fellow levels of engineering practice. This advancement in professional graduate education forms a new partnership for universityindustry engagement for U.S. engineering workforce development that completes a missing piece of the process to better enable U.S. technological innovation which is long overdue. The impact of project-based learning on industrial innovation is evidenced. This model is designed specifically to support the on-site engineering process for continuous improvement and innovation in industry. It purposefully integrates postgraduate professional education for industry's employed engineers with on-site technology development projects that are chosen to be directly relevant to industry's continuous innovation needs and high-end engineering projects. The returns for enhanced corporate advantage generated through this unique model are measured as a matrix of increasing complexity of economic worth of on-site projects and of increasing human proficiency gained for leadership of technological innovation. The Importance of Developing a World-Class Engineering Workforce: Educating Creative Professionals for Innovation and Leadership in Industry The United States of America must remain preeminent in creating new innovative technologies through engineering to enhance its economic prosperity, quality of life, and national security. Our technical capability is the engine that drives our national economy and provides for our national security. Professional development of the US engineering workforce is the critical to our very way of life. The vast majority of engineering innovations are needs-driven and market-focused (requiring

Toward An Interdisciplinary Graduate Degree In Technology

“…In either case, students fulfill a capstone experience comprised of a proposal development, proposal defense before their graduate committee, thesis or project completion, and defense of the completed thesis or project before their graduate committee. The thesis/project deliveries are expected to be similar to the deliverables identified in 9 ; e.g. "comparative analyses, pilot/prototype systems, software development, physical plant layouts, automatic data capture enterprise solutions, educational and training media, human resource studies, design of experiments studies, multimedia development, …" Similar to 5 , the thesis or project would be selected from issues or problems that, "pertain to their area of specialization, while utilizing the multidisciplinary foundations of the program."…”

“…Western Carolina University has initiated and effort by providing partnership with industry to better prepare their graduate students to face challenges of growing technical fields 7 . Keating et al in a series of four papers formulated a framework for professional studies that promotes "the continuous development of the U.S. engineering workforce in industry concurrently with engineering practice for technological innovation" 1,8,9 . In addition, several institutions offer students individualized interdisciplinary graduate program that allows students to tailor their courses from more than one department to meet their needs.…”

“…The M.T. degree program should exhibit many of the same characteristics of quality Masters degree programs as outlined in 9 . The program should:…”

“…• "support the working professional's on-going creative work and stage of growth" towards "responsible leadership of creative, systematic technology development & innovation." • focus on many of the same integrative ingredients as 9 ; i.e. self-directed experiential-based learning necessary to gain technological expertise in project-based learning experiences in substantive technology development projects.…”