The Globally Competent Engineer: Working Effectively with People Who Define Problems Differently

Abstract

This paper offers and tests an approach to conceptualizing the global competency of engineers. It begins by showing that the often-stated goal of working effectively with different cultures is fundamentally about learning to work effectively with people who define problems differently. The paper offers a minimum learning criterion for global competency and three learning outcomes whose achievement can help engineering students fulfill that cri terion. It uses the criterion to establish a typology of established methods to support global learning for engineering students. It introduces the course, Engineering Cultures, as an example of an integrated classroom experience designed to enable larger num bers of engineering students to take the critical first step toward global competency, and it offers a test application of the learning criterion and outcomes by using them to organize summative assessments of student learning in the course.

Work in progress - attaining and measuring global competency for engineering graduates

“…Downey et al, in their analysis of the learning criteria and outcomes in this global era, articulate the following [3]:…”

Increasing Multi-Cultural Awareness in Engineering Students

“…We note the importance for future studies, literature reviews and reports to include these extracurricular activities (outofclass time and not travelabroad based) among the recommended initiatives to help increase intercultural and thus global competence in engineering students. At present, recommended opportunities espoused are international enrollment (study abroad), international projects, international employment, international field trips, and integrated class experiences 16,26 , all of which are more resource and time intensive than ways proposed in this study.…”

Social and Technical Dimensions of Engineering Identity

“…Once people are introduced to the problem-solving situation, it takes on human as well as technical dimensions" (p. 109) 22 . Such a perspective on the human dimension might lead the engineer to sharpen her use of social elements in engineering practice (e.g., through communication, teamwork) and thoroughly consider related human and contextual dimensions when solving problems.…”