John Krupczak

Panel - the technological literacy of undergraduates: Developing standard models

This panel will report the results of a workshop and symposium on the technological literacy of undergraduates convened at the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) on March 26-27, 2007. The NAE advocates that all Americans become more knowledgeable about technology. Here technological literacy is defined as the broad understanding of all types of technological devices and process not just computers. The opportunity to utilize undergraduate education to further technological literacy of all students must not be neglected. Educators in computer science, engineering and technology have a responsibility to educate all students not just those intending technical careers. Despite the need for all Americans to become technologically literate, technical literacy is not likely to gain wide acceptance until the scholarly community develops standard courses that are supported by textbooks and other course materials. This National Science Foundation (NSF) sponsored workshop sought to identify and define several models of technological literacy courses. In this FIE panel, short presentations about these models will be made by participants in the NAE/NSF symposium. This will be followed by a discussion with the audience. A goal of the discussion will be to seek the input from FIE participants on the technological literacy course models.

Panel - the technological literacy of undergraduates: identifying the research issues

This panel reported the results of a workshop and symposium on the technological literacy of undergraduates convened at the National Academy of Engineering on April 18-19, 2005. This National Science Foundation sponsored workshop sought to identify and define the current research issues regarding the broad understanding of technology by all undergraduates. Participants included individuals who successfully implemented courses on technological literacy for undergraduates, representatives other disciplines such as Science Technology and Society (STS), history of technology, education, and the humanities, and representatives of the National Science Foundation and the National Academy of Engineering. The symposium included: a review of successful implementations, obstacles to courses on technology, learning objectives and student outcomes, relevant assessment tools and techniques, strategies for developing a scholarly community in the area, potential means of stimulating growth of interest in the topic, implementation in different types of institutions including community colleges, perspectives and issues concerning women and underrepresented minorities

Work in progress - Using insights from non-engineers to help develop laboratory projects

A group from engineering programs at both four and two year colleges has been assembled to explore creating laboratory modules with an emphasis on activities and perspectives shown to be successful in technological literacy courses for non-engineering students. To meet the needs of community college engineering programs, the logistical and commercial feasibility of shipping a complete laboratory in a box will be investigated. This will minimize the laboratory preparation time for community college instructors. These laboratories will be suitable for use in either technological literacy or introduction to engineering courses. The laboratories will attempt to utilize insights from non-engineering students to determine themes that may help interest students in engineering and enliven introduction to engineering courses. Technological literacy courses on a number of campuses have found that non-engineers respond positively to material that focuses on technology familiar to the students in their everyday life, uses extensive verbal and graphical explanations, and includes useful information that helps to establish a sense of empowerment regarding technology. Eight laboratory projects will be created and tested at a variety of two and four-year schools.

Work in progress: Abstraction as a vector: Distinguishing engineering and science

A goal of the philosophy of engineering and engineering education is to more clearly distinguish engineering and engineering education from science and science education. This paper advances the suggestion that one distinction between the activities of science and engineering is the role of abstract thinking. Engineering and science both engage in abstract thinking, but the direction of the abstraction process points in different directions for the two disciplines. The view advanced in this paper may help to clarify the difference between engineering and science in a way that is less prone to value judgments based on supposed differences between pure and applied activity. Science proceeds towards abstract theory; engineering proceeds from the abstract idea of function.

Work in progress - a framework for developing courses on technology and engineering for all students

All Americans need to better understand the wide variety of technology used everyday. The need for technological understanding has never been greater at both an individual and national level. Creating a population with a more empowered relationship with technology will require a significant and widespread initiative in undergraduate education. Standard course models and materials that are easily adoptable in diverse and varied institutional environments will facilitate this effort. A framework to evaluate technology literacy courses was proposed as part of a recent NSF/NAE Workshop. This work attempts to forge links between recently established definitions of technological literacy, course structures and student learning at the undergraduate level, and the needs of faculty in proposing and developing new technology literacy courses. The framework also provides a benchmark to institutions for evaluating and establishing new technology courses. This was accomplished through a review and survey of the 22 existing successful courses on technology recently developed and being taught. The proposed framework intends to from the facilitating infrastructure for an online repository of course materials to help expand and enrich the growing community devoted to a broader understanding of technology by all Americans.

Work in progress - Development of an organizational infrastructure to facilitate the creation of courses on technology and engineering for non-engineers

The need for technological literacy is important for both individuals and the nation in general. Creating a population with a more empowered relationship with technology will require a significant and extensive initiative in undergraduate education. Curricula and course materials that are easily adoptable in diverse and varied institutional environments are vital in this effort. The National Academy of Engineering in two reports: Technically Speaking: Why All Americans Need to Know More about Technology (2002), and Tech Tally: Approaches to Assessing Technological Literacy (2006), outline the characteristics of a technologically literate citizen. The International Technology Education Association (ITEA) has also developed standards for technological literacy. In this work a framework is established for specific course outlines consistent with the content areas established in Tech Tally of: technology and society, design, products and systems, and technology core concepts and the ITEA technology topic areas. To make it possible to accommodate the diverse requirements of curriculum committees on varied campuses, the framework offers flexibility to faculty in planning courses within each proposed model while still accomplishing the goals of the standards. This framework will form the organizational infrastructure for creating a repository of course materials as well as an online community for course developers and instructors.

An apparatus to measure force in a simple truss system

A simple bench-top apparatus has been developed to experimentally determine the forces in the members of a simple truss system. The device is notable in being an inexpensive stand-alone device, which is easily constructed. The truss is a fundamental design element in many structures. There is a need for a low-cost truss experiment which allows first or second year engineering students to compare theory with experiment. While the truss is a simple structure, obtaining convincing agreement between theoretical predictions and experimental measurements requires careful design of the laboratory device. With the apparatus developed, it is possible to obtain experimental measurements of forces in a truss member which agree within a few percent to predictions from elementary mechanics. The apparatus is easy to operate, and is suitable as either a classroom demonstration or a laboratory experiment. The total cost of materials to fabricate the apparatus is less than

Work in progress - case study of a technological literacy and non-majors engineering course

100. The apparatus is appropriate for inclusion in freshman physics laboratories, engineering statics, mechanics of materials, or an experimental methods course.