Topic areas to be included?

[devinberg]

What would the table of contents look like?

[neurohazardous]

Choose 10 North American universities (perhaps based on their Engineering school ratings) and look at the first year courses and try to get the syllabus for those courses (I know that a lot of times the syllabus are available online--at least older versions or such). Develop the table of contents based on this.

As a second step, we could contact key players in different engineering faculties so we can get feedback on the book.

[devinberg]

Goals for the do-a-thon:

1. Identify a list of links to accessible syllabi for example intro engineering courses.
2. Synthesize this into a coherent Table of Contents.
3. Discuss whether the table of contents should be a fixed entity or allow for reordering based on the user's needs. May influence Authoring system? #2.

[devinberg]

The course outline for a course that I teach (from https://github.com/devinberg/Impacts-of-Engineering/blob/master/syllabus.md):

1. Engineering foundations [1, 3]

   a. Engineering design

   b. Engineering achievements and failures (Technologies and social, economic, and environmental unintended consequences)

2. Engineering disciplines [2, 8]

   a. Engineers as problem solvers

   b. Comparison of engineering disciplines

3. Engineering ethics [2, 5, 6, 7]

   a. Codes of ethics across engineering disciplines

   b. Professional responsibilities as an engineer

   c. Case studies in ethical dilemmas

   d. Social justice engagement in engineering

4. Introduction to engineering design [3, 4, 5, 6, 7]

   a. The design process

   b. Technology and the market

   c. Effects of globalization on diverse populations

   d. Ethical, societal, and environmental concerns

   e. The future of engineering

5. Engineering design in practice [8, 9, 10]

   a. Social, economic, and environmental dynamics of project selection

   b. Developing engineering project specifications

   c. Calculations and computational tools

   d. Using the engineering design process in practice

   e. Solving real-world problems using the engineering design process

   f. Using value-sensitive design

[devinberg]

From Carnegie Mellon. This one is specific for Mechanical Engineering. They also have others for other engineering disciplines.

The purpose of this course is to introduce the student to the field of mechanical engineering through an exposition of its disciplines, including structural analysis, mechanism design, fluid flows, and thermal systems. By using principles and methods of analysis developed in lectures, students will complete two major projects. These projects will begin with conceptualization, proceed with the analysis of candidate designs, and culminate in the construction and testing of a prototype. The creative process will be encouraged throughout.

[devinberg]

From The University of Adelaide

1. appreciate the non disciplinary-specific aspects and open-ended nature of engineering problems
2. demonstrate the basic principles of the engineering method
3. apply the key concepts of design, ethics, safety and sustainability
4. explain the nature of the role of engineers in a global society
5. explain the nature of the work of an engineer in fields of Civil, Environmental, Mining, Chemical, Electrical & Electronic, Mechanical and Petroleum Engineering
6. recognise the need for lifelong learning and for continuous professional development
7. critically evaluate and interpret information through research
8. write and speak in a style appropriate to academic and professional contexts
9. work effectively in small teams

[neurohazardous]

This one is from the MIT Open Courseware titled "Introduction to Electrical Engineering and Computer Science I".

The primary goal of the course is to for the students to appreciate and use the fundamental design principles of modularity and abstraction in a variety of contexts from electrical engineering and computer science. Secondary objectives include: showing students that making mathematical models of real systems can help in the design and analysis of those systems, and to give them practice with the difficult step of deciding which aspects of the real world are important to the problem being solved and how to model them in ways that give insight into the problem.

Basic concepts: modern software engineering, linear systems analysis, electronic circuits, and decision-making.

[devinberg]

From Brown

Are you considering a career in engineering? Are you fascinated by what engineers do? In this course, students will gain an understanding of the fundamentals of the engineering design process, an appreciation of the far reaching impacts of engineering, a grasp of the various fields of engineering, and a better understanding of the profile of an engineer, including the typical training of an engineer and valuable soft skills.

A major focus of this class will be on the engineering design process, including defining the problem, identifying criteria for success, discussing potential ethical issues, brainstorming conceptual designs, and formulating the detailed (final) design. Students will work in teams on a design problem, and in the process will experience the engineering design approach, as well as learn the importance of managing the design process and communicating design outcomes. Finally, students will be able to make engineering choices for their own futures based on guest speakers, panel discussions, and lab tours in various engineering fields.

By the end of this class, students will:

1. Understand how to apply the engineering design process;
2. Have constructed a prototype to solve an engineering problem;
3. Have explored multiple fields of engineering; and
4. Have formulated a plan for starting a college career in engineering.

[neurohazardous]

Introduction to Engineering Analysis from Stanford university. It's an elective summer course. The main objective is to provide students with the tools to approach modern engineering analysis: "Analysis is the way that modern engineers use math and science to figure out how to build great things. This course provides a unified treatment of the fundamental concepts and principles used in engineering analysis. The fundamental concepts are mass, linear momentum, angular momentum, energy, and entropy. The five associated fundamental principles express the conservation of the fundamental quantity. The course is built around the notions of balances for the fundamental quantities; getting the balances right is the most important part of any analysis, and once you have these, the rest is pretty easy. The balances themselves are easy, once you get the hang of it, so analysis (which is crucial to high-tech design) is not only important, it is easy, creative, and fun!

[neurohazardous]

This Introduction to Electrical Engineering course from Harvey Mudd College is really interesting; it focuses on electrical engineering, but it goes through ALL the basics. Maybe we can take this idea, take a step back, and try to abstract it so it applies to all engineering fields!

[devinberg]

From Saylor Academy

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

• define mechanical engineering;
• describe some of the subfields of mechanical engineering;
• distinguish mechanical engineering from other types of engineering;
• describe important components of engineering design and project management;
• employ engineering measurements, units, and conversions;
• demonstrate an understanding of engineering ethics and ethical dilemmas;
• describe intellectual property and copyright issues in an engineering context;
• perform basic oral and written technical communication according to the accepted standards of the mechanical engineering community;
• perform several basic computations in Scilab, including matrix manipulations and nonlinear equation solving;
• perform data analysis and display using Scilab; and
• demonstrate an understanding of all of the above through execution of an engineering design project.

[orobecca]

This is Introduction to Engineering from Indiana University-Purdue University (IUPUI)
Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)
Upon successful completion of the course, students should be able to

1. Use PROENGINEER to create a solid model of an object.
2. Use PROENGINEER to extract two-dimensional engineering drawings from a solid model.
3. Use Pspice software to model electrical circuits.
4. Construct simple electrical circuits in an electrical hardware laboratory.
5. Write short project reports according to specified instructions.
6. Work in groups to complete classroom exercises, laboratories and project work.
7. Operate as a member of a team with an understanding of the roles and relationships of team members.
8. Apply theory to explain the operation of a real world device.
9. Build an engineering device and make modifications to achieve a desired outcome.
10. Test a design and make necessary changes to improve performance.

[neurohazardous]

McMaster University has a common first year. The Engineering design and graphics seems to be relevant for us!

The primary goal of Engineering Design and Graphics is for students to be able to model their designs and effectively communicate in the language of engineering graphics. By the end of the term, they will be able to:
• Mentally visualize three-dimensional objects from arbitrary points of view given orthographic
projections, isometric projections, or physical objects
• Hand sketch multiviews and isometric pictorials of engineering designs quickly and accurately
• Read engineering drawings conforming to standard practices
• Model parts and assemblies using computer-aided design (CAD) software
• Create engineering drawings conforming to standard practices using CAD software
• Analyze and validate the design of a mechanism through dynamic simulation
• 3D prototype a functioning mechanical system

[devinberg]

From University of Wisconsin-Madison

For first-year students in the College of Engineering. Introduction to engineering disciplines and professional fields; engineering design process; grand challenges; sustainability, societal, multicultural and global issues encountered in engineering; economic and ethical constraints on engineering solutions; and employment and educational opportunities in engineering.

[devinberg]

A Google Sheet to start synthesizing the above topics. Edit here

[orobecca]

This is ENGR 131: Transforming Ideas to Innovation from Purdue University

At the end of this class, you will be able to:

• Communicate engineering concepts, ideas and decisions effectively and professionally in diverse ways such as written, visual, and oral.
• Seek, find, use, and document appropriate and trustworthy information resources.
• Scope problems and use diverse methods and multiple forms of evidence to build empathy with users and stakeholders broadly.
• Use accurate scientific, mathematical, and technical evidence in statements and work products.
• Engage in systematic, informed, evidence-based decision-making with considerations of data and facts as well as social and ethical factors.
• Appropriately use data analysis tools to analyze data to make claims about the data.
• Generate ideas fluently. Take risks when necessary.
• Reflect on the process and assumptions and engage in troubleshooting and iteration.
• Contribute effectively to team products and discussions.

[orobecca]

This is Design Methodology from University of California, Berkeley

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

• To introduce the design mindset, skillset and toolset, their scope, and their limitations.
• To provide exposure to the practice of design through application in multiple settings.
• To encourage understanding of the broader implications of designs that you create.

DESIRED COURSE OUTCOMES:

• Development of a design mindset around doing observation, framing and reframing, imagining and designing alternative concepts, iterating to learn, critiquing and reflecting.
• Development of an appreciation for different perspectives on design (i.e., engineering, design, business).
• Development of basic capabilities to visualize or represent solutions in different modalities.
• Development of fundamental skills for working effectively in a team environment.

[chuckhaas]

Two big picture questions:

• up to what level (sophomore?)
• who is the audience?

[devinberg]

In general, I view it as a "first course" in engineering. I'd imagine this happens in the freshmen year some places and in the sophomore year at others.

Similarly, the audience would be those looking for that introductory engineering content. Could be either in the university, motivated high school students, or independent learners.

Others can weigh in on this if they have thoughts as well.

[devinberg]

The above course syllabi/outlines have been coded by topic area in the linked Google doc. The summary of the results there is that the following topics are present in introductory engineering curriculum (sorted by frequency of appearance, out of 14):

• Engineering Design Process (11)
• Problem Solving (11)
• Project Work (8)
• Explain various engineering disciplines (7)
• Ethics (6)
• Programming/Coding (5)
• Social Responsibility (5)
• Introduce advanced topics (5)
• Math Skills/Concepts (5)
• Writing Skills (4)
• Solid Modeling (4)
• Intellectual Property (3)
• Career Planning (3)
• Defining engineering (3)
• Engineering History (1)