What is Required to Be
an Engineer?
Whenever
anyone observes any engineering project such as an extraordinary construction
site or modern features on a mobile phone or 3D modeling products, it is
always a big question that comes to mind. “Who are the leaders behind these
modern developments?”. The answer is simple. All these advanced projects come
from the creative minds of engineers.
In this
article, we will discuss how engineers and their creative minds can solve
problems and improve our world and the journey that engineers take from the
beginning of their education until after their graduation when they take part
in real engineering projects.
Problems are the Engineer’s Inspiration
Undeniably, engineers have the creative minds to generate multiple solutions for every problem. They generate multiple solutions and choose the best answer depending on the interrelated situations. Engineers are advanced in problem-solving and usually have the passion to help people and make their environment a better place to live in. Basically, the engineering process begins when there is a defined problem that needs to be addressed. Problems are the engineer’s inspiration. Engineers can turn ideas and dreams into reality and they are real artists who can turn rigid formulas from math and science into wonderful projects.
Typical Design Process
To understand more about the role of engineers for each grand project and to also clearly realise engineers’ creative minds, we should look into the typical design process. The typical design process starts by defining the problem itself. At this stage, the engineer has to consider numerous conditions to better understand the problem and to find out the best possible solution.
For instance, the design must be low-cost, safe and environmentally friendly. Various skills are involved at this stage, such as understanding the range of conflicting requirements, relating engineering to society, and evaluating the environment and sustainability.
The second stage will be searching for information and recording the results. The conditions need to be determined at this level, including searching for existing solutions for the defined problem, finding out what the limitations and drawbacks are, and what the advantages are for the current available solutions. What is the manufacturing process currently available to address this problem, what are the economic factors which may be involved for this problem, and what are the related solutions? The main skill needed at this stage is to understand the overall involvement of the stakeholder in this problem to decide the range of conflict requirements.
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| Liew, CAFEO36, 2018 |
In the next
phase (Phase 3), engineers are ready to generate multiple solutions based on
the all the information collected during the previous stages. In this phase,
engineers are able to show their ability to analyse and evaluate all the information
available for any particular problem and they can come out with techniques to
provide creative solutions and generate numerous ideas. At this stage, besides
the ability to investigate, group working and communication skills also play an
important part in brainstorming to create various suitable solutions. The best solutions
cannot be created individually but by a group of technicians with various
backgrounds. This multidisciplinary task is always an advantage and a great
part of each engineering project which may lead to various perspectives.
Step four is the analysis of all the solutions and selection of the best one by considering the situations which need to be addressed. At this stage, engineers must consider the codes and standards, and the rules and regulations for the particular location and desired situation. They must apply their depth of engineering knowledge and make the best evaluation of all parameters. The selected answer must have the best response for functionality, economic factors and safety, liability, and the response of the society to this solution.
Finally, the
last stage of the design process is the implementation of the selected solution
by generating the prototype. This stage allows engineers to show their skills
in managing, scheduling and planning the project on top of all the skills
mentioned earlier.
The Role of Educational Institutions in
the Development of Creative Engineers
Educational institutions
play a crucial role in the training of engineers with the right skills. Engineering
councils set standards globally for the desired attributes of engineering
graduates, which makes it necessary for all the institutions that offer
engineering programmes to meet these preset standards and make sure that all
graduates gain sufficient skills by the time of they graduate.
A total of twelve
attributes have been defined for engineering programmes. They can be divided into
various categories such as skills for problem-solving, skills which improve
ethical behavior and their responsibility to society, and skills which
engineers are required to apply in the workplace.
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Graduate Attributes, Liew, CAFEO36,
2018 |
Student Learning Outcome (SLO) / Programme
Learning Outcome (PLO)
The engineering
graduate’s attributes can be mapped out through Students Learning Outcomes
(SLO) or Programme Learning Outcomes (PLO). These SLOs or PLOs describe what
students are expected to know and the skills they should be able to perform by
the time of graduation. They are related to the skills, knowledge, and behavior
that the students acquire in their courses through the programmes.
The first and
most fundamental skill is engineering knowledge.
This includes engineering fundamentals and engineering specialisations which
can be applied to solve any kind of engineering problem.
The second skill
is the problem analysis, which includes
identifying and formulating research literature and analysing complex engineering
problems and reaching substituted conclusions using the principles of
mathematics, the natural sciences, and the engineering sciences.
The third
skill is design or development of
solutions. This skill basically involves the knowledge that supports
engineering design in practice area. To address this skill, one must consider
design solutions for complex engineering problems and design systems,
components of processes that meet specified needs with appropriate
consideration for public health and safety, as well as cultural, societal and
environmental considerations.
The fourth skill
focuses on investigation. With this
skill, engineers conduct investigations of complex engineering problems using
research-based knowledge and research methods, including the design of
experiments, the analysis and interpretation of data, and the synthesis of
information to provide conclusions. In this learning outcome, a high level of
cognitive knowledge and hands-on activities are practised.
The fifth
skill is the application of modern tools for engineering practice. For this
skill, students create, select and apply appropriate techniques, resources and
modern engineering and IT tools, including prediction and modelling, to complex
engineering activities. This skill mainly focuses on psychomotor and hands-on
activities.
The sixth skill
is the understanding of the role of the engineer
and society. For this skill, students apply reasoning informed by contextual
knowledge to assess the societal, health, safety, legal and cultural issues and
the consequent responsibilities relevant to the professional engineering
practice.
The seventh
skill focuses on the environment and
sustainability. The important point for this skill is to understand the
impact of professional engineering solutions in societal and environmental
contexts and to demonstrate a knowledge of and the need for sustainable
development.
Skills 8, 9
and 10 focus on the qualities which must be applied as professional engineers
in the workplace. These are ethics, individual and team work and communication skills. With these
skills, students will understand how to commit to professional ethics which must
be applied effectively as an individual, as a member or leader in a diverse
team, and in a multidisciplinary environment. They must realise the importance
of advanced communication for various engineering activities and they be able to
write effective reports and design documentations, make effective presentations,
and give and receive clear instructions.
The eleventh
skill focuses on project management and
finance aspects. Engineering graduates must demonstrate a knowledge and
understanding of engineering and management principles and economic-decision
making. The final engineering graduate’s attribute is long-life learning. They must be ready and able to engage in independent
and lifelong learning in the broader context of technological change.
All these comprehensive skills help engineering students to develop a range of cognitive, affective and psychomotor skills. As a consequence, all engineering graduates will be well prepared to join industry and solve real-work issues immediately after their graduation.
Implementation of the Engineering Graduate’s Attributes for Engineering Programmes
·
Outcome
Based Education (OBE)
Outcome-based
education (OBE) means starting with a clear picture of what is important for
students to be able to do, then organising the curriculum, instruction, and assessments
to make sure that this learning ultimately happens.” (Spady, 1994). It focuses
on student-learning by using learning outcome statements to make explicit what
the student is expected to be able to know, providing learning activities which
will help the student to reach these outcomes and assessing the extent to which
the student meets these outcomes through the use of explicit assessment
criteria.
·
The
Outcome Based Education Process
The overall Outcome Based Education (OBE) process will start by planning, which is following by institutional vision and mission, programme standards and what graduates are expected to achieve. In this planning stage the curriculum will be developed and the programme structure will be created.
The second stage is developing accurate teaching and learning methods by setting a suitable level of student learning and appropriate amount of student learning time (SLT). The implementation is the next stage, which will be through the formative and summative assessment and by creating the rubrics to measure all students’ achievements related to each attribute. The final and most important section is the evaluation the achievement based on the evidences and results. Continued Quality Improvement (CQI) will be completed at this stage by accurately analysing all the results and evidence from the previous stages. Based on this CQI, the curriculum designed at the first stage will be updated and improved to make sure that the teaching and learning methods are always in line with the student’s objectives and to keep it at its highest quality.
· Learning Domains and Blooms Taxonomy
The learning domain refers to a classification of the different objectives that educators set for students (learning objectives/outcomes). Bloom's Taxonomy divides educational objectives into three "domains": 1. Cognitive: mental skills (knowledge), 2. Affective: growth feelings or emotional areas (attitude), 3. Psychomotor: manual or physical skills (skills).
The Cognitive
Domain – knowledge-based domain, consisting of six levels, encompassing
intellectual or thinking skills
The Affective
Domain – attitudinal-based domain, consisting of five levels, encompassing
attitudes and values
The
Psychomotor Domain – skills-based domain, consisting of six levels,
encompassing physical skills or the performance of actions
Each of these three domains consists of a multi-tiered, hierarchical structure for classifying learning according to increasing levels of complexity.
The understanding of Bloom’s taxonomy and various domains is critical as it cause easy understanding and great guideline to develop appropriate teaching and learning method based on the nature of each learning outcome.
Bloom’s
Taxonomy is concerned with the accurate measurement of the level of students’
learning and understanding and ajout developing appropriate levels and methods of
learning which will enable students able to what is expected of them. Having
intended student learning outcomes based on Bloom’s Taxonomy helps to ensure
that instruction and assessment are appropriately aligned with the intended
outcomes.
Using the
correct Bloom’s level helps in the design of suitable assessment methods. For
instance, for the cognitive domain, the teaching method will be through lectures
and tutorials and the students will be assessed through tests and examinations.
For the affective domain, the teaching method can be through case studies, for example,
and the students will be evaluated through, présentations, group work or
similar activities. The psychomotor domain is related to hands-on training and
physical skills. Learning and assessment will be in the laboratory session
working with lab equipment or applying computer software.
·
Complex
Engineering Problems
Complex
engineering problems are affected by various factors and require multiple solutions
from which to select the best. They involve multiple criteria for evaluating
solutions and often, personal opinions or beliefs are involved. In engineering
education it is essential to develop creative engineering graduates who have
the ability to solve complex engineering problems by studying real case studies
and applying sound engineering judgment.
Final Thoughts
In line with the
high standards set by international engineering institutions, MAHSA University’s
Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment (FOEBE) implements each and every
point to our teaching and learning activities to make sure that all our
engineering graduates are ready to enter the engineering industry as soon as
they complete their studies. MAHSA University sets learning activities
appropriate to the current standards and current industry demands by applying
IR4.0 and Green technologies to the curriculum and co-curriculum activities as
much as possible.
Our Master
Classes are all designed as per the current industry demands such as 3D
printing, additive manufacturing, 3D Modelling and many more IR4.0 and green tech-related
courses. Our laboratories are some of the most comprehensive ones available in
the country. Also, our MAHSA Hospital grand project is part of the initiative
of MAHSA Group to ensure that all our students
can be involved in real case scenarios during their studies and not be confined
to just theoretical learning in the classroom. The MAHSA Hospital project guarantees
all our engineering students internships and even job opportunities.
Words by: Dr Iman Farshchi, Dean, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, MAHSA University
Assoc. Prof.
Dr. Ir. Che Maznah Mat Isa, School of Civil Engineering, College of
Engineering, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam, Selangor; Associate Director
(Civil), Engineering Accreditation Department, Board of Engineers Malaysia
Er. Dr. Lock
Kai Sang, Past Chairman, Engineering Accreditation Board, The Institution
of Engineers, Singapore
Prof. Pey Kin
Leong, Associate Provost, Education, SUTD Academy & Digital Learning
Prof. Megat
Johari Megat Mohd Noor, Founding Director, Engineering Accreditation
Council, Board of Engineers Malaysia
Dr. Teo Tee
Hui, Senior Lecturer, Engineering Product Pillar, SUTD
Prof Wan
Hamidon Wan Badaruzzaman, Chairman, Smart and Sustainable Township
Research Centre (SUTRA); Professor, Civil Engineering Programme, Faculty of
Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
Ir. Liew Chia
Pao, Principal Lecturer, Engineering and Technology, Tunku Abdul Rahman
University College (TAR UC), Malaysia
Dr. Foo Yong
Lim, Assistant Provost, Singapore Institute of Technology
Dr. Peter
David Looker, Head, Teaching, Learning and Pedagogy Division, Nanyang
Technological University
International
Engineering Alliance (IEA)
Engineering Programme Accreditation Manual 2020
Words by: Dr Iman Farshchi, Dean, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, MAHSA University