November 2007
Copyright © 2007 World Expertise LLC – All rights reserved
A periodic electronic newsletter for engineering education leaders,
edited by Russel C. Jones, Ph.D., P.E., and Bethany S. Jones, Ph.D.
NOTE FROM THE EDITORS: This is the final
issue of the International Engineering
Education Digest prepared by two educators for you, our colleagues. Several
of the organizations which have distributed the Digest have now supplanted it with their own electronic newsletters,
including one published daily via an automated commercial service. The editors
have enjoyed preparing thoughtful, selective summaries of important, newsworthy
articles from the international media for you for the past seven years. We hope
that the Digest has been informative
and useful to you.
5 -
Energy
6 –
Journals
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OECD to create international ranking of universities –
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is setting
out to create an international ranking of universities based not on proxy
measures such as input, but rather on a measurement of how much students are
learning. The task is formidable,
given the extreme differences between curricula in various countries, says the
article which appeared in the November 15 print edition of The Economist. But the methodology calls for examining the
transferable skills that employers say that they want, such as critical
thinking. Currently, there are two
similar rankings:
Chinese translator of
OECD “Scoreboard” looks at economic indicators – The OECD
(Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) has just published the OECD
Science, Technology and Industry Scoreboard 2007, the eighth edition in the
series. The report compares
performance and policies of member nations with those of non-member economies.
This report contains new indicators, including university patenting
initiatives and a chapter on S & T activities in nanotechnology.
Findings include figures that show investment in new knowledge now grows
apace with GDP. Also,
Figures on US student achievement in math, science, are ambiguous –
A new study on student achievement in science and math shows that American
students are better than most of their peers abroad, but lag far behind the best
students, who come from Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Japan.
The study, carried out by the non-profit, independent American Institutes
of Research, compared scores on tests given by the US Department of Education in
2005 and 2007, with scores on the Timss (Trends in International Mathematics and
Science Study) administered abroad. Reactions
from researchers were mixed, with some emphasizing the good news, that US
students were in the upper half of performers, and others emphasizing the bad
news, that the best
No shortage of engineers, US Congress told – A US
Congressional committee recently heard that there is no shortage of engineers
and scientists, and was told that the government ought to look into how to
support scientific research without adding to an existing oversupply of science
professionals, reports Richard Monastersky in the November 7 edition of The Chronicle of Higher Education. Federal support for research,
claimed Michael S. Teitelbaum, vice president of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation,
is used to fund more graduate students and post docs, while many engineers
advise their own children not to follow them in that career. And
Paul J. Kostel, vice president of the IEEE, said the
University president recommends giving up claims on IP – Bill
Destler, president of Rochester Institute of Technology, wants to see
MIT suing Gehry over building flaws – The Massachusetts
Institute of Technology is suing architect Frank Gehry for an unspecified amount
of money over leaks and cracks which have required expensive repairs.
The
Import and export of students continues to improve for US – On
November 12 the
MIT puts high school math and science materials on line – The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has announced a further development of its OpenCourseWare program, notes Scott Jaschik in the November 29 edition of Inside Higher Education. A high school version of the materials, called Highlights for High School, will put materials online for use in improving the teaching of science, engineering, technology and math. Currently about 1,800 of MIT’s courses are available online. (See http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2007/11/29/qt)
University leaders confirm importance of on-line education – The National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation released results of a survey of member presidents and chancellors which reveal that 67% of them believe that on-line education is a vitally important component of their institutions’ strategic planning, but that only 40% actually had it in their strategic plan. The greatest barriers to development of online capabilities, according to the respondents, are the need for faculty time and effort and the expense associated with course development, writes Scott Jaschik in the November 12 issue of Inside Higher Education. (See http://insidehighered.com/news/2007/11/12/qt)
Librarians concerned about government surveillance of researchers –
Today’s university libraries frequently run their own Internet networks
through which students and faculty send e-mail, chat, and conduct research in a
separate system. This may make
libraries fall under the designation of a “communications service provider,”
thus making them subject to some proposed legislation that is of concern to
library groups such as the Association of Research Libraries and the American
Library Association. According to
Ellen Nakashima, writing for the November 2 on-line edition of the Washington
Post, the legislation would permit the government to monitor the
communications of non-US citizens participating in an online research project,
and that of US participants in the same project, all without sure judicial
review and appropriate warrants. With
so many
UC Berkeley on YouTube – The
On line education must diversify to attract new students – A report from Eduventures, a company that provides consulting services about on-line higher education, reveals a maturing market, reports Andy Guess in the November 28 on-line edition of Inside Higher Education. The survey of 2,033 people who expressed interest in on-line education in the near to medium range future, shows that there is a preference for enrolling in a program located in their home state, and that the biggest growth is now in the traditional college age cohort, rather than the older adult learner. What this survey shows, concludes Richard Garrett, the author of the report, is that colleges need to move away from preconceived notions of what the market is for on-line education, and to diversify their offerings to attract the wide diversity of potential students. (See http://insidehighered.com/news/2007/11/28/online)
International students return to US graduate programs – Total
enrollments of foreign students in
Foreign students receive most PhDs in electrical, civil, industrial/mechanical engineering – Doctoral degrees awarded in the US grew by 5% in 2006, when a record 45,596 were granted in a wide variety of disciplines. The vast majority of those degrees which accounted for the increase over 2005 figures were in science and engineering. At the same time, non-citizens received over 70% of the doctorates given in electrical, civil and industrial/mechanical engineering. In total, 7191 doctorates were awarded in engineering in 2006, as compared with 6425 in 2005. 11,469 women received doctorates in engineering, while men earned 18,341. The figures came from a report issued by the National Science Foundation. (See http://insidehighered.com/news/2007/11/21/phds)
US Congress plans cuts in indirect cost reimbursements – The US Congress is prepared to pass a bill shifting indirect costs (overhead) to universities in basic research grants and contracts funded through the Pentagon. The cap would be 35%, while most universities charge about 50%, reports Jeffrey Brainard in the November 7 edition of The Chronicle of Higher Education. (See http://chronicle.com/daily/2007/11/620n.htm)
5 -
Energy
US DoE funds new solar technology – On November 8 the US
Department of Energy announced the award of $21 million for 25 projects designed
to develop the next generation of solar technology, announced Megan Barnett, the
department’s media contact. Fifteen
Report from Inter Academy Council urges sustainable development –
Lighting the Way, a new report written
by fifteen experts nominated from the 90 members of the Inter Academy Council,
does not include new recommendations on the need for sustainable development,
but its authors and supporters seek to use it to bring about concrete action,
just as the US National Academies’ report, Rising
Above the Gathering Storm, brought about the passage of the COMPETES Act.
Wind power blows hot and cold in international markets –
Swedish power company Vattenfall has spent $280 million to build a windpark in
the sea between
6 –
Journals
Global Journal of Engineering Education – The current issue includes some eleven papers on topics such as collaborative learning, intercultural communication considerations, higher education reform, a volunteer learning support scheme, alliances between engineering and humanities educators, and communication skills for engineers. (See http://www.eng.monash.edu.au/uicee)
Chemical engineering education – The Fall 2007 issue contains articles on a graduate course in theory and methods of research, an introductory course in bioengineering and biotechnology, and incorporation of data analysis throughout the curriculum. (See http://cee.che.ufl.edu/index.html)
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